Here is the latest world news digest as of Monday morning, October 5 — covering Brazil’s election results, new Houthi claims of strikes on Saudi oil facilities, and the crypto market’s push higher.
Brazil heads to October 25 runoff: Flávio Bolsonaro leads Lula after final count
Brazil’s presidential race will go to an October 25 runoff after the final count gave right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro 47.07% against President Lula’s 45.11%, with 99.9% of votes counted — neither crossed the 50% needed to win outright, and the right also swept parliamentary elections, a major setback for Lula, 80, who is seeking a fourth term. In a new post-election move, Bolsonaro promised Donald Trump access to Brazil’s rare earths — the world’s second-largest reserves after China — pitching Brazil as “the only real alternative to China for the free world”; he had already met Trump at the White House in May and offered his transition team “at Washington’s disposal”. On election night he declared “the end of the PT era” and said “I only need one term”, while Lula admitted he had expected a first-round win and promised a “new campaign” starting tomorrow.
Houthis claim missile and drone strikes on Saudi Aramco sites; oil steady above $101
Yemen’s Houthis claimed ballistic-missile and drone strikes on Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and Khurais, saying they were a response to “50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes in Yemen in the past 12 hours” — Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the attacks, and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government is launching a major campaign to recapture all Houthi-held areas. In Monday’s Asian trade, Brent moved between $101.90 and $102.66 with WTI at $91.15, while Murban crude held at $110 and the Brent-WTI spread stretched past $11; tanker freight rates have “surged to extraordinary levels” amid shortages and higher insurance, keeping freight and diesel cost pressure on China–UK/US shipping lanes. There were no new China–UK/US tariff moves.
Gaza deadline expires quietly
Trump’s 3:00 AM PKT Gaza deadline expired quietly, with no new moves from Hamas or the White House since Friday’s in-principle hostage-release response. No full acceptance of the 20-point peace plan was announced, and no major US response has materialised so far.
Market snapshot: BTC ~$86,260–86,721 (+2.3% in 24h), still testing the $87,000 level; ETH ~$2,725 (+1.2%); global crypto market value ~$3.01 trillion; Fear & Greed index 70 (“Greed”). Brent $101.90–102.66, WTI $91.15, Murban $110; VLCC tanker freight rates surged to “extraordinary levels”. No new crypto institutional or regulatory moves.
Watch: today’s video briefings
BBC News — Brazil election: runoff confirmed for October 25 (published yesterday):