# GZERO Media - Complete Content > GZERO Media: complete content export for LLMs - 75 sections and the 83 most recent articles. Navigation index: https://www.gzeromedia.com/llms.txt **Site Overview:** - Domain: https://www.gzeromedia.com - Total Sections: 75 - Recent Posts Included: 83 - Content Word Count: ~22695 words - Last Updated: 2026-10-20 - Generated: October 20, 2026 22:33:30 **Important Information:** - © 2026 GZERO Media. All rights reserved. - Site ID: 19128044 - Markdown version: append .md to any URL - Total sections: 75 ## Site Structure - [News](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/index.md): Read the latest news from GZERO with insights on global events. (10089 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/news; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/news.rss) - [Analysis](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/index.md): (1662 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/news/analysis.rss) - [What We're Watching](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/index.md): Global news briefs from GZERO Media: what's happening in global politics (4551 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/news/watching.rss) - [Hard Numbers](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/index.md): Global news through the lens of numbers. (1630 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/news/hard-numbers.rss) - [Remembering September 11, 2001](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/september-11-2001/index.md): (15 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/september-11-2001; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/news/september-11-2001.rss) - [Editor's Picks](https://www.gzeromedia.com/editors-picks/index.md): Global news analysis, insights, and the occasional fun tidbit. (574 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/editors-picks; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/editors-picks.rss) - [Graphic Truth](https://www.gzeromedia.com/graphic-truth/index.md): The Graphic Truth series uses data to tell stories about the trends and dynamics shaping our world. (839 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/graphic-truth; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/graphic-truth.rss) - [Games](https://www.gzeromedia.com/games/index.md): Prove your knowledge of world events by taking our weekly news quiz. (544 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/games; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/games.rss) - [by ian bremmer](https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer/index.md): Making sense of global affairs in a leaderless (G-Zero) world with whatever I decide is honest and fair analysis. (P.S. – don’t panic) (491 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/by-ian-bremmer.rss) - [Climate](https://www.gzeromedia.com/climate/index.md): Climate change news and analysis - the global politics of addressing the climate crisis, from sustainability and net zero carbon strategies to multilateral agreements to find climate solutions. (460 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/climate; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/climate.rss) - [Israel](https://www.gzeromedia.com/israel/index.md): (1017 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/israel; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/israel.rss) - [GZERO Explains](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-explains/index.md): Geopolitics is complicated. GZERO breaks down the biggest - and most confusing - stories in world news to help you make sense of it all. (19 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-explains; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/gzero-explains.rss) - [Viewpoint](https://www.gzeromedia.com/viewpoint/index.md): (266 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/viewpoint; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/viewpoint.rss) - [GZERO North](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/index.md): GZERO goes to the heart of US-Canada affairs, bringing you the latest on one of the world’s most important international political relationships. (1511 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/gzero-north.rss) - [GZERO AI](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-ai/index.md): The latest on artificial intelligence and its implications (858 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-ai; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/gzero-ai.rss) - [Hunger Pains](https://www.gzeromedia.com/hunger-pains/index.md): GZERO Media’s special coverage of the ongoing food crisis: the world faces the sharpest “hunger pains” since the end of World War 2. The world is on the brink of a crisis that could push more than a billion people towards starvation. A crisis that could upend governments, roil global markets, and rattle households around the world. (65 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/hunger-pains; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/hunger-pains.rss) - [Video](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/index.md): GZERO Media videos bring you the latest news and analysis about global news and geopolitics, including our television program "GZERO World with Ian Bremmer" and political satire series "Puppet Regime." (3646 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video.rss) - [GZERO World with Ian Bremmer](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer/index.md): Hosted by Ian Bremmer, GZERO World is an award-winning, nationally syndicated PBS television program featuring the most influential leaders and thinkers in the world. (753 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer.rss) - [GZERO World Clips](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/index.md): Highlights from the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer weekly television show. (2508 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/gzero-world-clips.rss) - [Quick Take](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/quick-take/index.md): Ian Bremmer, political scientist and president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, shares insights on global political events. (816 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/quick-take; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/quick-take.rss) - [Ian Explains](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ian-explains/index.md): On Ian Explains, host Ian Bremmer makes complex issues about global politics understandable. Ian Explains is a weekly segment on GZERO WORLD with Ian Bremmer, GZERO's weekly program about global news and current affairs. (247 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ian-explains; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/ian-explains.rss) - [Puppet Regime](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/puppet-regime/index.md): PUPPET REGIME is GZERO's award-winning political satire series that uses puppets to parody world leaders. Now more than ever, sometimes all you can do is laugh. (613 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/puppet-regime; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/puppet-regime.rss) - [ask ian](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ask-ian/index.md): Ian Bremmer takes a look at the week's top stories in geopolitics. (660 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ask-ian; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/ask-ian.rss) - [GZERO Europe](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-europe/index.md): Watch insights on the latest news about Europe from Carl Bildt, Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations and former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Sweden. (405 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-europe; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/gzero-europe.rss) - [GZERO Reports](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-reports/index.md): Our journalists bring you on-location video reports digging into news stories around the world. (100 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-reports; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/gzero-reports.rss) - [The Debrief](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-debrief/index.md): The latest in geopolitical news explained by GZERO Media and Eurasia Group experts. (50 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-debrief; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/the-debrief.rss) - [US Politics In 60 Seconds](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/us-politics-in-60/index.md): Get insights on the latest news in US politics from Jon Lieber, head of Eurasia Group's coverage of political and policy developments in Washington (530 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/us-politics-in-60; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/us-politics-in-60.rss) - [GZERO Live](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-live/index.md): Explore GZERO’s past virtual conversations, featuring global experts on the world's urgent issues. (174 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-live; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/gzero-live.rss) - [State of the World](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/state-of-the-world/index.md): In Ian Bremmer's annual "State of the World" speech every year, he presents his vision for the year ahead and outlines the major themes and forces shaping the geopolitical landscape. (24 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/state-of-the-world; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/state-of-the-world.rss) - [GZERO AI Video](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-ai-video/index.md): GZERO AI is our weekly video series intended to help you keep up and make sense of the latest news on the AI revolution. (56 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-ai-video; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/gzero-ai-video.rss) - [The Red Pen](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-red-pen/index.md): On GZERO Media's series The Red Pen, Ian Bremmer and colleagues pick apart the argument in a major opinion piece. (72 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-red-pen; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/the-red-pen.rss) - [Work In 60 Seconds](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/work-in-60/index.md): (68 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/work-in-60; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/work-in-60.rss) - [Cyber in 60 Seconds](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/cyber-in-60/index.md): (108 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/cyber-in-60; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/cyber-in-60.rss) - [Tech in 60 Seconds](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/tech-in-60/index.md): Watch as Nicholas Thompson, editor-in-chief of WIRED, explains what's going on in technology news, (131 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/tech-in-60; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/tech-in-60.rss) - [Money in 60 Seconds](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/money-in-60/index.md): (71 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/money-in-60; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/money-in-60.rss) - [A. I. in 60 Seconds](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ai-in-60/index.md): (16 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ai-in-60; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/ai-in-60.rss) - [In 60 Seconds](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/in-60-seconds/index.md): Short, concise, and to the point, In 60 Seconds covers world news, US politics, the view from Europe, and more. (1207 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/in-60-seconds; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/in-60-seconds.rss) - [Closing The Gap](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/closing-the-gap/index.md): How can technology and digital tools help close the inequality gap globally? A special series frrom GZERO Media, presented by Visa. (52 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/closing-the-gap; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/video/closing-the-gap.rss) - [Podcasts](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/index.md): Listen to GZERO's podcasts about global politics, including the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast. (419 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast.rss) - [GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/gzero-world-podcast/index.md): The United States will no longer play global policeman, and no one else wants the job. This is not a G-7 or a G-20 world. Welcome to the GZERO, a world made volatile by an intensifying international battle for power and influence. Every week on this podcast, Ian Bremmer will interview the world leaders and the thought leaders shaping our GZERO World. (634 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/gzero-world-podcast; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast/gzero-world-podcast.rss) - [Energized: The Future of Energy](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/energized/index.md): Dive into the biggest ideas about the current energy transition to learn where we’re going, and how it will impact geopolitics, the economy, and your bottom line on the “Energized: The Future of Energy” podcast series. (14 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/energized; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast/energized.rss) - [Local to global: The power of small business](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/local-to-global/index.md): Small businesses play a role in our everyday lives, but their influence and importance extend far beyond their communities. In this podcast series, "Local to global: The power of small business," from GZERO and Mastercard, we look at how new technologies can support the growth of small businesses and their impact on the global economy. (8 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/local-to-global; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast/local-to-global.rss) - [Next Giant Leap](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/next-giant-leap/index.md): Next Giant Leap is a podcast series exploring how the competition for success in space drives innovation, business, science, and economic growth here on Earth. (20 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/next-giant-leap; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast/next-giant-leap.rss) - [The Ripple Effect: Investing in Life Sciences](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/the-ripple-effect/index.md): This limited podcast series examines the unexpected ways that life sciences influence everything from national security to economic prosperity, to breakthroughs in other fields. (4 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/the-ripple-effect; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast/the-ripple-effect.rss) - [Patching the System](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/patching-the-system/index.md): The Patching the System podcast series explores the biggest cyber risks and challenges for governments, corporations, and consumers alike. (22 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/patching-the-system; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast/patching-the-system.rss) - [Living Beyond Borders Podcasts](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/living-beyond-borders-podcasts/index.md): GZERO Media and Citi Global Wealth Investments present “Living Beyond Borders,” a special-edition podcast series, as well as articles and graphics that examine how our lives change as the world changes. (72 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/living-beyond-borders-podcasts; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/podcast/living-beyond-borders-podcasts.rss) - [Global Stage](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/index.md): Global Stage delves into the issues that are shaping our world and explains how they will affect people, industries, and economies everywhere. Global Stage is a partnership between GZERO Media and Microsoft. (438 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage.rss) - [Commission on the Status of Women](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/commission-on-the-status-of-women/index.md): Global Stage brings you interviews and livestream discussions from the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women meetings at UN headquarters in New York City. (16 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/commission-on-the-status-of-women; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/commission-on-the-status-of-women.rss) - [Paris Peace Forum](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/paris-peace-forum/index.md): Global Stage interviews and insights from the Paris Peace Forum. (41 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/paris-peace-forum; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/paris-peace-forum.rss) - [UN General Assembly](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/un-general-assembly/index.md): The UN General Assembly takes place at United Nations headquarters in New York City every September. World leaders make speeches and diplomats convene to discuss global priorities. (146 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/un-general-assembly; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/un-general-assembly.rss) - [AI For Good Summit](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/ai-for-good/index.md): Global Stage brings you interviews and updates from the AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. (42 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/ai-for-good; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/ai-for-good.rss) - [UN STI Forum](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/un-sti-forum/index.md): The Global Stage series covers the United Nations Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI Forum), which convenes once a year to discuss science, technology, and innovation cooperation towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. (12 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/un-sti-forum; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/un-sti-forum.rss) - [World Economic Forum](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/world-economic-forum/index.md): Global Stage brings you livestreams, interviews, and updates each year from the World Economic Forum at Davos. (67 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/world-economic-forum; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/world-economic-forum.rss) - [Munich Security Conference](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/munich-security-conference/index.md): Watch our Global Stage updates from the Munich Security Conference every year, with livestreams, video interviews, and on the ground coverage from GZERO Media. (62 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/munich-security-conference; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/munich-security-conference.rss) - [World Bank & IMF Meetings](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/world-bank-imf-meetings/index.md): Global Stage interviews and insights from the IMF-World Bank meetings (42 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/world-bank-imf-meetings; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/world-bank-imf-meetings.rss) - [Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/abu-dhabi-ai-summit/index.md): Global Stage coverage of the Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit, focused on charting pathways for responsible and inclusive artificial intelligence development and diffusion. (14 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/abu-dhabi-ai-summit; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/abu-dhabi-ai-summit.rss) - [Global Stage Interviews](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/global-stage-interviews/index.md): Meet the influential policymakers, diplomats, innovators, and disruptors who play key roles in addressing the most pressing challenges for our world. (117 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/global-stage-interviews; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/global-stage-interviews.rss) - [AI and Society](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/ai-and-society/index.md): How can we keep up with AI to protect the world from its risks while maximizing the opportunity to use it for good? (36 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/ai-and-society; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/ai-and-society.rss) - [Caught in the Digital Crosshairs](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/caught-in-the-digital-crosshairs/index.md): “Caught in the Digital Crosshairs: The Human Impact of Cyberattacks” is a new video series on cybersecurity produced by GZERO in partnership with Microsoft. (16 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/caught-in-the-digital-crosshairs; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/caught-in-the-digital-crosshairs.rss) - [Posts](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/posts/index.md): Through livestream discussions, interviews, podcasts, and coverage of major global gatherings, Global Stage delves into the issues that are shaping our world and explains how they will affect people, industries, and economies everywhere. (270 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/posts; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/posts.rss) - [Events](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/virtual-events/index.md): Global Stage events present conversations about critical global issues at the intersection of technology, politics, and society, featuring leaders and experts from around the world. (55 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/virtual-events; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/virtual-events.rss) - [Upcoming](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/virtual-events/upcoming/index.md): Stay updated about our upcoming Global Stage events. (2 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/virtual-events/upcoming; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/virtual-events/upcoming.rss) - [Digital Equity](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/digital-equity/index.md): How can digital access and inclusive approaches to education and skilling connect global citizens to the next billion jobs? (23 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/digital-equity; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/digital-equity.rss) - [Crisis Recovery](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/crisis-recovery/index.md): As the world faces one crisis after another, can we build a more inclusive, green, and resilient global system? (147 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/crisis-recovery; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/crisis-recovery.rss) - [Digital Governance](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/digital-governance/index.md): With the world more online and interconnected than ever before, how can we achieve digital peace? (97 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/digital-governance; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/digital-governance.rss) - [Sustainability](https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/sustainability/index.md): As societies grapple with climate change, innovators and pioneers are making bold commitments - but will it be enough? (10 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/sustainability; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/global-stage/sustainability.rss) - [Living Beyond Borders](https://www.gzeromedia.com/living-beyond-borders/index.md): GZERO Media and Citi Private Bank are pleased to present “Living Beyond Borders” with a special-edition podcast series, articles, and graphics that examine how our lives change as the world changes. (0 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/living-beyond-borders; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/living-beyond-borders.rss) - [Living Beyond Borders Articles](https://www.gzeromedia.com/living-beyond-borders-articles/index.md): (127 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/living-beyond-borders-articles; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/living-beyond-borders-articles.rss) - [Living Beyond Borders Newsletters](https://www.gzeromedia.com/living-beyond-borders-newsletters/index.md): (32 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/living-beyond-borders-newsletters; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/living-beyond-borders-newsletters.rss) - [Economic Empowerment](https://www.gzeromedia.com/economic-empowerment/index.md): How can technology and digital tools help close the inequality gap globally? (51 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/economic-empowerment; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/economic-empowerment.rss) - [Events](https://www.gzeromedia.com/events/index.md): (114 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/events; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/events.rss) - [Upcoming Events](https://www.gzeromedia.com/events/upcoming-events/index.md): Find out about GZERO Media's upcoming events. (1 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/events/upcoming-events; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/events/upcoming-events.rss) - [Careers](https://www.gzeromedia.com/career/index.md): GZERO Media is a digital media company dedicated to providing the public with intelligent and engaging coverage of global affairs. It was created in 2017 as a subsidiary of Eurasia Group, the world's leading political risk analysis firm... (0 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/career; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/career.rss) - [Announcements](https://www.gzeromedia.com/announcements/index.md): Announcements about GZERO Media, a company dedicated to providing the public with intelligent and engaging coverage of global affairs. (50 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/announcements; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/announcements.rss) - [Subscribe](https://www.gzeromedia.com/subscribe/index.md): Stay informed with GZERO Daily. Sometimes there are puppets. Subscribers also receive a weekly evening edition: GZERO Daily by Ian Bremmer! (Yes, that Ian Bremmer) (6 posts; HTML: https://www.gzeromedia.com/subscribe; RSS: https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/subscribe.rss) ## Recent Content --- ### South Sudan suffers drone strike, Romania finally gets a government, Colombia revives sea beef with Nicaragua **Published:** October 20, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick, Lottie Tellyn, Alex Kliment | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/south-sudan-suffers-drone-strike-romania-finally-gets-a-government-colombia-revives-sea-beef-with-nicaragua.md Drone strike raises tensions between Sudan and South Sudan South Sudan is accusing neighboring Sudan of launching a drone strike that killed at least 73 people at a market in Abyei, a disputed, oil-rich region of roughly 4,000 square miles claimed by both countries. The attack has heightened tensions between the two states, which split in 2011 after South Sudan gained independence following decades of civil war. Why might Sudan attack the South? Since 2023, Sudan’s government has been locked in its own brutal civil war against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group. Khartoum has long accused South Sudan of helping move weapons to the RSF and of allowing RSF transports to refuel in Abyei, allegations that South Sudan denies. If South Sudan retaliates for Monday’s strike, it could open another front in Sudan’s already devastating war. Six months after election, Romania to form government Romania’s parliament has finally formed a government, with independent Prime Minister Luca Niculescu presiding over a minority government. Since elections were held in May, President Nicușor Dan has failed three times to form a government. After months of deadlock, the parties chose compromise over snap elections that would likely have been won by the populist ultra-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians. But that’s not the end of the story. The current deal between the center-right National Liberal Party and the center-left Social Democrats gives both parties six months to negotiate a more permanent coalition. Romania, which has the EU’s largest budget deficit, has been plagued by political instability in recent years. Polarization has only deepened since the 2024 presidential election, when Romania’s Constitutional Court overturned far-right populist Călin Georgescu’s first-round victory amid claims of Russian interference. Colombia revives territorial spat with Nicaragua President Abelardo de la Espriella threatened on Monday to unilaterally redraw his country’s maritime border with Nicaragua in order to expand Colombia’s territory. Under a 2012 International Court of Justice ruling that affirmed Colombia’s sovereignty over an archipelago off the Nicaraguan coast, Bogotá lost thousands of square miles of maritime territory. De la Espriella, a right-wing populist who won the presidency earlier this year, said the waters are Colombia’s “homeland” and that he will use force to defend them. Maritime sovereignty in the western Caribbean is not historically a hot-button issue in Colombia — unlike, say, Venezuela’s long-standing claims to the oil-rich Essequibo region of Guyana. But De la Espriella, who has a flair for the theatrical, may be testing the waters, as it were, to see whether it’s an issue that can stoke nationalist sentiment. --- ### Rare earths aren’t so rare in China **Published:** October 20, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/rare-earths-arent-so-rare-in-china.md The minerals include yttrium oxide, which is crucial for manufacturing jet engines and semiconductors. Inside China, one kilogram costs a mere $9. But outside of China? $1,150. China’s rare earth export controls — imposed partly in response to new US tariffs — are now threatening global supply chains. Japan has warned that it could run out of some of these minerals by the end of the year. --- ### Alberta nixes independence - but immigration is the real story **Published:** October 20, 2026 | **Author:** Tasha Kheiriddin | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/alberta-nixes-independence-but-immigration-is-the-real-story.md Alberta is staying in Canada. After a long night of ballot counting, with some polling stations open until 10:30 pm due to long lines and late starts, voters in the oil-rich western Canadian province decisively rejected taking steps toward independence. Seventy-six percent voted to remain part of Canada, while 24% voted to initiate a secession process. The results mirrored opinion polls taken throughout the campaign and dealt a serious blow to separatists, some of whom had predicted getting as much as 55% of the vote. But the more important results may have come from the nine other questions on the referendum ballot that have received considerably less attention. Tighter borders. More than half of Albertans voted in favor of new provincial powers to limit immigration. Similar shares supported restricting publicly funded services for non-citizens and non-residents, as well as imposing waiting periods or additional fees on temporary residents seeking health benefits. This last issue marks a major departure in a country where universal health care is a defining feature of national identity. Election security. An even clearer majority of Albertans, roughly 63%, supported requiring voters to present a passport, birth certificate, or citizenship card to vote in provincial elections. Supporters of the measure — which echoes Donald Trump’s stalled Save America Act — argue that it would protect electoral integrity, while critics warn it could disenfranchise eligible citizens who lack ready access to the required documents. Tensions with Ottawa incoming. Unlike the electoral rule changes, which the Albertan government can implement directly, the immigration proposals will need to be negotiated with the federal government in Ottawa. That will fuel tensions between Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at a time when Carney is trying to present a united front in Canada’s ongoing tariff war with the US. Immigration will be the wedge issue. Immigration anxieties are familiar in both America and Europe, where governments face growing public concern over housing shortages, strained social services, and their capacity to absorb and assimilate newcomers. But they create a particular dilemma for Alberta and, by extension, Canada. Alberta’s powerful oil industry and natural resources are a critical component of Canada’s broader economic and geopolitical ambitions. Ottawa wants to advance major energy and infrastructure projects, including a new west coast oil pipeline that would expand Canada's access to overseas markets. But Alberta’s oil-driven economy depends heavily on immigration and temporary workers to support production, construction, and infrastructure development. Carney even recently mused about increasing immigration levels to build new energy infrastructure. At the same time, Canada faces persistent labor shortages that more immigration could partly ease, a trade-off that Carney’s cabinet is already discussing. Alberta’s referendum results, as well as the recent outcome of Quebec’s provincial election, which immigration skeptics won, show that voters in key regions of the country prefer to keep immigration numbers down. What happens next? Alberta’s separatists have vowed to press ahead despite their defeat. Smith’s United Conservative party will hold a convention in November, and polls show just over half of its members support separation. However, the greater issue is how the federal government will navigate Alberta’s demands for greater autonomy on issues core to broader Canadian ambitions — and manage the possible political fallout. --- ### What a Democratic Congress would mean for Trump and the GOP **Published:** October 20, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World Clips **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/what-a-democratic-congress-would-mean-for-trump-and-the-gop.md Could a Democrat sweep of the House and Senate in the 2026 midterms actally help President Trump? If Democrats win back control of Congress, they'd have a bigger check on the president's agenda, but couldn't necessarily stop him from pushing it forward. So far, most of Trump's policy decisions have been made through executive authority, so a Democratic control of Congress isn't likely to change much. So what can voters expect if Dems win back both chambers? Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report and Republican Strategist Liam Donovan join Ian Bremmer on GZERO World for a look at how a blue wave in the 2026 midterms could reshape Washington and set the stage for 2028. If Dems outperform on election night, it could counterintutiively hurt the party. A Democratic Congress would give Trump a convenient scapegoat, something he lacks right now. A big win could also mean Democrats simply dig into fighting Trump instead of finding a message that appeals to voters in 2028. Meanwhile, Republicans face their own questions about the party’s future. Would a major midterm defeat finally force a reckoning with Trump’s influence, or has MAGA full cemented itself as the new GOP identity? --- ### Could Chinese AI give Europe an edge? **Published:** October 19, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** The Debrief **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-debrief/could-chinese-ai-give-europe-an-edge.md Could China give Europe a shortcut in the AI race? Europe has struggled to build models that compete with American and Chinese rivals. But Chinese models that companies can download, customize, and run themselves could offer another way forward—with more control over data and security. Heather West explains why “good enough” AI could be Europe’s opportunity in the latest installment of The Debrief --- ### Building a safer digital future starts with the next generation (and Minecraft) **Published:** October 19, 2026 | **Author:** Microsoft | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/building-a-safer-digital-future-starts-with-the-next-generation-and-minecraft-msft-102126.md This week, Microsoft launched the Velocity Prize, a global competition designed to give students ages 13–16 an opportunity to demonstrate their computational thinking, coding, and creative problem-solving skills in Minecraft. Supported by Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, the competition encourages students to build digital skills and learn how to use technology responsibly while exploring future opportunities in cybersecurity. By helping equip the next generation with the skills to navigate and shape the digital world, the Velocity Prize is helping build a pipeline of future problem-solvers who can contribute to a safer and more resilient digital ecosystem. Read more here. --- ### Is social media bad for democracy? **Published:** October 19, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn, Eileen Zhang | **Section:** Graphic Truth **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/graphic-truth/is-social-media-bad-for-democracy.md Social media has made news easier to access than ever, but as our Graphic Truth shows, people are increasingly concerned about the technology’s negative impacts on democracy. Earlier this year, social media platforms overtook news apps and websites to become the most widely used source of online news, according to the Reuters 2026 Digital News Report. And yet, new polling from Pew Research Center across 37 countries shows that the share of the public who believe social media is a “bad thing” for democracy has increased significantly since 2022: a median of 79% of respondents say social media has made it easier to manipulate people with false information, while 68% say it has made societies more polarized. Views of social media’s impact on democracy are particularly negative in the US, the Netherlands, France, and Germany, where over 60% of the population say social media harms democracy. In the US, however, those views have remained unchanged since 2022, while opinions in other countries now appear to be converging with Americans’ souring views of the technology. Meanwhile, in countries like Poland, Indonesia, and Greece, social media is still, on balance, seen as a good thing for democracy — although negative views have grown since 2022. Generational divide. Young people are more likely to view social media positively. The gap is particularly wide in the UK, where 60% of those aged 18-34 think social media is good for democracy, compared with just 31% of those 50 and older. One reason may be that social media broadens access to political information and voices: a median of 60% of respondents across all ages say access to the internet and social media has improved representation of different views. Laws that regulate content on social media are increasingly popular. In December 2025, Australia was the first country to ban people under 16 from social media, citing mounting evidence of its negative impacts on young people’s mental health. Other large economies, including France and the UK, have since followed suit. However, even as countries slowly come to terms with the pros and cons of social media, they’re also having to confront the challenges posed by the next technological leap: 10% of people surveyed now use AI chatbots to get their news, up from 7% the previous year, Reuters found. --- ### Another break in the Trump-Zelensky relationship **Published:** October 19, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** Quick Take **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/quick-take/another-break-in-the-trump-zelensky-relationship.md In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer says President Donald Trump's approach to the war in Ukraine is putting more pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky and raising concerns among European allies about the future of NATO. Ian argues that Trump increasingly wants to end the war “under any circumstances,” placing more pressure on Ukraine than Russia while pursuing closer economic ties with President Vladimir Putin. Unlike former President Joe Biden, who prioritized coordination with European allies, Trump is pursuing engagement with Moscow largely unilaterally, including the prospect of renewed energy and investment ties. The shift has left European leaders concerned that the US may not support them if Russia expands its hybrid attacks across the continent. Meanwhile, growing support for far-right, pro-Russian political forces in Europe could further weaken the region’s backing for Ukraine. As Ukraine faces another difficult winter, Ian warns that uncertainty over continued US military and intelligence support could have serious consequences for Kyiv and the transatlantic alliance. He calls Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine bears greater responsibility for the war “downright Orwellian.” --- ### Unrest in France spreads, Trump endorses Netanyahu, US-Ukraine ties fray **Published:** October 19, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick, Alex Kliment, Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/unrest-in-france-spreads-trump-endorses-netanyahu-us-ukraine-ties-fray.md Weekend of unrest rocks France Ongoing student protests in France descended into looting and riots over the weekend as more than half a million people took to the streets across the country. The unrest briefly spread to Portugal, Belgium, and Italy as well. Although the French protests began with demands for more education funding, the latest violence appeared to be led primarily by far-left extremists and gangs from the country’s immigrant-heavy suburbs. Conservative leaders across Europe seized on the chaos to push tougher immigration policies. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar wrote, “Perhaps it is now clear to everyone why Hungary takes the toughest possible stance on migration,” while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland would “not pay for” other EU countries’ immigration missteps. Embattled French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence but didn’t outline clear steps to forestall further unrest. Anti-immigration right-winger Marine Le Pen, who leads in polls ahead of the 2027 presidential election, called him “powerless.” Trump endorses Netanyahu in tight Israeli election race It’s the first time a US president has openly backed a candidate in an Israeli election, but it’s unclear how much Trump’s eleventh-hour endorsement will help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is polling neck and neck with his main rival, former Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot. Trump remains generally popular in Israel, but recent polls show a sharp decline in the share of Israelis who believe he prioritizes their security. In addition, the two men have clashed over Netanyahu’s rejection of a Washington-brokered Gaza peace plan. Still, Netanyahu thanked Trump, calling him a “great friend.” The stakes are high for Netanyahu — although his military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran are broadly popular, the Israeli public wants an official probe of the security lapses on his watch that made the October 7 attacks possible. What’s more, if he falls from power, he will immediately lose immunity in his long-running corruption trial. How much worse can US-Ukraine relations get? In recent days, US-Ukraine relations have reached their ugliest point since Donald Trump shouted down Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in 2025. Trump, incensed that Ukraine continues retaliatory strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, has scrapped new US sanctions on Russia, called for regime change in Kyiv, and said he prefers negotiating with Vladimir Putin. According to Ukraine, the US even briefly stopped sharing certain intelligence, including information used to track incoming Russian airstrikes. This all puts immense pressure not only on Ukraine but also on Europe. The EU gives more support to Kyiv than the US does, but Zelensky has said that without Washington’s support, his country would quickly fall. Meanwhile, Putin has floated a Ukraine peace summit with Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The proposal would be a 21st century take on the Yalta Conference, when the US, UK, and USSR divided much of the globe at the end of World War II. --- ### Warlord Jr. carries on the family business in Russia **Published:** October 19, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/warlord-jr-carries-on-the-family-business-in-russia.md Being a warlord is a family affair! Pavel Prigozhin, 28, was once known for his ultra-luxurious lifestyle. But after his father was killed in a plane crash in 2023 — not at all coincidentally just two months after leading a short-lived mutiny against Russia’s military brass over the war in Ukraine — Pavel was tapped to lead Wagner. Since then, he has deftly maintained the group’s long-standing presence in Africa, particularly in the Central African Republic, where it is believed to have not only about 1,000 mercenaries actively advancing Kremlin interests, but also its own local beer brand. --- ### Can Republicans survive Trump's unpopularity? **Published:** October 19, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World Clips **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/can-republicans-survive-trump-s-unpopularity.md With just weeks until the midterms, President Trump's declining popularity is becoming a major liability for Republicans. But should GOP candidates distance themselves from the president or stick with him? Republican strategist Liam Donovan explains why breaking with Trump could backfire, particularly for candidates who haven't already established an independent political identity. On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer speaks with Donovan and Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, about how both parties are approaching the final stretch. Walter explains why Democrats are focusing on the cost of living, the Iran war, and corruption, and how disillusioned Trump voters could determine whether Republicans hold onto their Senate majority. --- ### Midterms 2026: Is a blue wave coming? **Published:** October 18, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World with Ian Bremmer **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer/midterms-2026-is-a-blue-wave-coming.md Could Democrats take control of both the House and Senate in November? With Republicans facing growing voter frustration over the economy, the Iran war, and rising costs, the political landscape is shifting. But while Democrats see an opportunity to flip Congress, the Senate map presents a much tougher challenge. On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer sits down with Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, and Republican strategist Liam Donovan to break down the state of the midterm races. They discuss Trump's role in mobilizing Republican voters, whether Democrats can capitalize on his unpopularity, and why the Iran war could prove decisive in November. They also look beyond Election Day. What would a Democratic-controlled Congress mean for Trump's final two years in office? And how could the results reshape both parties as they prepare for the 2028 presidential election? --- ### 2026 Midterms and the battle for Congress, with Amy Walter and Liam Donovan **Published:** October 17, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/gzero-world-podcast/2026-midterms-and-the-battle-for-congress-with-amy-walter-and-liam-donovan.md Could a blue wave be coming in November? With the 2026 midterms approaching, Democrats are hoping to flip both chambers of Congress, while Republicans are fighting to hold onto their narrow majorities. But the battle for the House and Senate looks very different, and even with voter frustration mounting, the outcome is far from certain. On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer sits down with Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, and Republican strategist Liam Donovan to examine the state of the midterm races. They discuss why the Iran war and rising gas prices have become major political liabilities for Republicans, whether Trump can mobilize his base despite his declining popularity, and why Democrats are focusing on affordability, corruption, and voter frustration rather than cultural issues. But the stakes extend well beyond November. What would a Democratic-controlled Congress actually mean for the final two years of Trump's presidency? Could a major Democratic victory change the party's direction, or simply reinforce its opposition to Trump? And as both parties look toward 2028, is JD Vance positioned to inherit the Republican nomination, and what kind of candidate could emerge for Democrats? --- ### Washington’s controversial new approach to foreign aid **Published:** October 16, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/washingtons-controversial-new-approach-to-foreign-aid.md What do countries receiving US foreign aid owe Washington? Since returning to power in 2025, the Trump administration has drastically changed the answer to this question, pursuing an ‘America First’ philosophy that is dramatically more transactional: the US will give you money, but you must give the US something valuable in return. In the mineral-rich Southern African country of Zambia, for example, the US tried to negotiate an agreement under which the US would provide more than $1 billion in funding to fight diseases such as HIV and malaria. But Zambia would not only have had to contribute over $2 billion of its own money, but it would also have to hand over something potentially far more valuable: its citizens’ health data. Zambia ended up signing a revised version of the agreement, but it is just one of dozens of similar arrangements struck under Trump’s America First Global Health Strategy, which has not only significantly reduced US foreign health funding but also increasingly conditioned it on countries’ willingness to give up health data. So far, 36 countries have signed deals under the new America First framework, although not all of them involve data sharing. “The crux of the agreements hinges on the understanding from the US perspective that aid can no longer be just 'aid' as it was — there have to be tangible benefits that the US itself gets,” said Dr. Tatenda Chatikobo, who researches global health at Warwick University. How have things changed? For decades, Washington was the largest single foreign aid donor in the world, administering as much as $60 billion annually through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). These funds usually came with no specific quid pro quo or strings attached. The guiding idea was that the soft power of aid was itself a worthy objective. But USAID was dismantled last spring by the Trump Administration as part of sweeping cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). At the time, Marco Rubio argued that USAID didn’t align with the US’s foreign policy objectives under US President Donald Trump and that its aid strategy needed to more clearly benefit Americans. Now, the US is not only dramatically reducing its aid allocations and encouraging recipient governments to put up more cash of their own, but also directly brokering more explicitly transactional deals in closed-door negotiations with individual countries. “It represents a fundamental restructuring of the US global health relationship,” said Adam Wexler, who has researched the agreements at health policy organization KFF. Why does the US want all this data? The US says it’s necessary in order to monitor how aid money is spent and ensure that programs meet their stated objectives. For example, its deal with Uganda says the data should be used to deliver and audit healthcare services. But under that agreement, the US will also get access to nine of Uganda’s health data systems for seven years, including the system that manages individuals’ medical records. Large datasets like these are incredibly valuable – the industry of buying and selling healthcare data is now worth billions as companies try to get their hands on data that can be used for medical research, pandemic preparedness, or training AI models. “Looking at it as a simple 'data for aid' transaction is too simplistic,” said Chatikobo. “You have to look at the immense future value of that data.” And that value isn’t being structured or shared fairly, say critics. The agreements do not give aid recipients a stake in revenues generated from using their data. Even the aid itself will in some cases run out before the data sharing obligations do: Rwanda is expected to provide data for 25 years but receive aid only for five. Critics say these new arrangements are inherently coercive. In Uganda, for example, US aid was estimated to save around 170,000 lives per year. Could the government really say no to Washington’s new conditions? “What the US shifted to under Trump is basically giving us your data or die. And that is an inherently coercive offer,” said Arthur Caplan, the former head of medical ethics for NYU’s population health department. Moreover, there are concerns about data privacy and consent. Although citizens may have consented to share their data with their own governments, they have not agreed to do so for the US. That has caused an outcry in countries such as Kenya, whose high court suspended the implementation of an agreement with the US over data sharing concerns. One fear is that although the data is largely anonymized, increasingly powerful AI tools can easily reverse that, leaving the people whose data is shared vulnerable to identification later on – something that experts have warned could violate countries’ health privacy laws. This is a special concern in countries where diseases like HIV are still stigmatized, Caplan said, and identification as an HIV patient could be life-changing. Before the America First Global Health Strategy, the US provided health aid to over 70 countries. Under the new approach, just thirty-six deals have been signed so far, though Washington intends to conclude more in the coming months. The US says these new arrangements provide a clearer benefit in exchange for US largesse, and that weaning recipient countries off of Washington’s support is good for everyone. Some African health officials have suggested similar views. But who will really benefit most in the long run will remain an open and deeply controversial question. “What we are seeing here is trying to solve a problem that in some ways is a genuine problem,” says Chatikobo. “But is not really benefiting the people that are giving away that data.” --- ### Indonesian wildfires rage, Ethiopia imposes interim government on rebel region, Mexico tries to ban harmful content **Published:** October 16, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick, Alex Kliment | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/indonesian-wildfires-rage-ethiopia-imposes-interim-government-on-rebel-region-mexico-tries-to-ban-harmful-content.md Indonesia’s wildfires ignite regional tensions Indonesia’s worst wildfires in a decade are quickly becoming a domestic and international headache for President Prabowo Subianto. He has so far refused to declare a national emergency, which would free up more resources to fight the blazes. Prabowo says the government has things under control without one, but critics say he’s worried that an emergency declaration would show weakness. Meanwhile, residents on the island of Borneo near the epicenter of the fires are suing the federal government for negligence, demanding free healthcare and compensation for families who have lost loved ones. Indonesia’s neighbors are also losing patience. Singapore has threatened to sue Indonesian companies it holds responsible for the fires, while the wildfire smoke has forced Malaysia and East Timor to close their own schools. Nearly 3,500 square miles have burned since January, with drought conditions brought on by El Niño fueling the flames. Ethiopia imposes interim government on rebel region Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Friday installed a federally-run interim government in the northern Tigray region, following renewed clashes recently with the local Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Between 2020 and 2022, Ethiopian troops battled the TPLF in a brutal civil war which ended in a shaky peace deal. The TPLF mounted a fresh uprising late last month, but has since lost control of key Tigray cities to federal forces. PM Abiy has tasked the interim government with creating conditions for fresh elections within six months. To do so, it will need not only to manage the security challenge of disaffected TPLF militants, but also grapple with significant humanitarian challenges as well. Some 750,000 Tigrayans remain displaced as a result of the 2020-2022 war, and the region faces the risk of El Niño-driven droughts. Mexico joins growing list of countries restricting social media content for minors President Claudia Sheinbaum has signed a decree prohibiting social media platforms from exposing users under 18 to “harmful content,” including violence, hate speech, and sexual material, among others. Under the new rules – which will take effect next month – platforms will be required to verify the user’s age, restrict harmful content from appearing in their feeds, and offer parental supervision tools. Mexico joins a growing list of countries, including the UK, Australia, and Malaysia, that have introduced restrictions aimed at protecting young people online. But enforcement remains a challenge both generally – age restrictions are often easy to circumvent – as well as specifically: Sheinbaum’s decree lists no specific penalties for failure to comply. She says that if companies violate the new rule, which takes effect next month, her government would escalate to asking Congress to pass a firmer law and that unspecified sanctions could follow. --- ### Senegal’s LGBTQ+ crackdown **Published:** October 16, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/senegals-lgbtq-crackdown.md Senegalese LGBTQ+ people have also faced forced HIV testing and challenges getting legal representation amid a wider crackdown. As a candidate in the 2024 election, now-president Bassirou Diomaye Faye pledged to strengthen existing laws that criminalized same-sex relations. In March the government doubled the maximum prison term for same-sex relations to 10 years. Senegal also introduced fines for promoting, supporting, or financing LGBTQ+ organizations or groups. --- ### You vs. the News: A Weekly News Quiz - October 16, 2026 **Published:** October 16, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Daily | **Section:** Games **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/games/quiz-101626.md Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it Protests have rocked Albania this week. They began months ago in opposition to a seaside resort project led by Jared Kushner that would displace what? A) Flamingos B) A large refugee encampment C) A sacred volcano Take the quiz to see if you guessed correctly! --- ### The French are furious at Macron–for good reason **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** The Debrief **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-debrief/the-french-are-furious-at-macron-for-good-reason.md French president Emmanuel Macron promised to renew France and build a stronger Europe. As his presidency nears its end, he's leaving France worse off than he found it. On The Debrief, Eurasia Group's Europe practice head Mujtaba Rahman breaks down the three crises looming over France: political turmoil, strained public finances, and a younger generation losing faith in its future. With the far right poised to benefit, France’s problems could become Europe’s. --- ### AI is becoming a superweapon **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** GZERO Live **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-live/ai-is-becoming-a-superweapon.md AI is advancing with both feet on the accelerator. At last week’s GZERO Summit in London, Ian Bremmer spotlighted the risks posed by frontier AI models and the imperative for independent, globally minded AI governance. --- ### Fall survival kit from the Puppet Regime Ministry of Merch **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** Puppet Regime Store | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/fall-survival-kit-from-the-puppet-regime-ministry-of-merch-puppetregimestore-101626.md The leaves are falling. Approval ratings are falling. Even some governments are falling. Get through this season of chaos with the exclusive PUPPET REGIME beanie, an ideal accessory for keeping even the coolest of heads warm. We also offer: A big, beautiful mug for coffee at your morning intelligence briefings A tote bag with more structural integrity than most governments Stickers to wage subtle psyops against your opponents The store is stocked, and we ship (almost) worldwide — sorry, Iran, Russia, and North Korea, we don’t make the rules. Shop now at shop.puppetregime.tv! --- ### Europe’s anti-immigration parties are surging as immigration numbers fall **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/europes-anti-immigration-parties-are-surging-as-immigration-numbers-fall.md Anti-immigration political parties are making big gains across Europe these days. Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party just won two major state parliamentary elections, campaigning in part on mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Spain’s far-right Vox party continues to grow in popularity, especially after a recent surge of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. And in France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally is climbing in the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election, promising tougher border controls and restrictions on immigration. It may at first seem curious, then, that this is happening at a time when irregular migration into Europe is actually declining — and fast. According to a new report from the International Organization for Migration, the number of migrants and asylum seekers who arrived by sea in the first nine months of 2026 has plummeted nearly 40% — to 60,000 — compared to the same period last year. Overall, in 2025, the number of irregular border crossings of all kinds fell to below 200,000. That is a staggering drop from the height of the European migrant crisis of 2015-2016, when more than a million people sought refuge in Europe. What accounts for the decline? First, some of the crises that pushed people to leave their home countries have abated. The 2024 overthrow of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, for example, ended a decade-long civil war that at its peak sent millions of Syrians fleeing to Europe in 2015-2016. Over the past two years, however, an estimated 3.5 million Syrians have returned home from abroad or from displacement within their country. While the new Syria faces enormous challenges, the circumstances driving Syrians to flee are no longer what they were a decade ago. Second, Europe — which a decade ago welcomed millions of asylum seekers — has since cracked down on migration. The unprecedented wave of arrivals in 2015 stoked popular concerns about mass irregular migration that were quickly echoed by populist parties, especially on the right. According to polling from November 2025, majorities in some of Europe’s largest countries wanted less immigration, even if they tended to drastically overestimate the actual number of irregular migrants in their countries. Since then, that pressure has forced governments run by centrist parties and coalitions to tighten immigration rules and enforce them more diligently. This year, for example, Germany intensified checkpoints along its borders and started allowing its border police to turn away asylum seekers, while the UK made refugee status temporary. Even historically welcoming Sweden has radically changed course. In 2015, it received around 163,000 asylum seekers, among the highest numbers per capita in Europe. By 2025, applications for asylum in the country had fallen by roughly 96%. Policy has also tightened at the EU level. In June, a new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum took effect, requiring all EU countries to follow the same, stricter procedures when processing irregular migrants. It was the first unified policy on the issue in the history of the bloc. Finally, European nations are relying more on non-EU countries to stop migration waves before they reach EU borders. The bloc has struck agreements with countries like Turkey, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, providing financial assistance and other incentives in exchange for increased cooperation on border enforcement and managing migration flows. The EU cites this cooperation with non-EU nations as a major reason irregular arrivals have declined significantly. In a way, Europe is increasingly outsourcing the issue beyond its own borders, making it more difficult to reach the continent in the first place. However, with irregular migration dropping, Europe’s far-right parties face an interesting dilemma: What happens if one of the major issues fueling their rise begins to fade? Immigration remains a powerful political topic, and concerns about national identity and the economic pressures associated with migration aren’t easing just because fewer people are arriving. But for parties like the AfD and National Rally, the challenge will be whether they can continue to capitalize on those concerns, or whether, as they get close to national power for the first time, they pivot to other issues to sustain their momentum. --- ### El Salvador to free tens of thousands **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/el-salvador-to-free-tens-of-thousands.md Bukele’s controversial crackdown on gang violence in El Salvador has featured sweeping arrests under state of emergency powers, imprisoning tens of thousands of people in maximum-security prisons where they face mass trials. Those measures have contributed to a drastic reduction in the country’s homicide rate — dropping from 100 murders per 100,000 in 2015 to just 1.3 by 2025 — and making Bukele, the self-styled “world’s coolest dictator,” immensely popular at home. However, critics say the decline is partly due to the reclassification of certain kinds of homicides, and that the president’s policies violate human rights and due process for those arrested. Bukele’s change of heart would affect only people accused of collaborating with gangs — say, by making extortion payments or serving as lookouts — rather than those accused of being gang members. --- ### Trump Strikes MASSIVE Diesel deal with Russia **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** Puppet Regime **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/puppet-regime/trump-strikes-massive-diesel-deal-with-russia.md Deals! Deals! Deals! Watch more PUPPET REGIME! --- ### Albania rocked by protests, China and North Korea open a bridge, US states sue OpenAI **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick, Alex Kliment, Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/albania-rocked-by-protests-china-and-north-korea-open-a-bridge-us-states-sue-openai.md Flamingo protests escalate in Albania Protests in Albania turned violent Wednesday night as rioters attacked government buildings and set storefronts ablaze in the capital, Tirana. More peaceful demonstrations began several months ago, triggered by opposition to a luxury hotel development project led by President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner that would have displaced local flamingo populations. But the protests quickly took on broader frustrations over graft in what is one of Europe’s most corrupt countries — Albania scores just 39 out of 100 on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index. Protesters are now calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign, but he has so far refused. Albania has been seeking EU membership since becoming a candidate in 2014 — and has been in direct talks since 2022 — but concerns over graft, organized crime, and money laundering have long hindered its bid. North Korea and China open long-delayed bridge Originally slated for completion in 2014, the span over the Yalu River was for years an unfinished bridge over troubled waters as ties between the two close allies frayed. China, the main economic lifeline for a deeply isolated North Korea, was irritated by Kim Jong-Un’s increasingly assertive nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions, and by his deepening ties with Russia. But things are on an upswing again as Beijing looks to shore up a critical regional alliance that Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong once described as “as close as lips and teeth.” Last year, bilateral trade neared $3 billion, a return to pre-pandemic levels, and in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit to the North Korean capital in seven years. US states sue OpenAI over self-harm risks Eight US states, led by both Democrat and Republican administrations, sued OpenAI on Wednesday, alleging that its ChatGPT chatbot advises users — including children — on how to hurt themselves. The lawsuit is the first of its kind brought by states against an AI company. Attorneys general from Kansas, Iowa, Montana, and five other states want courts to force the company to infuse its AI models with “human values” and to pay damages. OpenAI says “no system can be perfect” and that it is building in additional safeguards. This isn’t the first time OpenAI has faced such accusations. Ahead of its upcoming IPO, a slew of lawsuits allege that ChatGPT has helped users plan acts of mass violence. The litigation will establish critically important precedents for liability in AI, especially as tech companies grapple with the moral implications of products that mimic consciousness. --- ### Why 2028 matters for Europe **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** GZERO Live **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-live/why-2028-matters-for-europe.md What does the rise of ethno-nationalism mean for the future of US-EU relations? At last week's GZERO Summit in London, Ian Bremmer unpacked how Trump and his potential successors' embrace of this shift could reshape the transatlantic relationship in 2028 and beyond. --- ### How Houthi attacks are testing Saudi Arabia's defenses **Published:** October 15, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** ask ian **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ask-ian/how-houthi-attacks-are-testing-saudi-arabia-s-defenses.md In this ‘ask ian,’ Ian Bremmer explains how the US blockade of Iran and Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia are driving disruptions of global energy and shipping across the Middle East. Ian says the US blockade has been effective at keeping Iran from getting oil out. The economic pressure is squeezing Iran's economy and its leaders. Iran has responded by sharply increasing its attacks on ships. The US has answered with strikes on small Iranian vessels in the strait. Ian questions how long that can last. If Iran is allowed to continue, he says, "they're going to have a lot more influence over the strait and oil prices are going to continue to rise, which Trump will find unacceptable." But Ian adds that President Donald Trump doesn't want to escalate further until the midterms are over. Meanwhile, the Houthis are carrying out their own attack against Saudi Arabia, hitting Riyadh's main international airport and Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran. Ian says the group wants the Saudis to back down and pay them off, but it doesn't want the US to enter the fight. Ian says that, for now, the war is still contained because none of the sides want a sudden, sharp escalation. But each is trying to show it has more leverage than its adversaries will acknowledge, in hopes of improving its position in an eventual ceasefire. --- ### Hobbies are having a moment **Published:** October 14, 2026 | **Author:** Bank of America | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/hobbies-are-having-a-moment-boa-101526.md After shifting toward other forms of leisure, consumers are putting more money back into hobbies—with older Millennials spending more on hobbies than any other generation. Spending is accelerating across activities like hiking, camping, skiing, scuba diving, arts and crafts, and more. Subscribe to Bank of America Institute for more insights. --- ### Modi’s cockroach problem **Published:** October 14, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** by ian bremmer **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer/cockroach-janta-party.md If you see one cockroach in daylight, there are dozens more ready to come out in the night. That’s the challenge facing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as New Delhi is rocked by protests from the “cockroach” youth movement. Modi has been in firm control of India for 12 years—an era defined by, to his supporters, transformative economic growth and, to his detractors, democratic backsliding. But after his closer-than-expected election to a third term in 2024, followed by escalating youth protests this year, Modi’s government suddenly looks vulnerable. Modi isn’t going anywhere fast: he has enough popularity and votes in parliament to weather the cockroach protests. But the youth backlash has exposed cracks in his support and an increasing desire from Indians to reevaluate his record. That shift matters not just for India but for the world. Modi’s problems began over the summer. After the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)—the exam Indian students take to qualify for medical school—leaked, India’s education department asked more than 2 million students to retake it. In a country with high youth unemployment and few university spots for a young population (with a median age of 29.2), the NEET exam brought serious anxiety even before the scandal broke. The government’s demand for everyone to retake the test allegedly led to the deaths of at least 12 students by suicide, sparking widespread outrage. Shortly thereafter, Indian Chief Justice Surya Kant called India’s discontented young people “cockroaches,” leading an Indian student in the United States, Abhijeet Dipke, to form the “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP), a satire of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The meme became a movement, as the cockroaches protested the entrance exam fiasco in the thousands, prompting a violent crackdown from law enforcement. Modi—historically unbending in response to protests—was forced to give in, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. Now, the protesters are back and targeting India’s election chief Gyanesh Kumar because of his decision to purge 130 million people from the voter rolls. Modi’s BJP says this is a normal process, as the country periodically verifies those on its electoral rolls (to ensure those who have died or moved away aren’t included), but the cockroach movement argues that Modi is culling the electorate of Muslim and other voters unlikely to support his Hindu nationalist party. The voter rolls are particularly important as India hurtles toward seven state elections in 2027, headlined by Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in northern India and Modi’s home state of Gujarat in the west. Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state by population, will render a verdict on BJP Chief Minister—and rumored potential successor to Modi—Yogi Adityanath. In a time of significant discontent, 2027 offers an electoral opportunity for voters displeased with BJP rule. Modi’s government cracked down on the protesters and arrested (then released) CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke. But this isn’t a problem that Modi can fix with law enforcement. These protests have staying power because they’re tapping into young voters’ widespread frustration with the political establishment over an economic growth story that has excluded many of them. Modi’s credibility has long stemmed from overseeing a period of rapid economic growth—outpacing all other major economies—spurred by a boom in India’s services industry. Since 2014, India has seen a more than 10% jump in electricity access (nearly the entire population now has access) and a more than 20% jump in citizens with an account at a financial institution, aided by Modi’s focus on expanding infrastructure and India’s digital identification system. India is in prime position to continue this growth, with a young population in a moment where nearly every large economy is grappling with aging workforces. However, India’s growth story under Modi isn’t entirely clear-cut. His government’s massive public spending has propped up GDP growth, but private investment has been stubbornly low as a share of the economy for years—creating a development model that might prove unsustainable. Compared to other Asian economies that went through periods of skyrocketing growth—like China, Japan, and Korea—India still hasn’t developed a robust manufacturing industry, which might limit its growth potential long term. There’s also mounting evidence that Modi’s administration has undermined the government’s ability to maintain accurate economic data, leading to questions over the growth numbers it cites. And, of course, there’s the problem that kickstarted the cockroach movement: youth unemployment, which was nearly in the double digits last year. Add to that longstanding anger about the BJP’s discrimination against India’s 200 million Muslims (including Modi’s decision to divide the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir) and broader concerns over democratic backsliding fueled by declining freedom of expression, and you have the foundation of a political movement against India’s longtime leader. Yet while Modi’s approval ratings have dipped slightly, over half the population still rates his performance as “good,” and he has a more than twenty-point lead on other potential prime ministerial candidates. His coalition continues to hold a majority in parliament that will sustain him until the next national election in 2029. And he’s still benefiting from a carefully constructed cult of personality and his strategic wielding of social benefits to endear himself to voters. The story of these protests is not one of an impending realignment in Indian politics but a slow chipping away at Modi’s political machine, as he reaches the back half of his third term. That’s significant for geopolitics given Modi’s hardline approach to Pakistan, careful management of relationships with both China and the United States, and expansion of trade with new partners, from Europe to South America. Modi’s support at home has allowed India to project its power far from its borders. But in an environment where that domestic strength is declining, so too might India’s diplomatic heft. So, even though the protesters aren’t likely to take down Modi’s government, they warrant real attention. Modi’s tenure, for all its successes, has left more than enough crumbs for his political opposition to feed on. And the cockroach party knows it. --- ### Coke trade booms despite crackdowns **Published:** October 14, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/coke-trade-booms-despite-crackdowns.md Over the past year, the Trump administration has unleashed a massive military campaign against suspected drug traffickers in South America and the Caribbean, including dozens of lethal airstrikes on alleged smuggling vessels. Despite these tactics, which human rights lawyers and activists have questioned, “massive” amounts of cocaine continue to flow into the United States as cartels adapt their smuggling routes, law enforcement officials say. As a result, supplies of the drug in the US and Europe remain not only remarkably cheap but, according to experts, exceptionally pure as well, a sign that trafficking networks remain largely intact. --- ### Nord Stream sabotage trial begins in Germany, Mauritius sees rare unrest, Poland considers bringing back the draft **Published:** October 14, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment, Lottie Tellyn, Will Fitzpatrick | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/nord-stream-sabotage-trial-begins-in-germany-mauritius-sees-rare-unrest-poland-considers-bringing-back-the-draft.md Nord Stream sabotage trial begins in Germany A Ukrainian former special forces officer is accused of war crimes for leading the September 2022 sabotage of the massive undersea pipeline, which once carried Russian gas to Germany. The officer’s lawyers say Nord Stream was a legitimate military target following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and that the trial is flawed on technical grounds. The proceedings could strain ties between Kyiv and Germany, which is now Ukraine’s largest backer in the fight against Russia. In addition, it’s echoing into Germany’s domestic politics: the surging rightwing AfD party, which favors friendly ties with Moscow, says the sabotage shows that Ukraine is actually harming German interests despite Berlin’s support. The sabotage itself provoked a ferocious debate, with many Western governments immediately blaming the Kremlin, while others suggested it was likely carried out by Russia’s adversaries either to harm, or frame, Moscow. The trial is expected to last until February 2027. Rare unrest hits one of Africa’s most stable nations Protests over water shortages rocked the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius this week. Authorities have arrested more than 90 people, imposed a curfew, and shot a woman at a roadblock. The country of just over 1 million people is often considered one of Africa’s most stable and developed nations, consistently ranking near the top of the continent in GDP per capita, human development, and political stability. But recent water shortages, caused by lower-than-average rainfall and exacerbated by aging infrastructure, have put pressure on the government and forced them to introduce rationing. While protests have calmed across the country as of this writing, tensions are running high, and more unrest could threaten critical tourism and financial services industries. Poland considers reinstating compulsory military service The country suspended mandatory military service in 2009, but the government is considering a return to the draft amid mounting concern over threats from its old foe Moscow, which is blamed for a rising number of “hybrid attacks” on European targets, including an attempted drone strike on Leipzig airport. Polls show 48% of Poles favor compulsory military service — although a majority of younger people oppose it. The proposal comes as part of a wider push in Europe to boost military preparedness in the face of growing concerns both about Russian threats and US disengagement: in January, Germany voted to introduce voluntary military service — including a mandatory questionnaire for men about interest in joining the armed forces — and in August, Danish military service was expanded from four to 11 months and now includes women. --- ### Russia-Ukraine ceasefire posted **Published:** October 14, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** Puppet Regime **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/puppet-regime/russia-ukraine-ceasefire-posted.md Just as posted. Watch more PUPPET REGIME! --- ### Could Trump’s foreign policy sink the GOP? **Published:** October 14, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** The Debrief **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-debrief/could-trumps-foreign-policy-sink-the-gop.md President Trump is betting that projecting power abroad will strengthen him at home. But with trade policies and a mideast war driving up costs, it may have the opposite effect. Eurasia Group's US practice head, Clayton Allen, breaks it down on The Debrief. --- ### The GOP’s Musky scent **Published:** October 13, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/the-gops-musky-scent.md Musk’s cash splash – which makes him the largest known midterm donor – is meant to help Republicans head off a so-called “Blue Wave” of Democrat support that could cost the GOP not only the House, but possibly the Senate as well. It signals that Musk intends to remain a fixture of Republican politics, despite his rocky exit from the Trump administration last year, where he ran the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk’s money has gone to various Political Action Committees (PACs) that are aiming to boost turnout among the MAGA base. The tight Senate race in Texas, where Musk is a resident, has been a particular focus of his activity. --- ### Cyberattacks target freezers in France, Iran strikes vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Former DRC president teams up with M23 rebels **Published:** October 13, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn, Alex Kliment | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/cyberattacks-target-freezers-in-france-iran-strikes-vessels-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-former-drc-president-teams-up-with-m23-rebels.md Supermarket cyberattacks turn the heat up in France Hackers set their sights on an unusual target in France this week: supermarkets. On Monday, attackers used remote software to raise the temperature on fridges and freezers to around 122 degrees Fahrenheit, spoiling food and sparking fires. While the full scale of the attack remains unconfirmed, individual chains’ reports suggest that 400 of the country’s 15,000 supermarkets were affected. Two supermarkets in northeastern France reported combined losses of around $300,000, suggesting that total losses could be well into the millions. Hackers exploited vulnerabilities in older software from engineering firm Danfoss, which said it had previously advised supermarkets that those systems could not receive security updates. The attack comes just a month after French President Emmanuel Macron said he was working on a plan to protect critical French infrastructure from increasingly advanced cyberattacks. Fresh Hormuz heat puts Trump in a bind Iran has struck at least 24 vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz over the past two weeks, in the most dangerous period for Hormuz shipping since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February. The uptick comes after Gulf oil exports had gradually recovered to near pre-war levels in September due to increased pipeline use, US weakening of Iran’s coastal weaponry, and a complex relay system using smaller boats to transit the Strait. Analysts say the increased strikes may reflect improved Iranian capabilities, as well a move to re-establish leverage over the critical waterway. If so, US President Donald Trump is in a bind. Ahead of the midterms he wants to bring down fuel prices that have soared due to the conflicts in Iran and, to a lesser extent, Ukraine. But the Iran war itself is unpopular – Moody’s estimates it has cost each US household $2,000 – making any escalation against Tehran now a political liability. Former DRC president to lead rebel alliance Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila was named the leader of a new rebel alliance on Monday that includes the Rwanda-backed M23 – an armed group occupying much of eastern Congo. The new Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) wants to overthrow the Congolese government led by President Felix Tshisekedi, who is currently trying to amend constitutional term limits and retain power beyond the end of his term in 2028. The announcement signals a fracture in the landmark US-brokered peace deal between Rwanda and the DRC last year, which sought to end a decades-long conflict between the M23 and the Congolese forces. Kabila, who was sentenced to death by a Congolese military court in absentia last year for supporting M23 rebels – an accusation he denied – served as president of the DRC from 2001 to 2019, after losing office to Tshisekedi in a disputed election. --- ### The IMF has survived Trump’s hostility toward global institutions. But at what price? **Published:** October 13, 2026 | **Author:** Tasha Kheiriddin | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/the-imf-has-survived-trumps-hostility-toward-global-institutions-but-at-what-price.md The people tasked with safeguarding the world’s financial stability are gathering in Bangkok, Thailand, this week. Central bankers, finance and development ministers, private sector leaders, civil society representatives, and academics from nearly 200 countries are attending the IMF-World Bank’s annual meetings to discuss soaring public debt, the impact of the Iran war, rising oil and food prices, inflation, and the economic impact of AI. But another issue is also worth watching: the IMF’s relationship with the United States. It’s well known that President Donald Trump is no fan of international institutions. Early in his second term, he withdrew the US from 66 international bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN Population Fund, and the International Law Commission. Since then, he has cut funding to the UN, threatened to leave NATO, and repeatedly attacked the multilateral system that Washington helped create and lead for 80 years. Yet the IMF has largely escaped this ire. In fact, the Trump administration’s relationship with the organization has become surprisingly friendly. Nowhere is that more evident than in US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s rhetoric. In April 2025, Bessent accused the organization of “mission creep,” saying it devoted too many resources to “climate change, gender and social issues.” Under pressure from the administration, the IMF scaled back its focus on several of those issues. And one year later, Bessent struck a different tone: “I think we are very aligned now.” Bessent is skipping this year’s IMF meetings in Bangkok, with a senior official citing unspecified “domestic engagements.” But his absence does little to diminish the administration’s influence over the institution. That raises a question: how much has the IMF changed – and how much further can it go to retain US support without compromising its independence? The evolution of a beautiful friendship? Despite his early criticisms, Bessent signaled in 2025 that the US would not withdraw from the IMF. Instead, the administration would push both the IMF and the World Bank to create a “sustainable international economic system” that better serves the US and other countries. Since then, the IMF has made several changes that Washington welcomes. In April 2026, Bessent praised the IMF’s renewed emphasis on economic stability and willingness to address American concerns about China. Meanwhile, member countries reportedly felt pressure to “self-censor” and avoid discussing climate issues. This month, the Treasury Department welcomed the IMF’s decision to consolidate its climate and gender units into a broader economic policy department and remove certain issues from its work program. Those changes extend to personnel. Last year, the IMF appointed Bessent’s former chief of staff, Daniel Katz, to the organization’s second-highest position. This fall, the IMF reportedly removed economist Ricardo Reis from the running for Chief Economist after he criticized Trump’s tariffs. The job went to Silvana Tenreyro, another economist who also criticized tariffs but was seen as less confrontational toward Washington. Why the Trump administration likes – and needs – the IMF. Unlike the UN General Assembly, where every member receives one vote, the IMF’s governance structure gives countries voting power based on their financial contribution. America’s financial commitment to the IMF is over $180 billion, making it the Fund’s largest shareholder and giving it roughly 16% of voting power. Because major institutional decisions require an 85% majority, the US effectively possesses a veto. That makes the IMF an attractive vehicle for advancing American influence during geopolitical and financial crises. Take Argentina, whose President, Javier Milei, is one of Trump’s closest international allies. In spring 2025, Argentina’s central bank was running low on US dollars, without which it could not stabilize its currency or meet its international obligations. At the US’s urging, the IMF agreed to lend Argentina $20 billion on the condition that it implement economic reforms. Washington also provided another $20 billion in financial assistance ahead of the country’s 2025 midterm elections – which Milei’s party won. China offers another example. Washington has long pressed Beijing to curb its reliance on exports and industrial subsidies to generate economic growth. The IMF has increasingly echoed those concerns. In its 2025 annual review of the Chinese economy, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva called on Beijing to shift toward domestic consumption after its trade surplus exceeded $1 trillion. The IMF confirmed it was responding to Washington’s advocacy for “an orderly rebalancing” of the global economy. A useful tool for the US – but will the IMF let itself be used? The Trump administration’s approach to the IMF illustrates an important caveat to its hostility toward multilateralism. It does not necessarily oppose international institutions. It opposes those it cannot influence or whose priorities conflict with the administration's. The IMF is different. Its financial resources, expertise, and legitimacy can reinforce American strategic objectives, while US voting power gives it considerable control over the institution’s policy direction and resource deployment. For the IMF, the challenge is keeping Washington engaged without becoming an extension of US economic policy. The ultimate test will be whether the IMF can criticize American economic policies as freely as it can criticize those of other countries. If not, the institution may have to choose between maintaining American support and preserving something more valuable: its credibility. --- ### Restoring wetlands through cross-sector collaboration **Published:** October 12, 2026 | **Author:** Microsoft | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/restoring-wetlands-through-cross-sector-collaboration-msft-101426.md In Germany’s Vogelsberg region, Microsoft and Amazon are supporting regional partners in a long-term effort to restore wetlands. The project aims to help the landscape retain water, improve drinking water quality, and restore wildlife habitats, while also advancing Microsoft’s commitment to become water positive by 2030. Read more here. --- ### Trump's Russian diesel deal and what it means for Ukraine **Published:** October 12, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** Quick Take **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/quick-take/trump-s-russian-diesel-deal-and-what-it-means-for-ukraine.md In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer explains why President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine over strikes on Russian refineries, and what his new deal to buy Russian diesel means for the war. Trump warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky against hitting Russian refineries, first privately and then publicly. He said the strikes help push up diesel prices. Zelenskyy refused to back off. Trump then announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to buy diesel directly and let Russia export it more widely. Ian says European leaders worry about the shift. They don't see Russia and Ukraine as equivalent, and they fear Russia is increasingly striking NATO frontline states. That, he says, puts more stress on the transatlantic relationship and on NATO. Ian also covers Trump's energy ceasefire announcement. Ukraine hadn't heard about it, and Russia hadn't responded 24 hours later. He then breaks down which U.S. support Ukraine still needs, such as weapons, and which it doesn't, such as intelligence for many of its strikes and how US support affects the conflict. --- ### America’s waning support for the death penalty **Published:** October 12, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn, Eileen Zhang | **Section:** Graphic Truth **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/graphic-truth/americas-waning-support-for-the-death-penalty.md In the span of just over a week, US states carried out a failed execution and completed one by lethal injection, while Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth has announced plans to livestream an execution of Nidal Hasan, the man convicted of carrying out a mass shooting at a military base in 2009. The events have reignited a decades-old debate over capital punishment in a country with around 2,000 prisoners on death row. Opponents have pushed for an end to the penalty after Christa Pike’s botched execution, while supporters have doubled down, arguing that the punishment remains appropriate despite concerns about how it is carried out. Even Pope Leo XIV weighed in, denouncing the death penalty as “inadmissible” one day after senior Church officials decried the Pentagon’s plans to livestream the Fort Hood shooter’s execution. As our Graphic Truth shows, support for the death penalty has been declining in America for thirty years. In 1994, 80% of Americans said they were in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder. By 2025, that figure had fallen to 52%. Why the decline? A growing cohort of young people who oppose capital punishment has largely driven the shift. Fewer than half of adults born after 1980 support the death penalty, while more than 6 in 10 in older generations do. A decline in violent crime is another reason for the shift in public sentiment. Between the 1960s and 1980s, crime was one of the biggest concerns among Americans, according to the Center for Crime and Justice Studies. Support for the death penalty rose alongside it. But since the early 1990s and the enactment of the 1994 Crime Bill – which drastically increased prison funding and introduced mandatory minimum sentences – violent crime has fallen dramatically, reaching its lowest point in decades this year. Between 1994 and 2025, support for the death penalty fell by nearly 30 percentage points. Where does the US stand among its peers? Today, the US ranks fourth globally in executions after China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen due to an increase in executions over the last few years. In 2025, states executed more people than they had in over 15 years, largely driven by an increase in Florida under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis – this year, Florida carried out 19 executions, a record since the state reinstated the penalty in 1976. No countries in Europe except Belarus and Russia still have the death penalty. Other advanced economies, like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, abolished it in the 1980s and 90s. Japan is one of the few other advanced economies that retain the death penalty, with polls showing 80% of the public believe it is an “unavoidable” component of the justice system Of those countries that retain the penalty, even fewer allow livestreamed executions. The last high-profile public execution that took place in the US was a 1936 hanging in Kentucky of a Black man accused of raping a white woman. The case drew national backlash toward racially motivated lynchings, and since then, most executions take place in federal prisons with few observers. US law prohibits the recording or broadcasting of federal executions, but this does not apply to military executions. Only Afghanistan, Iran, and Yemen have carried out public executions in the last five years. If the US goes ahead with the livestream of the Fort Hood shooter’s execution in December, it will join a small group of countries that do so – and within a country that is deeply divided over capital punishment itself. --- ### EU puts the brakes on Chinese EVs **Published:** October 12, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/eu-puts-the-brakes-on-chinese-evs.md The EU has new plans to limit the flow of Chinese-made goods into the continent to address its massive trade imbalance with China. China exported more than $7.5 billion worth of electric vehicles to the bloc in the first half of this year, nearly three times as much as during the same period last year. An estimated 800,000 Chinese-made fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are expected to be sold in the bloc this year. But the EU’s new restrictions come as rising fuel prices worldwide drive a surge in demand for electric vehicles. The question now is whether European automakers can fill the gap left by Chinese imports. --- ### Houthis strike deep into Saudi Arabia, Cockroach Janta Party activists released, Trump claims energy ceasefire reached between Russia and Ukraine **Published:** October 12, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn, Alex Kliment | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/houthis-strike-deep-into-saudi-arabia-cockroach-janta-party-protests-rock-india-trump-claims-energy-ceasefire-reached-between-russia-and-ukraine.md Houthis ramp up attacks on Saudi Arabia Attacks by the Yemen-based Houthis in Saudi Arabia over the weekend killed over a dozen people, including a US citizen, and injured hundreds of others. Strikes on Riyadh’s international airport Saturday were the deadliest attack in any Gulf Arab nation since the Iran war began, and marked a significant escalation of the country’s conflict with the Iran-backed militants. President Donald Trump responded that Washington may join Saudi Arabia in its retaliation against the Houthis in Yemen. But he may be hesitant to do so before the US midterms next month, given the widespread disapproval of the war in Iran. Meanwhile, Riyadh worries the conflict jeopardizes its efforts to attract tourism and transform its oil-dependent economy. France and the UK have pledged support, as have Pakistan and Turkey under a new mutual defense pact. But Riyadh will still want the backing of the US, its key ally and the world’s most powerful military. “Cockroaches” in India prove hard to defeat Three leaders of India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were released from detention on Sunday after police took them into custody ahead of plans to lead mass protests. The youth-led movement has become a formidable problem for PM Narendra Modi since it launched its online campaign five months ago, organizing demonstrations that led to the country’s education minister resigning and, last week, protests against a sudden purge of the country’s voter rolls. The leaders’ arrests were part of a wider crackdown by Indian security forces, which saw thousands of protesters rounded up, as well as canceled trains, closed subways, and the internet shut down in parts of New Delhi on Saturday. But protesters found support in India’s Supreme Court, which on Sunday ruled that public services should continue to function normally and that detaining peaceful protesters is illegal. “Cockroaches never die,” the CJP posted on social media following the activists’ release. The phantom “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine Russia and Ukraine reportedly continued targeting each other’s energy infrastructure on Monday, despite Donald Trump’s declaration of an “energy ceasefire” between the two countries. The ceasefire-that-isn’t comes after a whirlwind few days in which Trump, keen to bring down record diesel prices ahead of the midterms but with no resolution to the expanding Iran conflict in sight, took aim at Ukraine. Kyiv’s strikes on Russian refineries, along with US sanctions on Russian fuel exports, have contributed to the global diesel shortage, though analysts say Iran-related disruptions have been a bigger factor. On Friday, the US lifted Russian diesel sanctions in exchange for what Trump said was millions of tons of the fuel. After Zelensky called this “weak,” Trump said Ukraine needs a “new leader,” while his administration made it known that the US would cut weapons and intel sharing with Ukraine and Europe unless Kyiv stops attacking Russian energy facilities. --- ### How Hamas has held onto power in Gaza **Published:** October 10, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World Clips **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/how-hamas-has-held-onto-power-in-gaza.md Aaron David Miller explains how the group holds onto control – and why Palestinians have struggled to challenge their own leaders.Israel has destroyed much of Hamas’s military infrastructure, but the group remains firmly entrenched in Gaza. Former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller says Hamas maintains control through its grip on weapons, humanitarian aid, and the black market, while retaining deep social and religious roots. On GZERO World, Miller asks why there has never been a Palestinian version of the Arab Spring despite decades of authoritarian rule, corruption, and limited political choice. He points to the constraints of Israeli occupation and the difficulty of organizing, as well as a population whose anger is often directed at Israel before its own leadership. The result, he argues, is a Palestinian political system with few viable alternatives to Hamas or the aging Palestinian Authority leadership. --- ### Three years after October 7, with Aaron David Miller **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/gzero-world-podcast/three-years-after-october-7-with-aaron-david-miller.md Three years after October 7, Gaza remains locked in conflict, Israel is heading into a pivotal election, and its relationship with the US is under growing strain. Former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller joins Ian Bremmer to discuss what comes next for Israel and a rapidly changing Middle East. Gaza remains divided and without a clear path forward. Hamas has been severely weakened militarily but retains significant influence, while Palestinians continue to face difficult humanitarian conditions and little prospect of a political breakthrough. On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer sits down with former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller to take stock of Israel and the region three years later. They discuss why Hamas has proven so difficult to dislodge, what Israel’s October 27 election could actually change, and why a new government may look different at home without dramatically changing Israel’s approach to Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. They also examine the changing US-Israel relationship as bipartisan support erodes, Israel’s shifting image among Americans, and a regional balance increasingly shaped by Israel, Turkey, and Iran. Miller argues that changing leadership could improve Washington’s relationship with Israel – but that the broader Middle East remains deeply fragmented, with few signs of an easy way out. Subscribe to the GZERO World Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published --- ### Three years on, Gaza remains in limbo **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World Clips **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/three-years-on-gaza-remains-in-limbo.md Aaron David Miller breaks down where Gaza stands today and why its future remains so uncertain. Former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller says Israel and Hamas remain fundamentally at odds over security, governance, and reconstruction, leaving little prospect for a lasting political solution. On GZERO World, Miller tells Ian Bremmer that conditions for Palestinians have improved since the worst of the war, but life remains extraordinarily difficult. Millions still face food insecurity, inadequate medical care and shelter, and the lasting psychological toll of years of conflict – with no clear pathway out. --- ### How October 7 changed the Middle East, three years on **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World with Ian Bremmer **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer/how-october-7-changed-the-middle-east-three-years-on-2678066333.md Three years after the October 7 attacks, the Middle East looks very different, and Gaza remains without a clear path forward. Hamas retains influence despite being severely weakened militarily, while millions of Palestinians continue to face difficult humanitarian conditions. On GZERO World, former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller joins Ian Bremmer to discuss Israel’s October 27 election and what could actually change if Benjamin Netanyahu leaves office. Miller argues that a new government could bring meaningful domestic changes, while Israel’s approach to Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon may remain largely consistent. They also examine Israel’s changing relationship with the United States, the erosion of bipartisan support, and a Middle East where Israel, Turkey, and Iran increasingly shape the regional balance of power. --- ### Italian winery sees red **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/hard-number-italian-winery-sees-red.md At least seven masked men deactivated alarms and cameras at the Antinori winery before using the company’s forklifts to fill two trucks with crates of the winery’s reds. The thieves deliberately targeted higher-end bottles worth between €150 and €500 each, leading Antinori to suggest that they may have had insider knowledge of the winery. Antinori hopes to have the bottles returned, warning customers to buy only directly from the source. This isn’t the first such theft in Italy this year. Just last month, thieves stole 3,000 bottles from Conterno Fantino winery, although Antinori believes it may be the biggest in recent history. --- ### Tensions boil between Ethiopia and Eritrea, UK’s Labour Party notches win, Lula’s chances slim in Brazil **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment, Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/tensions-boil-between-ethiopia-and-eritrea-uks-labour-party-notches-win-lulas-chances-slim-in-brazil.md Ethiopia claims “all-out invasion” by Eritrea Ethiopia has told the UN that troops from neighboring Eritrea penetrated at least 60 meters across the border as long-standing tensions between the two East African countries threaten to boil over again. At issue is access to the Red Sea, which Ethiopia lost when Eritrea became independent after 30 years of war in 1993. The two sides signed a historic peace accord in 2018, and a heavily militarized Eritrea supported the Ethiopian government in its war against Tigray rebels from 2020 to 2022. But relations frayed soon after, and in 2023, Ethiopia declared it would restore access to the sea, a pledge Eritrea viewed as a threat. In recent weeks, border tensions have flared again, while the Ethiopian government has also accused Eritrea of now supporting a fresh uprising by Tigray rebels. A wider war between Ethiopia and Eritrea could destabilize East Africa and the Red Sea coast at a time when the war in Iran has already raised risks in the region. UK Labour Party gets a ‘Burnham Bounce’ – for now A candidate from Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s center-left Labor Party won a special election for former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s old parliamentary seat yesterday, fending off a challenge from the progressive-left Green Party. The election was seen as a test of whether Burnham could appeal to the left flank of voters who were turning to the Greens. Under Starmer, only 52% of voters who voted for Labour in 2024 had planned to do so again. That number has jumped to 70% since Burnham became leader – in what some describe as the “Burnham Bounce.” But he can’t get too comfortable: Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali won the seat with a far slimmer lead than Starmer did in 2024 – down from a majority of 11,572 votes to Abdi-Wali’s 3,364. Green Party leader and candidate for the seat Zack Polanski framed his second-place result as a victory and rejected calls to step down as party leader. He won 33% of the vote, an increase of 22% from 2024. Brazil’s third-place candidate endorses Bolsonaro The re-election picture is darkening by the day for Brazil’s aging leftist President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, who unexpectedly lost the first round to right-winger Flavio Bolsonaro by more than two points last Sunday. Polls released Wednesday showed him trailing by four points now. The same day, third-place finisher Augusto Cury, who got just under 3% of the vote, endorsed Bolsonaro, potentially widening the gap further. Lula’s second round strategy has focused on the more than 30 million Brazilians who abstained in the first round, but he faces an uphill battle. Bolsonaro, whose ultra-rightwing father remains in jail for trying to overturn his own re-election loss to Lula in 2022, has benefited from Brazilians’ sense of economic malaise, security concerns, and fatigue with Lula, who has been president three times since 2002. The second round is on October 25th. --- ### Can GOP dollars prevent a midterms shellacking? **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** The Debrief **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-debrief/can-gop-dollars-prevent-a-midterms-shellacking.md Republicans are pouring money into the 2026 midterms, but Democrats still have the polling advantage. Can a late advertising blitz save the GOP’s House and Senate majorities—or have voters already made up their minds? Eurasia Group’s US practice head Clayton Allen explains why big spending may bring little relief for Republicans, from the closely watched Texas Senate race to voters’ frustration with rising costs and President Trump. --- ### Why the 2026 UN Water Conference is focused on action, not talk **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO Reports **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-reports/why-the-2026-un-water-conference-is-focused-on-action-not-talk.md With billions of people around the world still lacking access to safely managed drinking water, can technology, and artificial intelligence in particular, help close the gap? On the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Eurasia Group's sustainability expert, Franck Gbaguidi, speaks with Abdulla Balalaa, the UAE’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, about preparations for the upcoming 2026 United Nations Water Conference in Abu Dhabi and the push to turn global commitments on water into tangible action. Balalaa says the December conference will put implementation at the center of the agenda, bringing together governments, the private sector, financial institutions, civil society, and technology leaders. He also explains how the UAE is already using AI-enabled tools to manage water supply and demand, monitor consumption and reservoirs, and detect leaks, and why AI and other technologies will be a cross-cutting theme at the conference. But Balalaa says the real measure of success will come after delegates leave Abu Dhabi: whether the partnerships and commitments made there ultimately improve people's lives and accelerate progress on the global water crisis. GZERO Media, a Eurasia Group company, is a multimedia publisher providing news, insights, and commentary on the events shaping our world. --- ### You vs. the News: A Weekly News Quiz - October 9, 2026 **Published:** October 9, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Daily | **Section:** Games **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/games/quiz-100926.md Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it A lawmaker in Ukraine recently proposed an unconventional strategy to fund the country’s war effort. What was it? A) Decriminalizing marijuana sales B) Criminalizing AI C) Decriminalizing the production of pornography Take the quiz to see if you guessed correctly! --- ### Dress for seasonal chaos from the Puppet Regime Ministry of Merch **Published:** October 8, 2026 | **Author:** Puppet Regime Store | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/dress-for-seasonal-chaos-from-the-puppet-regime-ministry-of-merch-puppetregimestore-100926.md Temps are dropping. Approval ratings are dropping. Protests are rising. Throw on a classic Puppet Regime hoodie to get you through this season of geopolitical chaos. Visit the Puppet Regime Ministry of Merchandise here. We also offer: • A big, beautiful mug to take your coffee VERY STRONGLY. • A tote bag to carry the microfilms to your next dead drop. • Stickers to challenge existing borders. Tariffs are complicated. Our shipping isn't. We deliver almost everywhere (sorry Iran, Russia, and North Korea). Shop now at shop.puppetregime.tv! --- ### Xi wishes Putin a Happy Birthday **Published:** October 8, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** Puppet Regime **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/puppet-regime/xi-wishes-putin-a-happy-birthday.md Growing old gracefully. Watch more PUPPET REGIME! --- ### India’s voter-list purge sparks backlash **Published:** October 8, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/indias-voter-list-purge-sparks-backlash.md Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is framing the move as cleaning India’s electoral register – which included around 970 million people before the changes – of dead or duplicate voters. But many people say the purge has disenfranchised them. Critics argue that voters who are less likely to support Modi’s BJP party, such as India’s 200 million Muslims, are disproportionately being cut. The exercise could erode public faith in India’s electoral system, which stood at 74% according to 2025 Pew polling, and cast doubt on the legitimacy of the country’s 2029 election. --- ### El Salvador kicks off mass trials for alleged gang members, Australia's High Court deals blow to coal miners, Japan protests against alleged murder by US service member **Published:** October 8, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment, Will Fitzpatrick, Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/el-salvador-kicks-off-mass-trials-for-alleged-gang-members-australia-s-high-court-deals-blow-to-coal-miners-japan-protests-against-alleged-murder-by-us-service-member.md Mass trials begin in El Salvador Over the past four years, Salvadoran authorities have used a state of emergency to arrest more than 90,000 people on suspicion of gang activity, putting many of them in maximum security prisons. Now, en masse, they are having their days in court in trials that human rights activists say are riddled with violations of due process and judicial independence, and which result in nearly automatic convictions. But popular strongman president Nayib Bukele is unfazed. His ferocious and, critics say, indiscriminate crackdown on gang violence has decimated what was once one of the highest murder rates in the world, making him a model for the resurgent right across Latin America. Australia court ruling targets coal emissions Australia’s High Court sided with environmental activists this week in a landmark decision requiring regulators to consider emissions generated by Australian coal overseas, also known as “scope 3 emissions.” For example, when a Chinese factory burns Australian coal, regulators must now consider those emissions when approving a mining project in Australia. The case centered on the proposed expansion of the Mount Pleasant coal mine in New South Wales, where scope 3 emissions would account for a whopping 98% of the project’s total emissions. Australia’s mining industry, which accounts for about 12% of its GDP, has warned the decision could deter investment. Australia is the world’s second-largest coal exporter, bringing in $70 billion a year, and the ruling highlights the growing tension between its economic dependence on fossil fuels and its climate commitments. Australia is working towards a goal of reducing greenhouse emissions by 43% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Japan protests alleged killing by US Marine People in Okinawa, Japan, are protesting the murder of a local woman who authorities say was killed by a US Marine on October 3. Okinawa, an island that sits roughly 400 miles south of mainland Japan and only 60 miles from Taiwan, is home to as many as 30,000 US active-duty personnel. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi condemned the crime, and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi spoke with the US ambassador to Japan to complain. While the US government has yet to respond, it has temporarily paused operations at the base, introduced a curfew, and banned alcohol for two days. Now, US officials warn the incident could undermine a relationship vital to East Asian security and to deterring Chinese aggression. It may also complicate Takaichi’s push to accelerate the island’s military buildup, which locals oppose because it already hosts 70% of the US’s military presence in Japan. --- ### Do you hear the students sing? **Published:** October 8, 2026 | **Author:** Tasha Kheiriddin | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/do-you-hear-the-students-sing.md Many will associate that line with the classic musical “Les Misérables” set during the French Revolution. But today, it encapsulates the feeling of millions of students across France: miserable – and enraged. For weeks, students have walked out of classrooms and poured into the streets. What began last month as anger over teacher shortages, crumbling buildings, and a university admissions process students see as unfair has caught like wildfire. Now, protests have reached nearly a third of high schools in the country – and caused headline-making injuries. A 15-year-old boy lost a hand on Monday, allegedly after a police grenade exploded in the town of Lens. Another teenager was reportedly blinded in one eye by police rubber bullets in the town of Tours. Police have also arrested over 6,500 people, most of them minors, after protesters blockaded hundreds of schools, set fire to garbage bins and buildings, and threw projectiles at law enforcement. The protests have also become a political fight. France’s intelligence services and President Emmanuel Macron’s government accuse Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) of helping organize the demonstrations. Mélenchon denies this and has urged protesters to remain peaceful, though LFI politicians have appeared at demonstrations and amplified them on social media. With student organizations, teachers and trade unions backing a nationwide day of protest Tuesday, the confrontation is polarizing the political landscape just months before France’s 2027 presidential election. But the bigger question reaches beyond France: could this youth revolt spread across Europe? What’s driving the protests? France has a long history of student demonstrations. In 1968, student protests mushroomed into strikes involving millions of workers and nearly brought Charles de Gaulle’s government to its knees. Today, students complain of an education system rife with neglect: overcrowded classrooms, missing teachers, and crumbling buildings. In some schools, students say there aren’t enough desks, chairs, drinking water, and air conditioning. Students say these conditions disproportionately affect suburban schools in lower-income communities, depriving them of quality education needed for university acceptance and advancement in French society. They also resent Parcoursup, the state-run platform used for university admissions. Students have long complained the site lacks transparency and allege its algorithm favors students from more privileged schools over those from less affluent ones. France is also currently struggling with youth “exclusion” from society: 18% of French 18-to-24-year-olds were neither employed nor in education or training in 2025, compared with an OECD average of 13%. Students interviewed by French media describe fears about climate change, artificial intelligence eliminating jobs, economic insecurity, and the possibility of the far right taking power. The French state is also struggling to fund public services – made worse now by high borrowing costs. The political impacts for France. With an election slated for next year, candidates hope to capitalize on support from various blocks, including youth. For years, far-right politician Marine Le Pen enjoyed strong youth support, but now the left is courting younger voters. Polls show Mélenchon with 40% support among 18-24-year-olds, concentrated in the populous, city suburbs where the protests began. One recent survey even found he had the backing of 47% of respondents younger than 35, more than double the 22% who support Le Pen. The unrest is also deepening France’s political divisions, squeezing centrist contenders like Édouard Philippe, Mayor of Le Havre, who is now tied in some polls with Mélenchon. Are the French protests part of a wider generational revolt? The French students have inspired copycat demonstrations in six Belgian cities this month. But many of the grievances driving the unrest – deteriorating public services, economic insecurity and frustration with political institutions – had already sparked demonstrations by high school and university students across the continent. In Italy this week, students occupied Rome’s Liceo Scientifico Cavour and protested across the capital, calling for more spending on education instead of on the military, and decrying curbs on freedom of expression. In Germany, students are demonstrating against compulsory military service. The European Students’ Union, which represents university students across the EU, recorded 54 protest actions across 22 countries between mid-March and mid-May 2026, up from 31 actions across 13 countries in the preceding two months. These movements share a sense that the bargain offered to younger Europeans is deteriorating. Young people face high housing costs, strained public services and uncertain employment prospects. Governments constrained by debt, energy shocks and sluggish growth, meanwhile, have limited room to respond. As a result, institutions like education deteriorate, while economic pressures on young people go up. Social media also makes it easier for occupations, blockades, and demonstrations to inspire others hundreds of miles away. France could be the canary in the coal mine. Its long tradition of student protest makes it particularly fertile ground for turning dissatisfaction into street revolt. But the conditions feeding those protests are not confined to France – and if governments fail to address them, they may well see more youth take to the streets to make themselves heard. --- ### Three years after 10/7, Israel looks backward and forward **Published:** October 7, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** by ian bremmer **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer/october-7.md Three years ago, a military, political, and humanitarian earthquake irreparably changed Israeli and global politics. On October 7th, 2023, Hamas militants killed over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and took 251 as hostages. A catastrophic war in Gaza soon followed. Israel’s military killed over 70,000 Palestinians and displaced more than 1.9 million. In 2026, Israel, Gaza, and the world are still grappling with the far-reaching effects of October 7th—as Israel readies to go to the polls on October 27th, with Netanyahu and his right-wing party Likud facing off against centrist party Yashar, led by Gadi Eisenkot, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. The debate over Netanyahu’s track record in responding to 10/7 will shape the race, with 68% of Jewish voters stating that 10/7 will be “central” to their vote. Recent headlines have been damaging to Netanyahu on this front, with reporting emerging that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu before 10/7 about the risk of a Hamas attack—a charge that Netanyahu has emphatically denied. The political implications of 10/7 have also stretched far beyond Israel’s borders, as the global perception of the country has cratered in the wake of humanitarian outcry over the war in Gaza, with a median of 67% of respondents in 36 countries viewing Israel unfavorably. The growing international anger at Israel has been accompanied by a disquieting spike in antisemitism, with last year featuring “the highest number of victims of antisemitic attacks in more than three decades,” according to Tel Aviv University. Netanyahu has long sought to link criticism of Israel’s actions—especially those connected to alleged Israeli war crimes—with antisemitism, which has arguably added further fuel to Israel’s rising internal polarization. Polarization in Israel has grown so acute that it is now considered by the public to be a more of a threat to the country than Iran. While there is now a ceasefire in Gaza, Palestinians there are still living in an ongoing humanitarian crisis, with 86% of the population residing in 1,739 displacement sites, in which they’re experiencing “extreme overcrowding, unsafe water and sanitation, and widespread rodent infestation,” according to the Danish Refugee Council. The violence has not fully ended, with over 1,400 people having been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. And the long-term prospects for the improvement of conditions there appear poor, as Hamas remains in control of the strip, and Israel shows little interest in rebuilding Palestinian infrastructure as a result. Three years ago on 10/7, I released a Quick Take in which I argued, like many others, that this attack represented the equivalent of Israel’s 9/11. Much like the United States before September 11th, Israel before 10/7 was in its strongest geopolitical position in decades—with momentum on normalization agreements with countries historically opposed to the Jewish state (including the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco) and an overwhelming military, economic, and technological advantage over its regional competitors. At the time, I concluded that Hamas leaders would have perceived this shifting tide in the Middle East as a strategic threat, leading them to launch their attacks on 10/7. Yet as I said then, the United States overreached in its response to 9/11 with disastrous wars in the Middle East, damaging its international standing, and Israel had to be careful not to do the same thing in response to the tragic loss of so many of its citizens on 10/7. I argued in that video that massive civilian casualties in the coming war in Gaza would lead to a shift in global public opinion, from initial sympathy with Israel’s trauma to the Palestinian cause—a prediction that’s come to fruition and been starkest in Israel’s closest historical ally in the United States. There was a considerable risk then of the war expanding if Israel found that Iran had aided Hamas, which it historically had supported, in launching the attacks. Three years later, the war in Gaza may be over, but war has broken out with Iran, a conflict launched by Israel and the United States at Netanyahu's urging. While the war in Gaza did not quickly expand, it did spark a broader destabilization in the Middle East, as tensions rose between Israel and its enemies, Netanyahu was emboldened by a rally-around-the-flag effect and a close ally in President Trump's White House, and Israel grew more concerned about potential threats after such a breakdown in its defense on 10/7. I also questioned at the time how Netanyahu’s government would weather such a catastrophic failure of intelligence and defense planning after Israel had been considered so much farther ahead of its enemies—and even allies—on security for so long. Could Netanyahu, the ultimate political survivor, survive the impending political backlash? His coalition's decision to encourage settlements on the West Bank had forced Israel to dedicate more resources there, a factor which may have weakened its defenses from Hamas forces in Gaza before 10/7. I’d wondered previously whether any number of other scandals would end Netanyahu’s political career, especially his controversial court reform scheme in 2023, which led to protests at a scale Israel had never seen before. As Israel readies to go to the polls later this month, the voters will ultimately render a verdict over whether Netanyahu was at fault for the failures that allowed 10/7 to happen—and a verdict over his prosecution of the war in Gaza, which has reshaped geopolitics in the Middle East and beyond. With polls showing a neck-and-neck race between Netanyahu and Eisenkot, that verdict is likely to be split, failing to resolve the fundamental divides in Israel’s self-identity and its global perception three years after the worst terrorist attack in the nation’s history. --- ### Three Years After October 7: An unlikely Israeli-Palestinian Friendship **Published:** October 7, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO Reports **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-reports/three-years-after-october-7-an-unlikely-israeli-palestinian-friendship.md Maoz Inon lost both parents in the October 7 attacks. Aziz Abu Sarah, whose brother died after torture in an Israeli prison, reached out in the days that followed. Their shared grief became the foundation of a close friendship and a partnership in peace activism. In this conversation with GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis, the coauthors of The Future Is Peace describe what that relationship asks of them. They discuss listening to painful accounts of the past and challenging the stories they grew up with, while making room for anger. A stop in Jaffa brings their different understandings of 1948 into focus. They also address criticism of their work and the question of how to engage people who deny the other side’s right to exist. On the third anniversary of the attacks, Inon and Abu Sarah discuss the daily work of sustaining that relationship—and what it would take to turn their commitment to peace into political action. --- ### Gen Z is making moves **Published:** October 7, 2026 | **Author:** Bank of America | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/gen-z-is-making-moves-boa-100826.md For Gen Z, changing jobs can mean a bigger paycheck. Younger workers continue to see the largest gains from switching, offering a glimpse into how career mobility is evolving across generations. Subscribe to Bank of America Institute to explore the data. --- ### Student protests rock France, African Union creates its own credit rating agency, German intelligence chief accused of treason **Published:** October 7, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick, Alex Kliment, Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/student-protests-rock-france-african-union-creates-its-own-credit-rating-agency-german-intelligence-chief-accused-of-treason.md Student protests bring France to a halt Student protests in France continue to grow this week, with more than 250,000 students taking to the streets across 40 cities. More than 6,500 people have been arrested as demonstrations have intensified. Students are protesting what they say is chronic underfunding and crumbling infrastructure in France’s public schools and are demanding greater government investment in the education system. The unrest is also becoming a major political issue months ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election, with candidates seizing on the protests to stake out their positions. Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon has encouraged supporters to join students in the streets. Far-right candidate and current frontrunner Marine Le Pen, meanwhile, has taken the opposite approach and accused the left of fueling student anger and encouraging violence, which Mélenchon denies. As protests continue to spread, the fight over schools is intensifying France’s already deep political polarization ahead of its presidential elections this spring. Can Africa risk be priced more fairly? We’re about to find out. The African Union, the region’s largest grouping, launched a new ratings agency on Wednesday to grade the creditworthiness of African governments and companies. The ratings industry, which influences the interest rates that lenders charge borrowers, is currently dominated by three US firms — Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch. Critics say biases and insufficient expertise have caused those “big three” to be unfairly harsh in their ratings of African sovereign and corporate borrowers. Only three African countries are currently “investment grade”: Botswana, Mauritius, and Morocco. A 2023 UN report found that unfair evaluations had cost African governments $24 billion in extra interest payments and nearly $50 billion in unmade loans. The new agency will have to convince capital markets that its methodology is sound and that it can avoid capture by local governments. As of its launch, little is known about its executive leadership or board structure. Former German spy chief accused of treason Germany’s former intelligence chief August Hanning was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of obtaining and sharing state secrets in one of the country’s biggest national security scandals since the Cold War. Hanning led Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency from 1998 to 2005 and has since worked as a private consultant. Police accused him of paying a former colleague for classified documents after he left BND and used them to supply information to a foreign power. Among those documents were classified materials related to Iran’s nuclear program and allied intelligence from other countries. Federal prosecutors haven’t shared which countries were involved, but the German news site Der Spiegel is reporting a possible connection to Azerbaijan. The scandal risks jeopardizing Germany’s relationship with intelligence allies, including the US and the EU. --- ### Trade troubles **Published:** October 7, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/trade-troubles.md The US’s trade deficit – the difference between imports and exports – ballooned from $92.8 billion in July. Part of the growth comes from rising imports of computer chips driven by the AI boom. US President Donald Trump introduced sweeping tariffs since entering office with the stated goal of reducing that deficit, viewing it as a sign of weakness in America’s manufacturing sector. At the same time, the US relies on a small handful of Asian suppliers, mostly in Taiwan, for semiconductor imports to stay competitive in the AI race. Even so, many experts do not believe trade deficits necessarily harm the economy. --- ### AI, capitalism, and who pays the price **Published:** October 7, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** ask ian **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ask-ian/ai-capitalism-and-who-pays-the-price.md In this ‘ask ian,’ Ian Bremmer unpacks OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's comment that the public needs to accept AI will cause harm because the benefits outweigh the costs. Ian says he largely agrees with Altman's framing, on one condition: the companies collecting the profits from AI also need to be the ones covering the costs when things go wrong. He calls this the difference between real capitalism, where profit and risk sit with the same party, and a system where gains are private but losses get pushed onto the public. He also points to a pattern from past industries. Fossil fuel companies suppressed research on carbon emissions. Tobacco companies hid the health risks of smoking. Social media companies resisted responsibility for algorithms that spread misinformation. Ian warns that AI companies may be heading down the same road unless accountability is built in now. Ian closes on a warning sign: Americans are among the most AI-skeptical people in the world, despite the country's long history of embracing new technology. He argues that skepticism isn't about the technology itself. It's about whether people trust the companies and leaders in charge of it. --- ### Trump is tanking the GOP's midterm chances. Does he care? **Published:** October 6, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** The Debrief **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/the-debrief/trump-is-tanking-the-gop-s-midterm-chances-does-he-care.md An unpopular president would normally step back and let congressional candidates run their own races. Donald Trump can’t—or won’t. He keeps making himself the main character of the midterms, doubling down on unpopular issues and forcing Republicans to defend positions many voters have already rejected. So why is Trump making the GOP’s midterm problem worse? Eurasia Group's Clayton Allen breaks it down. --- ### Who is “electable” in 2026? **Published:** October 6, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/who-is-electable-in-2026.md The United States is one of the few major economies that has never had a female leader. The UK elected Margaret Thatcher in 1979. Angela Merkel became Germany’s Chancellor in 2005. Julia Gillard became Australia’s first female PM in 2010, and last year, Sanae Takaichi did the same in Japan. The world’s largest economy and major superpower, meanwhile, has never elected a female leader. Many Americans have ascribed that to a belief that a female candidate is unelectable in the US, regardless of her politics. Questions about electability have long dominated American politics – from whether John F. Kennedy could become president as a Catholic, to whether the country was ready for a Black man to serve as commander in chief. At this moment, the answer appears to be based on policy. According to new polling from Politico and polling company Public First, policy is by far the biggest deciding factor for voters. What is electability? At face value, it’s about whether voters “believe a candidate has a good chance of getting elected,” said Lonna Atkeson, who researches political behavior and sits on the MIT Data and Election Science board. Take Kamala Harris, the US’s first female vice president, for example. Reflecting on her 2024 presidential bid, Harris wrote in her memoir, “107 Days,” that she wanted then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, as her running mate. Ultimately, she decided that it was “too big” of a demographic risk. Her thinking was clear: America could not handle a Black woman and a gay man on the same ticket. She chose Minnesota governor Tim Walz instead. Politico’s data suggests voters now focus more on policy than on candidate identity. In head-to-head matchups with basic candidate information, voters overwhelmingly chose based on a candidate’s political ideology rather than their demographics. Any remaining trace of these factors is often offset by resources or party support. “Identity traits age, gender, sexual orientation matter less when a candidate has sufficient money, resources, and compelling policy platforms,” Atkeson said. Why? One reason is that America is becoming more diverse, and with that, more accepting of others. Pew polling in March found that 62% of Americans say that diversity has a positive impact on American culture. They’re also becoming less homophobic and less sexist in their personal beliefs as time goes on. For example, when Jesse Jackson first ran for president in 1984, skeptics argued that a Black candidate could never win the White House. Less than three decades later, Barack Obama did. At the time, CNN, PBS, CBS, and Pew ran polls asking if America was ready for a Black president. In one poll, 68% said yes. That shift is visible in both parties. Democrats have elected more diverse candidates than their Republican counterparts for decades, but Republicans have elevated more candidates from a wide range of backgrounds in recent years: in 2023, the Republican primary had the most diverse field in the party’s history. In Minnesota, Republican Lisa Demuth is running for governor, and if elected, she would become not only the first Black and first female governor of the state, but the first Black female governor in US history. Byron Donalds is running for Governor in Florida. And a gay man, Scott Bessent, is serving as Treasury Secretary in a Republican president’s cabinet. That doesn’t mean identity no longer matters. Polling showed that while policy is voters’ first concern, identity can still matter, especially when it comes to religion. In Michigan this year, Abdul El-Sayed’s religion became a target of Republican attacks during the campaign. Mike Rogers, his Republican opponent, claimed that El-Sayed was funded by “terrorist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani offers another example. During his campaign last year, he faced widespread Islamophobia. But he still won – with a platform built around popular issues like affordability and tackling the city’s soaring costs of living. Voters are not blind to identity, but a salient message can matter more. “I think that voters are craving candidates that can tell them what they're for, not necessarily what they're against,” said Jill Barkley, a director at Emerge, a political organization that trains women who want to run for office as Democratic candidates. The age issue. Another characteristic still on voters’ minds: age. Candidates’ age and calls for generational change have become major issues in American politics in recent years. The current Congress is the oldest in modern history, and both Donald Trump, age 80, and Joe Biden, now 83, have received heavy scrutiny about their health. This was reflected in Politico’s polling: candidates over 70 were almost 10% less likely to be picked than candidates under 50. At the same time, incumbents also have an advantage, even if they’re older. In Massachusetts, 80-year-old Senator Ed Markey beat 47-year-old challenger Seth Moulton in the Democratic primary, winning 65% of the vote. This was a clear case of identity coming second in voters’ calculations. Markey’s progressive credentials, such as co-authoring the Green New Deal, enjoyed enough support in the state and helped him convince voters that age was not an issue. He’s the favorite to win in November. A whole host of tight races are looming in the upcoming midterms, with 22 House seats and 7 Senate seats considered toss-ups. Ultimately, no single demographic profile is ideal. Instead, “the ideal candidate is someone who… has a clear understanding of how running for office and serving in office would better people's lives,” said Barkley. --- ### Ukraine weighs legalizing porn to help war effort **Published:** October 6, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/ukraine-weighs-legalizing-porn-to-help-war-effort.md Well this is how you get some real skin in the game. A Ukrainian lawmaker has proposed decriminalizing the production of pornography in order to help fund the country’s war effort. Ukraine is one of the few European countries that ban the industry (Belarus, Iceland, and Bulgaria are others.) The current rules are so strict that even sending a nude photo to your partner can result in a jail term of up to 5 years. Still, with Ukraine chronically short of financing and munitions to fight off the Russian invasion, groups of OnlyFans models began using the platform to raise funds to buy drones and other weapons. A new bill that would legalize and tax the industry says it could raise $25 million a year. Critics of the measure, however, aren’t just prudes – they worry it could encourage exploitation of women and girls in a country that’s already a hotspot for sex trafficking. --- ### Kenya reports first Ebola death, Yemen takes back key Red Sea port, Germany and France pitch new “trade weapon” **Published:** October 6, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment, Will Fitzpatrick, Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/kenya-reports-first-ebola-death-yemen-takes-back-key-red-sea-port-germany-and-france-pitch-new-trade-weapon.md Ebola makes it way to Kenya Kenya confirmed its first ever death from Ebola on Tuesday after a Kenyan citizen returned to the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC has been fighting the second deadliest outbreak of the virus on record, with over 4,000 people killed since the outbreak began in May. Ebola is a contentious issue in Kenya, and many have worried the virus could breach its borders. Earlier this year, protests erupted over Kenyan President William Ruto’s decision to allow the US to build an Ebola quarantine facility for American health workers 125 miles outside of Nairobi. Construction was later halted. Since then, Kenya has implemented travel restrictions from the DRC to keep the virus out. People who were in contact with the man who died are also being traced, but there is still no approved vaccine for the rare strain of Ebola behind the outbreak. Houthis lose control of important port near the Red Sea Just days after officially declaring war on the Houthis, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces said they retook control over a strategic port in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. It’s a big win for Saudi Arabia. Four weeks ago, the Houthis seized the port, Mocha – choking Saudi’s next best option for shipping oil while Iran disrupted exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Regaining control now puts the Bab al-Mandeb and its access to the Red Sea back in play for Saudi Arabia, the region’s largest oil producer. But the fighting is unlikely to stop here. The Houthis promptly retaliated, claiming responsibility for attacks on Riyadh’s airport. Meanwhile Saudi and Yemeni government forces are expected to keep pressing the offensive, and Riyadh’s new allies, Turkey and Pakistan, have been discussing how best to support the efforts under the recently signed Mecca agreement. Germany and France ready a powerful new trade weapon Europe’s largest economies have proposed a new mechanism that would make it easier for the EU to punish other countries that engage in unfair trade practices. The new measure, modeled on the US’s expansive “Section 301” trade law, would update existing EU trade instruments that are powerful but too cumbersome, giving the European Commission more latitude to impose tariffs and other barriers without securing majority consensus from individual member states. The EU has struggled to position itself between a US that is suddenly more hostile on trade measures itself, and a China whose state-subsidized industries are eroding core parts of European industry — especially Germany’s vaunted car manufacturers. Notably, the proposal comes ahead of an EU-China trade meeting in Beijing this week. China is the EU’s third largest trade partner after the US and UK. Last year, the Union’s trade deficit with China was $400 billion, the second highest figure ever. --- ### What happens if China wins the space race? **Published:** October 6, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World Clips **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/what-if-china-wins-space-race.md What happens if China gets back to the moon first? As the US-China rivalry extends beyond Earth, Ian Bremmer and China expert Elizabeth Economy explore what a new space race could mean for American power, national pride, and the competition between the world’s two biggest powers. With China rapidly expanding its space capabilities, could a Chinese astronaut planting the flag on the moon become a defining moment in the next chapter of the rivalry? Economy argues that the US is far from losing the space race. America is a global leader in technologies like reusable rockets and putting satellites in near-Earth orbit, especially in the fast-growing private sector. The US is also expanding international partnerships through the Artemis Accords. But she also challenges the idea that every Chinese achievement is an American defeat. Putting a human on the moon would benefit all of humanity. The goal, she says, shouldn’t be to prevent China from succeeding, but to make sure Beijing doesn’t develop the ability to use its growing space capabilities to threaten US security. “Our objective should be to ensure that the Chinese don't gain the capability of disabling all our satellites,” Economy says, “But I don't think it should be to prevent China from having a Chinese astronaut on the moon.” --- ### Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2026 **Published:** October 5, 2026 | **Author:** Microsoft | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/microsoft-digital-defense-report-2026-msft-100726.md Last week, Microsoft released the latest 'Microsoft Digital Defense Report' highlighting how an increasingly interconnected world is reshaping cyber risk for governments, businesses, and critical infrastructure. The report warns that cyber incidents can create cascading effects across supply chains, public services, and national economies, making resilience a shared responsibility. It underscores the need for stronger collaboration between governments, industry, and international partners to improve information sharing, strengthen defenses, and prepare for emerging threats. As cyber risks continue to evolve, collective preparedness will be essential to safeguarding economic stability, public trust, and national security. Read the full blog here. --- ### How Germany’s political center caved **Published:** October 5, 2026 | **Author:** Natalie Johnson, Eileen Zhang | **Section:** Graphic Truth **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/graphic-truth/how-germanys-political-center-caved.md For nearly 80 years, two establishment parties have dominated/monopolized Germany's electoral politics. Since 1949, the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) and a conservative coalition uniting the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) have anchored every single government – first in West Germany, and then in post-1989 reunified Germany. They currently govern in an awkward coalition. But over the past three decades their power has slipped remarkably. In 1994, the CDU-CSU and the SPD won nearly 80% of the vote. By 2025, their combined share fell below 50%. Trends across Europe. The same story has played out across Europe since the mid-1990s. In France and the UK, centrist parties have lost roughly 30% since then. And in Austria, the Netherlands, and Sweden, centrist parties have lost support by double digits. Meanwhile, populist parties, particularly on the far-right, are surging. As we showed in our Graphic Truth last week, far-right parties won less than 7% of the vote across the continent twenty years ago, but now take home close to a quarter. Economic malaise, backlash over immigration after the 2015 migration crisis, deindustrialization, and a widening divide between urban elites and everyone else have fragmented the political landscape. As Eurasia Group, GZERO’s parent company, noted in its 2026 Top Risks report, “the hollowing out of Europe’s political center has been a decade in the making.” But the collapse of the center is particularly striking in Germany, Europe’s largest economy. The far-right populist party, Alternative for Germany, has exploded from a five percent share of the vote since its founding in 2013 to over 20% last year. Much of it has to do with anger over immigration. In 2015, for example, Germany opened its doors to 1 million refugees from the Middle East. But Germany also faces slowing growth, high fuel prices, and a rising cost of living. The war in Ukraine and manufacturing competition from China have also strained the economy. And as the AfD notches victories in state elections, more Germans now say they’d rather support the party than the CDU. The political center has also gotten crushed from the left. In liberal-leaning Berlin last month, the far-left Die Linke, which advocates for expanding social welfare and wealth distribution, finished with nearly 26%, tapping into young Germans’ disillusionment with the establishment. The CDU trailed with 19%. What does it mean in the long run? State election results don’t directly affect Germany’s foreign policy – at least not yet. Merz won’t face a leadership challenge until at least 2027, and federal elections aren’t due until 2029. But the results weaken Merz’ government in the meantime, while giving the AfD more time to push its platform – large-scale deportations of migrants, closer ties with Russia, ending support for Ukraine, and skepticism of the EU. They also put pressure on Germany’s longstanding “firewall,” under which mainstream parties refuse to work with the AfD. “You are going to have a period of weaker and weaker German governance,” Ian Bremmer predicted in a recent Quick Take. That matters outside of Germany too. Germany is taking a larger role in Europe’s defense as fears grow around Russian aggression toward NATO. Meanwhile, France faces its own political fragmentation, with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally supporting a hard line against immigration, more sovereignty from the EU, and ending aid to Ukraine, and leading polls ahead of the 2027 election. In Italy, Giorgia Meloni – elected on a hard-right platform – has lost ground to a challenger from even further to the right who has attacked her pragmatic relationship with the EU and her support for Ukraine. Germany’s political center is in free fall. Other centrist parties and coalitions in Europe are not far behind. What comes next may be something the EU and Ukraine can’t afford. --- ### Spain’s Sánchez calls for early elections, Flávio Bolsonaro surprises after first round vote in Brazil, Ethiopia isolated amongst its neighbors **Published:** October 5, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn, Alex Kliment, Will Fitzpatrick | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/spains-sanchez-calls-for-early-elections-flavio-bolsonaro-surprises-after-first-round-vote-in-brazil-ethiopia-isolated-amongst-its-neighbors.md Spain will head to the polls next month Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election today for November 29, after losing a vote on Friday to pass emergency measures to quell nationwide protests over the country’s housing crisis. The Sánchez government has faced growing criticism in recent months over issues including the Ceuta migrant surge in July, corruption allegations against members of his inner circle, and a recent spike in inflation. Sánchez, who has been in power since 2018, will hope to capitalize on momentum from the housing protests to mobilize left-wing voters who want a solution and shore up his electoral mandate. But polls show the conservative Popular Party and the far-right Vox party gaining popularity. If Sánchez loses, it would mark the end of one of Europe’s few remaining left-wing governments as the far-right gains across the continent. Brazil’s Bolsonaro Jr. eyes runoff win after topping first round vote Right-winger Flávio Bolsonaro bucked expectations in round one of Brazil’s presidential election yesterday, besting incumbent lefty Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva 47% to 44%. In the end, polls underestimated demand for change in a deeply polarized country where the economy is sluggish, crime is high, and corruption is rampant. The result sets up a stunning comeback for the Bolsonaro family: Flávio’s father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, is currently jailed for plotting a coup after losing his re-election bid to Lula in 2022. Flávio’s mother and two of his brothers also won legislative seats yesterday. Lula, who has been president three times this century, campaigned on uplifting the working class, defending democracy, and shielding Brazil’s sovereignty against the Trump administration. He now faces an uphill battle against Bolsonaro, who has pledged to free his father, deregulate the economy (and the Amazon), and work closely with Trump, cementing South America’s rightward shift. The high-stakes runoff is on October 25th. Ethiopia’s regional isolation grows Leaders of four neighboring African states – Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia – issued a joint declaration on Sunday that seemed to leave Ethiopia out to dry as government forces clash with rebels in the Tigray region. Ethiopia has accused all four countries of supporting the rebel movements. Egypt and Sudan warned Ethiopia against taking retaliatory actions that could harm states along the Nile River, which has one of its sources at Ethiopia’s Lake Tana. Egypt, Somalia, and Ethiopia previously battled over water rights after Ethiopia completed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in 2025, which dammed the upper Nile. The four countries also reiterated that coastal states should retain control of Red Sea ports, a tacit rebuke of landlocked Ethiopia’s push for access to ports along the Somali coast. The declaration underscores Ethiopia’s growing isolation in the region as its government battles insurgents in the north. --- ### Suspected plague in Russia **Published:** October 5, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/new-plague-just-dropped.md A 28-year-old plague researcher died on Friday after breaking a test tube containing a pneumonic plague pathogen. Russian media suggests she may have contracted the plague, though this is unconfirmed. The US said it is monitoring the outbreak, and the EU confirmed it is working with Washington. Meanwhile, 12 of the 189 people the researcher contacted after being exposed to the pathogen were sent to the Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia for observation. Although this form of the plague is potentially life-threatening, the CDC says it can be treated with antibiotics if caught in time. --- ### Brazil's election signals a rightward shift across Latin America **Published:** October 5, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** Quick Take **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/quick-take/brazil-s-election-signals-a-rightward-shift-across-latin-america.md In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer breaks down Brazil's first-round election results and what they mean for the country's runoff. Flávio Bolsonaro outperformed polls in Brazil's first round, and with third-party, right-leaning candidates out of the race, their votes are likely to shift his way. That makes a second-round win difficult for President Lula, who faces anger over corruption, a Supreme Court scandal and a weak economy. Ian explains how Brazil's shift fits a broader pattern across Latin America, where Argentina, Peru, Chile and Colombia have all moved toward center-right or right-wing governance in recent years, driven mainly by security and affordability concerns rather than US politics. He also looks at what a Bolsonaro win could mean for US-Brazil relations, including closer cooperation on critical minerals, technology and the Homeland Security-led Shield of the Americas initiative. --- ### How China sees the Trump administration **Published:** October 5, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World Clips **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/how-china-sees-trump-administration.md What does China make of the second Trump administration? Elizabeth Economy, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, tells Ian Bremmer on GZERO World that Beijing sees both opportunity and challenge in Washington’s more unpredictable approach to foreign policy. As the US steps back from some international institutions and moves away from framing the global competition as democracy versus autocracy, China sees more room to expand its influence on the world stage. But that doesn’t mean Beijing sees the US as stepping aside. Economy explains why China is closely watching America’s push to maintain its edge in artificial intelligence and strengthen security ties across the Indo-Pacific. For Beijing, the Trump administration may be creating new opportunities, but make no mistake: the US still views China as its biggest competitor, both in terms of tech competition and also national security. "Beijing is all in on the Trump administration saying we're no longer interested in being a leader or the leader on the global stage," Economy says, "On the other hand, I do think the Trump administration continues to look at China as the greatest long-term strategic challenge that our country faces." --- ### The high-stakes US-China race **Published:** October 4, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World with Ian Bremmer **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer/high-stakes-us-china-race.md The US and China are battling to define the future of trade, AI, security, and the global order itself. Who will win the next great superpower rivalry? Ian Bremmer sits down with Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Elizabeth Economy to talk about the biggest takeaways from President Trump and President Xi’s White House summit, the state of the relationship between the world’s two most powerful countries, and whether Washington or Beijing has the upper hand. China is pulling ahead in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and some areas of AI, even as its own economy faces serious headwinds. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has presented China with some opportunities, as well as challenges. Washington has stepped back from its leadership role in global institutions, but still views Beijing as its biggest strategic threat and economic competitor. Bremmer and Economy look at where the US-China rivalry is headed–and whether either side is actually prepared for the competition that comes next. “The Chinese are great long-term strategic planners. They're a powerhouse in the global economy. They are our fiercest competitor,” Economy explains, “At the same time, it kind of stinks to be Chinese right now if you're living inside China.” --- ### The great US-China superpower rivalry, with Elizabeth Economy **Published:** October 3, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/gzero-world-podcast/china-superpower-rivalry-elizabeth-economy.md President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping traded handshakes, toasts, and pandas at a diplomatic summit at the White House last week, but beneath all the pageantry, the rivalry between the world’s two most powerful countries is only getting more intense. Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Elizabeth Economy joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast for a look at what’s really driving the relationship between the US and China right now, where each side has leverage, and whether the US is falling behind in the race for global influence and technological dominance. From Beijing's perspective, the second Trump administration has handed China some useful opportunities as well as challenges. On one hand, Washington is no longer pressing Beijing about human rights issues and has stepped back from its leadership role in global institutions, giving China an opening. On the other, the Trump administration still views China as its biggest strategic competitor, both in terms of tech competition and national security. Bremmer and Economy look at the state of the US-China rivalry—from computer chips to AI to space dominance—and where it goes from here. Subscribe to the GZERO World Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published --- ### The US-China battle for global dominance **Published:** October 2, 2026 | **Author:** Ian Bremmer | **Section:** Ian Explains **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ian-explains/us-china-battle-global-dominance.md The United States and China are locked in a high-stakes rivalry, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it from the way their leaders have been treating each other lately. President Trump rolled out the red carpet for Xi Jinping at the recent White House summit. The leaders of the world’s two most powerful countries toasted each other and spoke about their friendship at a candlelit state dinner. But don’t be fooled. On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer breaks down the US and China’s complicated relationship and their competing visions for the future.Right now, the two super powers are both trying to answer a fundamental question: What kind of world do we want to live in and who gets to decide? For the past 80 years, the answer was largely shaped by the United States. But now China has a different vision and is working overtime to shape a new global order without America at the center. But at the heart of the rivalry is a much bigger question: Can the US and China compete for global influence while still finding ways to cooperate in a world that needs both of them? --- ### Bosnians take to the polls, Nigeria’s fake government agency, China cracks down on AI companions **Published:** October 2, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick, Alex Kliment, Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/bosnians-take-to-the-polls-nigerias-fake-government-agency-china-cracks-down-on-ai-companions.md EU vs. Russia on the ballot in Bosnia Bosnians will head to the polls this weekend for elections in one of the world’s most complicated political systems. Voters will elect three national presidents representing three main ethnic groups – one Bosniak, one Croat, and one Serb. Collectively, they serve as the country’s head of state. But the biggest race to watch is for the president of the Republic of Srpska, the Serb-majority region that, along with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina makes up the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Confused yet? Bottom line: the outcome could shape Bosnia’s relationship with the EU and Russia. The race pits the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), which has pushed for closer ties with Moscow, against the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), which supports Bosnia’s integration into the EU. It’s another version of a political tug-of-war playing out across parts of Eastern Europe and the Balkans, where Russia and the EU are competing for influence. Nigerian man charged with creating bogus government agency It’s one thing to see a video online and ask “is that AI?” It’s quite another to wonder “is that government agency actually… fake?” Nigerian authorities charged a man named Adeniyi Adeyemi on Wednesday with creating a make-believe “Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council” in 2024, using forged documents. Adeyemi even got office space in a government building, met with foreign diplomats and business people, and was allocated $1 million in public funds (they were never released.) The office of President Bola Tinubu says it blew the whistle on the con itself, but Adeyemi says he paid off Tinubu’s chief of staff in order to create the council. The case is being closely watched in a country where a staggering 94% of people see government corruption as “widespread.” Fake it til you make it, they say. China’s AI push goes a little too well China is drafting new rules to regulate AI relationships for children under age 18 after its push for AI adoption has proven a little more successful than expected. A 2025 survey found that more than a fifth of minors “only wanted to chat with AI.” Now, Beijing is concerned by what an increase in AI relationships could mean for its already shrinking birthrate and population. The new regulations would ban platforms from offering services that provide virtual companions, or that otherwise might cause addiction or harm to users. They come on top of separate action this summer by China to set limits on AI companions that require platforms to step in if users develop unhealthy dependencies. The Chinese government has pushed for people to integrate AI into their work and lives in a race to keep up with US development, but now must figure out how to balance maintaining social order and promoting the technology. --- ### Two Brazilian political dynasties clash again **Published:** October 2, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/two-brazilian-political-dynasties-clash-again.md Brazilians head to the polls on Sunday to take the first step in deciding the future of Latin America’s largest economy, and potentially the political direction of the entire continent. The field is crowded, but two major players stand out: left-wing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term, and right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro. The race has effectively become a rematch in Brazil’s long-running battle between two political establishments. Neither Bolsonaro nor Lula is likely to win outright Sunday. Brazil requires a presidential candidate to receive more than 50% of votes to avoid a runoff, and 12 candidates are competing, making it hard for anyone to reach a majority. Recent polls generally put Lula around 40% to 45% and Bolsonaro around 36% to 42%, with smaller candidates taking up the remainder. If no one clears 50%, the top two finishers will meet again on October 25 for a runoff election. Recent polling shows that a Lula-Bolsonaro matchup is essentially tied. What are Brazilians voting on? Despite the international attention on Brazil’s political divide, voters are also worried about more immediate, everyday problems. Crime remains a major concern. Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin American studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, says voters are increasingly focused on crimes they encounter in the streets or see online every day, including theft and extortion. Lula has emphasized an “intelligence-driven” approach to fighting powerful criminal groups such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho, focusing on prevention and community policing. Bolsonaro has promised a harder-line strategy, including classifying major criminal factions as terrorist organizations, following suit with other right-wing leaders in Latin America. Then there’s the economy. Unemployment and poverty rates have fallen during Lula’s term, but household debt remains a major source of frustration. Nearly 80% of Brazilian households are in debt and spend around 30% of their income on debt payments. In the campaign’s final days, Lula has tried to address this by unveiling a sweeping debt-relief program and banning online betting, which his government argues has exacerbated financial problems for Brazilian families. What does this election mean for Latin America? Brazil is an outlier in a region that has swung sharply to the right in recent years. Many of Brazil's neighbors are now run by conservative governments, including Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Colombia. Bolsonaro’s victory would complete a remarkable conservative sweep among South America’s major economies, while another Lula term would leave Brazil as the remaining bastion of the Latin American left. Both outcomes would impact relationships in the region. Bolsonaro would find natural partners among the continent’s conservative governments, while Lula would increasingly be surrounded by governments with which he has significant political differences. Lula and Argentina’s Milei have recently been in conflict, for example, damaging Brazil’s relationship with its third-largest trading partner. And what about Washington? Here, the difference between a Lula and a Bolsonaro victory could be even sharper. Lula has increasingly framed the election as a battle for Brazilian sovereignty, particularly amid concerns about US involvement in the campaign, says Freeman. Lula, for example, has portrayed President Donald Trump’s support for Bolsonaro as foreign meddling. Bolsonaro, meanwhile, has cultivated a much warmer relationship with Trump and his allies. His and his father’s connections to Washington have made the election one between two very different ideas about Brazil’s relationship with the US. Marcelo Alvarenga, Brazil analyst at Eurasia Group, expects Bolsonaro to seek closer alignment with Washington on trade, critical minerals, and security – potentially joining US-led regional efforts targeting cartels and designating Brazil’s powerful gangs as terrorist organizations. But there would be limits, he says. On trade, a future Bolsonaro administration would be reluctant to break ties with China, given that China remains Brazil’s largest trading partner. What to watch on Sunday. Unless one candidate dramatically outperforms the polls, Sunday’s vote will be less about choosing Brazil’s next president than setting the battlefield for the October 25 runoff. First, watch the margin between Lula and Bolsonaro. The two are essentially tied in a hypothetical runoff, so even a modest first-round advantage could give one candidate momentum when voters return to the polls. Also watch turnout. Alvarenga says lower participation has historically hurt Lula more than the right. Then watch smaller party candidates Augusto Cury, Renan Santos, and Ronaldo Caiado. The three are drawing voters who have rejected the Lula-Bolsonaro binary, making their supporters potentially important blocs once the field gets down to two. Cury has polled as high as 7% to 8% nationally, and recent polling found his voters splitting 44% for Bolsonaro and 32% for Lula in a runoff. Santos has positioned himself as a younger, anti-establishment alternative on the right, while Caiado, the governor of Goiás, offers a more established conservative alternative. But their supporters are also less committed than Lula or Bolsonaro voters, Alvarenga says, meaning some could end up voting strategically for a Lula or Bolsonaro on Sunday. Whether their support holds – and where those voters ultimately go – will be an important indication of how much room Lula and Bolsonaro have to grow before the runoff. Finally, watch the map. Bolsonaro is performing strongly in the state of São Paulo, while Lula strongholds remain in the northeast, where many households participate in social welfare programs championed by Lula. But the northeast is also worth keeping an eye on for signs of a longer-term shift: the rapid growth of evangelical Christianity has helped the right make inroads into what was once a reliable base for Lula and the left. If Bolsonaro can perform better than expected here this weekend, it could bode well for his chances in the runoff. Sunday’s results will give us the clearest indication yet of how the runoff might unfold. But more broadly, they’ll also preview where Latin America’s biggest economy is headed over the long term. --- ### Unemployment on the up **Published:** October 2, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/unemployment-on-the-up.md Republicans won’t be happy with the final jobs report before the midterms. Job market growth was weaker than expected, adding fewer than half of the jobs economists had predicted. It was particularly bad for Black Americans, for whom the unemployment rate rose a whole percentage point to 7% – nearly double that of white Americans. Overall unemployment remains historically low relative to the post-war average. But today’s report won’t help Republicans make their case to the 61% of Americans who are unhappy with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy before they head to the polls in November. --- ### Fall survival kit from the Puppet Regime Ministry of Merch **Published:** October 2, 2026 | **Author:** Puppet Regime Store | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/sponsored-posts/fall-survival-kit-from-the-puppet-regime-ministry-of-merch-puppetregimestore-100226.md The leaves are falling. Approval ratings are falling. Even some governments are falling. Get through this season of chaos with the exclusive PUPPET REGIME beanie, an ideal accessory for keeping even the coolest of heads warm. We also offer: A big, beautiful mug for coffee at your morning intelligence briefings A tote bag with more structural integrity than most governments Stickers to wage subtle psyops against your opponents The store is stocked, and we ship (almost) worldwide — sorry, Iran, Russia, and North Korea, we don’t make the rules. Shop now at shop.puppetregime.tv! --- ### You vs. the News: A Weekly News Quiz - October 2, 2026 **Published:** October 2, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Daily | **Section:** Games **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/games/quiz-100226.md Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it New 2026 Gallup polling data reveals a notable shift in how Americans view major economic concepts. Which of these now has a higher favorability rating among Americans than "big business"? A) Capitalism B) Free enterprise C) Socialism Take the quiz to see if you guessed correctly! --- ### Trump and Xi meet at the White House **Published:** October 1, 2026 | **Author:** GZERO Staff | **Section:** General **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/trump-and-xi-meet-at-the-white-house.md They had many things to discuss. Watch more PUPPET REGIME! --- ### Will China ever replace the US as the world’s dominant superpower? **Published:** October 1, 2026 | **Author:** Lottie Tellyn | **Section:** Analysis **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/will-china-ever-replace-the-us-as-the-worlds-dominant-superpower.md Just three years ago, people around the world viewed the US more favorably than China. That is no longer the case. According to data published by the Pew Research Center this summer, China now receives more favorable ratings in most of the 36 countries surveyed. It’s a dramatic change from just a year ago, when 49% of those surveyed had a favorable view of the US, while 37% had a favorable view of China. Even Americans are warming to China, especially young Americans, embracing so-called “Chinamaxxing” on social media, a tongue-in-cheek trend where Americans adopt elements of Chinese culture. This shift is set against what’s happening inside the United States. President Donald Trump has pursued a more unilateralist and transactional approach to foreign policy, questioning alliances and imposing tariffs on allies. As Ian Bremmer has often said, the US is stepping back from the global order it’s led for decades. There are reasons to believe Beijing, meanwhile, has the economic clout, trade relationships, and technological reach to fill some of the space Washington leaves behind. The question is, can it? A reliable trade partner. China is presenting itself as a more dependable and inclusive partner than the US today, whether in trade, international development, or AI. “One of the things that the Chinese Communist Party is continually trying to do is take advantage of the idea that there's continuity and stability to it,” said Jeffery Wasserstrom, a professor who teaches Chinese history at UC Irvine. US trade policy, by contrast, has become synonymous with uncertainty, with tariffs and negotiating demands shifting frequently. Canada abandoned trade talks in August after the US repeatedly changed its demands, resulting in both sides imposing steep tariffs on each other's goods. China has taken a different path, leaning into regional trade partnerships. In 2022, China ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a trade deal resulting from 10 years of negotiations among 10 ASEAN countries, plus Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea, representing over 30% of global GDP. China has further expanded its reach through trade deals and development initiatives, most notably its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), designed to expand infrastructure in developing countries. China’s exports to the Global South grew 39-fold between 2000 and 2024, while the US’s grew only two-fold. Another example is in AI. The US’s AI governance initiative, Pax Silica, brought together several allies, including the UK, Australia, and France – so long as they didn’t join China’s AI initiative. Despite the initiative, the US has instead ignored allies’ calls for governance and pushed to accelerate AI growth without meaningful guardrails. Meanwhile, China launched the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) earlier this year, pledging to help developing nations benefit from AI development rather than fall behind. Chinese companies also offer “open-weight” AI models – publicly available models that anyone can download, study, and customize – which are much cheaper than US models. But here is where China’s pitch begins to collide with its record. Despite Beijing’s language about multilateralism and equal partnerships, the size of China's economy gives it significant leverage over the states it deals with – which it uses to its benefit. “China continues to do things that are highly problematic regarding trade, including using economic coercion against countries that do things it doesn't like,” explained Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. When Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a de facto Taiwanese embassy in Vilnius in 2021, China responded by closing its markets to Lithuanian products – demonstrating that it might play by different rules than the US once did. Messaging vs. Reality. Despite its messaging, China hasn’t stepped into the void the US left abroad. Much of the American humanitarian and development assistance, including through the since-gutted USAID or UN aid, came as grants. China’s Belt and Road Initiative, by contrast, initially started as loans that developing countries had to repay – often at high rates. Plus, China has been accused of flouting human rights with crackdowns on various civil society groups and minority populations. “Originally were incredibly favorable to China, so some countries thought they were predatory, and they weren't helping China's image,” Kurlantzick explained. Although it has since reduced those terms and invested more in traditional aid since 2019, it’s still far from the humanitarian efforts the US once led. China’s rise isn’t just about China. While Xi Jinping wants to give the impression that China is becoming the world’s leading superpower, the story is more complex. In fact, Xi may not be the strongman he wants to appear to be. “What people miss often is that Xi Jinping is not really a great leader,” Kurlantzick said. Xi has struggled with an unbalanced economy and overregulating the private sector. On top of that, repeated purges of his generals have also raised questions about his leadership. “If China had a better, more effective leader since 2012… then the US would be in much worse shape. In fact, China probably already would be the global hegemon,” Kurlantzick argued. Instead, China’s rise is “partly a reflection of the US setting its credibility and soft power on fire.” Canada makes for a striking example. As Trump made repeated threats to annex it and make it the “51st state,” Canadians began souring on America, and positive views of China rose. Now, Canadians have more positive views of China than the US for the first time in roughly two decades of Pew polling. For Canada, as with many countries reassessing their relationship with the US, China’s consistency and reliability are an appealing pitch. But when it comes to stepping into the role of world leader, China might not fit the bill. But if it doesn’t – who, or what, comes next? --- ### UK and France end trial on new immigration deal, China adds massive tariffs to Brazilian beef, Soccer drama threatens UK-UAE relations **Published:** October 1, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Kliment, Will Fitzpatrick, Natalie Johnson | **Section:** What We're Watching **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/watching/uk-and-france-end-trial-on-new-immigration-deal-china-adds-massive-tariffs-to-brazilian-beef-soccer-drama-threatens-uk-uae-relations.md One in, one out, all done: UK and France scrap migration pact Last year the two countries struck a landmark deal to reduce the number of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel from France in small boats: for each undocumented migrant that the UK returned to France, British authorities would accept an asylum applicant with known family links in Britain. More than 1,400 people were officially returned to France under the scheme, which was criticized by some NGOs for alleged maltreatment of some detainees. But the deal has now collapsed. France says it prefers a wider agreement between the UK and the EU, rather than having to process all of the channel-crossing returnees itself. “Why do we have to manage this border on our own?” the French interior minister recently asked. Channel crossings by undocumented migrants are down about 40% this year, amid a significant decline in irregular crossings into Europe more broadly this year. China and Brazil are beefing Brazilian beef just got a lot more expensive in China. Starting today, Beijing is slapping an additional 55% tariff on Brazilian beef imports after the country hit its annual import quota of 1.1 million metric tons. China introduced the quota system this year to protect its domestic cattle industry after becoming the world’s largest beef importer. That could sting Brazil, the world’s largest beef exporter, where the industry accounts for nearly 4% of total export revenue. It could also damage trade relations with China, which is Brazil's largest trading partner – China buys nearly a third of all Brazilian goods. Brazil isn’t alone: Australia has also hit its beef quota, meaning it will soon face higher tariffs too. But their loss could be America’s gain. US ranchers are increasingly looking overseas for buyers as high beef prices have weakened demand at home. English football drama becomes test of UK-UAE ties An independent commission found Manchester City guilty on Tuesday of using “sham” commercial contracts to inflate its revenue and cut costs by nearly $1.2 billion. The decision could bring hefty fines, points deductions or even the famed football club’s expulsion from the Premier League. But the fallout extends beyond the pitch. Sheikh Mansour, the UAE’s vice president and a member of its royal family, owns the club — and there’s talk he could sell it over the scandal. That has Britain’s new prime minister and former mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, worried. Since buying the club in 2008, a group led by Mansour has invested roughly $1.7 billion in Manchester and given an economic boost to a once-polluted industrial hub. The UK has also courted UAE investment, including from a nearly $400 billion sovereign fund overseen by Mansour. Burnham will be reluctant to let a football scandal complicate ties with an oil-rich ally. --- ### Small countries, super domains **Published:** October 1, 2026 | **Author:** Will Fitzpatrick | **Section:** Hard Numbers **URL:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/hard-numbers/small-countries-super-domains.md It’s not the first time that a smaller nation has taken advantage of its internet domain. Anguilla, a tiny British territory in the Caribbean, saw registrations of its .ai domain explode in 2023 and now brings in more than $39 million a year from it – nearly a quarter of its total revenue. Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation with the coveted .tv domain, gets around 9% of government revenue from domain registrations. And Montenegro’s .me domain has become popular for personal websites, bringing nearly $128 million into the Balkan nation since it launched in 2007. ## Contributors & Authors - [Eurasia Group](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/eurasia-group): Eurasia Group, founded by Ian Bremmer in 1998, is the first firm devoted exclusively to helping inve... - [Leandro Pontes Berleze](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/leandro-pontesberleze) - [Risa Grais-Targow](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/risa-graistargow): Risa Grais-Targow leads Eurasia Group's Latin America practice, with a focus on Argentina, Venezuela... - [David Meale](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/david-meale): David Meale leads the China practice at Eurasia Group, GZERO Media's parent company. He advises glob... - [Firas Maksad](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/firas-maksad): Firas Maksad is the managing director for the Middle East and North Africa practice at Eurasia Group... - [Veronica Vargas](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/veronica-vargas) - [Andrew Lorenzen](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/andrew-lorenzen) - [Tim Rickard](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/tim-rickard): Tim Rickard is a designer for GZERO Media. He is an award-winning cartoonist, illustrator and graphi... - [Lottie Tellyn](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/lottie-tellyn): Lottie is a reporter at GZERO, where she covers all things geopolitics for the website and daily new... - [Kevin Witzenberger](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/kevin-witzenberger) ## API Access & Integration - [Search](https://www.gzeromedia.com/search): Site-wide content search - [Main RSS Feed](https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/feed.rss): Latest content in RSS format ## Optional - [Navigation index (llms.txt)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/llms.txt): Compact section index with markdown links for every section - [Main RSS Feed](https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/feed.rss): Latest content in RSS format ## Content Discovery - **Search Interface:** https://www.gzeromedia.com/search - **All Sections:** Each section available at `https://www.gzeromedia.com/[section-path]/index.md` - **Individual Posts:** Each post available at its URL with `.md` extension - **RSS Feeds:** Main feed at `https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/feed.rss`, section feeds at `https://www.gzeromedia.com/feeds/[section-path].rss` ## How to Use This Content 1. **For Site Overview:** Review the "Site Structure" section to understand content organization 2. **For Specific Topics:** Use section-specific RSS feeds or browse section markdown pages 3. **For Recent Updates:** Check the "Recent Content" section for latest articles 4. **For API Access:** Use the documented endpoints for programmatic access 5. **For Individual Articles:** Access any post by appending `.md` to its URL --- *This complete content index contains 83 recent posts and represents the current state of GZERO Media as of October 20, 2026 22:33:30. For the most up-to-date navigation structure, see the main llms.txt file at https://www.gzeromedia.com/llms.txt*