TIME is reporting that the Group of Seven countries said Friday they would release 100 million barrels of oil and fuel products in the coming months, starting with substantial amounts of diesel. It said the move comes amid a global shortage largely attributed to a slowdown in the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, and that the G7 described it as part of decisive, coordinated measures to stabilize immediate energy supplies amid record-high fuel prices driven by the war in Iran and the recent escalation of fighting between Russia and Ukraine. TIME said the agreement could offer some relief for Americans because Europe buys some of its diesel from the U.S., and that releasing European reserves could ease competition for U.S. diesel and potentially reduce prices for American buyers. It said how much relief American consumers will actually see, and how quickly, will depend on what type of fuel is released, how much reaches the market and when, and whether supply disruptions persist.
TIME also is reporting that it has published its 2026 voting guide ahead of the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3, 2026. It said the guide answers questions about mail-in ballots, early voting and polling place rules. TIME said this year's midterms will take place amid unique challenges to the democratic process itself, noting the Trump Administration has attempted to restrict mail-in voting and gather voter data from several states. It said there have also been concerns about the presence of federal agents at polling stations, which President Donald Trump has not categorically ruled out.
Separately, TIME is reporting that President Donald Trump said last week he is following the Brazilian election very closely, telling reporters outside the White House on Oct. 1 that the people of Brazil are fantastic people and that it is a very important election. It said Brazilians are voting in congressional and gubernatorial races alongside the first round of the presidential election, with an Oct. 25 runoff possible as polls show a tight contest between leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and far-right Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro. TIME said Democratic lawmakers expressed grave concern in a late September letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio over what they called the Administration's coordinated effort to threaten the U.S. strategic alliance with Brazil and undermine the Western Hemisphere's second-largest democracy ahead of its presidential election.
TIME also is reporting that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his former Republican rival, Curtis Sliwa, received flu shots together on Oct. 2, joining forces to encourage vaccination as flu season gets underway in the U.S.