How far will the war in Ukraine escalate? Russian missiles have rained over Ukrainian cities in the wake of the weekend bombing of the Kerch Strait bridge. Our panel of guests discuss the latest developments and the potential response from both Kyiv and the West.

Call it Act Two of Iran's protest movement. Teenagers and in particular teenage girls are defying Iran's repressive theocracy. Their daring is contagious. Week Three of the movement has seen fewer mass demonstrations than during the initial outrage over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. Instead, we're seeing more targeted acts of protests, even strikes.

What happens when the people no longer believe their own leaders? With a stroke of the pen, Vladimir Putin annexed Russian-held parts of Ukraine even as those territories shrink in real time. As the casualties mount and amid the blowback against mobilisation, what will this Russian president do if he keeps losing on the battlefield? How does a cornered nuclear-armed strongman react?

The whole region knows the drill by now. Dateline Ouagadougou. If you are watching images of pro-junta demonstrators protesting the visit of West African mediators looking for rule-of-law guarantees from their new interlocutors after a coup, there's no need to reach for the remote control as this is not a re-run. The capital of Burkina Faso just experienced its second coup in eight months, once again following a rout by an emboldened jihadist insurgency.

Brazil's pollsters got it wrong, very wrong. Not only did far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro rob left-wing predecessor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of a first-round knockout, he can also boast upset wins for key allies in gubernatorial and congressional races. Next up is the October 30 presidential run-off, where Lula still boasts a sizeable five-point lead, but where the momentum undoubtedly is with his rival.

Vladimir Putin with Moscow's four proxy leaders of eastern Ukraine provinces annexed this Friday in a ceremony at the Kremlin. For the Russian president, it is not mission accomplished but rather no going back in a war directed at Ukraine and the West. The signing followed by celebrations, a pop concert on Red Square to celebrate the annexation in stark contrast with the bloodiest attack on Ukranian civilians in weeks.

All summer, we asked if Europe was ready for winter. Now, is Europe ready for hybrid warfare? Swedish authorities are reporting a fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines that connect Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The EU calls Monday's explosions sabotage, with Poland and Ukraine blaming Russia. Moscow asks: why would we do billions in damage to our own pipelines? Four days on, we are still asking whodunnit and why.

There's a run on the pound and panic in the markets over the UK's biggest tax cut for the rich in half a century. New Prime Minister Liz Truss is taking the concept of "going for broke" to a whole new level, with an almighty gamble that the deficit will take care of itself once all the investment pours in.

What happens when there is that knock at the door? Moscow's hastily-organised referendums in occupied parts of Ukraine – complete with house-to-house searches of ballot recipients – take the concept of "get out the vote" to a whole new level. We ask about turnout numbers that already beggar belief and what happens after Vladimir Putin's Friday address scheduled before a joint session of the Russian parliament.

How far to the right will Italy go? The new face of European politics is called Georgia Meloni. Her fascist-rooted Brothers of Italy party has swept to power, overshadowing her hard-right coalition partners Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi and routing the centre-left, which finished under 20 percent. Why did voters go for a Meloni whose allies include illiberal parties in power in Hungary and Poland, along with Spain's far-right Vox?