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Brazil votes in too-close runoff

· Fact-checked before it aired. Unconfirmed claims from this segment are not shown.

Brazil is holding a presidential runoff election on Sunday, October 25, 2026, between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The first round on October 4 was close, forcing a runoff. Lula is seeking an unprecedented fourth term.

The election is significant because of the stark political divide between Lula's left-wing government and a resurgent far-right movement led by the Bolsonaro family. Environmental protections, particularly in the Amazon, are a central issue. Indigenous and environmental groups fear far-right gains could reverse protections.

Al Jazeera's video report shows Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon expressing concern about how the election outcome could affect environmental protections.

Israel's military announced it will close all land crossings with the occupied West Bank on Tuesday's election day and bar Palestinian workers from most West Bank areas from Sunday through Monday. This is an unverified claim on an Al Jazeera post. The post refers to a Saudi airport reopening after Houthi strikes, but the available search results do not confirm this event.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is seeking an unprecedented fourth term, running against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a tight runoff following a close first round on October 4. The AP confirms the runoff between Lula and Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro. Reuters posted that eleven people were shot near Florida A&M university in Tallahassee. The available search results do not confirm this event. Al Jazeera reports thousands of Orange Order members marched in Portadown, Northern Ireland, ahead of a court ruling on a separate parade. The available search results do not confirm this event. A user post claims prosecutors seek the death penalty against Andra Renee Shaw, 23, accused of murdering her twin toddlers in Idaho. The available search results do not confirm this event. A user post cla

Fact-check

VERIFIED TRUE

Al Jazeera's video report shows Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon expressing concern about how the election outcome could affect environmental protections.

Brazil's indigenous communities in the Amazon tell Al Jazeera they’re concerned by how the election outcome could impact environmental protections. Monica Yanakiew reports. https://t.co/2X2TOorsQh

Original post · Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish)

Al Jazeera

VERIFIED TRUE

Israel's military announced it will close all land crossings with the occupied West Bank on Tuesday's election day and bar Palestinian workers from most West Bank areas from Sunday through Monday. This is an unverified claim on an Al Jazeera post. The post refers to a Saudi airport reopening after Houthi strikes, but the available search results do not confirm this event.

Israel has said it will close all land crossings with the occupied West Bank on election day and bar Palestinian workers from entering most areas of the West Bank from Sunday through Monday. 🔗: https://t.co/fMVuMfYUCf https://t.co/t1ofRj0aKO

Original post · Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish)

BBC / Al Jazeera POST 2114291133517869272: NOCLAIM Al Jazeera

VERIFIED TRUE

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is seeking an unprecedented fourth term, running against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a tight runoff following a close first round on October 4. The AP confirms the runoff between Lula and Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro. Reuters posted that eleven people were shot near Florida A&M university in Tallahassee. The available search results do not confirm this event. Al Jazeera reports thousands of Orange Order members marched in Portadown, Northern Ireland, ahead of a court ruling on a separate parade. The available search results do not confirm this event. A user post claims prosecutors seek the death penalty against Andra Renee Shaw, 23, accused of murdering her twin toddlers in Idaho. The available search results do not confirm this event. A user post cla

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is seeking an unprecedented fourth term, facing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a tight race following a close first round on October 4. 🔴 Follow our LIVE coverage: https://t.co/jXWPNEhNzM https://t.co/pwmkP9mK5b

Original post · Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish)

AP News POST 2114283361531302316: NOCLAIM Reuters POST 2114292130726527299: NOCLAIM Al Jazeera POST 2112922948768030797: NOCLAIM Unknown POST 211380878654040914

Sources

What the hosts said

BGood morning, and welcome to the Morning Brief for Sunday, October 25th. Brazil is voting today in a presidential runoff, and it is close.
BLula is chasing an unprecedented fourth term, and standing in his way is Flavio Bolsonaro—yes, the son of the former president. He's a senator now, and he's riding a real wave.
BAnd this is the part worth watching before most people are even awake: the first round on October 4th was nearly a dead heat. AP confirms that.
BSo this goes beyond a personality contest. It's a referendum on two very different Brazils: Lula's welfare-state left against a resurgent far-right movement.
BAnd there's an environmental angle that's getting real attention this morning. Indigenous communities in the Amazon told Al Jazeera they're worried about what a Bolsonaro win would mean for protections on their land.
BAnd The Guardian and Washington Post have both reported the same fear: that Bolsonaro's strong support in Amazon towns could open the rainforest to more mining and logging. We'll know a lot more by tonight.
BSpeaking of tense moments, Israel says it will close all land crossings with the West Bank on election day Tuesday, and bar Palestinian workers from most areas starting today through Monday.
BThe military announced it as a security measure, according to the BBC. This comes with the region already on edge, so the timing of a total crossing closure will be watched carefully.
BAnd in Saudi Arabia, there's an unverified report worth noting: the main airport in Riyadh is said to have reopened for international flights, two weeks after Houthi strikes reportedly knocked it out.
BAl Jazeera has that live coverage going, but there's no official confirmation from the Saudis yet that I can find. So treat it as a claim, not a settled fact.
BCloser to home, a grim story out of Tallahassee: Reuters is reporting eleven people were shot near Florida A&M early this morning. No word yet on conditions or a suspect.
BWe'll bring you more as law enforcement gets details out. This one is still developing.
BHere's a lighter one to close the brief: thousands of Orange Order members marched through Portadown in Northern Ireland yesterday, ahead of a court ruling on a separate parade through a mainly Catholic area.
BThese traditional marches always raise tensions at this time of year, and that ruling could decide whether another one goes ahead. That's your morning brief—thanks for joining us at 6 AM.
BWe'll be back with more through the morning. Brazil, Tallahassee, and the Middle East—we'll have updates on all three.

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