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Chase for Business Expands Its Integrated Digital Experience with Chase Payroll, Powered by Gusto
NEW YORK, October 07, 2026--Small business owners increasingly want the tools they use to run their businesses to work together and be managed in one place. In recent Chase research, 89% of business owners said they would find it valuable to manage payroll within the same platform they use for business banking and payments, highlighting growing demand for a more connected business experience. Additionally, 37% said meeting payroll put pressure on cash flow over the last six months, underscoring
💣 Sacking imminent: Turkey set to dismiss Vincenzo Montella
The Turkish Football Federation has decided to end Vincenzo Montella's tenure as national team coach following their World Cup group-stage elimination and four consecutive defeats in the Nations Leagu...
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology Went to a Technique That Lets Scientists Control the Brain With Light
Neuroscientific advances follow a pattern of visualizing the brain, measuring its function and then controlling it. Optogenetics may lead to a new era of medical treatment.
The Politics of Sustainability Have Changed. The Business Case Hasn’t.
Corporate sustainability may have fallen out of favor in some executive and political circles, but the business case remains strong: Companies continue to invest because sustainability initiatives can deliver measurable gains in profitability, resilience, and growth. Drawing on research from NYU Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business and other recent studies, the article shows how four areas in particular—circularity, decarbonization, sustainable sourcing, and employee well-being—can lower costs, reduce risk, strengthen supply chains, improve productivity, and create new revenue opportunities. Examples from industries including automotive, healthcare, apparel, energy, consumer goods, and manufacturing illustrate how companies are capturing value through resource reuse, energy efficiency, resilient sourcing strategies, and investments in frontline workers. While the language of ESG may be losing momentum, the underlying business fundamentals have not changed: organizations that systematically address material environmental and social challenges, quantify the financial impact of their efforts, and embed sustainability into core decision-making are better positioned to improve operational performance and create long-term enterprise value.
The Politics of Sustainability Have Changed. The Business Case Hasn’t.
Corporate sustainability may have fallen out of favor in some executive and political circles, but the business case remains strong: Companies continue to invest because sustainability initiatives can deliver measurable gains in profitability, resilience, and growth. Drawing on research from NYU Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business and other recent studies, the article shows how four areas in particular—circularity, decarbonization, sustainable sourcing, and employee well-being—can lower costs, reduce risk, strengthen supply chains, improve productivity, and create new revenue opportunities. Examples from industries including automotive, healthcare, apparel, energy, consumer goods, and manufacturing illustrate how companies are capturing value through resource reuse, energy efficiency, resilient sourcing strategies, and investments in frontline workers. While the language of ESG may be losing momentum, the underlying business fundamentals have not changed: organizations that systematically address material environmental and social challenges, quantify the financial impact of their efforts, and embed sustainability into core decision-making are better positioned to improve operational performance and create long-term enterprise value.
Lower US Treasury yield view persists despite biggest quarterly surge since 1994
US Treasury yields are forecast to fall over coming months, according to fixed income strategists in a Reuters poll who clung to their long-held view despite the benchmark 10-year yield recording its biggest quarterly jump since 1994.
Business Beat : Tunnel of Terror opens Saturday at Stickley Family Farms in Colon
COLON, Mich. - A longtime Michigan Halloween tradition returns this weekend when the Tunnel of Terror opens Sa...
AI Can Act. Can Your Business Follow Through?
Customer experience is ultimately defined by whether a business can follow through on customer commitments and deliver the promised outcome.
Here Are Wednesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Abbott Laboratories, AppFolio, Delek US Holdings, Flutter Entertainment, Honeywell Aerospace, Intuitive Surgical, Marvell, NetApp, and More
Pre-Market Stock Futures: Futures are trading lower as today’s oil and interest rates are higher. Baseball legend Babe Ruth was often credited with the saying, “Records are made to be broken,” and Tuesday was one of those days for the stock market. For the second straight day, all major indices ended higher, with only the […]
Cedar Point's HalloWeekends gains national recognition
It's spooky atmosphere has gained national recognition, landing on USA Today's 10Best for theme park Halloween events.
Preteens, phones and a hidden health risk
A study found 70% of kids they followed owned a smartphone by age 12. The kids reported at least one symptom of an eating disorder by 14.
To the top of the tower
From the top floor of the 515 Walnut Tower you can see the Des Moines metro roll out in front of you, the views cutting through even the darkest and gloomiest fall mornings. The Business Record toured the 33-story high-rise residential building on Wednesday, Sept. 30, riding the yellow freight elevator up the side of…
Healthy Food Bundles Lowered Weight, Blood Pressure Long-Term, Study Shows
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Oct. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Sending people bundles of healthy food can help them lose pounds and reduce blood pressure, a new study says. People receiving plant-based grocery packages from a Boston-area food pantry wound up in overall better health ...
What could MS Legislature, politicians do to lower gas prices?
The days of the $20 tank are so far in the rearview mirror that the memories have grown fuzzy.
Pens Points: Crosby meets Ovechkin for first of final battles
Following Monday’s announcement that this would be Alex Ovechkin’s final NHL season, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals fans likely peeked at the schedule to see how many more times the two generation-defining rivals would face off. Luckily for us, tonight is the first of four final regular season matchups between Ovechkin and Crosby. Puck drop […]
Why Lennart Karl’s Bayern future could hinge on Michael Olise
At the age of 18, Lennart Karl has already established himself as a first-team player for Bayern Munich and as a Germany international.Following his breakthrough season in 2025/26, the question now is...
8 Halloween parades to check out in Lancaster County in 2026
From Columbia to Ephrata, there are more than a half dozen ways to watch Halloween parades and maybe get some candy along the way, too.
7 Halloween parades to check out in Lancaster County in 2026
From Columbia to Ephrata, there are more than a half dozen ways to watch Halloween parades and maybe get some candy along the way, too.
Your Business Should Make You Wealthy, Not Just Keep You Busy
Build a business that creates wealth, not just work. Learn how to turn profits, cash flow and business value into long-term personal wealth.
NFA test scores dip, but 91% of freshmen stay on track to graduate
NFA's performance index for the 2025-2026 school year is lower than the state average but comparable or better than nearby larger high schools.
Emre Can sidelined until 2027
Borussia Dortmund captain Emre Can has suffered a fresh injury blow. According to Bild, the 32-year-old will unlikely return to team training until after the international break after requiring surger...
Chelsea co-sporting director Laurence Stewart set to leave: What is his legacy at the club?
Stewart joined Chelsea following the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-led takeover in May 2022.
Politics shouldn’t be dirty
Somewhere along the way, politics became less about what we can accomplish and more about what we can say about one another. Thatu2019s a shame. Running for public office should be about putting your experience, record, ideas and vision in front of the public and allowing voters to make their own decision. Candidates should absolutely be questioned. Records should be […]
Market Logic's DeepSights MCP scales market insights reach and business impact through enterprise-wide AI workflows
/PRNewswire/ -- Market Logic Software, the company behind DeepSights. the leading AI market intelligence platform, today announced the general availability of...
TST Images: Chile defeats Mexico, 2-0, in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES - Chile defeats Mexico, 2-0, during an international friendly on October 6, 2026 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and The Sporting Tribune's Ric Tapia was there to capture the following TST Images.
On Par Entertainment to present competition murder mystery
On Par Entertainment is combining the anxiety of an escape room with the fear of Halloween to present its first-ever OPE! Murder Mystery: A Killer Halloween from 7-11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.
Is PENN Entertainment (PENN) Undervalued Following Deutsche Bank's Upgrade And NFL Partnership?
PENN Entertainment (PENN) drew fresh attention after Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock and highlighted an improved sector risk reward, while its theScore Bet unit signed a multiyear NFL betting and online casino partnership in Canada. For context, PENN Entertainment’s share price has moved sharply around these headlines, with a 5.36% 1-day share price return and 8.90% 7-day share price return, yet it is still down 20.92% on a 90-day share price basis and its 1-year total shareholder return is...
‘Hotel Transylvania’ Halloween party headed to Waynesville
This year, the Waynesville Parks & Recreation is throwing it’s biggest Halloween celebration yet. The Hotel Transylvania Halloween Party will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at the
Business groups to lawmakers: NJ is losing out to other states
The marathon hearing ended with questions about whether the Legislature would act on recommendations or allow longstanding problems to continue.
Multiple juveniles arrested after assaults on nurses, Chandler officers at behavioral health facility
Multiple patients at a Chandler behavioral health facility were arrested following back-to-back violent incidents where nurses and officers were assaulted.
Russia pneumonic plague: Outbreak risk, symptoms, what to know
Fears of a pneumonic plague outbreak follow an Irkutsk lab employee's death last week. But the World Health Organization (WHO) says the risk is low.
TSU students return to Science Building, report persistent mold smells and safety concerns
Students at Texas Southern University were allowed back inside the Science Building after mold, condensation, and air quality issues forced the facility to shut down for nearly two months.
CBS19
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Islamic Development Bank and Global Fund Strengthen Partnership to Advance Sustainable Health Financing
GENEVA/JEDDAH – The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) signed on 6 October a new Partnership Agreement to strengthen collaboration and accelerate investments in health across low- and middle-income countries. The agreement, which marks a new chapter in a long-standing relationship, establishes a framework for aligning investments and coordinating financing, mobilizing additional resources, and supporting country-led efforts to build…
Aahs! to shutter after Halloween, joining recent Westwood business closures
Aahs! The Ultimate Gift Store will celebrate its last Halloween in Westwood before shuttering Nov. 3. Aahs! – which opened in 1981 on the corner of Kinross Avenue and Westwood Boulevard – sells costumes, props, toys and novelty items.
Orange County takes over Be Well OC sites in a settlement with Mind OC
The agreement settles a tumultuous legal battle, allowing a state-of-the-art campus to open in Irvine to provide behavioral health services.
Order of the Sinking Star: Jonathan Blow on making ' the biggest puzzle game ever'
Order of the Sinking Star is due out on Thursday and has roughly 1,500 puzzles for players to try
FBI whistleblower alleges Trump ordered investigations of L.A.-area immigration protesters
A former FBI intelligence analyst has alleged that President Trump ordered the FBI to launch unconstitutional investigations into immigration enforcement protesters from the Los Angeles area.
Amazon crash attorneys say pilot pairing may have been key flaw behind fatal incident
The attorneys’ claims followed preliminary NTSB findings that the pilots faced excessive speed and failed to deploy key braking systems.
Samsung 9100 Pro SSDs are on sale at Amazon, 1TB drive is back near its launch price
The 9100 Pro comes in four capacities: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB. The 1TB model is currently $206, about 39% below its regular list price of $339....
The dangers and science of outflow winds
Outflow winds can exceed 40 mph and increase fire danger. They happen during the mature and dissipating stage of a thunderstorm and if strong enough they can cause some damage.
EPA Proposes Approval of Maricopa County Air Quality Rule 204
An effort to lower emissions and protect jobs in Maricopa County is picking up momentum with yet another milestone announcement.Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced proposed appr
Health officials mobilize following governor’s measles mandate
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of the emergency, citing the growing rate of measles cases throughout New York.
SnakePit Post-season GDT, #7
A fairly low-key day yesterday in the American League Division Series, with both the White Sox and the Rays following up their Game 1 victories, with another win in Game 2. That gives them a commanding lead: Chicago in particular, now have two chances at home to clinch, and if needed, a third back in […]
Health experts say public risk is low after reported plague death in Russia
Delaware or Texas? Business Court Dismisses Coinbase Shareholder Suit
The decision turned on a key difference between the two states. Because the company reincorporated in Texas, shareholders must follow Texas’ stricter requirement to demand board action and wait 90 days before filing a derivative suit, even when the alleged misconduct occurred while Coinbase was incorporated in Delaware.
Leak Tips NVIDIA RTX Spark-Powered Microsoft Surface Laptop Specs
Following what appears to have been a series of unfortunate events that led to a roadside laptop find resulting in confirmation that Microsoft will be launching a 20-core NVIDIA RTX Spark Surface Laptop, we now appear to have confirmation that Microsoft will also be launching a Surface Laptop...
Massie files bill to let small farmers process their own livestock
The bipartisan Red Meat Inspection Exemption Act would cut red tape and costs at a time consumers are looking for lower food prices, Massie said in a news release.
Trump’s comment about Iran nuking Los Angeles and San Diego was incoherent, not malicious
President Donald Trump says many bizarre and even hateful things. But signaling he would allow Iran to nuke Los Angeles and San Diego is not one of them.
Cartier Got Down to Business for the 20th Anniversary of the Women’s Initiative
Guests from across the arts, public health, philanthropy, and fashion gathered at the Morgan Library and Museum to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Cartier Women’s Initiative: the maison’s fellowship for entrepreneurs focused on implementing social and environmental change.
NCAA proposes summer competition for college basketball teams
The NCAA is proposing allowing summer competition between college basketball teams as a potential new revenue source.
Follow the road to Rome at 2026 Columbus Italian Festival
With its roots in Italy and heart in Columbus, the three-day Italian Festival will bring the spirit of Rome to central Ohio.
Google rolling out ‘massive’ Pixel Buds Pro, Pro 2, and 2a update
Following last month's addition of Gemini control, Google is rolling out a sizable Pixel Buds Pro, Pro 2, and Pixel Buds 2a update.
Option Care Health (OPCH) Rockets as CD&R, McKesson Table 37% Premium Bid
Option Care Health Inc. (NASDAQ:OPCH) soared by as much as 33 percent on Tuesday to $31.11 apiece following news that it is merging with Clayson, Dubilier, & Rice LLC (CD&R) and McKesson Corp. for $5.8 billion. In a joint statement, the firms said that they entered into a definitive agreement under which they will acquire […]
Atrium promises state workers lower copays beyond its State Health Plan deal
Treasurer Brad Briner said the program will raise members’ costs in the long run and “violates the spirit of who gets to run” the plan.
Maxwell Hairston: From Chosen One to Just Another Bust
After surrendering two touchdowns to the Patriots and skipping postgame media, the Bills' self-proclaimed superstar faces a harsh reality check following a disastrous, discipline-lacking performance in Buffalo.
Why Eagles should really be concerned about missing NFL playoffs
This concern for the Eagles is not overblown at all.
What a way to reject a lawsuit
The company managing Dolly Parton’s estate alleges the late singer’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, used barbed wire and yellow caution tape to help keep a process server at bay, according to Rolling Stone.
Hackers obtain counterfeit TLS certificates for Google and other large services
Compromise of 3 domain registries allows hackers to walk off with unauthorized certs.
Atrium Health's new Affordability Protection Program lowers costs for state employees
Atrium Health's new Affordability Protection Program, effective January 1, 2027, will reduce outpatient surgical care copays and lower inpatient hospital copays.
North Carolina Forecast to Struggle Against Pittsburgh This Week
The North Carolina Tar Heels are being given a low chance to take down Pittsburgh this week.
New Hanover County opens applications for Mental Health Fellows Program
Applications are now open for the next installment of New Hanover County’s Mental Health Fellows Program.
Milton business fined for oil spill into Lamoille River
ANR says petroleum product from Rowley Fuels Inc. overflowed from a fuel delivery truck during a transfer at their storage facility in 2024.
UNC Health Begins Construction of West Cary Campus
A medical office building and parking deck will open in 2028, followed by a hospital in 2032.
ASU national security expert explains missteps since 9/11 attacks
The war against terror immediately after the 9/11 attacks had clear goals that were quickly accomplished, but has been followed by many missteps in the 25 years since, according to an Arizona State University national security expert.Peter Bergen, a professor of practice at ASU, recently released the book, “All the President’s Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror.”
Everything Fixed in October Pixel Update
Google is pushing out the October Pixel update, and inside, there’s a short list of fixes that Pixel owners should know about. We heard rumblings that folks were having issues with a few bugs on devices after the latest update, so hopefully the below list addresses at least a couple of them. Google lists a...
Top House Oversight Democrat seeks answers about Kushner’s Israeli investment following CNN report
Rep. Robert Garcia, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, requests investment information from Kushner’s firm, Affinity Partners
Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russia (October 6, 2026)
Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russia (October 5, 2026) Location: Irkutsk, Russia Event: The U.S. Embassy is aware of press reports from the Irkutsk region of suspected pneumonic plague resulting in the death of an individual and of associated quarantine measures in, and closures of, hospitals in Irkutsk. We continue to track the situation closely. The U.S. government has limited ability to help U.S. citizens in Russia, especially outside of Moscow. U.S. government personnel may face additional restrictions for personal and official travel to specific regions due to health and security concerns. The State Department’s Level 4 Travel Advisory (Do Not Travel) for Russia remains in place and states U.S. citizens currently in Russia should depart immediately. U.S. citizens planning travel to Russia are again strongly advised not to travel to Russia due to risk of wrongful detention and security concerns. Actions to Take: S. citizens in the area should follow the guidance of local health authorities, avoid affected facilities, and seek medical care promptly if they develop fever or respiratory symptoms. Visit the CDC Page on Plague for additional information about the disease. Visit the CDC Travelers’ Health Page for Russia for country-specific health updates. Monitor your health for 14 days following travel if you traveled to an area experiencing the outbreak. Review the S. Embassy country page for general health information. Refer to the Embassy’s list of medical providers. Check with your travel insurance provider about medical evacuation options should you fall ill while overseas. Have a plan to depart in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government help. Monitor local media for updates. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP) to receive health and security updates. Assistance: U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russia +7 495 728-5577 MoscowACS@state.gov U.S. Embassy Moscow web page State Department – Consular Affairs (+001) 888-407-4747 or (+001) 202-501-4444 Russia Country Information Follow us on Facebook and Twitter State Department – Consular Affairs 1-888-407-4747 or 1-202-501-4444
How Russia and the world are responding to a possible case of pneumonic plague after lab worker death
The World Health Organization says a possible case of pneumonic plague in Russia presents a “very low” risk outside the country as investigators look into what caused the death of a lab employee there last week.
Location Photo
Each week, on Wednesday, The Journal will post a location challenge photo on its Facebook page, encouraging followers to identify where said location can be found. This week, staffer Tom
Greenwood considers updates to development fees, property codes
Greenwood officials are working to update the city’s rules governing development, property maintenance and code enforcement, an effort Mayor Doug Kinslow said is needed after years without some regulations being...
County preserves to host activities at Ryan Woods
The Forest Preserves of Cook County will host the following events at the Dan Ryan Woods, 87th Street and South Western Avenue.
The world has nearly burned through its oil stockpile buffer, executives say
The amount of oil in storage that is accessible to the global market is running low, industry executives said at a forum in London this week, making the market more fragile and putting upward pressure on prices.
Broker facilities expand as technology, alternative capital reshape placements
Broker facilities that automatically or rapidly provide following capacity are expanding as brokers seek to speed placements, use data to package portfolios of risks and tap additional sources of…
Land sale for 324-unit downtown Sarasota apartment project called off
The cancellation of the sale of the 1800 block of Fruitville Road to an apartment developer isn't stopping plans for the Breakfast House-led move to a property 1 mile east of the current bungalow village location.
Tigers and Cubs: Week 5 vs. McNeese
Blowout wins typically lead to tough decisions on narrowing down the Tiger list, while getting creative to find Cubs
Private owner closes downtown East Lansing parking lot, upsetting businesses
Bob Metzger followed through on threats to close a large portion of a downtown East Lansing parking lot because of a thwarted high-rise development.
Wisconsin governor candidates offer opposing plans to address rising health care costs
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley say they want to lower health care costs and make care more accessible. But they’re offering different views on how to do that.
Florida plummets in CBS Sports' power rankings after blowout loss
Florida's first loss of the season sent the Gators tumbling in CBS Sports' latest college football power rankings.
University of Nebraska Sold $21K Worth of Used Urinals From Memorial Stadium
University of Nebraska fans are famously diehard — so much so that seven Cornhusker fanatics are now the proud owners of used urinal troughs from Memorial Stadium. The stadium is set to undergo a full renovation following the 2026 football season, and some of its fixtures are up for grabs. The university has already brought […]
Saoirse Ronan addresses husband Jack Lowden’s 007 rumors after admitting she wants to play a Bond villain
Saoirse Ronan discussed her husband Jack Lowden’s rumored new 007 role after admitting she’d love to play a Bond villain one day.
'Real buzz' around Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles says "he could not be happier" following the side's unbeaten Nations League window.
Downtown Tallahassee business expects slower day after nearby underground electrical fire
Metro Deli is located just two blocks from where Tallahassee city officials said the fire-related incident unfolded and left damage on Monroe Street Tuesday morning.
McDonald’s franchisees balk at $800,000 bill to overhaul stores
McDonald’s has said the program will help operators save about $100,000 in annual cash flow. Some franchisees see it differently.
Idaho drought-hit businesses offered low-interest disaster loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced low-interest federal disaster loans for eligible small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Idaho
Google could soon solve Pixel's biggest face unlock flaw
Android 17 QPR3 beta code hints that Google could soon solve Pixel's biggest face unlock flaw in low light with Face Active Illumination.
The hotel TV privacy mistake that can follow you home
Hotel TV privacy risks go beyond forgotten passwords when you sign into Netflix or other streaming apps on shared devices you don't control.
October 2026 Halloween events guide for Eastern Iowa
Looking for the best Halloween events in Eastern Iowa this October? From terror-filled haunts like Circle of Ash to family-friendly parades, library events, and live orchestral concerts, here is your ultimate regional roundup of fall festivities in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Corridor.
ConnectOne Bank joins program for lower-rate business loans in NY
ConnectOne Bank is participating in New York's Linked Deposit Program, which provides small and middle-market businesses access to lower-interest commercial loans. This initiative supports business expansion and innovation by reducing borrowing costs and improving cash flow for eligible companies across Long Island and New York State.
What Nathan Gallagher said in final 'Below Deck' episode before arrest
"Below Deck Mediterranean" cast member Nathan Gallagher talked about his young family's future and overcoming challenges in his final episode before he was arrested and convicted on domestic violence-
Scientists Just Found a Strange Link Between Cats and Happiness
Countries with more cats tended to report higher happiness, while greater exposure to a common cat parasite was linked to lower scores.
Ochsner uses AI to widen clinical trial screening
The health system reports 41% greater screening capacity, 3.6 times as many patients followed for future eligibility and approximately 75% less manual screening work. The vice chief scientific officer tells the tale.
Baptist Health Paducah to offer lung cancer screenings during Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Baptist Health Paducah will set aside low dose lung cancer screening appointments Friday, Nov. 13, in recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
URI astrophysics student earns coveted Association for Computing Machinery’s SIGHPC fellowship
KINGSTON, R.I. – Oct. 6, 2026 – Ever since she was young, Genevieve Payne has always had a deep interest in nature and understanding hidden systems and patterns within it, hoping to one day study some of the universe’s most extreme and least-understood phenomena. This interest developed into a focus on gravitational wave and high-energy […]
Sphere Entertainment stock price target lowered to $125 by StoneX
Sphere Entertainment stock price target lowered to $125 by StoneX
Brazil: Lessons from a Disaster
By Antonio Martins (Outras Palavras) Defeats become deeper and more prolonged when we misunderstand what caused them, avoid correcting course, and embrace “solutions” that only compound our mistakes. Lula’s government and the Brazilian left suffered a disaster in Sunday’s election. Contrary to every poll, the president finished the first round 2.2 million votes behind Flávio Bolsonaro—and, more significantly, 3.4 million votes below his total four years ago, when the machinery of the state was working against him and in favor of his opponent. His vote share declined in 98 percent of Brazil’s municipalities. The PL, the main party of the far right, elected 121 deputies and 28 senators, becoming the largest caucus in both houses of Congress. The parties aligned with the Centrão—Brazil’s bloc of transactional center-right parties—were somewhat diminished, but will still hold roughly 250 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 35 in the Senate. That will make it easier to assemble the majorities needed to amend the Constitution or impeach Supreme Federal Court justices. If elected, Flávio Bolsonaro could appoint four members of the Court, substantially altering its internal balance of power. What produced these results? How can the far right be prevented from consolidating them into a prolonged political hegemony? And what is the essential change of direction the left now needs? Explaining the Disaster Across the commercial media and the exuberant chaos of digital platforms, interpretations are multiplying. Some focus on specific episodes: Lula’s absence from the Globo debate, his very close relationship with Alexandre de Moraes, or his emphasis on issues supposedly remote from most people’s everyday concerns, such as rare earth minerals. Among the more systemic interpretations, three seem especially questionable. One argues that the principal defeat was not the left’s, since its congressional representation declined only slightly. The decisive movement captured at the ballot box, according to this view, was a shift within the right itself—from the more moderate and transactional forces of the Centrão toward the more ideological and radicalized forces of the PL and Novo. A second interpretation holds that the nature of electoral and political processes has changed. The material interests and aspirations of society, it argues, no longer play the central role they once did; they have given way to forms of subjective self-identification that the left has yet to understand. And a third concludes that, because of these two developments, we should expect a political winter: a prolonged period in which the far right and the broader right dominate Brazilian political life. There are important elements in all three interpretations. The problem lies in what they deny or leave out: Lula’s third government was a small-bore government. It offered the majorities that elected it neither a clearly better life nor reasons to believe again in politics and its power to transform society. These failures flowed from two fatal accommodations, which I will examine below. As a result, the government suffered a slow but steady erosion of support. And, as has happened in so many Western countries, it gave the far right the opportunity to present itself as anti-system and to benefit from popular frustration and distress. The interpretation that emphasizes the migration of votes from the center-right and traditional right toward the far right has been advanced, among others, by the courageous journalist Leonardo Sakamoto. In his UOL column on Monday, October 5, he highlights the miserable behavior of the traditional conservative parties. Over the past four years, they repeatedly joined forces with the “neo”-fascists, helping to “normalize” them—a criticism that could equally be directed at almost the entire corporate media. Believing they could use the far right as a stepping stone, they instead ended up partly devoured by it. This was especially true in the Senate, where the PL’s gain of 13 senators and Novo’s gain of two came at the expense of the PSD, which lost nine; the MDB, which lost two; the PSDB, which lost two; and the PP, which lost one. Sakamoto’s observation is accurate and necessary, but it leaves uncomfortable questions unanswered. Why did the erosion of the Centrão benefit the far right rather than, for example, producing growth for the left—as has happened so many times before, both in Brazil and elsewhere? The answer is not difficult. Throughout its four years in office, Lula’s third government was almost invariably associated with the Centrão. Here lies its first accommodation: accepting the limits imposed by conservative institutions; avoiding, as much as possible, any attempt to strain those limits through popular pressure; and believing only in the modest changes that could be squeezed through openings in Congress. The failure of the campaign to end the six-day workweek is emblematic. Lula could have electrified the presidential race by pairing it with a popular campaign for passage of the measure. Instead, he chose to place his hopes in the hands of Senate president Rodrigo Alcolumbre. He generated no mass mobilization, did not force his opponents onto an uncomfortable defensive, and won no victory. In September 2025, the government squandered the greatest of its many opportunities to shake up conservative power in Congress. Popular opposition to the so-called Shielding Amendment—which, if approved, would have restricted criminal proceedings against members of Congress—brought crowds into the streets, mobilized primarily by artists and social movements. This opened the possibility for a broader political education: a campaign that could begin exposing the limits and dysfunctions of Brazil’s political system while putting Bolsonaro’s movement on the defensive for its predictable support of political privilege. The amendment was defeated. But the executive branch then backed away from the fight. It remained associated with an institutional world widely seen as corrupt, elitist, and indifferent to ordinary people’s struggles. In doing so, it forfeited its credibility as a vehicle for the protest vote. On Sunday, it reaped the bitter fruits. Are We Doomed? Taking a different approach from Sakamoto, the philosopher Moysés Pinto Neto and other writers have drawn attention, in their first analyses of October 4, to the fragmentation of the public sphere produced by Big Tech platforms. Through their algorithms, these platforms present each person with a different view of social reality. As a consequence, it becomes much harder to identify common material problems and demands—for example, the fight for labor rights or for a properly funded public health system. Voters no longer embrace such demands, these authors argue, because they no longer see themselves as part of a collective. Instead, they tend to value the identities assigned to them by neoliberal subjectivity—the role of the entrepreneur, for example. On this interpretation, the left’s possible error lies in clinging to outdated illusions. Moysés’s warning is highly relevant and resonates with arguments such as Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor’s “Apocalyptic Fascism and the Billionaires’ Bet.” Unlike a century ago, the far right no longer promises a radiant future. It concentrates instead on resentment—especially that of young men. “They belong to a generation that fears it may never own a home, but compensates with the pleasure it gets from constantly provoking progressives online. Convinced their future has been stolen, they share memes romanticizing historical authoritarian regimes,” the authors write. But Moysés seems to confuse this danger with inevitability. He fails to see that the left’s answer cannot be adaptation. On the contrary, it must strengthen the possibility of politics as collective action. Nor does he recognize that precisely such a reversal is already becoming possible in some of the most promising mobilizations of the twenty-first century: the election, at the end of 2025, of the young Muslim Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York, on a platform centered on the intensely material fight for an affordable city; the Left Party’s victory in Berlin two weeks ago, built around the demand to expropriate private real-estate corporations; and the very recent wave of demonstrations in Spain—including an occupation of Madrid’s Puerta del Sol—in which tens of thousands of young people mobilized by the Tenants’ Union have demanded limits on rents. By putting itself in the straitjacket of the “fiscal framework” in the first months of 2022, Lula’s third government adopted the second fatal accommodation of its term. Faced with conservative institutions and a country devastated by four years of Bolsonaro, increased public investment was the government’s remaining weapon for offering a more dignified life to the majority and forging an anti-conservative pact with them. The same state that disburses 1 trillion reais a year to enrich a small class of rentiers could instead spend money to extend the Family Health Strategy to every Brazilian, at a cost of 30 billion reais; provide full-day public schooling and childcare to all adolescents and children—and, especially, relief to their mothers; achieve universal sanitation while cleaning up polluted urban rivers; multiply metro systems; begin transforming the urban peripheries; and undertake many other urgently needed projects. In April 2023, an article in Outras Palavras warned that the fiscal framework could “shrink the Lula government and preserve the forces that condemn the country to inequality and regression.” A year later, another article showed that restraints on public spending were strangling policies vital to ordinary people and undermining the president’s popularity. In November 2024 came a reality check, in the form of the government’s humiliating defeat in the municipal elections. Even then, the fiscal lock was neither removed nor loosened. On the contrary: throughout the government’s four years, fiscal restraint remained central to its political narrative. The administration proudly proclaimed that it had “put the state’s accounts in order,” without grasping either how misleading that phrase was—given the payment of 1 trillion reais in interest—or how badly the message was hurting it politically. Lula finally woke up in September 2026. The increase in Bolsa Família benefits, after four years of being frozen; the announcement that anti-obesity drugs would be offered through Brazil’s public health system; and the ban on online betting showed that the state has the power to act decisively on behalf of the majority when those in government are willing to confront obstacles. The huge marches that closed the campaign in Fortaleza, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo on the eve of October 4 showed how such initiatives can mobilize activists and the broader public. But it was too late—and too little to change the outcome of the first round. History has not ended The possibility of a turnaround in the three weeks leading up to November 25 cannot be ruled out. It will not be simple or easy. Lula must not only make up a deficit of 2.2 million votes; he must also offset the movement of voters who backed other right-wing candidates in the first round, most of whom are likely to move toward Flávio Bolsonaro. Pulling that off will require a broad, grassroots effort to win over voters, potentially reinforced by new initiatives from Lula. The coming hours and days will be decisive. If Bolsonaro’s movement also wins the presidency, the result will create a high-risk situation for Brazilian sovereignty and democracy. The enormous challenges posed by such an outcome would require the left to reexamine, in depth and with a genuine willingness to engage in self-criticism, its political projects—or its lack of them—and its practices. But would that mean we are condemned to the long winter of far-right hegemony that some analyses are beginning to forecast? It is far too early to say, suggests a recent text by Álvaro García Linera, the thinker who served as vice president of Bolivia under Evo Morales. His central hypothesis is that this political current will prove short-lived. At a moment when the entire world is once again talking about sovereignty and protecting national economies, the far right offers a stale, recolonizing neoliberalism. Its submission to the United States is as blatant and pathetic as Flávio and Eduardo Bolsonaro’s overtures to Donald Trump. Its project amounts to something like every man for himself: greater inequality, capitalism without limits, devastation, and supremacism. Will it work? In the United States, just two years into his second term, Trump himself is reaching record levels of unpopularity and may be on the verge of losing Republican control of both the House and Senate in November. Every new beginning is difficult. Whatever the outcome of the second round, the defeats of October 4 show how profoundly the Brazilian left will have to rethink and rebuild. But just as it would be foolish to underestimate the seriousness of its mistakes, it would be equally foolish to conclude that rebuilding a political project is no longer possible. History has not ended. The times are moving faster than ever. Originally published in Portuguese by Outras Palavras. English translation by Eric Blanc; I’ve added the subtitles. More We can’t stop the far right at home or abroad without a revitalized labor movement, which is yet another reason why you should become a sustaining supporter of the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC) — one of US labor’s pivotal bright spots. Relatedly, Jacobin published a short piece of mine reflecting on a decade of Bernie Sanders inspiring a whole new generation of young worker organizers.
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