Reuters World News Summary

The right-wing Liberal Party (PL) emerged from elections last month as the largest party in the Brazilian Congress, riding the unexpected rise in support for Bolsonaro, who narrowly lost his re-election bid to Lula. In Russia, some hope U.S. midterms will mean less Ukraine aid and more chaos Pro-Kremlin forces in Russia are hoping that the Republicans win control of Congress, an outcome they believe could mean Democratic President Joe Biden faces a tougher and longer slog to get military aid packages for Ukraine approved.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Bolsonaro's party gears up to be Lula's opposition, will back him again in 2026

The party of Brazilian far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, recently defeated by former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will be the main opposition to Lula when he takes office on Jan. 1, its leader, Valdemar Costa Neto, said on Tuesday. The right-wing Liberal Party (PL) emerged from elections last month as the largest party in the Brazilian Congress, riding the unexpected rise in support for Bolsonaro, who narrowly lost his re-election bid to Lula.

In Russia, some hope U.S. midterms will mean less Ukraine aid and more chaos

Pro-Kremlin forces in Russia are hoping that the Republicans win control of Congress, an outcome they believe could mean Democratic President Joe Biden faces a tougher and longer slog to get military aid packages for Ukraine approved. But for now, few in Moscow expect the bipartisan U.S. political consensus on Ukraine to crack, whatever the result of Tuesday's midterm elections. Nor do they expect Washington's support for Kyiv to dip significantly anytime soon.

Ukraine denies Western pressure to soften stance on talks with Russia

Ukraine denied on Tuesday that it was under Western pressure to negotiate with Russia, doubling down on its insistence that talks could be held only if Russia relinquishes all of the territory it has occupied since its invasion in February. The remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy followed a Washington Post report on Saturday that the United States had encouraged Ukraine to signal willingness for talks. Zelenskiy's comments also coincided with U.S. midterm elections whose outcome could test Western support for Ukraine.

Congo expels Reuters reporter

Democratic Republic of Congo expelled a French journalist working for Reuters after her application for journalistic accreditation was not approved. Sonia Rolley applied in September for accreditation to take up an assignment coordinating Reuters news coverage in Congo. She was granted permission to cover a climate conference in the capital, Kinshasa, in October while she waited for the application to be processed.

Sean Penn visits Ukraine's Zelenskiy, loans him an Oscar

Hollywood actor and director Sean Penn, sanctioned by Russia for criticizing its war in Ukraine, loaned his Oscar statuette to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday. "It's just a symbolic, silly thing," he said, seated beside the Ukrainian leader at a ceremonial table and pressing his hand on his arm to emphasize his words as aides smiled and laughed. "When you win, bring it back to Malibu."

U.S. slaps sanctions on Burmese arms dealer, company

The United States imposed sanctions on Tuesday on a Burmese arms dealer and his company for facilitating arms deals and weapons purchases on behalf of Myanmar's military, the Treasury Department said. The action against Kyaw Min Oo and his Sky Aviator Company Ltd, which came along with newly issued European Union sanctions, came on the second anniversary of the last general election in Myanmar in 2020, which was overturned by a military coup the following February, it said.

UK PM Sunak to meet NATO's Stoltenberg on Wednesday

New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday in London to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the future of the defence alliance, Sunak's office said. Stoltenberg is the first international leader to visit Sunak in Downing Street, and the meeting comes as Britain looks to update its Integrated Review of defence priorities as the government mulls spending cuts.

Australia launches review into former pilots training Chinese military

Australia will launch a review into the obligations former Defence Force personnel have to protect state secrets, following reports that Australians were among the Western military pilots who had been approached to help train the Chinese military. Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday the intelligence agencies and Australian Federal Police were "investigating a number of cases" in Australia, and announced a review into the policies and procedures governing Australian Defence Force personnel.

First polls close in U.S. midterm elections that could rein in Biden's power

The first polls closed on Tuesday in U.S. midterm elections that will determine whether Republicans win control of Congress, which would give them the power to block much of President Joe Biden's agenda in the next two years. Motivated by concerns about high inflation and crime, voters were poised to usher in an era of divided government in Washington, despite warnings from Democrats about the erosion of abortion rights and the undermining of democratic norms.

Mexican village blames climate change as sea swallows its homes

Celia Figarola and her husband stayed in their simple seafront home by the Gulf of Mexico as long as they could - until, finally, the encroaching tide caused their walls to crack. Now what was Celia's home for three decades lies in ruins in the surf.