Author: Richard Engel Junior

Brazil General Election 2026 is dominated by Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, with Lula holding a narrow advantage before a likely runoff. Brazil General Election 2026 is being driven by crime, corruption, household finances, employment and dissatisfaction with Brazil’s political establishment. General Election 2026 could reshape Brazil’s ties with the United States, China, BRICS and the wider Global South. Brazil votes on Sunday in one of the most consequential presidential elections in Latin America, with an extraordinary political rivalry once again defining the contest. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, is seeking an unprecedented fourth, non-consecutive term, while Senator Flávio…

Palestine Issue: Palestinian support for the Two-State Solution is rising, including in Gaza, despite years of war, destruction and displacement. Pakistan and major Muslim-majority states continue to support an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The central challenge is implementation: security, borders, settlements, Jerusalem, refugees, reconstruction and credible Palestinian leadership remain unresolved. For years, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has appeared trapped between failed negotiations, wars and political distrust. Yet new polling from the Arab Barometer points to a significant development: despite Gaza’s devastation and political disillusionment, support for a negotiated two-state settlement has…

Thailand Digital Payment Revolution has transformed how millions of people and businesses transfer money. PromptPay processed 4.60 trillion baht across 2.53 billion transactions in June 2026. Thailand’s government, Bank of Thailand and financial sector cooperation have created a model for regional digital-payment development. It was a moment worth pausing for. Around the table sat Thailand’s political leadership, senior ministers, financial regulators and officials of the Bank of Thailand—the people who had spent years building an ambitious financial transformation. The task had been completed. The numbers were no longer projections on a government presentation. Trillions of baht were moving through Thailand’s…

 RAF Airbase Terror Plot: British Counter-terrorism police intercepted five men and three suspicious vans carrying alleged explosives near RAF Fairford in an uncoordinated, non-intelligence-led operation. While Tehran has struck over 22 Middle Eastern bases directly, analysts question whether an amateur vehicle plot signals state-backed proxy sabotage or independent action. Shadow Proxy Tactics in Western Airbases represent a major evolution in how the Middle Eastern war spreads across European sovereign territory. CHELTENHAM, England—In the early hours of Sunday morning, a quiet stretch of country road in Gloucestershire became the latest flashpoint of the US-Iran war. Counter-terrorism police intercepted five men alongside…

Ukraine War: Russia attacks Kyiv with missiles and drones targeting civilian, digital and economic infrastructure. Ukraine faces another difficult winter as Russian strikes threaten energy and communications networks. Western support continues, but Kyiv faces growing pressure as global attention shifts toward the Middle East. Ukraine War continues as Kyiv is once again being tested by a Russian campaign that is no longer aimed only at military targets. The latest missile and drone attacks suggest a broader strategy: exhaust civilians, disrupt the infrastructure of everyday life and increase pressure on Ukraine’s political leadership as diplomacy struggles to produce a ceasefire. On…

Bank Mellat Istanbul License Revocation: Turkey’s Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) revoked the operating license of Iran’s Bank Mellat main branch in Istanbul. Bank Mellat Istanbul License Revocation deprives Tehran of vital formal banking access, SWIFT clearance, and trade letters of credit. U.S. Treasury secondary sanctions pressure forced Ankara to prioritize macroeconomic stabilization over ideological alignment with Tehran. The regulatory move exposes the widening gap between President Erdogan’s public rhetoric and Turkey’s financial statecraft. On September 18, 2026, Turkey’s Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) quietly revoked the operating license for the Istanbul main branch of Bank Mellat. The…

Iran war cost to Americans has surpassed $107 billion in additional gasoline and diesel spending since February 28, according to Brown University’s Climate Solutions Lab. Oil disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, combined with threats to Red Sea shipping and Russian refinery disruptions, are keeping global energy markets under severe pressure. U.S. diesel prices have crossed $6 a gallon, increasing transportation, agricultural and food-distribution costs and adding another layer of inflationary pressure. WASHINGTON — The economic cost of the Iran war is no longer confined to Pentagon budgets, military deployments or damaged infrastructure in the Middle East. It is increasingly…

Mecca Defence Agreement Framework: The Mecca Defence Agreement serves as a strategic deterrent rather than an automated expeditionary pact, defining clear boundaries between territorial defense and offensive regional warfare. Geopolitical Risk Analysis: Escalating Houthi strikes on Saudi energy routes highlight the Kingdom’s critical vulnerabilities following disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Strategic Military Roles: While Pakistan offers air defense and military depth, Turkey provides technological capabilities, ensuring Riyadh receives defense support without full military involvement in Yemen. Diplomatic Balancing Act: Islamabad and Ankara must balance their defense commitments to Saudi Arabia with their diplomatic relations with Tehran…

Ethiopia’s Homeownership Revolution: Under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the National Bank of Ethiopia and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) signed a framework to launch a dedicated 100 billion ETB (~$620 million) Mortgage Refinance Company. Accelerating 1.5 Million Housing Units: The initiative unlocks long-term liquidity for domestic banks to deliver 1.5 million affordable, dignified homes to Ethiopian citizens. Driving Mega-Infrastructure Development: Integrated alongside major projects like the $12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), these reforms are repositioning the country as East Africa’s primary economic hub. ADDIS ABABA — To understand the magnitude of what is…

Russia drone army Ukraine War: Moscow is deploying increasingly sophisticated and faster Geran drones in large numbers, creating a new challenge for Ukraine’s air-defence network. Ukraine war: The conflict is increasingly becoming an industrial battle over drones, missiles, interceptors, ammunition and the ability to sustain prolonged warfare. Patriot missile shortage: Ukraine’s limited supply of high-end air-defence interceptors is becoming a major vulnerability as Russia combines drones with ballistic and cruise missiles. Russia’s war in Ukraine has entered a new and potentially decisive phase. Moscow is increasingly using mass-produced attack drones, including faster jet-powered variants derived from Iran’s Shahed technology, to…