Hard numbers: Ukraine strikes Iranian drones, Lula still in the lead, Japan needs stimulus, Chad bans opposition

70: The Ukrainian military has shot down 70% of Iranian-made drones launched by Russia since mid-September. Drones are one of the many reasons why the war is having an unexpected impact on Middle East politics.

4: With Brazil’s presidential run-off a week away, former President Lula da Silva is still four percentage points ahead of incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro – who now says he will accept the result if nothing is wrong. bizarre happens, although many fear he will draw a 6 de Janeiro if he loses.

100 billion: A ruling party leader said Japan needed an economic stimulus of at least $100 billion to ease public pain from rising inflation. On Friday, the central bank stepped in to stabilize the yen for a second time amid growing pressure to eventually raise interest rates – and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s low approval rating.

seven: Chad has suspended seven opposition political parties after a crackdown on rare violent protests across the country turned deadly. Protesters resent that interim leader Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of Chad’s former strongman, plans to stay in power for two more years without confronting voters.

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