Tesla has unveiled new, more affordable versions of its Model 3 and Model Y, named the Model 3 Standard and Model Y Standard, with the Model 3 Standard starting at $38,630 and the Model Y Standard at $41,630, including destination and order fees.

These models are stripped-down versions of the existing vehicles, featuring reduced range, fewer premium features, and lower acceleration compared to the previous "Premium" trims, which were the least expensive models before this launch. The move comes after the expiration of the $7,500 U.S. federal EV tax credit, which had previously made Tesla vehicles more affordable, and has led to a significant price increase for buyers in the U.S.

The new Model 3 Standard and Model Y Standard are priced $5,500 and $5,000 less, respectively, than the previous "Premium" trims.

Key feature reductions include a smaller 69kWh battery, fewer speakers (7 vs. 15), no rear touchscreen, no ambient lighting, manual side mirrors, cloth-only interiors, and no Autosteer as a default feature.

The Model Y Standard has a starting range of 321 miles (516 km), while the Model 3 Standard also offers over 300 miles of range, though both have slower acceleration than higher trims.

Deliveries are expected to begin in November or December 2025 for the Model Y and December 2025 or January 2026 for the Model 3.

The launch is part of a broader strategy to maintain market share amid competition from rivals like Ford, Hyundai, and BYD, and to utilize excess production capacity at Tesla’s U.S. factories. The company had previously planned a $25,000 "Model 2" vehicle, but that project was canceled, leading to the current strategy of de-contenting existing models instead of developing a new, lower-cost platform.

The new models are expected to be available in other markets, including Europe, where the loss of the U.S. tax credit does not apply, potentially offering real savings.

Andrej Babis, the populist billionaire and former prime minister of the Czech Republic, has won the country's parliamentary elections, securing a projected 34.6% to 35% of the vote and earning 80 seats in the 200-member lower house.

The populist leader's ANO party, which campaigned on economic promises and a "Czechs first" approach, emerged as the leading force, though it fell short of an outright majority, necessitating coalition talks with smaller right-wing and eurosceptic parties like the Motorists for Themselves and the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party.

Babis has vowed to end the Czech-led initiative supplying artillery shells to Ukraine, a move that could significantly alter the country's military support for Kyiv, and has rejected calls for a referendum on EU and NATO membership, despite SPD's demands. He argues that the ammunition initiative which has supplied 3.5 million shells to Ukraine since 2022, lacks transparency and benefits private arms dealers, though he said he would discuss the matter with Ukrainian President Zelensky.

President Petr Pavel is expected to begin consultations with party leaders to determine the next prime minister, with Babis likely to be invited to lead the formation of a new government.

A self-proclaimed "Trumpist" and former prime minister (2017–2021), Babis has promised economic reforms, including higher wages, lower taxes, and tax discounts for young families, appealing to voters frustrated by inflation and stagnant incomes. He has also rejected the SPD’s push for a referendum on EU and NATO membership.

Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned on Monday, October 6, 2025, after serving less than a month in office, making his government the shortest-lived in the history of France’s Fifth Republic.

Lecornu, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, was appointed less than a month prior, marking the third prime minister to resign in under a year, a level of political instability previously rare in France. His resignation followed the formation of a cabinet that was seen as unstable, with an uneasy coalition between centrists and conservatives, and raised concerns about the government’s ability to pass a budget.

The resignation has intensified pressure from opposition parties on the populist right and far-left for Macron to call snap elections or consider stepping down, though the president has so far ruled out such options.

The political turmoil has sparked debate over the the incompetence and upopularity of the liberal French establishment and its witch hunt and politcal maneuver against the populist leaders like Marine Le Pen, who have  been advocating for a change in leadership and policy direction of the country.

Japan also elected a conservative populist over the weekend. Sanae Takaichi, 64, was elected as the new leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), making her the first woman to hold the party's presidency and positioning her to become Japan's first female prime minister.