Hi everyone happy Monday it's 4 o'clock in the east look all around the world

today and you will find the lessons and the warnings and the stark reminders of the incredibly high historic stakes of November's presidential election here and in the fight for democracy against

autocracy all over the world.

In France, voters came out in force

for parties on the left and the center

to deny that country's far right

a chance at running the government

for the first time since World War II.

It was a stunning upset made possible by an extraordinary

effort by parties and boaters from across that center to center left

ideological spectrum to put aside differences and unite when faced with an authoritarian threat.

Hundreds of miles away, the deadliest and most devastating war in Europe since the Second World War

grinds on and has taken a grisly turn this weekend.

Russia struck Ukraine's largest children's hospital on Monday as part of a barrage of strikes

all across that country. Vladimir Putin shows no sign of drawing back his ambition of recreating Soviet-era power,

believing he can and will outlast the West's attention span and resolve in its support for Ukraine. It's a notion

seemingly confirmed by ex-President Donald Trump's own former national security

advisor who says this, quote, Putin is waiting for Trump.

Even further afield, Hungarian leader,

Victor Orban, another favorite of Donald Trump's.

It's been repeatedly praised and was recently

met with Donald Trump.

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