Global Hotspots: Youth Protests Sweep Across Europe

In this week’s episode, Jared Jeter, Sebastian Dittgen, and Andrew Loftesnes examine the wave of protests sweeping across Europe, including recent developments in France and Serbia. They discuss the grievances driving these movements, how governments are responding, and the potential implications for European political stability.

Elsewhere, in the Middle East, the U.S. reportedly renewed diplomatic outreach to Iran while preparing for a possible resumption of military operations. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc fell short of securing a parliamentary majority, raising the prospect of prolonged coalition negotiations.

In the Russia/Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin signaled that trilateral negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S. could resume in November, while Ukrainian drone strikes targeted the Moscow region.

In the Americas, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a fourth term in office, while defeated challenger Flávio Bolsonaro fled to the U.S. despite a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports. 

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Photo: Supporters of re-elected President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gather to celebrate the birthday of re-elected president, who turned 81, in Cinelandia of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on October 27, 2026. (Photo by Fabio Teixeira/Anadolu via Getty Images)