Today's briefing, ranked.

President Trump said his decision to suspend several Russia sanctions is meant to keep Moscow at the negotiating table, writing on Truth Social that he didn't want to "foolishly" drive Russia away from talks. Trump blocked the sanctions Friday night, just two days before they were due to take effect, as tensions with Ukraine deepened. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the move as a 60-day pause while officials analyze potential impacts on global markets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NBC's "Meet the Press" that siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be a "historic mistake" for the United States, and said US-Ukraine intelligence sharing had resumed after being "blocked for some period of time." Trump, in turn, said Zelenskyy "doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did." The dispute follows a controversial US deal to import Russian diesel, which Zelenskyy said amounted to Washington investing in Russia's war effort.

Adding to the strain, Ukraine is in talks with SpaceX and the Pentagon to lift a speed cap imposed on its military Starshield satellite network, which has hampered drone operations against Russian targets. The restriction, imposed without warning, cuts data connections when terminals move faster than 100 mph — common for Ukrainian drones. Elon Musk said the US government controls decisions over the system, and Trump denied personally ordering the restriction or that Musk was responsible.

Amid the diplomatic friction, Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia Sunday, setting ablaze an oil export terminal and depot in St. Petersburg in one of its largest aerial attacks of the war. The strikes came as Trump criticized Kyiv's attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Zelenskyy said he had spoken with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about next steps in diplomacy following an Oct. 9 negotiating session in Miami.

Egypt's top security body said Sunday it will support Saudi Arabia amid major escalation of fighting between the kingdom and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, marking a widening front in the broader Iran war. Chaired by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Egypt's National Defense Council agreed to provide "all possible forms of support," though no details were given. El-Sissi has called for parliament to authorize deploying troops and equipment abroad.

The Houthis have attacked Saudi airports and oil infrastructure with drones and missiles, killing at least 19 people and disrupting thousands of flights. Saudi Arabia's defense minister separately met with the UAE president to discuss strengthening cooperation, despite past tensions between the two over Yemen policy. The Houthis' chief negotiator blamed Saudi Arabia for the escalation, citing a mid-July strike on Sanaa's airport.

Casualties are mounting on both sides. An airstrike in Yemen's Houthi-held Saada province killed at least nine people, including five children, according to the Houthi-run Health Ministry, which blamed Saudi Arabia. Across the border, a Saudi helicopter crashed near Najran, killing its two-person crew — the Houthis claimed to have shot it down, while Saudi officials cited a technical malfunction.

The Trump administration sued California election officials Thursday, seeking to block the state from counting mail-in ballots from roughly 20,000 people the federal government has identified as "likely" noncitizens until their status can be confirmed. The lawsuit followed California's failure to meet a 48-hour deadline to review a password-protected thumb drive containing the list, sent to Los Angeles County's registrar. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the administration provided no evidence supporting the claim.

Over 23 million people are registered to vote statewide, and the outcome of several competitive California House races could determine which party controls the chamber for the rest of Trump's term. Weber noted a similar federal claim regarding roughly 16,000 alleged noncitizens in Nevada was found to involve all US citizens. Election law expert David Becker called the lawsuit "fairly frivolous" and questioned whether its purpose was to "set the stage for false claims about elections."

Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said his office can't withhold or refuse to count ballots "based solely on unverified allegations," and noted the thumb drive wasn't a secure device, with its password reportedly written on a sticky note. Weber said California's elections are in "full compliance" with federal law. Voting is already underway in the state ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

China's economy grew 4.5% year-over-year in the July-September quarter, accelerating from 4.3% growth in the prior quarter and moving the country closer to its official annual target of 4.5%-5%. The growth was driven largely by robust exports, which rose 36% last month alone, putting China on track to surpass last year's record $1.2 trillion global trade surplus. Domestic demand remained weak, weighed down by a prolonged property market downturn.

Economists note the headline figure increasingly masks underlying disparities. "Domestic demand was weak, while trade grew strongly," said Moody's Analytics economist Dave Chia, while Conference Board economist Max Zenglein said the growth figure is becoming "an increasingly poor indicator" of the broader economy's health. A Chinese statistics official acknowledged a "complex and volatile" international environment and "insufficient domestic demand."

The export surge has strained trade relationships, particularly with the US and EU, which runs a trade deficit with China exceeding $1.1 billion a day. Elevated US tariffs have pushed China to diversify exports toward Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe, with high-tech goods like semiconductors and EVs leading growth. Economists including Cornell's Eswar Prasad argue China's reliance on foreign demand makes it "a drag on world growth rather than an engine that pulls the rest of the world along."

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro faced off Sunday in their first debate ahead of the Oct. 25 presidential runoff, trading barbs and accusations over nearly two hours on Band TV. Analysts had expected the candidates to court undecided voters, but the exchanges focused heavily on personal attacks, with little discussion of future plans. Bolsonaro won the first round of voting 47% to 45%, and polls suggest a tight race remains.

The most tense moment came when Lula challenged Bolsonaro to jointly open their personal finances to scrutiny for any suspicious transactions. Bolsonaro, son of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro, argued Brazil's economy would improve simply by removing Lula from office, while Lula defended his welfare record. Tens of thousands of supporters for each candidate rallied separately in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and other cities before the debate.

The stakes extend beyond Brazil's borders: a Bolsonaro win would strengthen US influence in Latin America given his alliance with Trump, while a Lula victory would keep Brazil's distance from Washington and deepen ties with China. Separately, Brazil's federal police asked the Supreme Court to investigate Flávio Bolsonaro over money laundering allegations tied to an associate; he denies wrongdoing. A second debate is scheduled for Friday on TV Globo.