EU removes two oligarchs from Russia sanctions list as deadline looms | European Union

• Recent Flash Purchasing Managers' Indices (PMIs), which measure economic activity, suggest the European Central Bank may raise interest rates in October. • France reported a September preliminary manufacturing PMI of 50.3, marking its second straight month of expansion.

• The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party won the largest share of the vote in recent state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. • These results signal that Germany has entered a cycle of hyper-political polarization, which is a state of extreme political division, already seen across much of Europe.

• Right-wing political parties across Europe have experienced a surge in electoral popularity over the last three years. • A report pooling the analysis of 150 political scientists examined the casting decisions of pro-right voters to track this trend.

• Conservative and right-wing movements are gaining momentum across Europe and Brazil as voters react to establishment failures and rising leftism. • Real GDP per capita in Germany has declined since 2019, contrasting with an 11 percent increase in the United States during the same period.

• The CDU parliamentary group met in the Bundestag on Wednesday to address the fallout from recent election losses. • Nina Warken, Head of the Chancellor’s Office, stated that there is no rejection of current reforms.

• President Donald Trump announced that U.S. and Iranian officials met on Tuesday. • The meeting occurred shortly after Trump issued a warning that he may "annihilate" Iran.

• The Election Commission of India stated that its final decisions were unanimous despite internal reports suggesting a rift among commissioners. • Commissioners Joshi and Sandhu reportedly questioned changes to Form 6, with Sandhu describing the modifications to the new voter enrollment form as "unauthorised and illegal."

• The Election Commission responded on Wednesday to reports of internal disagreements regarding the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls. • The commission stated that differing views among its members are a normal part of deliberation and that all final decisions were taken unanimously.

• Election Commissioners raised 14 objections regarding changes to the voter registration process, though the Election Commission maintains that final decisions were unanimous. • The objections focused on the addition and deletion of names from electoral rolls, data maintenance, and the appeals process for voters.

• Reports emerged of a dispute after claims surfaced that two election commissioners objected to specific steps taken by the Election Commission of India. • Sources told NDTV that no commissioner actually dissented, but instead provided observations that the poll body subsequently reviewed.

• Two of the three Election Commissioners of the India Election Commission formally objected 14 times over 10 months regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) voter roll exercise. • Commissioner Sandhu wrote to officials in August questioning 16.10 lakh appeals filed against voters in West Bengal who were included by judicial officers.