Happy Sunday. It’s a big day for democracy in Brazil and a tense one in a few other corners of the world, so grab a coffee and settle in.

The 10 stories worth your time

1. What to know about Brazil’s 2026 presidential election (Al Jazeera). More than 150 million Brazilians head to the polls today, and Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro look neck and neck, with the Amazon’s future riding partly on the result.
2. Russia strikes Kyiv’s northern bridge in a new tactic to disrupt life in the Ukrainian capital (AP via U.S. News). Five strikes on the city’s bridges in three days point to a push to make Kyiv miserable to live in before winter.
3. New aircraft carrier, 10,000 US troops: Is the Iran war about to escalate? (Al Jazeera). A third U.S. carrier group is heading to the Middle East, which is a loud signal that Washington is bracing for more conflict with Iran.
4. Ebola death toll surpasses 4,000 as DR Congo struggles to suppress outbreak (Al Jazeera). This is now one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks on record, though new mobile labs are finally getting test results back in hours instead of days.
5. The Supreme Court faces another term jam-packed with controversy (NPR). The justices return tomorrow with cases on religion, guns and climate that could shape everyday American life for years.
6. Global credit markets show strain as jumbo bond deals weigh on investors (Bloomberg). Companies are borrowing at a record clip, much of it for AI, and lenders are starting to ask for more in return.
7. Google launches Project Suncatcher, a step towards AI data centers in space (NPR). Google put four AI chips into orbit to test whether sunlight in space can power computing that’s straining grids back on Earth.
8. AI data centers: How much are ratepayers on the hook for? (NPR). Speaking of power, this one asks a fair question. Who actually pays for all the grid upgrades AI needs, and is it showing up on your electric bill?
9. Satellite data reveal massive scale of routine oil pollution in oceans (Mongabay). Everyday oil slicks, mostly from ships, cover an ocean area bigger than Mongolia each year, and almost none of it makes headlines.
10. Failed ‘torturous’ execution attempt on Christa Pike reignites death penalty debate (NPR). A woman in Tennessee survived two doses of lethal injection, and the case is forcing hard new questions about how states carry out executions.

That’s the roundup. Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you tomorrow.