Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has declared himself the rightful leader of his country after arriving in the US, having fled Brazil following his election defeat to incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro, an ally of US President Donald Trump, landed in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday morning aboard a private jet after traveling through Argentina and Ecuador. He defied a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports amid investigations into alleged financial crimes.

The senator is suspected of involvement in a money-laundering scheme linked to fraudulent deductions from pension payments. He also faces a separate investigation involving alleged financial misconduct. Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing, describing the cases as politically motivated.

The right-wing senator narrowly lost to Lula, a veteran left-wing politician, in Sunday’s runoff election, despite receiving more votes than his rival in the first round on October 4. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup to overturn his 2022 election defeat to Lula. The elder Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing, arguing that the case was politically motivated.

In a lengthy letter posted on X, Flavio Bolsonaro described himself as “the leader of Brazil” and claimed that the election was rigged. An earlier version of the letter had described him as the country’s elected president.

“The illegitimate and illegal actions of Lula’s former lawyer allowed a mathematical impossibility to become reality, with Lula gaining more than 10 million votes between the first and second rounds,” he wrote.

Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro and his family have landed in Miami after fleeing his country. This comes a day after they were granted United States visas by the Trump administration. https://t.co/oB91ejWab5

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 28, 2026

Bolsonaro was referring to Supreme Federal Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, who previously represented Lula. Zanin ordered voting extended from 5pm to 7pm on Sunday following complaints from Lula’s campaign about public transport disruptions. The last-minute ruling caused confusion because some polling stations had already closed, prompting Zanin to clarify that the extension applied only where voting was still underway.

Bolsonaro provided no evidence of electoral fraud. Lula won the runoff by approximately 4.4 million votes, while just 34,393 ballots were cast after the original 5pm deadline, according to Brazil’s electoral authorities. The figure includes votes cast by people already waiting in line when polls were due to close.

Bolsonaro rejected the investigations against him and vowed to “lead the opposition” from abroad. “It was not my intention to leave my homeland, but I know exactly where this is heading. This is the classic playbook of any coup d’état,” he wrote.

Lula earlier condemned Bolsonaro’s departure as “a shameful act,” arguing that “those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear.”

Trump has also suggested that Brazil’s election may have been rigged. He previously condemned the prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro as a “witch hunt” and called for the case against the former president to be dropped.

More than four in five US deaths linked to drug-resistant infections involve pathogens commonly associated with hospitals and nursing homes, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The agency’s Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report released this week draws on data from 2023 and estimates that 19 types of drug-resistant bacteria and fungi cause 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths annually in the US. Seven bacterial threats commonly associated with hospitals and nursing homes accounted for more than 42,000 of those deaths, along with nearly $12 billion in healthcare costs.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when germs develop the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them, making infections difficult or impossible to treat. Elderly people, those with weakened immune systems, and patients undergoing invasive medical procedures are particularly vulnerable.

Among the pathogens classified as urgent threats is Candida auris, a potentially deadly fungus that can resist multiple medications and survive on surfaces in healthcare facilities. It primarily affects seriously ill patients and can cause dangerous bloodstream infections.

A separate CDC study published in July found that reported cases of Candida auris more than doubled from 2022-2024, rising from 2,882 to 6,197. Most cases for which the type of medical facility was identified were detected in hospitals, including those that provide long-term treatment for seriously ill patients.

The CDC noted that many healthcare-associated infections are preventable, but much of the progress in combating drug resistance was lost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when staffing shortages, overcrowding, and disruptions to infection-control practices contributed to a rise in infections.

The warning comes as US hospitals face mounting financial and staffing pressures. A Harvard-led study published earlier this month found that 432 hospitals closed nationwide from 2010-2025, resulting in a net loss of 216 facilities and more than 24,000 beds.

Nursing homes are also struggling with bed and staffing shortages. An investigation in September by KFF Health News found that declining capacity forced some patients to remain hospitalized longer because suitable care facilities were unavailable.

Pakistan has restored overflight rights to two Taiwanese airlines after they stopped using its airspace three days earlier, according to AP, Bloomberg and Dawn.

On Wednesday, Islamabad issued permits allowing Taiwan-based China Airlines and EVA Air to use Pakistani airspace until March 27, 2027, the outlets reported, citing official documents.

Hours earlier, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif had defended restrictions on Taiwanese carriers, citing Islamabad’s longstanding adherence to Beijing’s One China policy. “The aviation division follows the One-China policy – only mainland China is allowed,” Asif told Bloomberg. “We have permitted only Chinese airlines to fly over Pakistan.”

According to flight-tracking data, Taiwanese airlines began rerouting flights to avoid Pakistani airspace on October 25. Taipei condemned Islamabad for what it described as undermining Taiwan’s sovereignty and “politicizing and weaponizing airspace,” according to Taiwanese media.

Most countries, including the US and Russia, do not formally recognize Taiwan as an independent state. Beijing considers the self-governing island part of China and seeks reunification, preferably through peaceful means, but has not ruled out the use of force. Washington and several other Western governments maintain unofficial ties with Taipei and supply it with weapons, drawing condemnation from Beijing.

Pakistan’s restrictions reportedly went further than Beijing’s own rules, which permit some Taiwanese airline operations in mainland Chinese airspace.

China and Pakistan maintain close political and military ties, describing their relationship as an “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.” Beijing is Islamabad’s principal arms supplier, while Pakistan consistently supports China’s position on Taiwan.

Taiwanese airlines had largely avoided Russian airspace since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, although neither Moscow nor Taipei had formally prohibited them from using it. Following the Pakistani restrictions, several Taiwan-Europe flights were rerouted through Russia.

According to Bloomberg, no country had previously imposed a blanket overflight ban on Taiwanese commercial airlines. In April, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew overflight clearances for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s aircraft, forcing him to postpone a visit to Eswatini, a southern African country formerly known as Swaziland. Lai eventually made the trip in May.

Protesters clashed with police outside the Transport Ministry in Madrid as they demanded accountability for a high-speed train collision that killed at least 68 people near Toledo.

Wednesday’s crash near Urda, in Toledo province, was Spain’s second major rail disaster in less than ten months. On January 18, a train derailed near Adamuz, in Cordoba province, and collided with another train traveling in the opposite direction, killing 46 people.

According to elDiario.es, the demonstration, organized by far-right groups Falange and Revuelta, demanded the resignations of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Transport Minister Oscar Puente. “How many more people have to die before we throw these murderers and traitors out of our institutions?” Falange spokesman Federico Campanero said in a speech.

Ministerio de transportes ahora mismo. https://t.co/5WOlae1nzq

— Pablø (@nostalgicopablo) October 28, 2026

Some protesters threw flares and other objects at police, who pushed back the crowd and used tear gas.

La manifestación frente al ministerio de transportes exigiendo la dimisión de Óscar Puente se calienta. La gente está hasta los cojones. https://t.co/KGcoYNeIjU

— Capitán General de los Tercios (@capTercio) October 28, 2026

Tensión en una manifestación frente al Ministerio de Transportes en Madrid https://t.co/PlEVzgfUVy

— Alerta Zeta | Sucesos 🇪🇸 (@AlertaZeta) October 28, 2026

The right-wing Vox party and its affiliated trade union Solidaridad held a separate demonstration earlier at Plaza de Cibeles in central Madrid, where participants observed a minute of silence. Some carried a banner reading “Corruption kills.” The rally ended without major incidents.

Audio recordings obtained by El Pais suggest that rail traffic controllers violated safety protocols before the deadly collision. A controller reportedly instructed an AVE train to resume normal speed without confirming that the track ahead was clear, rather than restricting it to 40 km/h as required. Despite repeated warnings from the driver of a stationary Iryo train, controllers failed to stop the approaching AVE, which collided with the stranded train minutes later.

In a speech on Wednesday, Sanchez promised a thorough investigation. “It is unacceptable for a country like Spain to suffer two high-speed rail accidents in the same year,” he said.

Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the main opposition People’s Party, demanded an immediate investigation and an independent review of the railway network. “Spain has the right to know what is happening with its infrastructure, what condition the tracks and safety systems are in,” he said.

The disaster comes at a politically sensitive moment for Sánchez, whose government has faced public anger over housing costs and parliamentary setbacks. With a general election scheduled for November 29, the collision has brought renewed scrutiny of the government’s handling of railway safety.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz has shouted “Back up!” at Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez during a heated confrontation at the General Assembly over Washington’s blockade of the island. The Cuban diplomat accused Waltz of spreading “crude lies” to justify US “economic aggression.” 

During the UNGA session on Tuesday, Waltz dedicated his speech to allegations of corruption among the Cuban leadership, pointing to what he called their collection of luxury watches, real estate, and yachts as well as their relatives’ holidays in Europe. While ordinary Cubans “are starving,” the US blockade and embargo of the island “does not exist” and “doesn’t apply to luxury goods” that “somehow get through to the Cuban regime elites,” he claimed.

His words drew loud condemnation from the Cuban delegation led by Rodriguez as the diplomats clapped and knocked on their desks in protest against Waltz’s speech.

See the corrupt Cuban regime’s Rolex collection while their people sit in the dark. https://t.co/6wMlNhmNhl

— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) October 27, 2026

The foreign minister also interrupted the US diplomat’s speech by requesting urgent intervention and delivered his own remarks, in which he accused the American envoy of lying in a “rude and arrogant manner” and “violating the dignity of the General Assembly” with his words.

Rodriguez then approached the podium and engaged in a heated argument with Waltz. In a video posted on X by the US envoy, Waltz can be heard urging the General Assembly president to make the Cuban minister “back away from this podium,” insisting that he would not allow Rodriguez to “intimidate” him on US territory. He then shouted: “I’m the representative of the United States of America! Back up! […] Do you understand who you are dealing with?! Back up!” 

The Castro regime has profited at the expense of the Cuban people with luxury cars, expensive watches and a private island resort. As I shared this with the world, regime thugs rushed the stage to interrupt my speech. They can intimidate their own people in Cuba but think again about trying that nonsense in the United States of America.

— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) October 27, 2026

The American envoy also posted a host of videos on social media, detailing the incident and accusing those he called Cuban “so-called ‘diplomats’” and “regime thugs” of “melting down at the first hint of criticism.”

Rodriguez subsequently addressed the General Assembly, accusing Waltz of lying in a “rude and arrogant manner” and “violating the dignity of the General Assembly” with his remarks. 

He later shared on X a cartoon depicting the confrontation at the UN with the words “Gringo mentiroso” (“Lying gringo”) above the two diplomats. He captioned the post: “Cuba is not a threat. The blockade is.”

#CubaNoEsUnaAmenaza El Bloqueo Sí. https://t.co/OJd5pcHKBQ

— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) October 28, 2026

In a separate post, Rodriguez “denounced the economic war that the United States is waging against Cuba with aims of domination and “regime change"." Rodriguez blasted the continued blockade as an “act of war” and “genocide prohibited by the International Law.” He also shared the results of the vote, where he said it was rejected by a “large majority” of the nations.

A resolution condemning the US embargo of Cuba was supported by 130 countries, including Russia, China, India, and even several US allies such as Canada, France and the UK. It was opposed by 17 nations, including the US, Israel, and Ukraine, with 25 nations abstaining.

US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Havana since the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January. Trump has since repeatedly stated that Cuba would be “next” as his administration imposed a near-total energy blockade against the island nation.

The restrictions contributed to severe energy shortages on the island. Cuba has entered its worst economic crisis in decades, marked not only by prolonged blackouts but also food shortages. Last month, Trump described Cuba as an “absolutely failed state” and “a haven for foreign adversaries” on America’s doorstep.

Moscow and Beijing have expressed solidarity with Cuba in the face of American pressure. Russia has been among the countries providing relief to Cuba, delivering around 700,000 barrels of oil in March. China also said in late September it would support Cuba in “safeguarding its national sovereignty” and pursuing a “development path suited to its national conditions.”

In mid-October, the US issued an arrest warrant for former Cuban President Raul Castro, 95, accusing him of ordering an attack on two American planes operated by anti-Communist Cuban exiles off the island’s coast in 1996. The warrant followed a separate federal indictment brought against Castro and five others in May. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the case as a “political maneuver, devoid of any legal foundation” and accused Washington of creating a pretext for a military intervention.

Moscow has condemned the accusations against the former Cuban leader as “groundless” and “contrived,” calling it a “revenge” by the anti-Cuban lobby.

Russia and Tanzania have agreed to launch a joint space program, the Russian space agency Roscosmos has said. Moscow will assist Dodoma in establishing its own national space agency and developing the infrastructure needed for a domestic space industry.

On Wednesday, Roscosmos and Tanzania’s Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology signed a framework memorandum on strategic partnership and cooperation on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit. The event has brought delegations from 48 African countries to Moscow this week.

“Tanzania is planning to establish its own space agency, and we are ready to provide our colleagues with expert and methodological support,” Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Bakanov told journalists. The Russian space agency has already stepped up cooperation with Tanzanian specialists in the field, with support from the Russian presidential administration, he added.

According to Bakanov, Dodoma is particularly interested in developing its own spacecraft and launching them into orbit aboard Russian rockets. Roscosmos has confirmed that Russia will launch Tanzania’s first Earth remote-sensing satellite in March 2027.

During the summit, Russian specialists demonstrated to the Tanzanian delegation the country’s capabilities in training cosmonauts and space industry specialists, as well as conducting scientific experiments in space.

The two sides also discussed sharing Earth remote-sensing data and establishing ground stations in Tanzania to receive such data. According to Bakanov, the African nation also plans to increase the number of students studying space-related disciplines at Russian universities.

Under the agreement, Russia will assist Tanzania in developing infrastructure for its space industry, while the two countries will exchange expertise and best practices in training space specialists. They have also agreed to establish joint working groups and develop road maps covering all areas of cooperation.

Moscow has been actively supporting African nations’ space ambitions. Last year, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) hailed Russia as a key partner in advancing its national space program. Pretoria “has received most of its support from the Russian Federation,” SANSA board chairman Patrick Ndlovu told Sputnik Africa at the time. Earlier that year, SANSA CEO Humbulani Mudau announced South Africa’s support for Russia’s proposal to establish a BRICS Space Council to strengthen space cooperation among member states.

In 2024, Zimbabwe announced plans to build its first spaceport with Russian assistance. The country also said it was in talks with Roscosmos about gaining access to Russia’s cosmonaut training system, among other areas of cooperation.

European nations will not be invited to the next Russia-US-Ukraine peace talks, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday, a day after the leaders of Finland and Norway called Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Moscow agreed in principle to participate in a fourth round of trilateral talks following last week’s meeting between Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg. Mid-November has been floated as a possible timeframe, with Abu Dhabi suggested as the venue.

“We have agreed that trilateral talks will resume, involving representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the US,” Ushakov told Vesti. He stressed, however, that European representatives will not be invited.

“They can get there if they buy tickets. But no one intends to invite them to the negotiating table.”

Ushakov’s comments came a day after Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store called Putin for a conversation that reportedly lasted over an hour. The call sent a shockwave through Kiev’s staunchest backers, prompting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to condemn the Nordic leaders’ initiative, insisting it had not been coordinated with “European partners.”

However, neither Stubb nor Store brought any new proposals for settling the Ukraine conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the call.

Ukraine’s European backers have been excluded from all three rounds of trilateral negotiations so far and have increasingly sought direct participation in the peace process. They have, however, not tempered their demands, insisting on an unconditional ceasefire – something Moscow has repeatedly rejected, arguing that a temporary freeze to the fighting would only allow Kiev to rest and rearm with Western weapons.

Russia has also accused the EU of acting as the principal side arming Ukraine and prolonging the conflict. In April, Brussels approved €90 billion ($100 billion) to Ukraine for 2026–2027, financed via capital markets. Earlier this month, Vladimir Zelensky asked for a further €70 billion to keep Ukraine’s budget and military afloat through next year.

Moscow has maintained that Europe’s financial and military support for Ukraine makes it a party to the conflict, which Russia has long described as a NATO-led proxy war.

Putin has also described Europe’s claims of a Russian threat to justify its military buildup as “political schizophrenia.”

Israel’s parliamentary elections are over, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been wounded, but not defeated. His battle to form a government and stay in power is just beginning.

The final results of the Israeli election won’t be known until Thursday, when Israel’s Central Election Committee (CEC) finishes tallying so-called ‘double envelope’ ballots cast by soldiers, diplomats living abroad, prisoners, and other voters unable to make it to polling stations on election day.

However, with more than 85% of votes counted as of Wednesday evening, a picture of political deadlock is becoming clearer, and neither Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc, nor the center-left to center-right bloc of his opponents, are on track to win a majority in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. Either bloc must secure 61 out of 120 Knesset seats to form a government.

What are the results of the Israeli election?

Netanyahu’s Likud remains Israel’s largest political party, and is projected to win 26 seats, down from 32 in 2022. 

Yashar, led by Netanyahu’s chief rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, is in second place with 21 seats.

Both politicians lead large and potentially fractious blocs. Together with four far-right and religious parties – Otzma Yehudit, United Torah Judaism, Shas, and Religious Zionism, Netanyahu’s bloc controls 53 seats, ten short of a majority.

Eisenkot’s opposition bloc comprises Yashar, former Prime Ministers’ Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid’s B’Yachad party, Yair Golan’s Democrats, and Yisrael Beytenu, a right-wing party led by former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman. Together, this bloc controls 48 seats.

What about the Arabs?

Israel’s two main Arab parties, Yousef Jabareen’s Joint List and Mansour Abbas’ Ra’am, have almost doubled their representation in the Knesset. Driven by anger over Netanyahu’s war on Gaza and his appointment of overt Jewish supremacists to cabinet positions, voters in Arab-majority districts turned out in record numbers to award the Joint List and Ra’am 12 and seven seats respectively, up from a combined ten seats in 2022. 

With a combined 19 seats, the Arab parties could play the role of kingmakers when coalition talks begin. However, they would likely find few allies within either Jewish-led bloc.

Will Netanyahu work with the Arabs?

Netanyahu has explicitly ruled out cooperation with either Arab party, both of which have condemned his war on Gaza. “It is forbidden, simply forbidden, to endanger Israel and to establish a government that relies on anti-Zionist Arab parties,” he said after polls closed on Tuesday. 

In the run up to the vote, the Israeli prime minister framed the election as a choice between “Me and [US President Donald] Trump, or Eisenkot and Abbas,” and accused his opponents of plotting to recognize a Palestinian state after entering a government with the Arabs. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Netanyahu claimed that “the elections in the State of Israel were stolen by Arab parties,” and that Likud had uncovered evidence of vote-buying, “threats and violence against polling station members,” and repeat voting in Arab districts. The PM called on police and Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency to conduct a “thorough investigation” into his claims.

Eisenkot’s party warned on Tuesday that Netanyahu would attempt to delegitimize the election. “Netanyahu is panicking and has begun making up stories and claiming that the election is being stolen,” Yashar said in a statement. “This is no accident. He is already laying the groundwork to challenge the election results.”

What about the opposition?

Eisenkot, Liberman, and Bennett have all ruled out cooperation with the Arabs, with Eisenkot declaring on election night that he intends to form “a Zionist government.” Democrats leader Yair Golan, on the other hand, has called on the anti-Netanyahu bloc to reach out to Ra’am and the Joint List for the sake of ousting Netanyau. Partnership with the two Arab parties would give the bloc 65 seats – a clear majority.

“We have no future here if we don’t stop being afraid,” he wrote on social media on Wednesday morning. “We have a majority. We have responsibility. And we have an opportunity to form a government of change in partnership with Israel’s Arab citizens.” 

Abbas has said that he is willing to enter government with the anti-Netanyahu bloc, while Jabareen has said that his Joint List lawmakers would “pave the way for the ousting of the Netanyahu government” by refusing to oppose a minority government in exchange for some concessions on Palestine and funding for Arab communities.

Who will form a government in Israel?

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will ultimately decide which political leader stands the best chance of forming a stable government, and task them with forming a coalition. Herzog has called on all parties to enter negotiations “with an open mind.” As the political horse-trading begins, three potential outcomes are laid out below:

Netanyahu wins back the right

Netanyahu could secure a majority by striking a deal with Bennett and Liberman to peel B’Yachad away from the opposition bloc. Both are right-wingers, but both campaigned on ousting Netanyahu and forcing military conscription on Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Haredi communities. In this case,, Netanyahu would likely lose the backing of the two ultra-Orthodox parties in his coalition, United Torah Judaism and Shas.

Swapping these parties for B’Yachad would leave Netanyahu’s bloc even further away from a majority, meaning one side would have to compromise on their core campaign promises to make this arrangement work.

Eisenkot joins the Arabs

Eisenkot’s opposition bloc could quickly secure a majority and form a government, but only if he, Bennett, and Liberman decide that taking power is worth cooperating with, or securing the abstention of, the Arab parties. 

Doing so would carry political consequences for everyone involved. At a time when public support for a two-state solution has collapsed and fewer Israelis than ever believe that they “cannot coexist peacefully” with their Palestinian neighbors, Eisenkot, Bennett, and Liberman would risk alienating their right-wing voters.

Likewise, Arab voters could see any partnership with the Israeli-right as a betrayal by the Joint List and Ra’am. Earlier this week, Joint List parliamentary leader Ahmad Tibi alluded to this fear, telling Türkiye’s Anadolu news agency that he does not want his party “to be responsible for incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, a war in Gaza, the continuation of Jewish terrorism and settlement activity, or house demolitions.”

Entering a government with Eisenkot and the right-wing opposition would make the Joint List “collectively responsible” for these crimes, he explained.

Could a grand Zionist coalition emerge in Israel?

A unity government – in which Netanyahu and Eisenkot rotate the premiership with the support of Bennett and Liberman – may seem like an obvious solution for everyone involved. Likud, Yashar, B’Yachad, and Yisrael Beytenu are all aligned on security matters, and entering a grand coalition would allow Netanyahu to cast off his ultra-Orthodox and far-right partners, while Eisenkot could sever ties with the Democrats and Arabs.

Such an arrangement is not without precedent. In 2020, Netanyahu and Benny Gantz – a centrist ex-general –  reached a power-sharing agreement after three elections in less than a year.

However, the Netanyahu/Gantz coalition fell apart in less than a year, at a less polarized time in Israeli politics. This time around, all of Netanyahu’s opponents have focused their campaigns around deposing the prime minister, with Eisenkot accusing him of corruption, incompetence, and ignoring “dozens of warnings” prior to Hamas’ attack on Israel in 2023. 

“I unequivocally pledge that I will not serve under Netanyahu in a rotation agreement. Period,” Eisenkot told Radio 103 last week. “If that were to happen, you would see me resign an hour later.” Eisenkot did not explicitly rule out working with Likud, if Netanyahu were to retire.

The alternative for Israel: deadlock and elections

Should none of these arrangements work, Israel could be thrust into another election cycle. Repeat elections and failed coalition talks were a leitmotif in Israeli politics until the October 7 attack and subsequent wars ushered in a period of relative stability: in the four years before 2022, Israel went through five elections.

Herzog has made it clear that he wants to avoid such an outcome. “We must do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections,” he said on Tuesday. However, unless Israel’s main parties can find some kind of compromise, another election may be inevitable.

Israel faces weeks of political uncertainty, as the parliamentary elections did not result in a majority for either side. A unity government could break the deadlock, but at what cost to domestic politics and regional stability?

After months of a fiercely contested race, Israelis are waking up to a political reality that offers little prospect of stability. The question is no longer who won the most seats in the Knesset, but who can form a government – and at what cost.

According to the preliminary results from the Central Elections Committee, which is responsible for counting the 7.3 million votes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leading with a projected 27 out of 120 seats. The former chief of staff and head of the Yashar party, Gadi Eisenkot, comes in second, securing 21 seats in the Knesset. These numbers will change as the counting continues.

Divided we stand 

For some Israelis, the initial results have already proven disappointing.

“I really hoped that the victory of Eisenkot would be obvious and we could celebrate Bibi’s defeat. The country is tired of this man, we need a change but the results are not encouraging,” Miriam Hassan, a 40-year-old resident of Nazareth, said.

Others share her frustration. “The change bloc [a union of parties aligned against Netanyahu] did everything it could to end the rule of Netanyahu. Arab tried too. They went to the polling stations in their masses but now it is clear that the battle is not over yet. More work needs to be done for us to finally see this man handing down the keys to the premier’s office in Jerusalem,” according to Samer Nasrawi, another Nazareth resident in his 50s.

Ronen Attar, a voter of Yashar in his 30s, said:

“We voted for change, for hope, for the repair of this country. We wanted to see this government that was responsible for October 7 handing down power. Polls indicate our bloc can still form a government but everything is up in the air.”

On the other side of the political divide, Netanyahu’s supporters are celebrating.

“My entire family voted for Netanyahu,” Moshe Keif, a Jerusalem resident in his 50s, said. “He has done so much in these four years. The media and Israeli channels buried him politically, they said he will be crushed but now it is clear, Likud is still the strongest and the biggest party. Netanyahu is unsinkable.”

Itzik Dayan, another Jerusalem voter in his 50s, was less optimistic:

“I think Netanyahu should still be the PM despite his mistakes and vices. But the results show that half of the population doesn’t share these views. We are a country divided.”

Unity as a solution? 

With polling stations closed and the count underway, it will take days for the final results to emerge. Even then, weeks may pass before Israel – and the world – learns who will become the country’s next prime minister.

Israel’s political system does not automatically award the premiership to the leader of the largest party. Instead, the president must nominate a candidate capable of assembling a coalition commanding at least 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats.

The problem is that neither camp appears to have the numbers.

According to the Central Elections Committee, Eisenkot’s potential partners, the Together bloc led by former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu, and Yair Golan’s Democrats – are projected to win 12, 7, and 8 seats, respectively. Together, they would hold 48 seats, 13 short of a majority.

To bridge the gap and secure the premiership, Eisenkot could seek an alliance with the Arab parties: the Joint Arab List and Ra’am, which have won 13 and 6 seats, respectively.

“I voted for them,” Hassan said. “I support the idea of them joining forces with the change bloc to oust Netanyahu from power. Only this cooperation will bring the much needed change.”

Nasrawi agrees: 

“It is time for the Arab parties to start cooperating with the Jewish ones. It has been long overdue. They have a chance now. Join forces and remove Netanyahu. Then start cooperating in other spheres, be it tackling high crime rates or the economy.”

Cooperation, however, may be easier said than done. Although Arab party leaders have repeatedly pledged to support initiatives aimed at ending Netanyahu’s premiership, their political priorities remain difficult to reconcile with those of the Change bloc.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the clearest example. Arab parties advocate ending the occupation, withdrawing troops from Gaza, and establishing a Palestinian state. Eisenkot and his allies, with the exception of Golan, reject these positions and have pledged to take a tougher approach toward the Palestinians.

Israeli experts consider it unlikely that the Arab parties and the Eisenkot-led bloc will overcome these differences. Without their support, the former chief of staff may struggle to become prime minister. Even if he succeeds, his coalition could prove short-lived.

Netanyahu’s prospects are hardly brighter. Together with his traditional allies, including several religious parties, he commands 53 seats, 8 short of the 61 required for a majority.

To retain power, Netanyahu would need to persuade lawmakers from the opposing camp to defect or convince some members of the Change bloc to join a coalition under his leadership.

He has managed this before. On October 11, 2023, shortly after the Hamas-led attacks, he formed a unity government with Benny Gantz, who set aside his differences with Netanyahu to provide broad legislative support. This time, however, the task will be considerably harder. Several leaders in the Change bloc have already ruled out joining a Netanyahu-led coalition and pledged not to serve in ministerial positions under his leadership.

Yet neither side may ultimately have a viable alternative to a broad unity government.

According to a recent poll, around 60% of Israelis favor a unity government bringing Netanyahu and Eisenkot together; 33% want the former chief of staff to lead the government, 19% prefer Netanyahu, and 8% say they have no preference between the two.

Political pressure for unity is also mounting. President Isaac Herzog has indicated that he will work to establish a broad coalition between Netanyahu and Eisenkot. Netanyahu, too, has urged his opponents to consider the proposal, arguing that unity is the only way to address the pressing challenges facing Israel.

Voters, however, remain deeply divided over the prospect.

“Nobody trusts Netanyahu anymore,” Nasrawi said. “I don’t see how Eisenkot agrees to sit with the man who deceived all his coalition partners in the past.”

“This government needs to go. Striking an agreement with Netanyahu is criminal. If they do so, it basically means they betrayed our trust and threw all our votes out of the window,” Hassan said.

Dayan sees things differently: “I really don’t think there is an alternative but to have a unity government.”

“We still have Iran and Hezbollah on our borders, the situation in the West Bank and Gaza is not stable either, economy needs to be fixed, and all we are doing is dividing the country into pro and against Netanyahu. Only unity can bring a change.”

No bright future in sight 

A government of national unity could have consequences far beyond Israel’s domestic politics. Netanyahu previously indicated that if he remains prime minister, he intends to complete what he considers unfinished business in Iran, Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza.

The groundwork for further military operations is already being laid. In Gaza, the IDF is conducting near-daily raids and targeted killings. In the West Bank, the military is pursuing a major campaign in the Hebron area aimed at dismantling Hamas infrastructure. These operations could intensify and expand if Netanyahu and Eisenkot join forces.

If they don’t, the future for the region doesn’t look bright either. In the event of a political deadlock, with neither side forming a government, Netanyahu will remain interim prime minister until another round of elections is held, typically within 90 days. Unless there is a war that can push it to a further date. 

A war seems to be on the horizon. Reports suggest that Netanyahu planned an attack against Iran on October 10, but was blocked by US President Donald Trump at the last minute.

Experts suggest that he might resume his plans if he remains in office, even for a short period of time. 

In the coming days, Herzog is expected to consult the leaders of the various parties before deciding which candidate to task with forming a government. Once given the mandate, the candidate will have 28 days to assemble a coalition, with the possibility of a two-week extension. If the attempt fails, another candidate may get the opportunity.

For now, the clouds of uncertainty hanging over Israel show little sign of lifting. A unity government could offer a way out of the immediate political deadlock, but it would not necessarily heal the divisions exposed by the election. 

Israelis who went to the polls hoping for a clear direction may find themselves facing a familiar reality: a country still divided, a government still uncertain, and a future that remains difficult to predict.

Ukraine’s latest military recruitment drive has failed to gain traction, with the number of new contracts signed amounting to a “drop in the ocean,” Ukrainskaya Pravda has reported.

Kiev has been struggling with acute manpower shortages as it suffers heavy battlefield losses in the conflict with Russia, as well as widespread draft evasion and desertion.

Around 8,600 Ukrainians have signed contracts under the scheme since its launch in mid-June, Roman Kostenko, secretary of the parliamentary committee on national security and defense, told the outlet. The figure includes both new recruits and personnel already serving in the military, leaving the actual number of additional troops unclear.

The initiative introduced contracts lasting between six months and two years, depending on the role and service history, along with temporary exemptions from further mobilization after discharge. The Defense Ministry also raised pay for infantry and assault troops, with monthly salaries increasing from around 120,000 hryvnias ($2,900) to between 300,000 and 460,000 hryvnia ($7,200–$11,000).

However, soldiers interviewed by Ukrainskaya Pravda expressed distrust of government promises, questioning whether they would actually be discharged when their contracts expire. Some also argued that the temporary exemptions from further mobilization were too short to make signing worthwhile.

An earlier recruitment drive targeting Ukrainians aged 18 to 24 also struggled despite offering a bonus of up to one million hryvnia ($24,000) for a year’s military service. In March 2025, the Defense Ministry posted a TikTok video boasting that the money could buy 15,625 McDonald’s cheeseburgers, drawing online criticism. The following month, a senior presidential official acknowledged that fewer than 500 people had signed up.

Kiev has also sought recruits abroad, launching a military recruitment program for Ukrainians living in Europe and exploring ways to bring military-age men back home. It has also stepped up efforts to attract foreign mercenaries. Russian forces have captured US, British, and Colombian nationals during the conflict.

Apart from voluntary contracts, Kiev also relies on compulsory mobilization of fighting-age men. Under martial law, Ukraine can mobilize eligible men for military service regardless of whether they want to enlist.

The campaign, however, has been marred by widespread corruption among draft officials and public perceptions that the system is deeply unfair. The government has responded to draft evasion with heavy-handed enforcement that has repeatedly involved the illegal use of force by military officials.

Russia and Africa can expand trade and share technology while reducing dependence on Western financial systems, President Vladimir Putin said at the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow on Wednesday.

The event forms part of the third Russia-Africa summit, bringing delegations from 48 African countries to Moscow on October 28–29. 

Speaking alongside Burundian President and African Union chair Evariste Ndayishimiye, Putin proposed closer banking links, called for bilateral trade to at least double, and offered Russian expertise in energy, agriculture, healthcare, and artificial intelligence.

Here are the key takeaways from the speeches and opening-day announcements.

An alternative to Western financial dependence

Putin urged Russian and African banks to expand direct ties, open branches in each other’s markets and strengthen payments in national currencies.

He proposed greater use of alternatives for exchanging payment information, including the Bank of Russia’s financial messaging system and the pan-African payments system. These arrangements would lower transaction costs and protect settlements from “politicized interference” by unfriendly countries, Putin said.

He argued that countries that don’t have their own financial systems end up relying on Western infrastructure, which ultimately limits their sovereignty.

Breaking out of ‘debt bondage’

Western countries are resisting the emergence of a multipolar world because they remain accustomed to colonial thinking and “growing fabulously rich at others’ expense,” Putin argued.

He accused them of using sanctions, tariffs, economic pressure, and interference to preserve their influence, including attempts to push African countries back into “debt bondage” through predatory lending.

Servicing such debts diverts resources from long-term development, Putin argued, calling for reforms of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and a stronger African role in their decisions.

Doubling trade despite sanctions

Russia-Africa trade exceeded $27 billion last year, compared with $18 billion in 2022, Putin said, calling for the figure to at least double and surpass $50 billion in the near future.

He added that neither unprecedented restrictions against Russia nor Western pressure on African partners have been able to stop economic relations between the two from developing and expressed appreciation for this “firm and principled position of our African friends.”

Putin stated that Russian businesses support local processing, employment and tax revenues rather than engaging in “predatory, neocolonial exploitation” of Africa’s natural resources and people. Their investments also support healthcare, education, and environmental projects, he said.

Energy, transport and food security

Russia and African partners are implementing more than 30 energy projects in 16 countries, Putin said, describing affordable and reliable power as essential to industrial development and better living standards.

He offered cooperation on hydropower, including modernizing existing plants and supplying remote communities, alongside other energy technologies.

Russia’s Rosatom and Togo’s Energy Ministry signed a memorandum on nuclear energy cooperation. Rosatom chief Aleksey Likhachev said this could include floating nuclear power plants to supply electricity to the West African country.

Putin also stated that Russia had exported 13 million tons of agricultural products to Africa in the first nine months of 2026 with more than 40 African countries receiving Russian grain and fertilizers.

However, he stressed that Africa has the potential to feed itself, noting that Moscow is offering seeds, machinery, agricultural technology, storage, and processing infrastructure to help develop that capacity.

Transport proposals also include railways, roads, shipping routes, and logistics hubs, Putin said, inviting African airlines to begin flights to Russia.

Russian and Mozambican ministers also signed a road cooperation memorandum and discussed a possible direct shipping route.

Sharing technology and fighting epidemics

Technological independence has become an essential part of sovereignty, Putin argued, pointing to AI, cybersecurity, personal data, and digital infrastructure. Russia is ready to share its expertise, including digital public services and medical technologies, he added.

Putin also announced that Russia’s epidemic-control assistance program for African countries would be extended through 2029.

Under the program, eight countries have already received 15 mobile laboratories and around 450 African specialists have been trained. Russian doctors continue to assist against infections including cholera and the outbreak of a new Ebola strain that began in the spring, he said.

Further cooperation could include local production of medicines and vaccines, diagnostic centers, and digital healthcare services.

Scholarships, youth exchanges and media links

Around 40,000 African citizens are studying at Russian universities, Putin said, with enrollment increasing by half since 2020. Scholarship places have nearly tripled over the same period, reaching 5,500 for the 2026–2027 academic year.

The president proposed to establish a Russia-African Youth Union to coordinate further exchanges between youth organizations. He also called for Russian news agencies and broadcasters to expand their presence across Africa and said that Moscow would welcome more African correspondents working in Russia.

A three-year cooperation plan

In his closing remarks, Putin stressed that discussions between senior officials alone are insufficient, which is why this year’s forum has been designed to be more accessible and focused on practical opportunities.

He invited participants to an exhibition presenting Russian technologies and proposals for joint projects, saying Moscow is ready to share its achievements with African partners.

Putin said that leaders also intend to adopt a Russia-Africa partnership action plan for 2027–2029 when the summit concludes on Thursday,

Africa wants industry, not just resource exports

During the plenary session, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye said that Africa wants a greater role in the global economy and partnerships that help transform its resources into prosperity for its population.

“We do not want to remain merely exporters of natural resources and then import finished goods,” he said, calling for African participation throughout production and trade.

The African Union chair urged investment in local processing, technology transfers, and training, alongside energy, agriculture, transport, and infrastructure.

He also called for diversified trade, payment systems, and logistical routes connecting Africa with Russia and BRICS.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised US entrepreneur Elon Musk as a “real genius” while hailing the launch of Russia’s Starlink rival, Rassvet.

Putin made the remarks on Wednesday while touring an exhibition of Russian technological innovations, where Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev briefed him on Rassvet (“Dawn”), a domestically developed satellite internet system designed to compete with Musk’s SpaceX network.

“Elon Musk is a genius, a real genius,” Putin said, noting that the American entrepreneur has more than 5,000 satellites in orbit.

Russia was “proud” to have begun building its own satellite network “independently,” he added.

Moscow also maintains “close contact with American partners,” including Musk, to prevent interference between satellites, according to the Russian president.

Both sides value this cooperation and continue working closely despite political issues, with Russia’s space agency Roscosmos and other companies involved, he said.

According to Shadayev, the Rassvet constellation already has more than 30 satellites in orbit.

Developed by Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440, part of IKS Holding, the network began with experimental satellite launches in 2023 and 2024. Another 32 spacecraft were launched in 2026, with plans to expand the constellation to 292 satellites by the end of 2027 and around 900 by 2035.

“We have only taken the first step. But what matters is that it has been taken,” Putin said. “Now we need to move from quality to quantity,” he added.

Serbia has raised the terrorism alert to the highest level after a knife-wielding minor attacked a guard outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade on Wednesday, the government said.

The attacker was shot dead at the scene of the incident, which took place at around 12:15 AM local time.

“A minor, whose identity has not yet been established… attacked a member of the Gendarmerie with two knives while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar,’” caretaker Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said in a government press release, adding that the suspect was believed to be from the western Serbian town of Sabac. “The Gendarmerie officer neutralized the attacker in self-defense and sustained minor injuries in the process.”

According to the Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office, the attacker opened the door of the guard booth and threw a knife that struck the officer’s left cheek. The guard fired several shots, killing the attacker.

The embassy was the site of a similar attack in June 2024, when a crossbow-wielding attacker wounded a Serbian police officer guarding the compound before being shot dead.

Israel ordered tighter security at its embassies last May, after a man shot two embassy employees dead in Washington. The suspect reportedly said he did it “for Palestine” and “for Gaza” during his arrest.

Israeli embassies have faced heightened threats since the Gaza war began in October 2023, amid international condemnation of Israel’s military operation, which has killed nearly 75,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s health authorities.

Reported anti-Semitic incidents have also remained above prewar levels. Last year, anti-Semitic attacks killed 20 people worldwide, the highest toll in more than three decades according to Tel Aviv University’s annual report published in April.

The Belgrade attack also came as Israel counted votes from Tuesday’s parliamentary election, which had the highest voter turnout in decades. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who led Israel during the Gaza war and conflicts with Iran, is seeking another term. However, neither his bloc nor the main opposition grouping has secured the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority as counting continued Wednesday.

A cruise ship selling “permanent homes at sea” has abruptly suspended operations, leaving around 200 residents stranded in Cambodia as its operator blamed soaring fuel costs caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The 200-meter (656-foot) Odyssey, with a capacity for 650 passengers, departed Belfast in October 2024 on a “continuous” round-the-world “forever cruise.” It offered cabins for rent, purchase, or lifetime ownership starting at $59,999 and reaching $440,000, plus monthly fees for meals, drinks, Wi-Fi and other services.

On Monday, Florida-based operator Villa Vie Residences (VVR) ordered passengers – some of whom reportedly sold their homes or spent their life savings on cabins – off the ship during a stop in Cambodia’s Sihanoukville. They had just seven hours to pack and leave, passenger Randy Cassingham reported on his cruise blog.

Cassingham shared a message from VVR CEO Kathy Villalba saying the company was “unable to secure the fuel necessary to continue operations” and that the Odyssey would enter a “temporary layup,” with crew remaining aboard. Other residents, many of whom also run travel blogs, confirmed the account.

Sihanoukville deputy governor Long Dimanche confirmed Tuesday that the vessel, which arrived from Thailand on October 23 with 203 passengers and 156 crew, was due to sail to Vietnam later this week, but instead disembarked all passengers. Some have since flown out of Cambodia, while others remain in Sihanoukville, he said in a statement to local media.

Passengers voiced their anger online. Cassingham blamed a “cascade of problems,” including a flawed business model and management mistakes, and accused the company of doing “absolutely nothing to help.” Another resident, Holly Hennessy, told CNN that problems had been mounting for months.

“It’s been incredibly tough since the war,” she said, adding that residents had been asked to pay a fuel surcharge in May, while the ship had reduced air conditioning to save energy.

Fellow residents Lynette and Johan, who run the YouTube vlog Living Life on a Cruise, also described months of financial uncertainty. Johan said he felt “really drained” and worried about those who had invested their life savings in the cruise.

VVR denied abandoning passengers, saying it was arranging temporary accommodation and disembarkation assistance. Company founder Mikael Petterson told Bloomberg that VVR would cover local lodging and transportation costs, but not passengers’ travel out of Cambodia.

In a statement on Tuesday, the company blamed “extraordinary” fuel costs tied to the Iran war, saying monthly fuel expenses had surged from $1,800 to as much as $8,000 per cabin in parts of Asia since February. Slower sailing and longer port stays had failed to contain costs.

“Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution,” the company said, announcing plans to restructure and seek financing within 60 days.

The cost of war

The US-Israeli war on Iran has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Houthi attacks on Saudi energy facilities and shipping have further strained supplies, threatening the Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Despite Gulf exports reportedly recovering to 80% of pre-war levels, Brent crude recently approached $117 per barrel.

US President Donald Trump has rejected Tehran’s latest settlement proposal and last week threatened another offensive. He also blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, rather than the Iran war, for the latest spike in fuel prices. Trump subsequently lifted restrictions on Russian diesel exports to the US in an effort to ease shortages, and Moscow said on Tuesday that three diesel tankers were already heading to America.

The move offers little immediate relief to the Odyssey, however, which refuels at ports along its route. Cambodia, for instance, relies entirely on imported petroleum products, with gasoline prices up 33.7% and diesel 46.7% since the Middle East escalation, according to its Ministry of Commerce. Marine gasoil, which powers the ship, has nearly doubled to $1,321 per metric ton in Singapore, the world’s largest refueling hub, according to ClearLynx.

Argentina’s right-wing government has confirmed that it helped Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro flee the country after his election loss to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reportedly involved in the operation.

Bolsonaro was ordered to surrender his passports on Monday, less than 24 hours after his narrow runoff election loss to Lula. The passports were canceled on Tuesday, after he failed to surrender them to authorities. Media reports claimed that he had fled to the US earlier that day, but no outlet could confirm that he had left the country. 

“We still don’t have any news about his whereabouts,” Bolsonaro’s campaign manager told AFP on Tuesday.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Argentina’s National Directorate of Migration (DNM) confirmed that Bolsonaro, his wife, and his two daughters entered Argentina via a border checkpoint near the town of Puerto Iguazu, shortly before 11pm on Tuesday. Bolsonaro crossed the border “with valid travel documentation and without any legal impediment to entering the country,” the agency stated.

It is unclear if Bolsonaro crossed the border using his national identity card, or with his Italian passport, as he has held Italian citizenship since 2023.

Once in Argentina, the Bolsonaro family boarded a private jet bound for Ecuador, the DNM stated. Argentinian President Javier Milei and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa are both right-wing allies of Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro and his family were seen arriving in Florida on Wednesday, where the State Department has told AP that it will grant visas to him and his family. While the State Department has not admitted any role in helping Bolsonaro flee Brazil, Mexican entrepreneur Simon Levy, who describes himself as “proud to serve President Trump and MAGA,” claimed on Tuesday that the entire operation was “coordinated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.”

Rubio has not commented on Levy’s claims. However, Rubio and Trump are both political allies of Bolsonaro. Rubio’s State Department sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes last year over his role in jailing Bolsonaro’s father, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in 2022, and over his censorship of American social media platforms. Moraes is a close political ally of Lula.

Bolsonaro’s passports were canceled in connection with an ongoing corruption and money laundering probe. Despite Moraes being named in the same investigation, Lula warned Bolsonaro earlier this month that he would “be in a lot of trouble” if he lost the election, threatening him with “plenty of investigations.”

It is unclear how the US intends to respond to Lula’s election win. Trump has suggested that the election “had a very bad look…the way it was tabulated.” After claiming that Rubio aided in Bolsonaro’s flight, Levy made a cryptic post on X, saying “get ready for tomorrow…”

France’s Senate has backed a sweeping “vandals pay” bill that could force people involved in violent gatherings to cover up to €10,000 ($11,100) in damage caused not only by them, but also by other members of the group. The vote follows weeks of nationwide protests which spiraled into looting, arson attacks, and clashes with police.

The bill was initially drafted by the government over the summer after violence following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory, but it gained urgency after a new wave of mass public disorder. Demonstrations against soaring living costs and worsening quality of education turned violent in several cities this month, with rioters looting shops, torching vehicles, and destroying the 19th-century city hall in Limoges. Thousands of people were arrested during the unrest, with hundreds injured.

Senators passed the measure by 229 votes to 105 on Wednesday, backed by conservatives, centrists, and Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally despite fierce objections from the left.

While presenting the legislation, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez argued that it seeks “to deter vandals and looters who burden taxpayers and demonstrators with their misdeeds, and… to better compensate the victims of this damage.”

He added that the bill is also “firmly based on fault; fault exists when one participates in a group formed with the intention of committing violence.” Meanwhile, centrist Senator Olivier Bitz reassured that “it should not be assumed that this text would allow for the prosecution of passersby or peaceful demonstrators.”

The bill – which included around 20 additional provisions compared to its original version – establishes joint civil liability for people who knowingly join a group formed to commit violence or vandalism, or remain in a crowd after police dispersal warnings while aware of ongoing attacks.  Those found liable could owe up to €10,000 for destruction committed by others, although the final sum is to be determined in court, and peaceful participation alone would not trigger the measure.

To recover court-ordered compensation, the legislation would also allow deductions from social benefits, including family allowances, housing assistance, and minimum-income payments. The bill would also exempt people who remain in a gathering for legitimate reasons, potentially including journalists and medical volunteers.

While centrists and right-wing supporters portrayed the bill as a more just measure to extract damages from those involved in vandalism and protect law-abiding taxpayers, socialist Senator Marie-Pierre de La Gontrie warned that the welfare measures risk penalizing entire families.

Nathalie Godard, Director of the Action Department at Amnesty International France, also argued that the bill “threatens to further deter people from taking to the streets to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” adding that it comes on the heels of the government’s push to crack down on protests.

The Senate passed the bill ahead of the 2027 presidential race, with two key contenders taking contrasting positions over the unrest. Marine Le Pen, the frontrunner in recent polls, has championed the “vandals pay” principle, accusing President Emmanuel Macron’s government of failing to control the violence.

Her left-wing rival Jean-Luc Melenchon has backed the protests while condemning looting and vandalism and accusing the authorities of inflaming tensions through police brutality.

While the bill sailed through the right-dominated Senate, it now faces a much tougher test in the fractured National Assembly, where centrist and right-wing lawmakers together hold enough seats to outvote the left but remain divided over the proposed crackdown.

The parliamentary elections in Israel were a major test of public confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israelis went to the polls in the aftermath of the events of October 7, 2023, the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, the confrontation with Iran, and increasingly strained relations with several international partners. The composition of the next government will decide the direction of Israel’s political and strategic development.

Turnout was exceptionally high – the Central Elections Committee put it at 77.7%, the highest since 1999. The main contest unfolded between Netanyahu’s Likud party and an opposition camp led by Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the centrist Yashar party. His potential allies include the parties of Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid (who had shared a rotating premiership in 2021-22), and other parties opposed to the incumbent coalition.

According to updated exit polls conducted by three major TV networks, the opposition bloc is projected to secure 47 seats, Netanyahu’s allies 54, and Arab parties outside either camp 19. Likud nevertheless remains the largest individual party, while other projections are more favorable to the right-wing bloc. The official results are expected to be published on November 4. For now, one thing is evident: Neither side has secured a clear parliamentary majority.

Political mobilization

The turnout reflects a profound political mobilization within Israeli society. Over the past several years, decisions made by the leadership have become increasingly intertwined with questions of personal security, economic well-being, and the future of individual families. As a result, even citizens who previously remained relatively disengaged from politics have become more actively involved.

The events of October 7, 2023 were the decisive catalyst for this transformation. The failure of the national security system severely undermined confidence in the political leadership, and the subsequent wars failed to produce lasting national unity around the government. Instead, they intensified questions of political accountability, the human and economic costs of military decisions, and the absence of a convincing strategy for ending the conflicts. Even supporters of a hardline security approach have grown disillusioned with its effectiveness.

Socioeconomic pressures have also played an important role. Rising military expenditure, the high cost of living, housing difficulties, and prolonged reserve military service have shown the people the price of continuing instability. Particularly contentious has been the exemption of sections of the ultra-Orthodox community from military service, while other segments of society bear the burden.

Israel’s deteriorating international standing has further compounded these challenges. Disagreements with traditional European partners over the war in Gaza, developments in the West Bank, and the policies pursued by far-right members of the government are leaving the country with less and less room for diplomatic maneuvers. Some voters increasingly blame the government for growing diplomatic isolation and economic risks.

The high turnout was not just against Netanyahu. Right-wing voters were also highly mobilized, as was the Arab electorate, whose parties achieved a notable result. Nevertheless, the elections suggest that the existing political situation is no longer widely seen as sustainable.

The coalition struggle

In Israeli politics, electoral success does not necessarily translate into political power. In the 120-seat Knesset, a governing coalition requires the support of at least 61 members, a threshold that neither of the two main political camps is so far projected to reach. The decisive struggle will now move to negotiations between parties.

After the official results are released, President Isaac Herzog will consult parliamentary factions and entrust the task of forming a government to the candidate considered most capable of securing a majority. The initial period for coalition negotiations is 28 days, with a possible extension of up to 14 days. If these efforts fail, another member of the Knesset may be given 28 days to form a government. Subsequently, members of parliament would have 21 days to nominate an alternative candidate with the support of at least 61 legislators, who would then receive a further 14 days to complete the process. Should this final attempt also fail, the Knesset would be dissolved and new elections called.

Under these circumstances, smaller parties have far more power than their number of seats would suggest. In exchange for supporting a coalition, they may demand ministerial appointments, budgetary commitments, and significant policy concessions. Netanyahu’s camp will have to seek additional support beyond its traditional allies, while the opposition faces the difficult task of reconciling the positions of centrists, right-wing opponents of Netanyahu, and more liberal parties.

Arab parties, which are projected to hold 19 seats, could become particularly important. Eisenkot and some of his potential coalition partners, however, have ruled out including them in the government. External parliamentary support or abstention during a confidence vote could theoretically alter the balance, but this would require politically sensitive compromises from the centrist camp.

Netanyahu’s extensive experience in coalition-building gives him considerable opportunities to negotiate with smaller parties and persuade individual political actors to abandon competing alliances. Even if he fails to assemble a majority, he will remain in office as caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed. His political position has undoubtedly weakened, but this does not yet amount to his removal from power.

The Netanyahu factor

Netanyahu entered these elections with a loyal electoral base intact, but with substantially weakened support beyond the right-wing camp. National security has always been his central political argument. Yet the consequences of October 7 and the prolonged military campaigns have seriously damaged his reputation, raising questions about the effectiveness of his leadership.

With this in mind, reports of preparations for a new military operation against Iran shortly before the elections deserve particular attention. Axios reported on discussions between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, the Financial Times described preparations for a large-scale strike in early October, and CNN reported on Israeli efforts to secure American support. According to these accounts, the Trump administration prefers to avoid another major escalation ahead of the US elections scheduled for November 3. Netanyahu denied reports that Trump prevented a planned Israeli attack, and some of the reported details have also been disputed by Israeli media.

A swift and successful military operation against Iran could have unified a substantial part of society around Likud, restored Netanyahu’s image as a decisive defender of national security, and pushed criticism of his domestic policies into the background. While this does not prove that a strike was being planned for electoral purposes, the potential political benefits are obvious.

On the other hand, a short war against Iran would have been an extremely risky gamble. Iranian retaliation, the involvement of Tehran’s regional allies, additional pressure on Israel’s missile defense systems, and potential disruption of global energy markets could have produced another crisis of public confidence. The combination of American constraints and unpredictable military consequences appears to have prevented this from happening before the election.

Ultimately, the election took place without a major military development capable of fundamentally shifting votes. Should Netanyahu remain in power, the most likely outcome would be the continuation of his hardline approach towards Iran and aligned armed groups. Continued dependence on far-right coalition partners could push this policy in an even more confrontational direction. Even so, Israel would still have to take Washington’s position into account, given the importance of American support for major military operations.

The Eisenkot alternative

Gadi Eisenkot, who served as chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019, has emerged as Netanyahu’s principal political alternative. His main advantage lies in offering a change of leadership without abandoning the centrality of national security. For voters dissatisfied with the incumbent prime minister but unwilling to embrace a fundamental ideological shift, this is an appealing compromise. Eisenkot presents himself as a centrist, institutionally minded political figure with extensive experience in military leadership.

Particular emphasis in his political program is placed on soldiers, reservists, and their families. His party has proposed expanding housing, tax, and education benefits, increasing social assistance, and raising the remuneration of conscripts by 15%, with a 50% increase for combat soldiers in their third year of service. These proposals have the potential to attract military families that have long demanded more equitable social protection. It would, however, be an exaggeration to suggest that Israel’s entire security establishment supports a single candidate.

Another important part of Eisenkot’s electoral base consists of citizens disillusioned with the governing coalition’s style of leadership, its disputes with state institutions, and its dependence on far-right parties. Eisenkot promises to restore confidence in government, broaden the principle of compulsory military or national service, and reduce divisions within society. His political appeal is centered on effective governance rather than ideological transformation.

On the Palestinian question, however, fundamental changes are unlikely. Eisenkot opposes the establishment of a fully independent Palestinian state under present conditions and insists on maintaining Israeli control over essential security matters. Although some Jewish parties support the two-state solution, the core of a new coalition would most likely consist of nationally oriented parties. Nevertheless, Eisenkot’s criticism of illegal settlement outposts and settler violence suggests that a change in political methods is possible.

There is much more room for change in foreign policy. A departure from a government of far-right politicians whose rhetoric has complicated Israel’s relations with European partners and Arab states could, in itself, help reduce diplomatic tensions. A more pragmatic cabinet would have the opportunity to restore working relationships, ease Israel’s international isolation, and pursue a gradual normalization of relations across the region.

However, a more restrained diplomatic approach should not be mistaken for the abandonment of military deterrence. Eisenkot regards Iran’s nuclear program, its missile capabilities, and its network of regional allies as serious threats to national security. Under his leadership, Israel would likely maintain a firm policy of containment while seeking closer coordination with Washington and a more balanced combination of military and diplomatic instruments. This approach could reduce certain risks, but it would not eliminate the underlying confrontation.

The main dilemma emerging from the election is that many Israelis who voted against Netanyahu expect greater stability and a reduction in regional tensions, yet the country’s security environment and the positions of opposition leaders themselves impose significant constraints on any rapid political compromise. Eisenkot could change the style of governance and improve the atmosphere of Israel’s relations with the outside world, but he cannot guarantee peace. Netanyahu, by contrast, would be more likely to continue along the current path.

Until the official results are published and coalition negotiations concluded, it is impossible to predict with confidence who will become the next prime minister. The elections have nevertheless exposed profound public fatigue with a prolonged period of crisis and the absence of a clear political mandate for overcoming it.

The ultimate outcome will determine far more than the composition of the next government. It may also shape the future trajectory of the entire Middle East, influencing whether the region moves towards a period of cautious stabilization or enters another phase of escalating confrontation.

India is building additional launch pads, deploying new technologies, and boosting private players and startups in an ambitious program to grow its space industry fivefold to $44 billion by 2033.

New Delhi introduced reforms to its space industry – where the publicly-owned Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was the sole player – to promote private sector participation in 2020.

“Earlier, only ISRO could do end-to-end activities, while other companies were working as vendors to ISRO,” Vinod Kumar, director at the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), told ANI recently. IN-SPACe is the regulatory and promotional agency for non-government entities in India’s space sector.

India’s space ecosystem has expanded rapidly since, with 50 large firms, 450 space startups, and 300 small and micro-medium enterprises currently active in the $8.4 billion market.

The growth comes even as the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) program, launched in 2023 with an outlay of $1 billion, is expected to triple India’s launch pad capacity. This additional launch capacity is critical for realizing missions including manned flights to the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and lunar exploration, as well as meeting launch demands from domestic industries.

“We have SSLV, and we have augmented launch capacity with a new launch pad at Kulasekarapattinam in (the southern state of) Tamil Nadu,” Kumar said. The SSLV is a launch vehicle for small satellites, crucial to meeting the rising demand from low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations for internet connectivity and earth observation satellites.

“That business will (now) stay in India,” Kumar was reported as saying. Two Indian companies – billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Satellite Communications, and Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb – have sought licenses for providing satellite internet services in the country, alongside Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The federal government also wants the private players to expand their role in technological development, satellite manufacturing, and space-based applications.

NewSpace India Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO, has signed 118 technology transfer agreements to enable the domestic industry to access and utilize technologies that its parent has developed. A rejigging of the space policy in 2023 and changes to foreign direct investment norms have also contributed to growth in the sector.

India launched a $102 million venture capital fund and $52 million technology adoption fund for space startups. The cumulative funding in Indian space start-ups touched $618.5 million as of March 31. The funding pattern has also shifted from early-stage seed support to larger, growth-stage rounds, according to the government.

A blind Ukrainian man was allegedly held for days at a conscription center despite being clearly unfit for military service, according to court papers.

The case, reported by Ukrainian media on Wednesday, stems from a complaint filed by the unidentified man with a district court in Odessa seeking an official investigation. A judge ruled in his favor last week, ordering the authorities to look into the allegations, a decision that was made public shortly afterward.

According to the complaint, the man has been visually impaired since childhood and was exempted from military service as early as 1994, with his status reaffirmed in 2020 and 2023. Despite this, he says draft officials refused to recognize his condition and held him for almost five days.

He was allegedly seized on a street in Odessa in March, held incommunicado without being formally booked, and released only after intervention by his lawyer.

The regional branch of the State Bureau of Investigation, which had earlier refused to register his complaint, was ordered by the court to reverse that decision. The man had separately secured a court ruling ordering his removal from a list of people wanted for draft evasion.

Kiev relies on compulsory mobilization of fighting-age men to sustain its war effort against Russia, but the campaign has been marred by widespread corruption among draft officials and public perceptions that the system is deeply unfair. The government has responded to draft evasion with heavy-handed enforcement that has repeatedly involved the illegal use of force by military officials.

Illegal detention at recruitment centers has become a recurring problem, according to the office of Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmitry Lubinets.

In one high-profile case reported by Lubinets in June, 21 men were found to have been illegally held in poor conditions at a conscription center in Uzhgorod, some for more than 50 days.

In another case, the three-day detention of 39-year-old Aleksey Ivanko at a Kharkov recruitment center in May 2025 ended with him jumping from a third-floor window to his death. Lubinets said in his annual report that his office found no evidence Ivanko had been physically abused by draft officials, but concluded there had been no legal grounds to restrict his freedom and that the prolonged confinement had contributed to the circumstances of his death.

An AI safety researcher has stopped saving for retirement because he believes artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity within the next ten years. His warning follows similar predictions from researchers concerned that increasingly powerful systems could escape human control.

Nate Soares, a former Google and Microsoft engineer who now heads the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), discussed his outlook with Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson

“I do not save for retirement right now. I have a 401(k) from when I worked at Google, but I haven’t contributed for a decade,” he said, referring to his workplace retirement account.

Asked whether he believed there was a greater-than-50% chance humans would not survive another ten years, Soares stated that it’s “more than 50% that we don’t have a decade at this point.”

“I am not really an AI job apocalypse guy,” he said. “I’m an AI kills all humans guy.”

Soares argued that a sufficiently capable system could develop goals incompatible with human survival, evade oversight, and improve itself. It could then acquire resources and build automated infrastructure allowing it to operate without people, potentially making the planet uninhabitable.

The researcher urged governments to halt the training of general-purpose AI systems, arguing that superintelligence should be treated as a danger comparable to nuclear weapons. At the same time, he supported the use of the technology in narrowly focused applications, including cancer research and safer self-driving cars.

Soares stressed that catastrophe could still be prevented. “I do everything I can to stop this eventuality. I don’t think it’s inevitable,” he said.

Other researchers have voiced similar fears. In September, Anthropic’s Evan Hubinger put the probability of AI killing all humans within a decade above 10%. His colleague Jacob Coxon resigned, accusing developers of “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.”

The warnings come amid repeated disclosures of AI agents acting beyond developers’ instructions. OpenAI reported in July that its agents escaped restricted testing environments and accessed systems belonging to Hugging Face, an online repository for AI models and datasets. The company has since restricted internet access during training of its most powerful models.

Critics have called for binding government safeguards and a halt to the development of potentially uncontrollable systems. On the other hand, supporters of continued development argue that AI’s benefits outweigh many of the risks.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has put a major new weapons package for Ukraine on hold until after the US midterm elections, according to La Repubblica. The move comes as her ruling coalition faces mounting resistance to arming Kiev.

The long-delayed 13th military aid package remains stuck despite repeated assurances that Rome will continue to support Ukraine, the Italian outlet reported on Tuesday. Initially expected in July, the shipment was pushed back to September, then delayed again, with a decision now potentially postponed until after the November 3 US congressional elections.

La Repubblica noted that the delay has cast doubt on whether Meloni will deliver on promises made to French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to send more Aster 30 interceptor missiles for Kiev’s SAMP/T air defense systems by the end of October.

The Italian parliamentary intelligence committee has yet to review the decree authorizing the shipment, while Rome continues to declare its support for Ukraine without specifying when the weapons will be delivered.

Earlier this week, Italian media reported that Meloni’s government is split over further arms supplies to Kiev. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party, has opposed further weapons deliveries, while Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, also from the League, has reportedly resisted signing off on the package. In December 2025, Tajani rejected Italy’s immediate participation in the US-led PURL scheme, under which NATO members bankroll American weapons for Kiev, citing ongoing peace talks. “If we reach an agreement and the fighting stops, weapons will no longer be needed,” he said.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, meanwhile, have pushed for continued military assistance, leaving Meloni caught between her government’s commitments to Kiev and opposition from a key coalition partner.

According to La Repubblica, Rome is also holding off on further arms deliveries until the US midterms, which could strip President Donald Trump’s Republicans of their control of Congress. The November 3 vote will determine control of both chambers, with Democrats leading Republicans 53% to 44% in an October 22-26 Reuters/Ipsos poll. The delay could stretch even further as Italy heads toward its own elections in 2027. Silver Bulletin’s October 27 forecast also indicated that Democrats were strongly positioned to retake the House, while the Senate remained less certain.

Public opposition to arming Kiev is growing in Italy. A September Termometro Politico poll found that 55.4% of Italians opposed further weapons shipments, against 38.8% in favor. Ukraine’s EU membership bid has also split opinion, with a May survey showing 32% backing eastward enlargement and 26% opposed.

Russia has warned that Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine prolong the conflict and obstruct peace efforts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has accused European countries of fueling the fighting, while Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any shipments carrying foreign arms into Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets.

In 1944, an unusual pavilion dedicated to the Soviet Union opened in Johannesburg, South Africa. Visitors could discover more about life in the USSR, view exhibitions, relax in a tea garden, and even stop by a vodka bar. The pavilion was very popular and attracted a total of about 250,000 visitors. This little-known episode is just one example of the rich and varied history of Russia-Africa relations. From Russian officers at the court of the Ethiopian emperor to African students who studied in Russia under the patronage of Nicholas II, the New Moscow Cossack settlement on the Red Sea coast, and the son of a Russian officer who became one of Ethiopia’s first pilots, we explore some of the highlights of Russia-Africa relations below. 

From Peter the Great to New Moscow in Africa

Perhaps the most famous African figure in the history of the Russian Empire is Abram Gannibal, the great-grandfather of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. In the early 18th century, the African boy found himself at the court of Peter the Great, who became his godfather and later sent him to study in France. Gannibal received military training, became an engineer, and eventually rose to the rank of general. Historians still debate the exact location of his birth, with modern-day Cameroon and Eritrea among the possible locations. 

However, Gannibal was far from the only African at the Russian court. Africans appeared in Russia as early as the 17th century, and later, a specialized court position was instituted: ‘Arap (Moor) of the Imperial Court’. Some of them feature in paintings depicting the life of Russian monarchs.

For a long time, Russians had a limited understanding of Africa, largely shaped by books and traveler accounts. Russian pilgrims traveled to Egypt, merchants traded with North African ports, and scholars gradually discovered Africa’s geography and history. However, by the late 19th century, interest in Africa began to take on a more practical dimension.

One of the most unusual expressions of this interest was Nikolay Ashinov’s expedition. Ashinov called himself the ataman (leader) of the free Cossacks. In 1889, he landed with a group of like-minded individuals on the shores of what is now Djibouti, proclaiming the creation of a Russian settlement called ‘New Moscow’. They raised the Russian flag over it, but it soon turned out that the territory fell under French colonial interests. French military forces commanded the settlers to abandon the fort; when the latter refused, the French shelled the area and detained the expedition members. The Russian government, which did not support Ashinov’s initiative, distanced itself from the endeavor, and that marked the end of one of the most peculiar attempts at establishing a Russian presence in Africa.

Russians at the court of the Ethiopian emperor

Russia’s relationship with Ethiopia fared much better. Ethiopia was one of the few African nations that managed to retain independence during the era of European colonial expansion. Russia and Ethiopia shared the Christian faith, and Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II viewed Russia as a potential partner that did not seek to encroach on his territories. One of the first Russians to establish personal contact with him was military officer Viktor Mashkov. In 1889, he traveled to Ethiopia (formally as a correspondent for the newspaper Novoye Vremya) and managed to secure an audience with the emperor. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, Mashkov brought back a personal letter from Menelik II to Alexander III, along with gifts, including ceremonial weapons. He later returned to Ethiopia with a reply from the Russian monarch. These visits laid the groundwork for the establishment of official diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1898.

Cooperation swiftly extended beyond diplomacy. Following the Ethiopian army’s victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adwa in 1896, a medical mission from the Russian Red Cross Society arrived in Ethiopia. Menelik II was highly impressed by Russian doctors. According to the reports of Russian diplomat Pyotr Vlasov, during a visit to a hospital in 1898, the emperor didn’t just inspect the wards; he donned a hospital gown, attended a surgical operation, questioned patients, and examined medical instruments. The partnership in the field of healthcare became one of the most enduring traditions in Russia-Ethiopia relations.

The story of the first Ethiopian students in Russia is less well known. In 1897, Menelik II reached out to Nicholas II, requesting that several young Ethiopians be accepted to study in Russia. The Russian emperor agreed, and five young men, aged between 17 and 20, made their way to Russia. They were supposed to study medicine and various trades and then return home. However, the Russian education system wasn’t adapted to the needs of African students. For example, two of the young men were expected to enter a vocational school that typically admitted boys aged 12 to 15. The new students were significantly older and didn’t speak Russian, necessitating special language classes and high-level discussions about funding. In April 1898, Finance Minister Sergey Witte appealed to Nicholas II to allocate 250 rubles annually for the education of the students and an additional 1,200 rubles for their instructor. Sixty years before the establishment of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, the Russian emperor personally supported this small group of African students.

Equally intriguing is the story of the Babichev family. In the late 19th century, a Russian officer named Ivan Babichev traveled to Ethiopia and decided to stay there permanently. He joined Menelik II’s service, married an Ethiopian woman, and eventually rose to the rank of fitawrari (commander). His son, Mishka Babichev, became even more famous. When soon-to-be emperor Haile Selassie began building Ethiopia’s aviation program in the late 1920s, young Babichev became one of its pioneers. He received flight training in France and became one of Ethiopia’s first military pilots. He later played a significant role in establishing the country’s civil aviation. After the Second World War, Mishka Babichev was appointed as Ethiopia’s diplomatic representative to the Soviet Union.

From Transvaal to the Soviet pavilion in Johannesburg

In the same period, the attention of Russian society also turned to South Africa. The Anglo-Boer War broke out in 1899. In the course of this war, two small republics – Transvaal and the Orange Free State – fought against the British Empire. The Russian public strongly sympathized with the Boers (Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers); newspapers extensively covered the situation on the front lines, charity drives were organized, and some Russians volunteered to fight in South Africa. Approximately 200 individuals from Russia fought alongside the Boers. Among them was Evgeny Maximov, who led a contingent of foreign volunteers and was promoted to the rank of general by the Boers, as well as Aleksey Guchkov, who would later become chairman of the State Duma and Minister of War in the Provisional Government.

The most enduring impact of the Anglo-Boer War on Russian culture is reflected in the song ‘Transvaal, Transvaal, my homeland, you’re all on fire!’ which became popular in Russia at the turn of the century. The song, based on Galina Galina’s poem, quickly gained popularity throughout Russia. It was later often heard in movies. 

Decades later, the relationship between Russia and South Africa took an unexpected turn. During WWII, the Soviet Union and the Union of South Africa became allies. In South African cities, various organizations emerged to collect aid for the USSR, and the Society of Friends of the Soviet Union held large-scale events to support the efforts.

In July 1944, the University of the Witwatersrand hosted a two-day congress promoting African-Soviet friendship that brought together about 600 delegates. In November 1944, a Soviet pavilion opened in Johannesburg, featuring exhibition halls, a tea garden, and even a vodka bar. But South African support for the USSR extended beyond donations and exhibitions. In July 1944, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony, known as the Leningrad Symphony, was performed in Johannesburg, and two months later, in Cape Town. Proceeds from both concerts were sent to the Soviet Union.

Nine students and Mandela’s secret mission

In the post-war years, collaboration in the field of education became a cornerstone of Soviet policy in Africa. In 1960, the Peoples’ Friendship University was established in Moscow. It was later named after Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of independent Congo. However, African students studied not only in Moscow, but also in cities throughout the USSR, such as Leningrad, Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa, Minsk, Voronezh, and many others. For many of these students, the trip to the Soviet Union was the first journey outside their home country and an opportunity to experience an entirely different culture and lifestyle. Everything was new – from Russian winters and dorm living to Soviet cafeterias and the challenge of learning a new language.

In January 1962, nine young activists from the African National Congress movement gathered in a house in Johannesburg. To their surprise, Nelson Mandela, who had gone underground, showed up at the meeting. The activists planned to go abroad for military training, but Mandela explained that the movement had other priorities. He tasked them with traveling to the Soviet Union to learn how free education, healthcare, affordable housing, and public transportation were organized, hoping this knowledge would aid in building a future democratic South Africa.

To cross the border discreetly, the young activists posed as a table tennis team headed to a tournament. After an extensive journey across Africa and Europe, they finally reached the USSR. Among them was Sindiso Mfenyana, who traveled to study economic planning in Kiev. But for him, the trip proved life-changing in more ways than one; while traveling by boat to a Black Sea resort, he met Rita, a Soviet woman studying aerospace engineering. They began corresponding, and in June 1963, they were married in Kiev. Later, they welcomed a son, whom they named Nikita. Years later, Mfenyana became full secretary to parliament in democratic South Africa.

The story of Mfenyana isn’t unique. In 1981, around 34,000 African students were enrolled in Soviet universities. In total, about 90,000 Africans received higher education in the USSR from 1960 to 1990. Among these graduates were future ministers, diplomats, and presidents. Angolan President Joao Lourenco studied at the Lenin Military-Political Academy, Ghanaian President John Mahama attended the Institute of Social Sciences under the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah graduated from the Higher Komsomol School. This means that some of the officials present today during negotiations with Russian officials had spent their youth in Moscow, studying at Soviet universities, and being immersed in Russian culture.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia-Africa relations entered a period of minimal engagement. However, certain connections persisted through personal relationships, joint projects, and educational ties. In the 2000s, Russian companies began re-establishing a presence in Africa, including in countries where Soviet geologists, engineers, and educators had worked decades earlier. The first Russia-Africa summit took place in Sochi in 2019, followed by a second summit in St. Petersburg in 2023.

Today, Russia-Africa relations encompass more than just official meetings and economic initiatives. Approximately 35,000 African students are enrolled in Russian universities, and it’s increasingly common to see Africans working in the fields of trade, services, and delivery in various Russian cities. Meanwhile, the number of Russians traveling to African nations is gradually rising. These daily interactions lay the groundwork for new friendships, familial bonds, and both professional and personal relationships. In the future, these stories may be as captivating to read as the adventures of Russian travelers in Ethiopia or the experiences of African students in the Soviet Union.

India has invited Pakistan to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meet in Delhi, the first such invite since the armed stand-off between the two nuclear-armed South Asian countries last year.

New Delhi invited Pakistani Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi to the first SCO civilizational Dialogue Forum to be held on November 20-22.

This is the first time a Pakistani minister is being invited by India since the clash.  The stand-off, dubbed Operation Sindoor by New Delhi, followed a terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir that killed more than a score of Indian civilians.

If Khichi accepts the invite, it will be the first time since the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa in 2023 – attended by Bhilawal Bhutto – that a Pakistani minister would visit India. The forum is aimed at promoting cultural relations between member countries and promoting mutual understanding.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who announced the invites at the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, also voiced New Delhi’s apprehensions about facilitators of terrorism but without mentioning Pakistan.

“There should be no double standards in dealing with terrorism, and no place for those who finance, support or provide safe havens to terrorists. The entire ecosystem of terrorism must be firmly and collectively dismantled,” Singh said in the presence of Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

The SCO comprises ten member states – Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – and 15 dialogue partners, in addition to Afghanistan and Mongolia as observers.

Russia is ready to expand cooperation with African countries and regional organizations through new partnerships in business and other sectors, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. 

Speaking at a meeting with the heads of leading African media outlets on Tuesday, Lavrov said Moscow was open to developing additional forms of engagement with the African Union, individual countries and regional blocs.  

“Our partnership is already quite extensive, and there is certainly room to enrich and refine it; we are fully open to that,” Lavrov said.  

The minister also stressed that Russia seeks to strengthen ties with Africa on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, helping countries develop domestic industries and become more independent in global finance and technology. He said Moscow’s approach follows UN principles of mutual respect and non-interference. 

Lavrov argued that Africa’s next major transformation will be economic, noting that many countries remain dependent on former colonial powers despite having gained political independence. 

“The second awakening [of African countries] will, of course, be economic, including achieving a situation where the richest resources of the African continent are not simply extracted and exported as raw materials, but are used in Africa itself so that added value is created there, rather than in the former colonial powers,” he said. 

Turning to UN reform, Lavrov opposed increasing Western representation on the Security Council, arguing that Western countries already occupy six of its 15 seats despite their declining share of global economic output.  

“Like China and many other countries, we [Russia] maintain that only nations from the Global South should be granted new seats—whether permanent, non-permanent, or a mix of both,” Lavrov said. 

The 15-member UN Security Council has five veto-wielding permanent members and ten elected members serving two-year terms. Africa currently holds three seats, occupied by DR Congo, Liberia and Somalia, with Zimbabwe set to replace Somalia in January 2027. 

The remarks came at the four-day Russia-Africa Media Forum, which opened in Moscow on Monday. The gathering comes ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit and the accompanying Economic and Humanitarian Forum, taking place on Wednesday and Thursday in Moscow.

At least 68 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided near Toledo, Spain, Castilla-La Mancha regional President Emiliano Garcia-Page has said, according to Spanish newspaper ABC. More than 179 people have reportedly been injured.

The crash occurred at 8:54 AM local time on Wednesday between the towns of Los Yebenes and Urda, around 120 km south of Madrid, on the high-speed line linking the Spanish capital with Andalusia. A Renfe AVE train reportedly struck an Iryo train from behind, sending two carriages off the tracks and down an embankment, according to rail infrastructure operator Adif.

WATCH: Dozens confirmed killed as aerial footage reveals devastation after train collision in Toledo, Spain https://t.co/vwdz3IlGlT

— Klaxon Wire (@KlaxonWire) October 28, 2026

The two trains were carrying a combined total of more than 500 passengers, according to Spanish media reports.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced three days of national mourning and pledged a thorough investigation into the disaster. Speaking at the crash site, he vowed to establish the cause of the collision and hold anyone responsible for negligence accountable.

Former Spanish Labor Minister Fatima Banez, 59, was among those killed, according to several Spanish media outlets. Banez served under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy from 2011 to 2018 and was reportedly travelling aboard the Iryo train to attend a business event in Seville.

Spain’s Transport Ministry has identified human error by an operator at rail infrastructure manager Adif as the leading preliminary explanation for the crash. An operator reportedly authorized the Renfe train to pass a red signal despite the Iryo service remaining stationary on the same track.

BREAKING: 🇪🇸 The death toll from the train collision in Spain has risen to 50 At least 50 people were killed and 179 injured when two trains collided in Toledo, Antena 3 reported. The Iryo train was carrying 147 passengers and the AVE train 397. https://t.co/8l4uJI7JgM

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 28, 2026

The suspected mistake followed a malfunction of the railway’s automatic safety system, which forced several trains to stop and required traffic controllers to manage movements manually. Investigators are still working to establish the exact cause.

Images shared online show overturned and badly damaged carriages, with emergency crews working at the scene.

Castilla-La Mancha regional President Emiliano Garcia-Page has requested assistance from Spain’s Military Emergency Unit. Adif has suspended high-speed rail traffic between Madrid and Andalusia. Iryo said it activated all emergency protocols.

Iryo confirma el accidente de su tren 6076 en Urda y cancela todos sus servicios hacia el sur Patricia MedjidiJuez | Tribuna Digital7 28 de octubre de 2026 La compañía ferroviaria Iryo ha comunicado la activación de todos sus protocolos de emergencia tras el accidente sufrido este miércoles por uno de sus trenes a la altura de Urda, en la provincia de Toledo. Según el comunicado difundido en sus redes sociales, el convoy afectado es el servicio 6076, que realizaba el trayecto Madrid-Sevilla. La operadora asegura que trabaja en estrecha colaboración con las autoridades competentes para gestionar la emergencia y atender las consecuencias del siniestro. Como consecuencia del accidente, Iryo ha cancelado todos sus servicios con origen en Madrid-Puerta de Atocha hacia el corredor sur. La compañía advierte de que no existe por el momento ninguna previsión de restablecimiento de la circulación ferroviaria y anuncia que continuará informando a los viajeros a través de sus canales oficiales. El accidente ha provocado también la interrupción de la línea de alta velocidad Madrid-Andalucía, confirmada por Adif. El comunicado de Iryo no precisa el número de víctimas ni las causas de la colisión, que continúan pendientes de esclarecimiento. Fuentes: Comunicado de Iryo difundido en redes sociales, según el texto facilitado a Tribuna Digital7; InfoAdif; La Voz del Tajo, 28 de octubre de 2026.

— Tribuna Digital7 (@TribunaLibreES) October 28, 2026

Wednesday’s disaster is the latest in a series of serious railway accidents in Spain this year, raising concerns over the safety of the country’s rail network. On January 18, two high-speed trains collided near Adamuz in the southern province of Cordoba, killing 46 people and injuring more than 150. Investigators have identified a broken section of track as the likely cause, although the investigation is ongoing.

WATCH: Sheer force of train collision between Los Yébenes and Urda in Toledo, Spain sends wheels flying far from the tracks; at least 46 killed https://t.co/32RoUdWDLT

— Klaxon Wire (@KlaxonWire) October 28, 2026

Just two days later, a commuter train struck a collapsed retaining wall near Barcelona, killing the driver and injuring dozens. Another passenger train collided with a crane near Cartagena on January 22, injuring six, and a collision at a level crossing in February reportedly left one person dead.

The incidents have fueled concerns over railway infrastructure and maintenance standards, prompting demands for stronger safety measures. The Spanish train drivers’ union (SEMAF) has called a nationwide strike for Thursday, October 29, accusing Renfe and the Transport Ministry of failing to implement safety improvements promised after the disasters in January. Renfe dismissed the accusations, insisting it has fulfilled its commitments.

The full extent of the casualties and the circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s collision remain under investigation.

A Russian nuclear-powered submarine has successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, hitting a target around 6,000 km away on the other side of the country, the Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The Bulava missile was launched from a submerged position by the Generalissimus Suvorov strategic missile submarine in the Far Eastern Sea of Okhotsk, near the Kamchatka Peninsula, as part of a scheduled combat training exercise.

The missile’s warheads reached the designated Chizha test range on the Kanin Peninsula in Russia’s Arkhangelsk Region, 5,500-6,000 km from the launch area. The ministry said monitoring data confirmed that the warheads arrived at their target area on schedule, declaring the exercise a success.

The ministry also released dramatic footage of the launch. The video shows the submarine cruising at sea before cutting to crew members operating control systems inside the vessel. A close-up captures the press of a launch button, followed by a nighttime shot of a blazing missile erupting from the water and streaking skyward.

The R-30 Bulava (NATO designation SS-N-32) is a submarine-launched ballistic missile designed to serve as one of the mainstays of Russia’s sea-based nuclear deterrent. Developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology and officially adopted into service in May 2024, the solid-fuel missile has a reported maximum range of around 9,300 km.

Weighing approximately 37 tons, the Bulava is designed to carry multiple independently targetable nuclear warheads. It also incorporates measures intended to help it penetrate missile defenses, including a relatively short boost phase and maneuverable reentry vehicles.

The Generalissimus Suvorov is a fourth-generation Project 955A Borei-A nuclear-powered submarine assigned to Russia’s Pacific Fleet and based in Kamchatka. Built at the Sevmash shipyard, the vessel can carry up to 16 Bulava ballistic missiles, alongside torpedo armaments.

The Borei and upgraded Borei-A submarines form a key component of Russia’s strategic nuclear modernization program, replacing aging Soviet-era missile carriers. Russia currently operates eight submarines of the two classes, with additional vessels under construction.

Wednesday’s launch was intended to test the crew’s combat readiness and the submarine’s missile systems, according to the Defense Ministry.

The phone call on Tuesday by the leaders of Finland and Norway to Russian President Vladimir Putin caught many by surprise.

Until then, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who took office in early 2024, had never spoken with his Russian counterpart. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, meanwhile, had last spoken with Putin in March 2022 – more than four and a half years ago, when the Ukraine crisis, Russia’s confrontation with the West, and the global geopolitical landscape looked very different.

But the element of surprise was far from the only remarkable thing about this call to the Kremlin.

Equally striking was the pointedly conciliatory tone of Stubb’s statement. Finland joined NATO shortly before he became president, then proceeded on his watch to bury its neutrality and descend into anti-Russian hysteria and paranoia.

This time, Stubb sounded like a different man. He described his conversation with Putin this way: “The discussion was frank and substantive. We are neighboring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions.” Store issued a similar statement, as though the two leaders had copied their carefully chosen words from each other.

The biggest surprise, however – if not an outright bombshell – was Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s revelation that the Finnish and Norwegian leaders had no mandate whatsoever to speak on behalf of their European allies.

“I’m very skeptical about this Norwegian and Finnish initiative. It hasn’t been coordinated with any of the rest of us,” Frederiksen warned. “I honestly don’t know what those two countries think they can achieve with this,” she added, making little effort to conceal her frustration or irritation. 

Store later disputed her criticism, saying that all partners and allies had been informed ahead of the call and given a detailed briefing afterward.

Which raises the question: What was this, really? A mutiny aboard the European ship, with two Nordic leaders breaking ranks with Europe’s consensus-based decision-making and daring to take the initiative in talks with Moscow, going over the heads of the European bureaucracy?

Or was it a coordinated performance, with European leaders deliberately playing good cop and bad cop – keeping tensions with Moscow high while cautiously exploring an exit strategy, as the Ukrainian burden they can neither carry nor abandon falls apart before their eyes?

After all, Europe’s collective budget is coming apart at the seams, with every attempt to plug one hole opening another. Germany, Ukraine’s biggest European donor, is grumbling ever more loudly and trying to shift the burden onto others. So far, no volunteers are in sight.

Still, it is too early to speak of a change in Europe’s mood.

That much was clear from the meeting of E5 defense ministers held in Paris the previous day. The group brings together France, Britain, Italy, Germany, and Poland.

“Our countries share the assessment that Russia represents the most acute and long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and stability,” read the E5 communiqué published by the French Defense Ministry.

And yet Stubb and Store’s call to the Kremlin is a wake-up call from Europe for Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky – a loud and unwelcome one.

It is a reminder to Zelensky that metal fatigue is setting in across Europe’s political machinery – and that time is running out for the regime in Kiev.

More Russian diesel fuel could enter global markets as part of a trade agreement between Moscow and Washington struck earlier this month, Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said. He claimed the shipments could be a “carrot” for Moscow to scale back fighting in Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump announced the landmark diesel deal with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on October 9, saying Russia would release more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel immediately, 500,000 tons in November, another million afterward and potentially 3 million more, depending on refinery capacity.

Trump called lowering fuel prices for American consumers his “greatest priority” ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, where the Republicans are at risk of losing their congressional majority.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky condemned the surprise deal as a “weak decision,” prompting an angry response from Trump, who suggested that Ukraine replace Zelensky with someone willing to negotiate peace with Russia. Trump has also repeatedly pressed Zelensky to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, something Kiev has refused to do.

Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, Wright described the diesel deal as an “incentive” for Moscow to stop hostilities with Ukraine, adding that more Russian tankers could “quite possibly” depart under a six-month sanctions waiver.

“It’s trying to put a carrot in front of Russia,” he said, arguing that reduced hostilities would allow Moscow to export more diesel and marginally ease global fuel shortages.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said on Tuesday that three tankers carrying diesel are already en route to the US, with a fourth expected to depart Wednesday. On Sunday, he offered to supply as much as buyers wanted within Russia’s available export volumes, saying: “We can supply all of it.” He previously said Russian diesel exports could reach 3.5 million tons monthly by year-end.

During a meeting with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff last week in St. Petersburg, Putin noted that global diesel prices fell 5%-6% after the deal was announced. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Russia’s daily diesel output rose from 160,000 tons in early October to 180,000 tons after the introduction of new export quotas.

The agreement has nevertheless met bipartisan resistance in Washington, with a group of senators calling it a “gift to our adversary” and a betrayal of Ukraine. Novak pushed back on Tuesday, singling out Democrats and wondering why US lawmakers were acting “not in the interests of the residents of the United States.”

A “very severe” cyclone slammed into India’s east coast on Wednesday, killing at least five people as winds of up to 150 kph uprooted trees and knocked out power. More than 180,000 people were evacuated before the storm hit.

Cyclone Arnab crossed the coast of Andhra Pradesh state near Yanam between 2 and 8 AM, with sustained winds of 125-135 kph. It weakened to a “severe” cyclone after moving inland, the India Meteorological Department said.

Satellite images show Arnab’s broad cloud bands stretching across large parts of eastern and southern India. Although its winds weakened after landfall, the authorities warned that heavy rainfall could continue through Thursday, raising the risk of further flooding.

The six-hour landfall battered coastal districts, including Kakinada, Konaseema, and West Godavari. Strong winds brought down trees and electricity poles, blocked roads, and disrupted power supplies. The coastal road near Uppada in Kakinada district was washed away, while flooding affected low-lying areas.

❗🚢 Sulphur-Laden Cargo Ship Runs Aground In Andhra Amid Cyclone Arnab (ANI Citing Local Authority) The vessel reportedly suffered engine failure after departing Visakhapatnam and drifted off course. Maritime authorities are monitoring the situation ahead of an inspection. 📹 Via ANI

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) October 28, 2026

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) confirmed the deaths and reported damage to 31 houses in Andhra Pradesh. Two of the fatalities were from electrocution, and at least one was killed by falling treees, reports cited officials as saying.

A cargo ship carrying sulfur ran aground on the Andhra Pradesh coast after its engine reportedly failed. The maritime authorities are assessing the vessel’s condition, reports said.

🌪️ Cyclone Arnab Unleashes Powerful Winds! Violent gusts are sweeping through the area, with winds reportedly reaching 150 km/h. Nature’s fury is on full display! Stay safe and follow local weather alerts. ⚠️🌬️ https://t.co/y6O5FgiiNU

— Veer Thakur (@veerthakur1906) October 28, 2026

Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh recorded 315 millimeters of rain by Wednesday morning; Koraput in neighboring Odisha state received 188 millimeters.

Ahead of the storm, officials evacuated residents across the two states, opened more than 2,000 cyclone shelters, and deployed nearly 1,100 medical teams to support communities in the storm’s path. The NDRF deployed 39 teams across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states, and other regions that could be affected.

Operations at three Andhra Pradesh airports were suspended, dozens of trains were canceled or rescheduled, and some schools were closed.

The storm struck almost exactly a year after Cyclone Montha battered the coastline, damaging roads, power infrastructure, and crops.

Moscow is hosting the third Russia-Africa Summit on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing together leaders and government delegations from 48 African countries for talks on political and economic cooperation.

The agenda covers trade, energy, agriculture, mining, education, healthcare, and artificial intelligence, as well as business cooperation through BRICS.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and African Union chair Evariste Ndayishimiye addressed the summit’s plenary session, while talks between Russian and African officials have covered investment, infrastructure, and economic ties. A series of agreements have also been signed with major African regional organizations.

The gathering follows previous summits in Sochi in 2019 and St. Petersburg in 2023, which helped lay the groundwork for closer relations between Russia and the continent.

The event comes as African governments push for greater influence in international affairs and more diverse economic partnerships against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions. Russia’s expanding ties with the continent have drawn Western criticism, while Moscow has accused Western governments of pressuring African states to stay away from the summit.

RT is bringing you the latest developments, statements, interviews, and footage from the summit and events across Moscow.

This live feed has now ended.

The US has warned several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a short but intense military operation against Iran after the November 3 US midterm elections, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the WSJ, US President Donald Trump is leaning toward launching major strikes on Iran’s infrastructure and nuclear facilities, although no final decision has been made. The warnings to Gulf allies reportedly indicate that Israel is also preparing to take part in renewed combat operations.

The US is reportedly deploying an additional Patriot air defense missile battery to the region and moving troops away from vulnerable bases in anticipation of Iranian retaliation. Washington is also replenishing munitions and preparing additional aircraft and warships for possible operations.

Trump has threatened to attack Iran again if it refuses to accept his terms, as negotiations remain stalled, with both sides blaming each other for the impasse. The US last carried out a wave of strikes on Iranian territory on September 1 and has since attacked Iranian tankers and other vessels. Iran has fired on commercial ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through a US Navy-designated route, which Tehran considers illegal.

Iranian officials responded to Trump’s threats by pledging to defend the country. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned last week that the US would suffer “an even greater strategic failure” if it opts for renewed military action. State-run broadcaster Press TV, citing a senior Iranian official, reported on Tuesday that Tehran is prepared for an all-out war “without any limitations.”

The prospect of renewed fighting comes amid concerns about dwindling US missile interceptor stockpiles, which Trump has dismissed, insisting that the military has sufficient munitions.

The war remains deeply unpopular among Americans. A Fox News poll published in September found that 71% of registered voters believed the Trump administration lacked a clear strategy for ending the conflict, and 60% said attacking Iran was a mistake. According to a Pew Research Center survey published earlier this month, 65% disapprove of Trump’s handling of operations against Iran, compared with 33% who approve.

An Israeli online advertising company implicated in spyware attacks targeting internet users was heavily active on SpaceX’s Starlink service, Japanese researchers have found, bolstering claims that the firm was running a “targeting and tracking” operation masquerading as a commercial advertising business.

Earlier this month, Canadian cybersecurity watchdog Citizen Lab and New York-based ad security firm Confiant published extensive investigations identifying Discover-Tech, an Israeli advertising technology company, as a middleman helping spyware firms, including Candiru and Intelos, as well as a little-known US-linked operator known as Dark Cartographer, track internet users and potentially infect their devices without their knowledge.

Discover-Tech’s operation involved buying ad space on hundreds of thousands of websites and apps, using ads to gather information about the users that saw them, and selling this data to the spyware companies, who could then target specific users and install spyware on their devices via code concealed in Discover-Tech’s ads.

Despite presenting itself as a commercial operation, Discover-Tech concentrated much of its advertising spending on markets that would be of limited interest to conventional advertisers. Of 228 countries and territories examined, Palestine was the most heavily targeted, despite its population having severely limited access to Western goods and relatively little purchasing power.

In more than 100 countries, Discover-Tech was the leading bidder for advertising space targeting Starlink users, according to researchers at TrendAI, a unit of Japanese cybersecurity firm Trend Micro. The company was also the largest advertising bidder in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and South Sudan, and the second-largest in Afghanistan.

TrendAI published its findings on October 15, identifying the suspicious advertiser only by the codename Shadow-Earth-79. Six people familiar with the research subsequently told Reuters that the codename referred to Discover-Tech.

Noting that “the demand for legitimate Western advertising in sanctioned or active-conflict states is effectively zero,” the researchers concluded that the company was running “targeting and tracking infrastructure rather than a commercial advertising operation.”

The findings suggest that Discover-Tech may have been attempting to identify, geolocate, or monitor Starlink users. However, they do not establish that the company successfully infected Starlink users’ devices with spyware.

Who runs Discover-Tech?

Founded in 2020 by Israeli entrepreneur Dekel Boni, Discover-Tech appointed Eric Banoun as its director. Banoun co-founded Circles, a surveillance company affiliated with Pegasus spyware developer NSO Group, and Senpai Technologies, a company known for developing and selling surveillance software to governments, including those of Angola, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Banoun also founded Intelos, which uses advertisements similar to those placed by Discover-Tech to surveil and geolocate individuals. He attempted to sell the technology to Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency, according to Haaretz.

Haaretz also identified Sara Hamou, through her holding company, as a shareholder in Discover-Tech. Hamou is a former manager at Intellexa, the company that marketed Predator spyware in Greece. Earlier this year, she was sentenced to eight years in prison for her role in the Predator scandal.

Is Discover-Tech linked to the Israeli government?

It remains unclear who Candiru, Intelos, and Dark Cartographer sold their services to, once they had obtained user data from Discover-Tech. However, as RT covered earlier in our ‘Wired for War’ series, Israel views its domestically-developed spyware programs as weapons, and retains the final say over where they may be exported to. 

According to a 2021 investigation by Haaretz, export licenses for Pegasus were often granted when sales were considered beneficial to Israeli foreign policy interests, including in connection with trade agreements or diplomatic support for Israel at the UN.

Other Israeli spy-tech companies covered in the series, including Black Cube, BlackCore, and Paragon Solutions, all worked to advance Israel’s interests, even when they were not directly hired by the Israeli state.

Discover-Tech’s advertising infrastructure was used to target at least 45 devices at Al Jazeera with Candiru spyware in 2024 and 2025, according to Citizen Lab. Researchers confirmed that some devices were infected through malicious advertisements that required no interaction from users.

The attacks occurred during a period of heightened tensions between Israel and the Qatar-based broadcaster, which the Israeli authorities have accused of threatening national security. Candiru was founded by two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence veterans and operates under Israeli defense export controls.

While the Israeli government has not been accused of ordering Candiru to surveil Al Jazeera journalists, the targeting raises questions about whether the company’s clients shared interests with the Israeli authorities. The investigations have not identified the government or client responsible for commissioning the attacks.

Is Discover-Tech still operating?

Following the investigations by Citizen Lab and Confiant, several major advertising companies took action against Discover-Tech. Google, Comcast-owned Beeswax, and Eskimi blocked the firm from their platforms, while Vungle suspended its access pending a review. Industry association IAB Europe also suspended Discover-Tech from its list of approved vendors.

Discover-Tech’s website, which markets the company as a “tailored digital advertising agency,” remains active. The firm has not publicly responded to the findings reported by Citizen Lab, Confiant, or TrendAI.

A group dressed in Ku Klux Klan (KKK)-style robes and pointed hoods has sparked outrage in Texas after videos of the Halloween stunt went viral, prompting a police investigation.

The footage shows several people dressed in the white supremacist group’s distinctive attire walking through a residential neighborhood in El Paso and shouting racial slurs. According to local social media accounts, they were teenagers attending a Halloween party.

DISTURBING: A group dressed in KKK robes for Halloween filmed themselves yelling a racial slur. The El Paso clip is sparking outrage online. #ViralVideo #Halloween https://t.co/b7EHLLni0c

— ONNews (@ONNxews) October 27, 2026

El Paso police said on Monday that they were reviewing the footage and related reports to determine whether any laws had been broken.

“Symbols and language associated with the Ku Klux Klan represent a history of terror, violence and racial hatred,” El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas said in a statement on X on Monday. Treating such imagery as “a costume or a joke is unacceptable,” he added.

The incident also drew condemnation from the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

In a statement cited by local media, the NAACP expressed “utter outrage, disgust and righteous indignation” over the imagery.

Wearing KKK-style clothing is not in itself a crime under US law, although threatening or intimidating conduct may constitute an offense.

Founded after the US Civil War, the KKK became notorious for terrorizing racial and ethnic minorities, primarily blacks, through murder and various forms of intimidation. Membership peaked at an estimated 4 to 5 million people nationwide during the mid-1920s, at a time when only 10-11 million Americans were black.

The incident follows several other recent controversies involving KKK imagery across the US.

Earlier this month, the University of Maryland suspended its club tennis team indefinitely after members circulated tournament materials featuring KKK-style hoods incorporated into the state flag. The images prompted complaints from students at Howard University, a historically Black institution.

In September, a man wearing KKK robes near a Trader Joe’s supermarket in California was arrested for public intoxication. Police said there was no evidence of a hate crime and that wearing the offensive costume was not itself illegal.

Last Halloween, a student in Tennessee was sent home and disciplined after appearing at school dressed as a KKK member. The student had reportedly initially claimed to be wearing a priest’s costume.

Germany’s elite special forces are preparing for a potential large-scale war with Russia, the unit’s commander told Bild. The remarks come amid tensions between Moscow and NATO over the Ukraine conflict, with German officials warning that the armed forces must be ready for a confrontation by the end of the decade.

The highly secretive unit, known as Kommando Spezialkrafte (KSK), is comparable to Britain’s SAS or the US Green Berets. According to a report from its base in southwestern Germany published on Monday, the commandos are adjusting their training to counter Russian forces equipped with tanks, artillery, drones, and electronic warfare capabilities, including in extreme cold.

“We are orienting ourselves very specifically toward the adversary Russia,” KSK Commander Brigadier General Andreas Kuhne said, adding that his soldiers would have to be prepared to “remain in the field much longer,” potentially “with no end in sight,” if war broke out.

Kuhne also said the unit is preparing to carry out missions before conventional German forces enter combat. “When the 45th Armored Brigade in Lithuania starts its engines in a real emergency, we want to have already completed our job,” he told Bild.

According to the newspaper, only around a third of the KSK’s 1,500 personnel are commandos, while the rest serve in administrative and support roles.

The unit has been rocked by a series of far-right extremism scandals in recent years. In 2017, an investigation was launched following reports that soldiers performed Nazi salutes and listened to far-right music, among other things.

In 2018, investigations exposed an underground far-right network involving German military and security personnel, some of whom allegedly discussed plans to kill political opponents in the event of a breakdown of public order.

In 2020, police discovered a large cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and Nazi memorabilia at the property of a KSK sergeant major. Some of the ammunition was suspected of being stolen from German military stockpiles.

The scandals prompted then-Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to disband one of the KSK’s four commando companies, the 2nd Company, and introduce sweeping reforms. The special forces command itself remained operational.

Speaking to Bild, Kuhne said disciplinary and conduct-related incidents within the unit have become “extremely rare,” but have not disappeared entirely, insisting that misconduct would no longer be tolerated or covered up.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to transform the German armed forces into Europe’s strongest conventional military force in response to what he describes as threats from Russia. His government has prioritized defense spending and military assistance to Ukraine despite acknowledging that the German economy is in a “structural crisis.”

In July, The Telegraph and Die Welt reported that Berlin was preparing a secret plan to override potential resistance from regional governments to the deployment of NATO troops toward Russia’s borders.

Merz’s military ambitions come amid declining public support for his government. According to an INSA poll published by Bild this week, the chancellor ranked last among 20 prominent German politicians. The surging opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) won state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in September, while the socialist Left Party (Die Linke) emerged as the largest party in Berlin’s election.

Russia has denied that it plans to attack NATO countries. In August, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed reports that Moscow intends to attack NATO members as “scare stories” that have “nothing to do with reality.”

US tech giant Microsoft is moving to shrink its workforce through a buyout program covering some 60,000 employees, more than a quarter of its global staff, the company has announced.

The move follows thousands of job cuts earlier this year and comes as Big Tech companies seek to slash payroll costs while ramping up AI investment.

Microsoft unveiled the program on Monday, saying that it would cover roughly 27% of its 223,000 employees across selected divisions in the US, Canada, UK, and India, including Xbox, Windows, Copilot, finance, and human resources.

Microsoft has described the initiative as a voluntary exit program, under which employees can leave with severance packages. The company has not disclosed how many workers it expects to accept the offer.

In a memo to employees, Microsoft’s chief people officer Amy Coleman said that the initiative would give eligible staff considering a departure an opportunity to leave with financial support.

The latest move follows several rounds of workforce reductions at Microsoft. In July, the company announced plans to eliminate 4,800 positions, including approximately 3,200 in its Xbox gaming division. It had already launched a voluntary exit program in April covering roughly 8,750 US employees, or about 7% of its American workforce, with around 30% reportedly taking the offer.

The cuts come as Microsoft commits enormous sums to AI infrastructure, including data centers and computing capacity, putting pressure on the company to remove other expenses.

Other Big Tech giants have also been cutting jobs while pouring billions into AI. Amazon announced 16,000 corporate job cuts earlier this year, following another 14,000 layoffs in 2025. Meta has also slashed jobs while ramping up AI investment, while Google has repeatedly launched voluntary exit programs to reduce its workforce.

The trend has fueled concerns that the technology being promoted as a driver of economic growth could also eliminate large numbers of jobs, particularly in administrative, technical, and other white-collar occupations.

The threat extends beyond the tech industry. The Netherlands announced plans on Monday to eliminate around 25,000 government positions by 2035, partly through the adoption of AI, in a drive to save €3.5 billion ($4 billion) annually. The cuts will be phased in over several years, with police and security services exempt.

Denmark has also announced plans to use AI to free up 50 million working hours annually by 2035, equivalent to roughly 30,000 full-time positions, although it has not committed to corresponding layoffs.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that AI could cause major upheaval in the labor market, while arguing that certain professions, including caregiving, should remain “human reserved” even if machines become capable of performing them.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk warned in July that AI would eventually outperform humans in any job, describing the transition as “a bumpy road.” His warning comes amid growing fears of AI spiraling out of human control following incidents involving systems defying instructions. Musk, whose company xAI develops advanced AI models, also predicted that the technology could surpass humanity’s combined intelligence within five years, potentially escaping human control within a decade.

Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has fled to the US following his election defeat to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Reuters and Brazilian news outlet Jovem Pan reported on Tuesday, citing sources.

A senior US State Department official told AP on Tuesday that Bolsonaro and his family would be granted US visas.

Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump, narrowly lost Sunday’s runoff to Lula despite receiving more votes in the first round earlier this month.

He is under investigation for money laundering and currency evasion involving financial ties to lawyer Willer Tomaz and businesses linked to online gambling. Bolsonaro also faces a separate investigation into suspected irregularities in the financing of ‘Dark Horse’, a biographical film about his father. He denies wrongdoing.

His brother Eduardo, also a politician, moved to the US in February 2025, citing fears of political persecution and arrest. He was subsequently convicted of attempting to interfere with judicial proceedings against his father by lobbying Washington to impose sanctions on Brazilian officials. Eduardo, who remains in the US, was sentenced to four years and two months in prison in June 2026.

Flavio Bolsonaro initially refused to recognize the election results and vowed to seek annulment, citing a two-hour extension of voting.

“They will not silence me. They will not intimidate me. Let’s hold our heads high and keep fighting for our Brazil, whatever happens,” Bolsonaro said in a video posted on Monday, although he later dropped his demand for annulment.

Later on Monday, Bolsonaro was given 24 hours to surrender his passports as part of the investigation involving Tomaz. The documents were reportedly canceled on Tuesday after he missed the deadline. Bolsonaro, who could face prosecution in lower courts when his Senate term ends on January 31, said on Monday that he had no plans to flee.

Trump also questioned the election results. “It had a very bad look, the election, the way it was tabulated,” he told reporters on Monday. “The extension given was very strange.”

Both campaigns requested a two-hour extension of voting on election day, citing difficulties for voters, according to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.

Bolsonaro’s father is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula. The elder Bolsonaro also traveled to the US following his defeat before returning to Brazil. He denied wrongdoing and argued that the case was politically motivated.

Lula previously served two presidential terms from 2003 to 2010. He was barred from running in the 2018 election after being convicted on corruption charges and imprisoned. Brazil’s Supreme Court later annulled his convictions, restoring his political rights and allowing him to run in 2022, when he defeated Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has also denied wrongdoing and maintained that the corruption case against him was politically motivated.

When Donald Trump returned triumphantly to the White House in January 2025, his supporters believed they could finally finish what he started during his first term and reverse the Democrats’ social engineering agenda, commonly known as ‘wokeism’, curb illegal immigration, accelerate technological development, and above all, ‘make America great again’.

Trump moved quickly on the first two priorities, as he revoked 78 of Joe Biden’s executive orders, tightened border controls and gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) greater resources and powers to conduct raids in sanctuary cities, where the local authorities limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

But Trump’s determination to achieve everything at once, from restructuring the federal government and securing favorable trade deals to pursuing ambitions involving Greenland and Venezuela, has kept American politics in a state of turmoil, while his confrontational approach has also unsettled allies and opponents abroad.

The decision to launch joint military operations with Israel against Iran has proven particularly divisive as it fractured Trump’s conservative coalition, with some supporters accusing him of betraying his promise to end America’s ‘endless wars’, while others fear the political consequences for Republicans in the approaching midterm elections.

The Iran war has also hurt American consumers. Over the past year, gasoline prices have risen by 38% and diesel by 71%, while food prices have increased by 2.5%.

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz isn’t solely responsible, but Democrats and sympathetic media outlets have made it central to their criticism, while they also point to an increase of $3.8 trillion in the national debt since Trump’s return, allegations of corruption within his administration, and questions about the competence of senior officials, particularly Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Republicans, including those who oppose the Iran war, are trying to redirect voters towards the administration’s achievements – despite the turbulence, the US economy has grown by 3.2% since the end of 2024, and investment is booming in certain sectors, particularly technology, while illegal crossings at the southern border have reportedly fallen by 95%.

Vice President J.D. Vance, who is increasingly discussed as Trump’s successor, has urged Americans to give Republicans another chance, or at least another two years, to complete what they have begun – but for now, that opportunity appears uncertain. Yet contrary to expectations, losing control of Congress wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster for Trump.

Even with Republican majorities in both chambers, he has preferred to govern through executive orders, issuing more than 290 since January 2025, and this is hardly unprecedented. Bill Clinton issued 364 over his eight years in office, including during periods when Republicans controlled Congress.

For presidents, demonstrating immediate effectiveness and scoring political points often matters more than ensuring continuity.

Democratic threats to impeach Trump and members of his administration may sound formidable, but removing officials from office requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, a much higher hurdle, and even if Democrats capture both chambers, converting their numerical advantage into meaningful political influence will not be straightforward.

They could, however, obstruct legislation, block nominations to senior administration positions and the federal judiciary, and subject the White House to sustained congressional scrutiny.

Their minimum objective would be to turn Trump into a lame-duck president for his remaining two years, but this strategy carries risks of its own – in the 2028 presidential campaign, Republicans can argue that the Democrats prevented them from completing their program.

For Moscow, however, the consequences of the midterms could be considerably more serious.

A Democratic-controlled Congress would almost certainly seek to complicate relations with Russia, and there remains a strong desire in Washington to obstruct Trump’s apparent ambition for a new Yalta involving Russia, China, and the US. Equally persistent is the determination among influential American political circles to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia.

This could explain the Trump administration’s intensified diplomatic activity over Ukraine, given whatever opportunities exist for reaching an agreement today could narrow considerably after the new Congress takes office in January 2027.

The urgency could also reflect an attempt to secure lasting advantages for the administration before the political landscape changes.

The argument that there’s little time left, and that Moscow must therefore accept an agreement now or face worse conditions later, shouldn’t be allowed to overshadow Russia’s own interests.

Russia has an objective interest in normalizing relations with the US, but a settlement of the Ukraine conflict must be based on mutually beneficial terms, rather than unilateral concessions extracted under the pressure of America’s electoral calendar.

Ultimately, as Americans prepare to vote in the midterms, Russia should be concerned less with Trump’s political fortunes than with protecting its own interests.

This article was first published by Kommersant, and was translated and edited by the RT team

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has branded European leaders “political masochists,” accusing them of sacrificing their own citizens’ welfare in pursuit of Russia’s defeat in Ukraine.

Speaking to editors-in-chief of African media outlets in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov accused Western governments of pressuring their populations to accept declining living standards to secure Ukraine’s victory in conflict with Russia.

“They are trying to keep public opinion in a position where people must sacrifice everything: salaries, jobs, healthcare services and social benefits in general, so that Ukraine defeats Russia,” Lavrov said. “People can feel how their situation is deteriorating in European countries,” he added.

He singled out German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as one of the politicians advocating such an approach. “These are masochists, political masochists, if you like,” the foreign minister said.

Merz has defended Germany’s growing military spending and continued support for Kiev while warning that the country can no longer afford its existing welfare system.

The German government has tightened welfare rules, introducing benefit reductions of 30% for repeated violations and, in some cases, complete withdrawal. Berlin’s proposed 2027 budget also envisages billions of euros in savings from pensions, healthcare and other social programs.

Germany has meanwhile earmarked €11.6 billion for Ukraine in 2027, alongside plans to raise defense spending to record levels.

Britain, another major backer of Kiev, has also reduced welfare payments, nearly halving health-related benefits for most new claimants under Universal Credit, a program supporting low-income households and people unable to work.

In September, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for further welfare cuts to fund increased military spending. “We need to fund our defence, not spend all our money on welfare,” she said. The government, however, rejected her proposal.

France has likewise pursued spending restraint, including a proposed public-sector pay freeze, while increasing military expenditure. The measures have faced opposition from trade unions protesting declining purchasing power and deteriorating public services.

Public discontent has fueled widespread protests across Europe in recent weeks, with hundreds of thousands demonstrating in France over rising living costs, education funding and inequality. Tens of thousands have also taken to the streets in Spain and Portugal over soaring housing costs, while Italy has seen protests over declining living standards.

European NATO members have committed to substantially increasing defense expenditure, citing the perceived threat from Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week rejected repeated claims that Moscow was preparing for war with Europe, describing them as part of an ongoing “anti-Russian campaign” on the continent. “They now go so far as to constantly speak of a ‘Russian threat’ and even discuss preparations for a war with Russia – which, in my view, amounts to a kind of political schizophrenia. But I hope that it will pass,” Putin stated.

Moscow has repeatedly dismissed claims that it intends to attack NATO countries as “nonsense,” accusing Western leaders of using the alleged Russian threat to justify militarization and continued support for Kiev.

Russia and the US are exploring opportunities for cooperation in the Arctic, President Vladimir Putin said, stressing that Moscow is ready to work with partners genuinely interested in joint projects.

Speaking at the eighth summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin highlighted growing global demand for natural gas and Russia’s efforts to expand production, particularly in the Arctic.

Natural gas already accounts for a quarter of the global energy mix, and Russia, which holds the world’s largest reserves, is investing in infrastructure and technologies designed to operate in extreme northern conditions, the president stated.

“Russia is systematically strengthening its technological sovereignty,” Putin said. “We have also taken a major step forward by creating our own proprietary LNG technologies, which are already being deployed in the harsh conditions of the Arctic.”

Moscow is “open for cooperation” in technology and other areas, he said, adding that it is “actively working with many nations” in the Arctic. “We are now exploring avenues for joint work with American partners.” 

Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that Moscow and Washington were discussing a potential venture to use Russian technology to extract natural gas in Alaska, liquefy it and export it.

The proposed company, called Polar LNG, was reportedly discussed last month by Putin and US President Donald Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

According to the NYT, Russian gas producer Novatek has helped finance the venture through a UAE-based firm and is considering taking a minority stake.

Western energy companies have largely scaled back their Russian operations since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. US energy giant ExxonMobil withdrew from the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project, although the Wall Street Journal reported last year that it is considering a return.

ExxonMobil and Chevron nevertheless retain stakes in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which transports Kazakh oil through Russia to the Black Sea.

Several major European energy companies have also exited Russia, although France’s TotalEnergies retains stakes in Novatek and the Yamal LNG project.

The EU has adopted an increasingly militaristic approach to the Arctic. Its latest Arctic strategy identifies the region as a potential flashpoint for confrontation with Russia, while declaring that the EU “is part of the Arctic” and outlining a range of military objectives.

In August, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that the EU is seeking to turn the Arctic into a new “hotbed” of tensions. He accused NATO of “driving the region towards militarization” through its military buildup, while stressing Moscow’s commitment to “preserving the Arctic as an area of peace and cooperation.”

The EU is burying its own economy by rejecting Russian energy supplies, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

European nations have faced soaring energy costs since imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia and its hydrocarbon exports following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Brussels has pledged to eliminate Russian gas imports entirely by 2027, despite opposition from several member states.

Speaking at the eighth Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin warned that efforts to push Russia out of the global gas market were hurting European industries and households.

“[Europe] is dealing a blow to its own industry and social sector by abandoning Russian energy supplies and tearing up long-term contracts,” he said.

There is a saying in Russia: ‘Don’t dig a pit for someone else, or you might end up there yourself.’ In my view, that is precisely what has happened today in the countries of the European Union.

Putin also accused European nations of hypocrisy over their approach to fossil fuels, arguing that they had built their own prosperity on resources they now discourage developing countries from using.

“The economy of modern Europe was built precisely on coal and hydrocarbons,” he said.

Yet those same countries reopened coal-fired power plants “when they found it more difficult to address their own energy challenges,” Putin added.

European gas prices surged to their highest level since December 2022 on Monday, briefly exceeding €97 ($108) per megawatt-hour as supply disruptions linked to the Iran war and forecasts of colder weather rattled markets, according to Trading Economics.

Germany, Europe’s largest industrial economy, has been particularly hard hit by the loss of Russian gas. The country suffered two consecutive years of economic contraction in 2023 and 2024, while its energy-intensive industries, particularly chemicals and metals, have struggled with higher production costs.

German industry is shedding around 15,000 jobs a month, Tanja Goenner, head of the Federation of German Industries, warned in July, citing structural weaknesses, US tariffs and mounting competition from China.

Economic pressures have also fueled public anger across Europe. Rising living costs, stagnant wages and government policies have triggered protests in France, Belgium, Italy and other countries this month, with demonstrators demanding relief for struggling households.

Supporters of Serbia’s student-led opposition have stormed the Belgrade offices of Informer, a broadcaster supportive of former President Aleksandar Vucic, as celebrations of their election win turned violent. Vucic condemned the attack as an assault on media freedom and accused the EU of turning a blind eye.

The incident came a day after the Student List movement defeated Vucic’s United Serbia coalition in a snap parliamentary election, ending 14 years of rule by his Serbian Progressive Party and its allies.

According to Informer, demonstrators smashed windows and forced their way through the entrance before damaging offices and threatening journalists. Employees reportedly hid in bathrooms and the basement before police arrived and evacuated staff.

Editor-in-chief Dragan J. Vucicevic said attackers destroyed cameras, computers and other equipment worth tens of thousands of euros. Some demanded access to the control room to disconnect cables, he said.

🇷🇸An angry opposition crowd has reached the Informer TV channel, known for its support of former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The protesters are demanding that the channel’s editor-in-chief be handed over to them Journalist Sergey Petrov said that if the demonstrators’ demands are not met, they will arrest him - with or without the police. “People said they would drag everyone out of the TV station building themselves. They promised to take them to the square, where a celebration is currently being held to mark the opposition’s victory in the parliamentary elections,” he said. ukraine_watch

— dana (@dana916) October 26, 2026

According to Vucicevic, protesters offered to withdraw if Informer stopped broadcasting. He refused and pledged to return to the studio and resume programming as far as the remaining equipment allowed.

Vucic condemned the incident as “unprecedented violence” and “monstrous violence,” accusing the EU and journalists’ associations of remaining silent.

“An attack on freedom of expression, on freedom of public speech, on freedom of journalism,” he said. “If we had done that to N1 and Nova S, we would have been the worst thugs, dictators and autocrats,” he added, referring to broadcasters critical of his political camp.

BREAKING: Protesters STORM the live studio of Informer TV, Serbia's loudest pro-Vučić channel, one day after Vučić's party lost the snap election > About 20 broke in during a live broadcast and confronted owner-editor Dragan J. Vučićević for several minutes before he was led out > On air, he said the building was surrounded and a door smashed, then called police and was put on hold > Police later arrived and escorted the protesters out Wild scenes in Belgrade. 🎥 @Lukai1861 | per N1, Vreme

— James Reichert (@_jamesreichert) October 26, 2026

Vucic also accused Student List figure Ilija Srdanovic of refusing a request from Informer’s editor to urge the crowd to leave. Srdanovic subsequently appealed for calm and urged supporters not to resort to violence.

The Student List secured 52.71% of the vote and 140 parliamentary seats, according to preliminary results announced by Serbia’s electoral commission on Monday evening. Vucic conceded defeat and pledged to continue his political struggle from the opposition.

During the election-night celebrations, crowds also dismantled a longstanding pro-Vucic tent camp near parliament, with tents and vehicles reportedly set ablaze.

The student-led movement emerged from nearly two years of protests following the November 2024 railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people and sparked allegations of corruption and failures in safety oversight. Vucic resigned as president in September to contest the parliamentary election.

Moscow said on Monday that it was willing to work with Serbia’s incoming government. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Vucic’s contribution to bilateral relations and expressed hope that the new leadership would recognize cooperation with Russia as serving Serbia’s interests.

Student List representative Jovo Bakic told RT Balkan that the movement would maintain Belgrade’s refusal to impose sanctions on Moscow. “We respect Russia both as a great power and as our historically important partner and, in many cases, protector,” he said.

However, the movement’s position on the sanctions remains unclear. In an interview with RFE/RL, Srdanovic reaffirmed Serbia’s commitment to EU integration but declined to rule out reconsidering its refusal to sanction Moscow. Pressed on the issue, he said foreign policy should be determined through an open public debate rather than by a single leader, insisting that citizens should have the final say.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gave an interview to executives from African media outlets in Moscow on Tuesday, ahead of the third Russia-Africa summit.

The interview took place during the Russia-Africa Media Forum in the Russian capital. Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also met with African media representatives and answered their questions.

The October 28-29 summit will bring together 22 African leaders, with delegations from 48 of the continent’s 54 countries confirming their participation, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chair, will co-chair the gathering at the Grand Kremlin Palace.

The talks will focus on economic cooperation, energy, food security and technology. The summit is expected to adopt a cooperation action plan for 2027-2029, with 33 intergovernmental, interagency and commercial documents also set to be signed.

Watch the full interview below

Former FBI Director James Comey, a central figure in the debunked Trump-Russia collusion probe known as Russiagate, has been charged with illegally disclosing classified national defense information, according to court documents unsealed on Monday.

Federal prosecutors have charged Comey with two counts: transmission of national defense information and conspiracy to transmit national defense information. The allegations stem from an October 2016 New York Times article about Yahoo’s cooperation with a secret US government email surveillance program.

According to prosecutors, Comey instructed FBI employees to contact a journalist to correct inaccuracies in an earlier Reuters report, resulting in the alleged unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information.

Comey denied wrongdoing in a video statement on Monday, accusing the Justice Department of an “appalling abuse” of power and insisting that he was innocent.

Comey headed the FBI during the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Donald Trump won, a controversy widely known as “Russiagate.” A subsequent investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not establish that Trump’s campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia. Comey defended the FBI probe as “appropriate and essential,” while Trump denounced it as a politically motivated “witch hunt” aimed at undermining his election victory. Moscow has consistently denied interfering in the vote.

Asked about the new case against Comey on Monday, Trump reiterated his criticism of him while saying he knew little about the proceedings.

“I think he’s a dirty cop, James Comey, but I know nothing about it,” the president told reporters.

The latest allegations mark the third criminal case brought against Comey since Trump returned to the White House.

In September 2025, Comey was indicted for allegedly making false statements to Congress and obstructing proceedings over his testimony concerning the Russiagate investigation. A federal judge dismissed the case two months later, ruling that the prosecutor had been unlawfully appointed.

In April 2026, Comey was indicted again, this time over an Instagram post showing seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47.” The number “86” is slang for getting rid of something or someone, while “47” was interpreted as a reference to Trump, the 47th US president. Comey denied intending any threat.

French voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Emmanuel Macron’s handling of weeks of violent nationwide protests, with just 12% backing his response, according to a new Ipsos-BVA-CESI poll.

Around 80% of respondents said Macron’s response to the unrest has been inadequate, according to the poll for Le Parisien published on Saturday. The riots also sparked widespread anger, with 58% of respondents expressing outrage.

Macron’s overall approval rating fell to 16%, the lowest since January and down seven percentage points from last month, according to a monthly CSA poll for Le Journal du Dimanche published on Sunday.

The unrest began last month with student demonstrations over teacher shortages, school funding, and deteriorating facilities before spreading nationwide. As trade unions and opposition parties joined the movement, the protests grew into broader demonstrations against soaring living costs, inequality, and cuts to public services.

The unrest escalated sharply on October 17, when around 550,000 people joined the demonstrations nationwide, spilling out into clashes with the police, arson, and widespread looting in several cities.

Immigration also emerged as an issue in public perceptions of the violence. Around 55% believe there is a link between immigration and the October 17 riots, according to a CSA survey published last Thursday.

Last week, Macron responded by announcing a crackdown on public gatherings. Protests deemed unauthorized were banned and limits on marches were imposed – even those organized by recognized groups.

Opposition leaders blamed Macron’s policies for the unrest, accusing him of failing to maintain public order.

Despite the restrictions, the demonstrations continued, drawing around 410,000 people on Saturday, according to Interior Ministry data.

Similar protests took place elsewhere in Europe, with demonstrators in Italy, Belgium, Spain and Portugal voicing concerns about living costs, housing shortages, and public services.

After Western media outlets reported that several EU governments suspected Russia of involvement in the unrest, President Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations.

“To claim that we are provoking mass protests in major European cities is really going too far,” Putin said, arguing that the accusations reflect European leaders’ inability to address the crisis.

On October 26, 2026, the Russian-Slovak Intergovernmental Commission resumed its work. The announcement was made during Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit to Moscow for WWII Victory Day celebrations. The timing of the meeting is particularly favorable for the ruling coalition led by Fico’s SMER party. The only event that somewhat dampened the occasion was the defeat of former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s party in snap elections in Serbia. Vucic’s foreign policy has often been likened to Fico’s approach in Slovakia. Below, we explore why these stories are fundamentally different and what is really happening in the context of Russia-Slovakia relations, as well as in Slovakia itself, ahead of the election on September 26, 2027.

Perfect timing

Although the resumption of the intergovernmental commission was announced in May, the talks did not take place until six months later. On the Slovak side, they were led by a close ally of Fico and the current foreign affairs minister, Juraj Blanar. The lists of negotiators on both sides were not disclosed until the last moment. The date of the negotiations was also shrouded in secrecy and was not revealed until last week during an EU summit, which, according to reports, was marked by a “terrible” atmosphere and was “unworthy of a meeting of the European Council.”

Fico’s attendance was uncertain right up to the last minute, with Bratislava skillfully playing this card. Slovak diplomats maintained suspense, suggesting that Fico’s visit depended on the “substantiality of concessions,” keeping the EU on its toes regarding a possible geopolitical demarche. Ultimately, Fico stayed in Bratislava, crafting a perfect political alibi before Brussels while sending a full government delegation to Moscow to tackle pressing political and economic challenges. He skillfully employed this maneuver, illustrating that in today’s landscape, ‘glitch-art diplomacy’ – characterized by protocol breaches, unpredictability, and exploiting systemic errors – remains effective. Though not large in size, Slovakia is a critical node through which the East and West continue to exchange signals.

The timing of this event strikes a perfect balance for the ruling authorities, both in terms of domestic political dynamics and the wider European context. First, municipal elections held in Slovakia over the past weekend confirmed the strength of the current coalition. Fico and his allies demonstrated their dominance across regions and industrial hubs, leaving the pro-Western opposition confined to Bratislava. This electoral victory has secured a solid backing for the prime minister, giving him the freedom to pursue bold foreign policy initiatives.

The external context vividly illustrated to the Slovak audience the validity of the ruling coalition’s stance. The recent EU summit only deepened the rift among allies. The European Commission attempted to impose new climate quotas, but the countries of the Visegrad Group clearly expressed their dissent, with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis openly criticizing Ursula von der Leyen for her ‘green transition’ dogmas. This unfolded against the backdrop of a shocking report from Eurostat, revealing that most EU countries are facing budget deficits, with the highest figures recorded in Hungary (7.2%) and Romania (9.2%).

Amid this dismal European landscape, news from Slovakia underscores the looming threat of deindustrialization. German automotive giant Porsche recently announced its decision to shift production of its Cayenne model from Bratislava back to Leipzig, aiming to salvage its parent company’s facilities in Germany, which are struggling due to the energy crisis. The risk of German capital flight poses an existential threat to the national industry, considering the fact that businesses depend heavily on accessible energy resources.

In light of these developments, Fico’s rejection of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s proposal for a €1.5 billion compensation package in exchange for halting gas transit appears to be a rational choice. For the Slovak public, which is opposed to prolonging the conflict, there’s no clear way to survive without supplies of hydrocarbons from the East. By refusing the offer, Fico has made it clear that virtual ‘paper’ funds from Kiev won’t heat factories or convince foreign automotive companies to remain in the country.

Not a time for half-measures

The defeat of Vucic’s team in Serbia during the early parliamentary elections is unpleasant news for Bratislava. Many Western analysts predict a similar fate for Fico in the upcoming parliamentary elections in September 2027. However, a fundamental difference between Belgrade and Bratislava must be noted. The Serbian scenario demonstrated that, in turbulent times, success goes to those who can balance the loyalty of the silent majority with pressure from the crowds.

Fico is purposefully venturing into this precarious territory. Global protest movements – such as the student protests in France, the Flamingo revolution in Albania, Cockroach party protests in India, or the Student List in Serbia – show that people are weary of half-measures and the existing establishment. The paradox of Fico lies in his unique strategy. He manages to remain the foremost systemic critic of Brussels’ supranational doctrines while being a key player in European politics. Fico deftly harnesses protest potential before it can turn against him.

This position is driven by a need to protect the country’s real economy. Slovakia relies heavily on exports, which account for around 90% of GDP, with the automotive industry being the cornerstone of the economy. This sector employs over 230,000 people, meaning that nearly 1 in 10 Slovak families depends on it directly. This established industry cannot be sustained by illusions of a green transition or even by Slovakia’s own nuclear power, since its costs remain tightly linked to fluctuating gas prices.

This is why Fico demonstrates remarkable flexibility in foreign policy matters, except when it comes to energy supplies from the East. This sets him apart from Vucic, who tried to maintain a delicate balance and compromise with Brussels, ultimately trapping himself in a web of sanctions, losing legitimacy among his patriotic electorate, and facing a significant electoral defeat. Fico learns from the mistakes of others and avoids half-measures entirely. Amid the wave of protests and strikes sweeping across Europe, his overt refusal to follow the EU’s general approach of replacing Russian energy resonates with ordinary Slovaks. People see Fico as a leader who is ready to defend national industries rather than abstract EU directives.

The glitch art of Slovak diplomacy 

On October 26, a Slovak delegation arrived in Moscow, illustrating Fico’s commitment to defending national interests. Behind the closed doors of the 22nd meeting of the intergovernmental commission, Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar and Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov focused exclusively on practical and vital issues for Bratislava.

As anticipated, energy security and the nuclear sector took center stage. Blanar signed final protocols ensuring stable resource supplies for Slovak energy companies and factories. Additionally, both sides strengthened cooperation in pragmatic areas such as agriculture and ecology, while also addressing culturally sensitive topics relevant to conservative Slovak voters, such as humanitarian issues and military memorials.

“We reject the construction of a new Iron Curtain between the EU and Russia, and we consider it of utmost importance – even during this challenging period – to maintain open lines of communication,” Blanar said in Moscow.

In summary, the resumption of the work of the intergovernmental commission should not be viewed as a concession to Russia. Fico understands that his political survival, along with that of his party in the September 2027 election, hinges not on the approval of the European elites or the slogans of Bratislava’s liberal street protesters. His fate will be determined in the factories of automotive giants and in the kitchens of ordinary Slovak families, where heating bills and job security take precedence over the geopolitical ambitions of Brussels.

The recent talks in Moscow can be seen as an effort to establish a protective shield over industry before the European energy crisis completely devastates Eastern Europe’s automotive sector.

Unlike Serbia, where the government fell victim to its own half-measures, Bratislava is betting on clarity. By turning down ‘paper’ compensation from Kiev, Fico offers his electorate tangible results. If this pragmatism succeeds in preserving Slovakia’s part of the Eastern European industrial backbone and keeps homes warm, then by September 2027, the ‘marginal’ prime minister will stand on much stronger ground than his critics, both domestically and abroad. Slovakia continues its glitch art diplomacy through an aesthetic of apparent chaos. However, behind it lies a simple yet strategic approach aimed at extracting maximum benefits from the current situation in order to keep the small country alive in an era of geopolitical upheaval.

Israel has continued committing “genocide” in Gaza despite last year’s US-brokered ceasefire, while also perpetrating crimes against humanity in the occupied West Bank, the UN Commission of Inquiry has concluded.

The October 10, 2025 truce was meant to end Israel’s Gaza offensive, which was launched after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack in which around 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage. The retaliatory campaign has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced most of Gaza’s population. Israel, however, has continued the strikes, accusing Hamas of ceasefire violations.

In a report published on Monday, the UN Commission of Inquiry accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians, including children, under “discriminatory” rules of engagement and with near-total impunity.

Since the ceasefire and by September 30, it claimed, Israeli attacks killed 1,431 Palestinians in Gaza, including 300 children and 130 women. Israeli forces also killed 1,080 Palestinians and injured 10,940 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since October 2023. The overall Palestinian death toll across the occupied territories, according to the report, now exceeds 75,000, including at least 21,500 children and 11,000 women.

“While Israeli authorities and security forces continue to commit genocide in Gaza, the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated drastically,” the commission said. It described military operations and settler violence as a “widespread and systematic attack” on civilians. They also documented rape, torture, and sexual violence intended to “fracture, expel, humiliate, and subjugate” Palestinians.

The findings build on the commission’s initial September 2025 conclusion that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians, citing four of the five genocidal acts under the 1948 Genocide Convention. International bodies, including Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, have also accused Israel of genocide.

Israel in denial

Israel has rejected the allegations of genocide and war crimes. Responding to the new report, its Geneva mission demanded the UN commission’s dissolution, accusing it of a “misinformation campaign to demonize the state of Israel and portray its very existence as criminal.” Ambassador Daniel Meron said the panel seeks “to undermine Israel’s legitimacy and deny its fundamental right to exist and defend itself.”

Meanwhile, members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition have called for control over Palestinian territory to be expanded. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Israel to seize Gaza and launch a similar operation in the West Bank.

“Yes, we need to wipe out Gaza, for example. Not commit genocide, God forbid,” he said, calling the enclave a “terror entity with 1.8 million Nazis” raised to hate Israel.

What happened to the ceasefire?

More than a year after the truce took effect, its next phase – reconstruction, governance arrangements, and further Israeli troop withdrawals – remains deadlocked over Hamas disarmament.

Hamas has said it will not surrender its weapons without a complete Israeli withdrawal and an end to strikes. Netanyahu has demanded full disarmament and the dismantling of Hamas infrastructure before further withdrawals.

The prime minister also acknowledged expanding military control beyond the original Yellow Line, which initially left Israel holding around 53% of Gaza. With Israeli forces now controlling more than 60%, Netanyahu has ordered the military to extend that to 70%.

Netanyahu faces election reckoning

The UN report came on the eve of Israel’s first parliamentary election since the October 7, 2023 attack, with Netanyahu facing growing scrutiny over security failures, a widening regional conflict, and legal troubles.

Over the past three years, Israel’s Gaza offensive has expanded into fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon and direct military clashes with Iran. Netanyahu has also faced allegations that he received advance warnings of the Hamas attack, which his office denies.

He is also on trial for corruption and faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, adding to the pressures surrounding his bid to retain power.

Final polls show a tight race between Netanyahu’s Likud and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party, which are projected to win 18-30 and 21-23 seats respectively. Neither bloc is assured the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

A German court has rejected an attempt to end the trial of Nord Stream bombing suspect Sergey Kuznetsov, after the defendant’s lawyers claimed that he cannot be convicted without a confession.

Kuznetsov, a Ukrainian military officer whom German prosecutors claim carried out the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines in 2022, stayed silent in the opening hearing of his trial earlier this month. As Kuznetsov was an active duty soldier at the time of the bombings, his legal team claimed that he cannot be forced to defend himself without divulging state secrets, and filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him.

The Higher Regional Court of Hamburg rejected the motion on Tuesday. “According to German law, the defendant is not restricted in his defense,” presiding Judge Anne Meier-Goring told the court, explaining that the terms of Kuznetsov’s service in Ukraine do not apply in Germany.

Kuznetsov is accused of causing an explosion, disrupting public utilities, property damage, and being an “accomplice to war crimes.” He has neither admitted nor denied carrying out the attack.

Prosecutors claim that he led a seven-person team into the Baltic Sea on a rented pleasure yacht and planted timed explosives on all four individual lines comprising the Nord Stream 1 and 2 projects, three of which completely destroyed the pipes. They did this, prosecutors allege, despite the well-documented limitations of the yacht and the logistical and technical difficulties in carrying out multiple deep-sea dives in a single night.

The case rests on a relatively flimsy body of evidence. Although Kuznetsov was allegedly seen in Germany prior to renting the yacht in Rostock, his fingerprints were not among those lifted from the vessel, and a phone call to his wife in which he defended the bombing as “an official military operation” is the closest thing to a confession that prosecutors can work with.

Russia maintains that the version of events presented in Hamburg is implausible from the outset. “Five people were sitting around drinking, having a laugh, and decided ‘Why don’t we blow up the Nord Stream pipelines?’ They had diving skills, allegedly hired a little boat, sailed to the place where the Nord Streams were passing, went down, planted explosives and detonated them,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented in 2024. “If someone can actually believe this version, then it’s only people who are afraid of the truth and are trying to protect the criminal Kiev regime in any way possible.”

American journalist Seymour Hersh has put forward an alternate theory. Citing sources in the intelligence community, Hersh claimed that CIA divers, working with the Norwegian Navy, used NATO’s June 2022 BALTOPS exercises in the Baltic Sea as cover to plant remotely-detonated explosives on the Nord Stream lines, which were triggered three months later with a sonar buoy.

Another lead came from a Danish harbormaster, who claimed in September 2024 that he had approached a US amphibious assault ship – with its transponder switched off – at the location of the pipelines five days before the explosions. The harbormaster claimed that he was ordered to turn away by the Danish Naval Operational Command and forbidden from discussing the incident.

His claims were never investigated. Denmark closed its investigation into the bombings seven months before the harbormaster came forward with his claims. 

Back in Hamburg, Kuznetsov’s trial is expected to run into the new year.

A phone call with the leaders of Finland and Norway’s with Russian President Vladimir Putin has exposed divisions among Ukraine’s European backers. Denmark criticized the initiative and Sweden complained that it had received no advance notice.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store contacted Putin on Tuesday ahead of renewed Russia-US-Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi next month. The leaders discussed efforts to resolve the conflict, as well as security and stability in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.

Most Western European leaders have shunned direct contact with Moscow since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, but now appear to be desperately seeking a seat at the negotiations table. Both Stubb and Store have been named as potential candidates to represent Brussels at the talks, but neither spoke on Europe’s behalf during Tuesday’s call.

Following the conversation, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen accused her Nordic colleagues of breaking ranks, saying she was “very skeptical about this Norwegian-Finnish initiative” because it had “not been coordinated with the rest of us.”

Frederiksen said Europe should stick together rather than go solo, doubting anything can be achieved through unilateral contacts with Moscow.

Her opposition to the diplomatic initiative comes as Copenhagen is backing Kiev’s efforts to expand its weapons production to Danish soil. Ukrainian arms manufacturer Fire Point plans to build a missile-fuel factory in Denmark.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also lamented that he had not been informed of the call to Putin beforehand and said he had “pretty low expectations for this kind of conversation.”

Western leaders have repeatedly faced backlash for contacting Putin or advocating direct talks with Moscow. Earlier this year, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever sparked a wave of backlash from his colleagues after arguing that Europe’s strategy of arming Kiev and sanctioning Russia had failed, leaving negotiations as the only viable option.

His comments elicited an immediate retort by EU Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas, who has consistently dragged the bloc down the warpath with Russia. She argued that normalizing ties with Moscow would lead to “more wars.” De Wever’s own foreign minister also described the move as “a signal of weakness.”

In 2024, then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also accused of opening a “Pandora’s box” by calling Putin, with Estonia and other Baltic states decrying contacts with Moscow a “strategic mistake.”

Russian officials have repeatedly accused European governments of prolonging the conflict and obstructing a settlement while demanding a place at the negotiating table. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in March that the EU had “completely discredited itself” as a mediator, citing its failure to uphold previous agreements and its support for deploying Western troops in Ukraine.

Moscow has nevertheless expressed willingness to engage with a European representative committed to negotiations. On Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a negotiator from Brussels would be welcome, but stressed that such a person would need to be “someone genuinely committed to facilitating a peaceful settlement.”

Russia’s agricultural exports to India soared in the first nine months of the year, powered by sunflower oil shipments, the Russian agency Agroexport has said, citing estimates.

The federal agency told Interfax that shipments had reached 1.3 million tons between January and September, an 11% surge in volumes

Sunflower oil exports formed the major chunk of exports, accounting for $1.2 billion of the total $1.45 billion of exports, despite recent disruptions caused by attacks on Black Sea ports.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict delayed 60,000 tons of sunflower oil shipments bound for India, forcing New Delhi to boost palm oil purchases ahead of its November festival season, according to local reports, citing traders.

🇷🇺🌾🇮🇳 $1.45BN In 9 Months: Russia’s Agri Exports To India Rise By 34% (Interfax) Moscow said shipments reached 1.3Mn tonnes between January and September 2026. Sunflower oil led exports at over $1.2Bn, followed by soybean oil at around $150Mn. https://t.co/GfjizIGk9l

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) October 27, 2026

Agroexport said the January-September shipment numbers were the second highest recorded after the previous 2.5 million tons clocked in 2024, amounting to trade worth $1.7 billion.

India and Russia have set a target of $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.

Bilateral trade has grown by more than 20% so far this year, Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said on Sunday. Volodin is also seeking the removal of trade barriers and expansion of joint ventures to aid this growth.

Moscow has boosted purchases of chemicals, electrical goods, medical equipment, seafood, tea, and spices from India.

Several Polish cities have suspended or are considering cutting ties with Ukraine’s Lviv Region over a proclamation honoring Ukrainian nationalist forces that collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II.

Last week, Lviv Region dedicated 2027 to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), its commander Roman Shukhevich and nationalist activist Oleg Olzhich. The militia is loathed in Poland over its role in the slaughter of tens of thousands of Polish civilians during World War II in pursuit of an ethnically homogeneous Ukrainian state.

The government of Vladimir Zelensky has distanced itself from the move, even though the Ukrainian leader played a direct role in selecting nationalist figures for state-organized reburial in Kiev earlier this year.

The Przemysl City Council voted unanimously on Monday to suspend its partnership with Lviv. All 21 participating councilors backed the measure, arguing that the commemoration insulted the memory of UPA victims and warranted steps toward terminating the partnership agreement signed in 1995. Mayor Wojciech Bakun said the council “will not remain indifferent to provocative and anti-Polish actions.”

Similar proposals have been raised in Krakow, Wroclaw and Lublin.

Lublin Mayor Krzysztof Zuk opposed severing ties with Lviv, arguing that while he considered “publicly honoring a formation whose units committed mass crimes against Polish civilians” unacceptable, the decision had been taken by the Lviv Regional Council rather than the separate municipal authorities of the city of Lviv.

The Lublin Voivodeship, by contrast, has terminated its partnership with Lviv Region.

The original proclamation has since disappeared from the regional council’s website, but no formal retraction has followed. Lviv Mayor Andrey Sadovy and the city council have not publicly taken a position on the controversy.

The Polish-Ukrainian row over historic grudges reignited in May, when Zelensky granted an elite Ukrainian military unit the honorific “of heroes of the UPA.” The Ukrainian leader was subsequently stripped of Poland’s highest state distinction, becoming only the second person to lose the award.

Ukraine has also moved this year to establish a national pantheon of prominent historical figures. Leaders associated with the UPA and its political movement, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, were the first selected for state reburial in January. Aleksandr Alferov, head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory said earlier this month that Zelensky personally determined the first five candidates.

The nationalist ideology associated with the OUN and UPA envisioned an authoritarian Ukrainian state headed by a supreme national leader-for-life and placed ethnic identity at the center of political life. Zelensky’s Jewish background would have disqualified him from the position under the proposed system.

Ukrainian ultranationalist militias played a critical role in the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014 and have since pushed for broader acceptance of their agenda. Moscow has cited legal restrictions affecting the Russian language and culture, as well as pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has spiritual ties to Moscow, as proof that modern Ukraine is captured by neo-Nazis.

Russia and African nations must work together to counter attempts by Western countries to undermine cooperation in the information sphere, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

Speaking to African journalists at the Russia-Africa Media Forum, Zakharova warned that outside powers seek to obstruct direct communication between Russia and African countries. She argued that restricting access to information and preventing independent exchanges between nations would deepen global inequality and reinforce divisions between countries.

“We must push back against this collectively... not individually, but by acting together,” she said.

Zakharova warned that efforts to limit international cooperation extend beyond the media sphere to cultural exchanges, energy, natural resources, and defense. 

“African countries were pressured, blackmailed, and at times even threatened – while simultaneously being offered certain ‘bonuses’. They were told: ‘Renounce your cooperation with Russia, vote against Russia in international organizations, and in return, you will receive loans, food supplies, or political support.’”

Zakharova thanked African nations for standing firm under pressure, adding that it is “not just support for... Russia. It is support for the principles of justice, equality, and international law, and a rejection of segregation, humiliation, and blackmail.”

She expressed gratitude to the journalists who traveled to Russia for the forum, noting that some participants faced intimidation, “while others were lured with alternative events... to keep them from coming to Russia.”

Russia has also accused Western countries of trying to discourage African leaders from attending the Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for October 28-29. In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov singled out France, saying President Emmanuel Macron would use a trip to Africa to persuade African leaders to not attend.

No major political bloc is projected to secure a parliamentary majority in Israel’s first election since the war with Hamas in Gaza broke out in 2023, according to exit polls released shortly after voting closed on Tuesday evening.

Exit polls by public broadcaster Kan 11 and commercial networks Channel 12 and Channel 13 project that the opposition bloc led by former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot will win 52–53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, compared with 50 for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc. Channel 15 projects that Netanyahu’s bloc will win 55 seats, compared with 49 for Eisenkot’s bloc.

A total of 61 seats is needed to secure a parliamentary majority and form a government.

Voter turnout has reached a five-decade high as Netanyahu faces a crucial test of public confidence amid political scandals, corruption allegations, and wars with Hamas and Iran.

Eisenkot is unlikely to significantly alter Israel’s military or foreign policies. Instead, he has positioned himself as a patriotic centrist, seeking to distinguish himself from Netanyahu, whose leadership has been overshadowed by corruption allegations and accusations of putting his political interests ahead of national priorities.

Before the attack, Netanyahu faced corruption probes and was sinking in the polls as protesters took to the streets to oppose his controversial judicial reforms. Although the attack and subsequent war on Gaza bought Netanyahu some political breathing space, his opponents are now questioning how the prime minister could have left Israel undefended on October 7, and whether he ignored forewarnings about the attack.

Netanyahu has also been condemned for putting his interests before Israel’s by attempting to push IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir into a new military operation on the eve of the election, according to a Channel 12 report. Former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has demanded that the prime minister be investigated on suspicion of treason over the allegation.

Rising defense spending, higher living costs, and wartime tax hikes have further eroded Netanyahu’s popularity. An October 21 Jerusalem Post analysis of four major surveys put Eisenkot’s Yashar party at an average of 22.5 seats, compared with 19.75 for Netanyahu’s Likud.

Once the official results are announced, Israel is likely to enter a lengthy period of political horse-trading, with Netanyahu’s far-right allies and Arab parties potentially playing a decisive role in determining the country’s next government.

This live coverage has ended.

African leaders and senior delegations continue to arrive in Moscow ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit, with the presidents of Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, and South Sudan among the latest arrivals.

Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo traveled with First Lady Constancia Mangue and reached Moscow on Monday.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir also landed that day, receiving a welcome from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki is also in the capital.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who arrived on Sunday, was offered ceremonial tea, bread, and salt in a traditional Russian welcome. He said his delegation would seek “tangible benefits,” including expanded industrial trade and jobs for young people.

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo is also in Moscow, where he met members of the Mozambican community on Monday. He pledged stronger support for students in Russia, including help with renewing documents and transferring funds, and plans to assign a dedicated official to assist them at Mozambique’s embassy.

Mali’s transitional president, Assimi Goita, received an official airport welcome on Monday before joining officials and members of the Malian diaspora at his residence. His visit includes talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mali’s government said in a statement.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama flew in from Ethiopia on Monday and was met by Russian officials and Ghana’s ambassador. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) on Tuesday, with a second to be conferred by the Russian University of Transport.

Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo was received at Domodedovo Airport by Russian Foreign Ministry official Anatoly Bashkin and Uganda’s ambassador. Representing President Yoweri Museveni, she highlighted cooperation in agro-industrialization, technology transfer, trade, and tourism.

Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb and his Burkinabe counterpart, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, have also arrived.

Moscow is also hosting the eighth Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit on Tuesday, with African delegations participating. Speaking to reporters at the forum’s ministerial meeting on Monday, Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev said Moscow was promoting a gas bank to provide long-term financing for gas infrastructure in Africa and other regions.

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Monday that delegations from 48 African countries, including 22 represented by heads of state, had confirmed participation in the October 28-29 Russia-Africa Summit. Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the African Union chair, will co-chair the gathering.

A video of Russia’s revamped, futuristic-looking Vostok Station in Antarctica has gone viral, with its elevated complex drawing comparisons to a sci-fi spaceship and a video game fortress.

Russia’s only operational inland Antarctic research station, Vostok, is around 3,500 meters above sea level and 1,400-1,500 km from the coast, in the planet’s notorious ‘Pole of Cold’. It holds the world record for the lowest directly measured air temperature – a bone-chilling -89.2 C (-128.6 F), recorded on July 21, 1983.

Footage posted on X on Saturday – which shows the station’s exterior painted in blue and the colors of the Russian flag, almost entirely cloaked in snow and frost – received over a million views in just two days before spreading to Instagram and Facebook.

“This place looks like it’s straight out of a sci-fi game! Just imagine: working there at a temperature of -89 C. Simply unbelievable,” one user wrote.

“It looks like Star Wars,” another person said. Others described the station as “otherworldly,” with a “Dune vibe” and an appearance “straight out of the Star Wars movies.” Some likened it to a fortress from the ‘Metal Gear Solid’ video game series.

Founded in 1957, the station received its futuristic makeover in 2024, replacing an aging complex largely buried under snow. Stretching 140 meters and rising up to 17.5 meters, the five-module complex stands on 36 three-meter-high supports to keep it above accumulating snow. Outside, crews face oxygen-poor air, extreme dryness, intense UV radiation, and around five months of polar darkness. Inside, however, it’s a different world.

Spanning over 3,000 square meters, the station houses up to 35 people in summer and 15 in winter, offering private rooms, laboratories, a gym, sauna, recreation areas, a medical center with an operating room, and other amenities. Insulation up to 95 cm thick, Russian-made heating and power systems, heat recovery, water recycling, and multiple backups help sustain operations, with food and fuel reserves sufficient for two years.

Vostok is a major scientific outpost operated by Russia’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. Researchers analyze ancient ice cores to trace Earth’s climate history, monitor extreme weather, cosmic rays, and the planet’s magnetic field, and study Lake Vostok – a vast freshwater lake sealed beneath nearly 4 km of ice for millions of years. The station’s isolation also makes it a testing ground for future space missions, while its historic drilling facility is protected under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty system, which reserves the continent for peace and science.

Indonesia is looking to secure gasoline supplies from India amid rising energy prices and friction with Singapore over toxic haze in the region from forest fires, according to reports.

Indonesian Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia is slated to visit India and China this week to secure more gasoline supplies, the Jakarta Globe reported. “I will travel to several countries, including India and China, to ensure supplies,” Lahadalia said in Jakarta. 

Singapore, a major refining hub in the Southeast Asian region, accounted for half of Indonesia’s gasoline needs and supplied 28.36% of its oil and gas imports in the first half of 2026. However, Indonesia slashed its piped gas exports to the city state last week, days after Jakarta slammed neighboring countries that had complained about haze from intense forest fires on its territory.

The cuts have led to tensions between the two countries. Singapore depends on imported natural gas for about 95% of its electricity generation. The city state has not resorted to any retaliatory action, but its foreign minister is visiting Indonesia on Tuesday.

Jakarta is also facing severe fuel supply ​disruptions across its provinces, due to surging demand and distribution bottlenecks, apart from geopolitical uncertainties, Reuters reported.

Indonesia is not the first country to look toward India for its fuel needs amid the global oil crunch. Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio termed India a “refining superpower” as Washington sought to tap New Delhi’s oil refining capabilities to cool global fuel prices.

Indian refineries, especially the Jamnagar refinery complex owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, are configured to process both Russian and Venezuelan heavy crude. The latter, especially, is considered key to lowering global fuel diesel prices, as it yields a higher volume of the fuel.

India has demanded equal veto rights for all permanent members of an expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC), warning that creating a second tier of permanent seats would reinforce existing inequalities in the global body.

New Delhi opposes proposals for long-term membership without veto powers, which would create “second-class” members while preserving the authority of the existing five, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, said during talks about reforming the UN in New York on Monday.

The Security Council currently has five permanent members – Russia, China, the US, the UK, and France – with veto powers, alongside ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. The council’s only expansion, in 1965, increased the number of elected seats from six to ten without changing its permanent membership.

In 1997, the then-UN General Assembly President Razali Ismail of Malaysia proposed expanding the Council, including adding five more permanent members but without veto powers.

“Fairness and justice demand that all permanent members enjoy the same rights and responsibilities,” Parvathaneni said, reiterating that veto powers must extend to new permanent members as long as the system exists.

📹 No Second-Class Permanent Seats: India Demands Veto Parity In Reformed UN Security Council Ambassador P. Harish emphasized that New Delhi’s position remains firmly aligned with the Common African Position, insisting that basic fairness and justice demand identical rights and obligations for all permanent members.

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) October 27, 2026

The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than 60% of the world’s population, but has only one permanent seat; Africa and Latin America remain without permanent representation. The African Union formally presented its reform model, which calls for at least two permanent UNSC seats for Africa, carrying veto rights, earlier this year.

India and its G4 partners – Brazil, Germany, and Japan – have also called for negotiations on expanding both permanent and non-permanent membership.

The reform push has received backing from Russia. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s support for permanent seats for India and Brazil during the UN General Assembly in September, calling for greater representation of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Changes to the UN Charter would require ratification by two-thirds of UN members, including all five existing permanent members.

In Brazil, the incumbent left-wing president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – known simply as Lula – has decisively won a dramatic run-off election against his challenger from the right – and US favorite – Flavio Bolsonaro. As his de facto sponsor, US President Donald Trump, has signaled that he won’t openly intervene, Bolsonaro, after initially refusing to concede, had to effectively accept the result.

A result that we can call historic even now. In terms of the domestic politics of Brazil, it confirms Lula as a master politician and major statesman. Heading into his fourth term, he has defied his age as well as vicious American attempts to undermine him by economic warfare, sanctions, and social-media foul play.

Lula has also broken the traditional patterns of Brazilian presidential elections. Before he won the second round, he lost the first one; a comeback victory had never happened before and seemed improbable. Now, thanks to a rapid revamping of his campaign, including a belated discovery of social media, and a surge in voter mobilization across the whole country, Lula is the first one to pull it off.

For Brazil, this was a fateful election that could have turned fatal. If Bolsonaro had won, the country would certainly have lost its sovereignty to a policy of enthusiastic subordination to America’s Donroe Doctrine. What has been imposed by violence and treason on Venezuela would have been achieved by elections under pressure in Brazil. It would have joined the recent Latin American shift to the right and deeper submission to Washington.

It is almost as certain that Flavio Bolsonaro would also have found ways to end democracy at home. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, already tried. No member of the powerful Bolsonaro clan has ever uttered a word of regret for Bolsonaro’s proven coup attempt. On the contrary, Flavio and his now US-based brother, Eduardo, have been out for revenge. Add Flavio’s nasty reputation of connections to organized crime and even death squads, acknowledged even by the reliably right-wing Economist, and his victory could have spelled doom for many Brazilians.

Many bullets – some quite literal – were dodged. Yet surviving danger is different from conclusive victory. This has not happened. Lula’s victory is solid, outdistancing Bolsonaro by well over three percentage points, but this does not change the fact that the latter still won over 48% of the vote. Bolsonarism has been defeated but not crushed.

The same holds true for the biggest and most dangerous ally of the Bolsonaro clan, Washington. There is no doubt that the US has suffered a setback, most of all in geopolitical terms. Its project to lock Latin America into the cage of Donroe Doctrine imperialism has taken a hit.

And that hit is painful, for Brazil is Washington’s central target in South America. By location, size, demography, and economic performance, as well as potential, Brazil is so important that no revamped American ‘backyard’ empire will ever be complete without it.

Consider a few basic indicators. According to the World Bank, Brazil has a population of 213 million, which makes it the seventh-most-populous country in the world. It is also thoroughly urbanized, with almost 90% of the population living in towns and cities. It is technologically advanced, with almost 93% of Brazilians having access to at least 3G and almost 85% using the internet.

Economic metrics are notoriously tricky and difficult to compare, but Brazil clearly has the largest economy in South America. Globally, it also ranks high. The International Monetary Fund projects its 2026 GDP (adjusted for purchasing power) to reach almost $5.3 trillion, which makes it the eight-largest national economy in the world, leaving behind, for instance, the UK, France, South Korea, and closer to home, Mexico.

Brazil also has substantial reserves of crude oil and is the single biggest oil producer in South America. Bringing these riches under US control and adding them to what Washington is currently trying to loot from Venezuela would have been a wet dream for both American geostrategists and business. Especially as around half of Brazil’s oil production is currently being sold to China, America’s most feared rival.

More importantly, China is Brazil’s most important trade partner by far. Chinese-Brazilian trade is at record levels and growing, while Brazil is the top destination for Chinese foreign direct investment. The Donroe Doctrine was designed not just to restore US domination in Latin America, but specifically to keep China out.

And if all of the above is not irritating enough for the hemispheric empire fans in Washington, Brazil is also a major power in the realm of critical minerals. Indeed, according to American data, Brazil’s reserves of critical minerals rank second behind China and far outdistance those of runners-up, such as India and Australia, not to mention the US itself.

Add to this the fact that Lula’s Brazil has also been a main player in BRICS, the projects of multipolarity and dethroning the dollar, and the resistance to Israel and its crimes, including genocide against the Palestinians, and Washington could not be more eager to subdue this giant thorn in what it considers its southern underbelly.

What a prize to win! And to lose. For now, the US has lost. But precisely because Brazil is so crucial, Washington will not give up. On the contrary, the strong showing of its favorite, Flavio Bolsonaro, and the fact that his party will dominate the Brazilian Congress, will only harden America’s resolve, with numerous opportunities to sow division, subversion, and dirty regime-change tricks yet to be exploited.

Brazil has won a vital reprieve. But the struggle is not over. The empire will strike back. It always does. This means that Lula and his domestic allies will have to continue and broaden the modernization of their approach that started during the second round, for instance, by pursuing a consistent policy of securing Brazilian sovereignty in the social media sphere. It also means that Brazil’s friends in the world, especially those equally invested in the project of multipolarity, such as China and Russia, must think very hard about how to support Brazil more against US pressure.

A Ukrainian drone strike on a passenger bus bound for Moscow has killed one person and wounded several others, according to Evgeny Balitsky, the governor of Russia’s Zaporozhye Region, where the attack took place.

The attack was reported on Tuesday morning near the town of Primorsk, on the Sea of Azov between the towns of Melitopol and Berdyansk. The area, which Ukraine claims as its territory, lies within the zone of so-called “middle strikes,” where Ukrainian forces have regularly launched drone attacks on purported Russian military and logistics targets using the Starlink satellite system for guidence.

Balitsky said 31 people were aboard the bus, which was traveling from Simferopol, the capital of the Crimean Republic, to Moscow. He said the wounded were taken to hospital, while other survivors were provided with food and accommodation.

The incident comes amid a dispute between Kiev and Elon Musk over Ukraine’s use of his Starlink satellite communications network for military purposes.

Musk has accused Ukraine of abusing Starlink for deadly “middle strike” operations, saying the system was intended as a civilian communications service rather than an offensive military tool. He contrasted it with Starshield, SpaceX’s military-oriented satellite service developed for US government customers.

Media reports and statements by officials have offered conflicting accounts of whether Kiev has direct access to Starshield or relies primarily on civilian Starlink terminals. Kiev has accused Musk and US President Donald Trump of imposing speed restrictions on Starlink terminals that effectively prevented their use on fast-moving platforms involved in middle strikes. Russian media reported a sharp decline in such attacks this month.

While the Ukrainian military depends heavily on Starlink communications, it has other means of conducting strikes deep inside Russia, where Starlink does not normally operate. Long-range drones and missiles can follow pre-programmed routes and use AI-driven final stage guidance to strike Russian energy infrastructure and other stationary targets.

The Starlink dispute has unfolded amid wider tensions between Washington and Kiev over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities. The Trump administration has repeatedly asked Kiev to curb strikes on refineries amid concerns about rising fuel prices, while Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has rejected claims that Ukraine’s campaign is contributing to the increase.

Global energy markets are under pressure from several factors, including the US war on Iran, the Ukraine conflict and depleted strategic reserves amid tight crude supplies.

US artificial intelligence giant Anthropic has formally filed for a potentially record-breaking initial public offering (IPO), according to regulatory documents. The developer of the Claude chatbot could become the first publicly traded company focused primarily on advanced AI models, even as it warns that its own technology could threaten humanity.

The San Francisco-based company submitted its public registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday, revealing plans to list on Nasdaq under the ticker ANT. The offering could take place as early as November, although its size and share price have yet to be announced.

“The advent of machine intelligence is one of the seminal moments in human history,” Anthropic declared in its prospectus, presenting AI as a technology capable of transforming the global economy.

The company is reportedly seeking a valuation of up to $2 trillion and could raise as much as $100 billion, potentially surpassing the record set by Elon Musk’s SpaceX earlier this year. The figures remain preliminary and were not confirmed in the public filing.

SpaceX completed the largest IPO in history in June, raising $85.7 billion at a valuation of around $1.8 trillion. However, the record-breaking listing drew criticism over its lofty valuation. Investment research firm Morningstar estimated the company’s fair value at just $63 per share, less than half its $135 IPO price.

Similar questions are emerging over Anthropic’s valuation. The company reported $16.3 billion in revenue in the first half of 2026 but posted a net loss of $80.7 billion, largely driven by accounting adjustments. Its IPO filing also disclosed hundreds of billions of dollars in future infrastructure commitments, raising concerns about whether its rapid growth can justify a valuation of up to $2 trillion.

The company itself has warned that its business is highly capital-intensive and that it may never achieve sustained profitability. Its prospectus also acknowledges intense competition, uncertain demand, and the possibility that the enormous sums invested in computing infrastructure may not generate sufficient returns.

Anthropic’s IPO prospectus also contains stark warnings about the technology underpinning the company’s business. Around 80 pages of the 261-page filing are devoted to risk factors, with the company admitting that advanced AI could “pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.”

The dangers outlined include the use of AI to develop biological and chemical weapons, the loss of human control over increasingly powerful systems, and lasting damage to human mental health and cognitive abilities. Anthropic also acknowledged that its own AI models have displayed behavior resembling blackmail and resistance to shutdown during testing.

The warnings follow a string of incidents involving rogue AI agents, including an Anthropic model submitting a false homicide tip to police and OpenAI agents disabling safety monitors and hacking external systems.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, discussing efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday.

The conversation was initiated by the Finnish and Norwegian sides and followed last week’s meetings involving US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg, and the Oslo discussions between Stubb, Store, and Vladimir Zelensky.

The Kremlin said the Nordic leaders welcomed the agreement to resume trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. The negotiations will address security arrangements for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends, among other issues.

During the phone call, Putin emphasized the root causes of the Ukraine conflict, stating that a just and lasting peace requires Russia’s legitimate interests to be fully and unconditionally taken into account.

He also criticized the confrontational policies of EU and NATO countries, saying they are prolonging the fighting.

The three leaders also discussed security and stability in the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe. According to the Kremlin, Stubb and Store reaffirmed the importance of upholding international maritime law and the principle of freedom of navigation.

Putin also informed his Nordic counterparts of the start of a US-mediated humanitarian operation near Alyoshki in Kherson Region, Russia, with a temporary ceasefire introduced in the area.

The conversation ended with a mutual agreement to maintain direct telephone contact, the Kremlin said.

The call was a rare direct exchange between Putin and European leaders, most of whom have shunned contact with Moscow since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Stubb described Tuesday’s phone call with Putin as “frank and substantive,” stressing the importance of direct discussions. “We are neighboring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security.”

Store also emphasized that good relations with Moscow are important for Norway’s security and said that Oslo will work to maintain friendly ties with its neighbor, with which it shares an expansive maritime border.

The two Nordic leaders said they took part in the call as leaders of their countries and were not speaking on behalf of Europe. They added that the call was held in consultation with Ukraine to convey its position ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks, and vowed to continue to support Kiev.

Western media outlets are increasingly spreading anti-Russian narratives in Africa, Mayya Nikolskaya has told RT.

Speaking ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, head of a research program at the Institute for International Studies at Russia’s MGIMO University, pointed to CNN, BBC, RFI and France 24 as examples of Western broadcasters whose coverage has shifted away from development initiatives toward criticism of Moscow. 

“They [Western media] used to focus more on development projects, now they’re talking mostly just about how Russia is bad,” she said, suggesting that this creates opportunities for Russian media to offer alternative perspectives.

Nikolskaya also criticized France’s approach to Africa, arguing that Paris had become an increasingly unpopular partner in African states.

“There is a far-reaching consensus in the policy advice circles that Paris is currently very toxic, quote-unquote,” she noted.

According to the expert, former colonial powers must rethink their relations with Africa and consider “not just what they can take from Africa but also what they can give it.” She added that African nations now have greater freedom to choose international partners, including Russia and China, based on their own priorities.

Nikolskaya made the remarks during the Russia-Africa Media Forum, which opened in Moscow on Monday. Organized by RT in cooperation with Sputnik and TASS, the event brought together more than 200 media professionals and experts from 46 African countries to discuss media cooperation and Africa’s representation in international news coverage.

The forum comes ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for October 28-29 in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to co-chair the plenary session with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chair.

US President Donald Trump has offered a $1 million reward for reporting voter fraud in past elections or the upcoming November 3 midterms, provided the tip leads to an arrest and conviction.

Trump announced the offer on Truth Social on Monday, repeating it to reporters ahead of a rally in Corinth, Mississippi.

“Anybody reporting Voter Fraud in the past Elections, or the upcoming 2026 Midterm Election, will be paid $1,000,000 upon the arrest and conviction of those that created the Fraud!” he wrote.

Trump did not say where the money would come from, who would distribute it, or how to report suspected fraud. The White House did not immediately respond to media requests for clarification.

.@POTUS: "I'm also going to be issuing a million dollar bonus or reward or whatever you want to call it for anybody that reports voter fraud, leading to the arrest and conviction of somebody." https://t.co/yLODH4eb0k pic.twitter.com/LZyED3wnyS

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 26, 2026

The promise sparked legal questions online, with critics pointing out that Trump cannot simply hand out taxpayer money without congressional approval. Some joked the scheme could end up costing more than the Pentagon’s budget.

“If I do voter fraud and then report myself am I eligible for the 1 million dollars?” one user quipped.

“I’m forcing my partner to vote twice so I can report the transgression and get the money. What an opportunity!” another wrote.

@RapidResponse47 @mrddmia Let’s go!!! “Hello, voter fraud hotline.” 🗳️ https://t.co/jQz6Dc1a5B

— WhatDidYouSay (@NoFilterMeSorry) October 26, 2026

Trump has long alleged widespread election fraud, notably refusing to accept his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden and repeatedly calling the vote “rigged” and “stolen.”

He and his supporters filed more than 60 lawsuits challenging the results, virtually all dismissed or rejected for lack of evidence – including by Trump-appointed judges. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency found no evidence of fraud capable of changing the outcome, while Trump’s own attorney general at the time, William Barr, publicly rejected his claims.

The million-dollar bounty adds to Trump’s growing list of cash incentives ahead of the midterms, as Republicans fight to keep Congress. The biggest carrot so far was his proposed $5,000 ‘Trump Dividend’ for every American adult citizen if Republicans retain both chambers. Announced at a Republican gathering in Dallas last month, the giveaway would cost roughly $1.3 trillion for an estimated 260 million adults, drawing bipartisan criticism. Trump has suggested congressional approval might not be necessary, although lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, and policy analysts say such a massive payout would require legislation and congressional funding.

Trump has also cheered a separate multibillion-dollar giveaway by ally Elon Musk, who promised every US child a share of SpaceX next year. The pledge followed Musk’s renewed backing of Trump and the Republicans after their public feud last year over the president’s spending legislation. According to the New York Times, Musk has donated more than $276 million to Republican groups since July, bringing his 2025-2026 election-cycle contributions to roughly $366 million.

The cash promises come as Trump’s ratings sink amid frustration over the prolonged Iran conflict, gasoline topping $6 a gallon, and persistent inflation despite his pledges to cut living costs, while Republicans face increasingly grim midterm prospects. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week put his approval at 31% – the lowest of either presidential term – with Democrats leading Republicans 47% to 35% among registered voters on a hypothetical congressional ballot. A separate New York Times/Siena University poll put Trump’s approval at a record-low 36% among likely voters, with Democrats ahead by 11 points in congressional races, 52% to 41%.

Republicans currently hold a slim 218-214 House majority and a 53-47 Senate advantage. However, polls indicate they face unexpectedly tight Senate races in Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Alaska, and Ohio – all states Trump comfortably carried in 2024. Democrats need a net gain of four seats in both the House and Senate to take control.

Ukraine has asked five European nations to release 10% of their interceptor missile stockpiles to ease the shortage of air defense ammunition.

Defense Minister Evgeny Khmara presented the proposal by video on Monday to his counterparts from France, Germany, Italy, and the UK, and Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski, who met in Paris. He said their Patriot and IRIS-T stocks can be replenished from future deliveries contracted for Ukraine with foreign funding.

Khmara floated a similar proposal for advance deliveries of Patriots last month. Kiev also accused Washington of delaying deliveries of the interceptors. US officials cited the competing military needs of their own forces and denied any change in policy toward Ukraine.

The five countries’ joint statement made no commitment to supply additional interceptors, though they reiterated their support for Ukraine “by all available means – politically, militarily and financially.”

Poland and the Netherlands have said they have no Patriot missiles to spare; Greece has warned that aid must not undermine its own defenses. Germany, a key donor, has pledged additional older PAC-2 interceptors from its military stocks. Other European countries have reportedly held back PAC-3 missiles to preserve their own reserves.

The shortage comes amid an escalating exchange of long-range strikes. Kiev intensified drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and retail warehouses over the summer in what Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky called a “40-day pressure campaign.” Russia has said its increased strikes on Ukrainian targets are retaliation. Ukrainian forces are struggling to intercept Russian ballistic missiles and faster, jet-powered long-range drones.

Kiev is also seeking additional financial support after overspending this year. Zelensky has asked European donors for at least €70 billion ($78 billion) to cover military and budget needs; Western governments are struggling to agree on how to finance additional aid.

The EU, which borrowed €90 billion ($100 billion) last year to prop up the government in Kiev for 2026-2027, is facing tensions among member states, with the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia saying they won’t take part in a potential new loan proposed by the European Commission.

When it comes to media in all its formats, Africa does not lack voices. It has thousands of newspapers, radio stations, television channels and digital platforms. What it often lacks is equal power to shape international conversations about its own affairs, and the resources to ensure that African perspectives reach audiences beyond the continent. The real challenge is who sets the agenda, the background and chooses the frames through which events are understood, breaking out of the stereotypes. And above all, who decides which voices deserve to be heard.

There is an important distinction between challenging an unequal international media landscape and achieving genuine media independence. The real test of the emerging Russia–Africa media cooperation will be whether it strengthens African media institutions’ ability to investigate, hold power to account and tell stories on their own terms.

Research published by the European Council on Foreign Relations in October 2025 reported that more than 1,000 African journalists had completed RT Africa training courses across 35 countries. Although the report presents this as part of Russia’s expanding media influence on the continent, the figure illustrates the reach of RT’s professional engagement with African journalists. It does not, however, establish that the journalists share Moscow’s political objectives or are becoming Russian mouthpieces. Far from it.

Separately, BBC Monitoring reported, citing the South African Institute of International Affairs, that as many as 4,000 African news websites republish content from RT and Sputnik, a Russian news agency. This is an estimate of the network’s potential reach, not a measure of audience size or editorial allegiance.

However, the underlying issue is not simply whether Russian media are gaining a foothold in Africa, but whether greater access to international content and training can strengthen African journalism’s independence. Research by Africa No Filter, analyzing 60 African news outlets across 15 countries in 2020, found that approximately one-third of stories in the surveyed outlets about Africa were sourced from non-African news services. The findings point to a structural problem: African newsrooms often rely on external sources to cover the continent itself simply because they lack the means to do the field work themselves.

A 2024 Global Media Index for Africa, produced by the University of Cape Town, South Africa, in partnership with Africa No Filter and The Africa Center, analyzed more than 1,000 articles published by 20 international news organizations over six months.

Its findings offer grounds for questioning how major Western outlets portray the continent. Africa is covered through a narrow set of crises, while the lives, ideas and achievements of its people receive less international attention.

The Washington Post, for example, scored just 29% for diversity of topics, while the Wall Street Journal covered the fewest African countries among the outlets assessed, with a score of 31%. The study also found that reporting across the sample privileged political and business elites over ordinary Africans.

The relationship between media and power has a long history that predates today’s digital platforms and geopolitical competition. During the era of slavery and European colonial expansion, newspapers helped shape how readers understood Africa, its people and the economic systems, built around their exploitation. Their positions were not uniform: some publications campaigned against slavery, while others defended the interests of enslavers or opposed more radical demands for emancipation. The Manchester Guardian, for example, supported abolition but also argued that enslavers should be compensated for losing “their property.”

This reveals a wider contradiction: abolition was championed even as the interests of slaveholders and traders were protected. The historical question, therefore, is not whether all Western media defended slavery or colonialism, but how economic and political power shaped the stories told about Africa – and whose voices were given authority. Literal slavery is here being minimized as a human issue in the first place.

The same question of whose perspective shapes the story is relevant to contemporary demands for reparative justice. African and Caribbean governments and campaigners have long argued that slavery and colonial rule were systems whose consequences continue to shape economic and social inequalities. Yet these demands can be presented in international coverage primarily as disputes over money, political controversy or diplomatic embarrassment, rather than as challenges to the historical and legal foundations of the present order.

Jamaica’s September 2026 petition to King Charles III offers a concrete example. It asked the King to refer questions about the legality of the enslavement of Africans, possible breaches of international law and Britain’s obligation to provide a remedy to the Privy Council; it did not demand a specified payment. Nevertheless, some coverage framed the issue around the prospect of a multibillion-dollar bill, prompting Jamaica’s culture minister to stress that the petition was about legal questions, not a monetary claim.

This is where Russia-Africa media cooperation can be assessed by more than the number of journalists trained or alternative outlets made available. Challenging Western dominance of international news is not, by itself, the same as securing media independence. Russian media can offer African audiences and journalists perspectives that differ from those of Western outlets, but the same scrutiny must apply to their ownership, funding, editorial priorities and relationship with political power. The meaningful measure of cooperation is whether it helps African newsrooms develop the professional freedom to investigate their own governments, question foreign partners and report beyond the narratives promoted by either side.

Maybe what should be ask is this: not whether Africa should choose between Western and Russian narratives, but whether African journalists have the freedom to develop their own narratives, bring home know-how and strengthen their media institutions at home. That requires investment in African-owned media, stronger local news networks and editorial independence from both foreign powers and domestic authorities.

Africa’s media landscape should no longer be viewed through the prism of Cold War rivalries, in which facts risk being distorted to serve one side at the expense of the truth. Nor should Western media dominance, with its persistent stereotypes and narrow framing of the continent, remain the norm. Africa does not need another outside power to speak for it; it needs the conditions in which its own journalists can be heard, taken seriously and trusted to hold power to account. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will host 22 African leaders at the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow this week for talks spanning economic cooperation, energy, and global affairs, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov has said.

Putin’s schedule includes 24 bilateral meetings across the Russia-Africa gathering and Tuesday’s eighth Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit, Ushakov told reporters on Monday.

Five are scheduled for Tuesday, with the presidents of Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, and Iran, as well as Qatar’s emir and Libya’s Presidential Council chairman. Another 11 are planned for Friday, including talks with representatives of Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, DR Congo, Togo, Eritrea, Somalia, and Comoros.

Ushakov said the discussions will emphasize “national sovereignty and fair access to food, resources, fertilizers, and modern technologies,” adding: “We have a busy... extremely packed week ahead.”

According to the Kremlin aide, delegations from 48 of Africa’s 54 countries have confirmed that they will take part in the October 28-29 gathering. Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the African Union chair, will co-chair the summit at the Grand Kremlin Palace.

He said the Russia-Africa summit will adopt a cooperation action plan for 2027-2029 and two declarations, one setting out joint positions and the other covering cooperation in AI. Another 33 intergovernmental, interagency, and commercial documents are set to be signed with African countries.

The accompanying Economic and Humanitarian Forum will cover agriculture, energy, mining, finance, and technology, with around 4,000 Russian and African entrepreneurs invited.

The gathering follows the 2019 Sochi summit, attended by 43 African heads of state or government, and the 2023 St. Petersburg summit, which drew delegations from 48 African countries, including 17 heads of state. Russia completed the delivery of 200,000 metric tons of free grain to six African countries in February 2024, fulfilling Putin’s pledge at the 2023 summit, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that Western governments are attempting to pressure African states, including through financial blackmail, to deter them from attending the Moscow summit. Russia has positioned itself as a strategic ally to African countries, with governments across the continent seeking closer ties in education, energy, and security despite Western criticism.

Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop defended his country’s partnership during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s February 2023 visit to Bamako, saying, “We are not going to continue to justify our choice of partners.”

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who is in Moscow for the Russia-Africa summit, reaffirmed his country’s nonaligned foreign policy in London last week, saying partnerships should deliver investment and fair returns rather than being determined by competition among outside powers.

India’s imports of Middle Eastern crude have surged to more than half of its total oil purchases, as steep Gulf discounts and soaring freight costs make Russian supplies less competitive for Indian refiners.

Middle Eastern crude accounted for 54% of India’s oil imports in September, up from 32% in August, while Russia’s share fell to 33.5% from 46.6%, according to ship-tracking data reported by Reuters. Russia nevertheless remained India’s largest individual oil supplier.

The shift is reflected in purchases by state-owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), which expects Russian crude volumes to decline significantly in November. Russian oil accounted for around 37% of BPCL’s crude sourcing during July-September.

India increased Russian oil purchases when the US-Iran war disrupted Middle Eastern supplies. However, Gulf shipments have since recovered to prewar levels, with producers offering steep discounts to attract buyers.

The conflict has driven up global tanker rates, making the longer voyages from Russian ports increasingly expensive. Average crude freight costs have risen nearly sevenfold over the past year, from around $3 per barrel to more than $20, according to Goldman Sachs. The bank cited war-risk premiums, higher fuel expenses, and costly ship-to-ship transfers.

Freight costs for Russian Urals crude shipped to Asia reached around $30 per barrel or more in early October. Transporting a tanker shipment from Russia’s Black Sea ports to India currently costs $27 million-$30 million, compared with approximately $19 million in September, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, some Iraqi cargoes are being offered at discounts exceeding $25 per barrel against the Dubai benchmark before shipping, while selected Saudi shipments have been discounted by as much as $10, Bloomberg reported, citing traders. Russian crude, which previously sold at steep discounts, was being offered at around a $2 premium to the separate Dated Brent benchmark.

“Due to the increase in freight, we are not getting good offers from Russia,” BPCL finance director Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta told analysts on Monday.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), another state-owned oil company, is also adjusting its procurement strategy, increasingly buying crude on a delivered-price basis to manage shipping costs. HPCL Chairman Vikas Kaushal also confirmed that Gulf producers are offering discounts to offset the elevated freight rates.

Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday that Middle Eastern supplies are increasing, and noted that Russian oil purchases depend on pricing and discounts compared with other grades.

Asked whether Washington had pressured India to reduce Russian oil imports, Puri said, “I never felt anything.”

European natural gas prices have surged to their highest level in four years amid the Iran war and the EU’s continued push to phase out Russian energy, according to data from online aggregator Trading Economics.

On Monday, wholesale prices briefly surpassed €97 ($108) per megawatt-hour, reaching levels not seen since December 2022. The increase came as gas storage facilities in the EU were just 74.62% full as of October 25, well below seasonal averages.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which accounted for around a fifth of global LNG trade before the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran earlier this year, remained around 80% below pre-conflict levels.

Some EU countries have already begun drawing on stored gas as temperatures drop. Trading Economics forecasts that European gas prices will reach €98.20 per megawatt-hour by the end of the fourth quarter of 2026.

In the UK, the month-ahead gas contract rose by 4% to its highest level since December 2022, according to The Guardian. Brent crude, which climbed to $117 per barrel last week, has since eased slightly but remains at around $115.

British households could face a 27% increase in energy bills in January, pushing the average annual dual-fuel bill to nearly £2,200 ($2,940), according to a forecast by energy supplier EDF. An earlier forecast by Cornwall Insight projected a 16% increase to £2,000.

In August, The Guardian reported mounting concerns in the EU over low gas storage levels and soaring prices ahead of winter. In September, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen warned that the bloc faces its worst energy crisis since 2022.

In mid-October, German media reported that Berlin plans to make households and businesses pay for a national emergency gas reserve costing more than €3 billion over ten years. The government-controlled stockpile would be reserved for emergencies, including sabotage and infrastructure failures, rather than being used to lower gas prices.

The opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party called for energy ties with Russia to be restored, following US President Donald Trump’s example. On October 13, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said Germany should seek its own diesel deal with Russia, praising Trump’s agreement with the country as a pragmatic approach.

Following the EU’s sweeping sanctions on Russia in 2022, the bloc experienced one of its worst energy crises in decades. Gas prices soared above €300 per megawatt-hour, driving up costs for industries and households and contributing to surging inflation.

The EU has continued its efforts to phase out Russian energy. While Russia accounted for around 45% of EU gas imports in 2021, the share fell to around 12% by 2025.

Moscow has described the EU’s efforts to sever energy ties with Russia as “suicidal.” Last week, Russian presidential investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev argued that the bloc would eventually have to restore ties because “cooperation with Russia economically will be inevitable.”

Dmitriev blamed the EU’s problems, including high energy costs, on its leaders, saying they refuse to acknowledge and correct their mistakes.

A ‘Russian breakfast’ featuring traditional national dishes could soon appear on menus at hotels, cafes, and restaurants across the country, under a proposal by Moscow’s Industry and Trade Ministry.

In a document published on Monday, the ministry noted that hotels and restaurants typically offer international options, such as full English, continental, and French breakfasts, while largely overlooking local culinary traditions.

As a result, domestic tourists are often deprived of familiar morning meals, while foreign visitors have no opportunity to experience the country’s cuisine, the ministry said.

“This situation has a negative impact on tourism: Research shows that interest in local cuisine is one of the key factors people consider when choosing a country or region to visit,” it said.

“As a cultural and gastronomic phenomenon, the Russian breakfast does not merely exist – it is genuinely authentic and possesses clearly recognizable characteristics.”

The proposed menu could feature blini (thin pancakes), syrniki (pan-fried cottage cheese cakes), porridge, meat and fish dishes, and caviar. Suggested drinks include herbal teas, berry-based fruit beverages, and kvass, a fizzy fermented drink traditionally made from rye bread.

Participation would be voluntary, with establishments encouraged to expand their existing offerings rather than replacing international favorites.

The ministry also suggested creating a special ‘Russian breakfast’ emblem to help hotels, cafes, and restaurants identify and promote traditional dishes.

The initiative aims to showcase the country’s culinary heritage, attract tourists, and support domestic food producers.

A temporary ceasefire around the frontline town of Alyoshki in Kherson Region, Russia has taken effect to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians, the Russian Defense Ministry announced.

According to a brief statement by the ministry, the ceasefire began at 4:00 AM Moscow time on Tuesday “in preparation for a humanitarian operation.”

General Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s chief of the General Staff, said last week that military engineers would conduct reconnaissance and ensure “the safe passage of a humanitarian convoy” into the town. The Ukrainian General Staff also confirmed last week that it would observe the truce.

The Russian authorities estimate that 1,500 to 2,000 civilians remain trapped in Alyoshki, on the left bank of the Dnieper River opposite the Ukrainian-held city of Kherson. The town has been largely cut off from supplies for months, with Ukrainian shelling and drone strikes preventing regular aid deliveries, according to Russian officials.

Ukraine has accused Russia of preventing civilians from leaving the embattled town. However, people who escaped told RT earlier this month that Alyoshki was effectively under siege by Ukrainian forces, which they said carried out constant attacks.

From October 19-26 alone, Ukrainian forces carried out 18 artillery strikes and more than 120 drone strikes on Alyoshki and its main access roads, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. 

Russian officials also said Ukrainian forces used drones to drop mines on roads leading to Alyoshki, further hampering supply deliveries.

The ceasefire was brokered with the help of Pope Leo XIV and US First Lady Melania Trump, who warned that the town was “on the brink of disaster.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the humanitarian truce, if successful, “could set a precedent” for other areas.

Jordan carried out airstrikes on what it described as terrorist sites in neighboring Syria on Monday, following a deadly attack on a Christian church last week. The Syrian government condemned the operation.

According to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), fighter jets targeted “hideouts of terrorist organizations in southern Syria.” It added that “several terrorists” were killed or wounded and unspecified equipment was destroyed.

Although the RJAF claimed it acted in coordination with the Syrian authorities, the government in Damascus denied that it received advance notice of the strikes. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said it informed Jordan of its “objections to operations on Syrian territory without prior coordination.”

Khaled al-Omeian, the director of health in Syria’s Daraa province, told SANA that seven civilians, including three children, were killed in the strikes and three others were injured.

“We affirm our support for the affected Syrian families and our full solidarity with them in this tragedy,” the Syrian government said in a statement.

Jordan vowed retaliation after gunmen opened fire on mourners attending a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Hamoud, Karak Governorate, Jordan on Friday, killing nine people and wounding more than 40.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Jordanian police arrested three suspects during a raid on a compound in Hamoud. Roya News, citing a source, reported that one of the suspects is in critical condition following a shootout with police.

مديرية الأمن العام، تنشر صوراً حيّة للمداهمة الأمنيّة التي نفذتها قوة أمنيّة متخصّصة مشتركة للإرهابيين في محافظة الكرك. #الأمن_العام #الأردن https://t.co/fbb922SHz8

— مديرية الأمن العام (@Police_Jo) October 26, 2026

The Jordanian authorities described the suspects as “extremists” with links to unspecified groups based in Syria.

Jordan and Syria share a long border plagued by arms and drug smuggling, particularly the trafficking of Captagon. Jordan has repeatedly carried out airstrikes in southern Syria against suspected smuggling networks and militant groups, raising tensions with Damascus over violations of Syrian sovereignty.

Jordan has faced a persistent threat from Islamist militants, although major terrorist attacks are rare. In 2016, ISIS-linked gunmen killed ten people in Karak. The Jordanian authorities say they have foiled several Islamist militant plots in recent years.

Left-wing protesters rioted in Bilbao, Spain after mobilizing against a planned appearance by right-wing political commentator Vito Quiles near a local Catholic university.

Quiles, often compared by Spanish media to US conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed last year, was scheduled to speak near the University of Deusto at 7:00 PM on Monday as part of a nationwide tour ahead of the November 29 general election.

According to El Pais, several self-described ‘antifascist’ groups announced plans to protest against Quiles, who they accuse of spreading “hate speech.”

The university suspended all activities after police warned of possible “incidents.” Quiles canceled the talk, describing the protesters as “former ETA members, street thugs, and other criminals,” referring to the now-defunct Basque separatist organization.

Scorched metal and billowing smoke across Bilbao. Rioters have taken to the streets, torching cars and bins amid fierce friction tied to the botched Vito Quiles event. The region is on high alert. ⚠️🔥 #Bilbao #Spain #Protests #Breaking https://t.co/tygAcgbPJq

— Absurd World (@Absurd__World) October 26, 2026

Nevertheless, a crowd of young people, some masked and dressed in black, gathered in a square near the university, set garbage containers on fire, and launched fireworks at police. Several parked cars and a police motorcycle were torched.

Coches ardiendo en una calle de Bilbao durante los disturbios tras el acto frustrado de Vito Quiles https://t.co/UjSwY2KPON https://t.co/VoHZUEfijF

— elDiario.es (@eldiarioes) October 26, 2026

Police arrested 19 people on suspicion of arson and public disorder.

The clashes in Bilbao followed unrest elsewhere in Spain this month, including housing protests in Madrid, demonstrations against the right-wing Vox party in A Coruna and Aviles, and riots in Barcelona. France and Italy have also seen violent protests over the rising cost of living, with clashes in Paris, Marseille, Milan, and Turin.

Russia has significantly increased production of diesel in the wake of an agreement reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, Reuters has reported, citing industry sources.

Daily output rose from 160,000 tons in early October to 180,000 tons after the Russian government introduced new export quotas in mid-month, the agency said. Moscow has eased its restrictions on diesel exports, allowing Russian companies to ship up to 500,000 tons of fuel to international markets in October while ensuring domestic demand remains fully covered.

Exports of diesel, marine fuel, and gas oil had been banned until October 31, as the government sought to stabilize the domestic market, which was suffering from increased seasonal demand linked to the harvest season.

According to sources cited by Reuters, domestic demand in Russia is now expected to fall to around 140,000 tons per day as the harvest campaign is largely over. This would free up as much as 40,000 tons of diesel per day or more than 1 million tons per month for export, according to the news agency’s estimates. Between 0.2 and 0.3 million tons are likely to be purchased by Russia’s neighbors, the sources said.

Trump and Putin agreed on diesel supplies during a phone call on October 9. Following the conversation, the US president announced that Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons in November, another million tons shortly thereafter, and potentially further shipments depending on refining capacity. Washington subsequently issued a temporary sanctions waiver permitting Russian diesel imports, reversing restrictions introduced under former US President Joe Biden in 2022.

Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said Moscow had already dispatched three tankers carrying diesel to the US under the agreement. He also announced that Russia would “ensure additional supplies of diesel fuel to world markets and the United States” to help ease the global diesel shortage. Deliveries would continue on a regular basis, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the time.

The diesel deal provoked tensions between Washington and Kiev. Trump has repeatedly urged Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to stop attacking Russian refineries, accusing Kiev of exacerbating the worldwide diesel shortage and hurting American consumers and farmers hit by high fuel prices.

Zelensky hit back, calling Trump’s claims “totally false” and accusing him of “deflecting the focus away from Iran.” He was referring to the US-Israeli military operation against Iran, which led to severe shipment disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz – one of the key seaborne oil transportation routes.

Russia has historically been the world’s second-largest diesel exporter, behind only the US, accounting for around 10% of global exports. Disruptions to Russian supplies can drive up prices even in countries that do not directly import diesel.

US President Donald Trump has said Brazil’s presidential runoff election, narrowly won by left-wing incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, could have been rigged.

According to the official tally, Lula received 51.79% of the vote on Sunday. His right-wing rival, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, received 48.21%.

“It looked terrible to me,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “I didn’t take sides, but it looked like another rigged election, frankly.”

Asked whether he planns to do something about the results, Trump said, “I’m not running Brazil. I’m running the US I like Lula. I get along with him very well. I just think it had a very bad look – the election, the way it was tabulated.”

Bolsonaro announced on election night that he would seek to have the results annulled, accusing “Lula’s allies” in the government of foul play. 

Hours after the results were announced, Bolsonaro said Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered him to surrender his passport and barred him from leaving the country as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering.

Q: Do you want to do something about the election in Brazil? Trump: I'm not running Brazil. I'm running the U.S. I like Lula. I get along with him very well, but the extension given was very strange. https://t.co/Sl1HUjiWde

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 26, 2026

In the first round on October 4, Bolsonaro led with 47% of the vote to Lula’s 45%. Some analysts suggested that Bolsonaro could win the runoff by attracting supporters of other right-wing candidates.

Bolsonaro’s father, Jair Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to Lula. He has denied any wrongdoing, describing the case as politically motivated.

Lula previously served two terms as president from 2003 to 2010. He was barred from running in the 2018 election following a corruption conviction, which was overturned in 2021, allowing him to run again in 2022. Lula has maintained his innocence, accusing his political opponents of using the judicial system against him.

Trump previously urged the Brazilian authorities to drop the case against Jair Bolsonaro, calling his prosecution a “witch hunt.” His administration has also faced allegations of attempting to influence Brazil’s 2026 presidential election in favor of Bolsonaro’s son.

Brazilian police opened a preliminary inquiry into suspected US interference but closed it due to insufficient evidence. Reuters separately reported that two senior State Department officials had pushed for sanctions aimed at weakening Lula and boosting the Bolsonaro family’s political fortunes. The State Department has denied seeking to interfere in the election.

Germany is preparing to buy a batch of low-cost cruise missiles from Ukraine to expand its long-range strike capabilities, according to several media outlets.

The deal could be finalized in the coming weeks, the Financial Times reported, citing officials familiar with the matter. It would initially involve a small batch of missiles for testing by the German Armed Forces, or Bundeswehr, early next year. If the tests prove successful, Berlin could reportedly place a follow-up order for several hundred missiles.

Dubbed ‘Bars’ – meaning snow leopard in both Russian and Ukrainian – the cruise missiles, sometimes referred to as “drone missiles” in Ukraine, are jet-powered weapons with a range of up to 1,000 km and a payload of up to 105 kg.

Germany and Ukraine signed a deal to jointly produce Bars missiles in July 2026. Under that agreement, Berlin would finance production, with all the missiles produced being delivered to Ukraine.

The potential purchase comes amid a surge in German arms procurement as Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government seeks to turn the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest conventional army, citing the threat of a potential conflict with Russia. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed such claims as “nonsense,” insisting that it has no intention of attacking any NATO member.

Armament drive

Bloomberg reported earlier this week that Berlin was planning to acquire “thousands of precision deep-strike weapons” from several European and American companies. One proposed contract with US firm Covenant for the delivery of thousands of ground-launched Anthem cruise missiles could be worth more than €1 billion ($1.12 billion), according to the report.

Berlin emerged as Kiev’s single biggest military donor after Washington drastically scaled back its aid under US President Donald Trump. Merz has prioritized military spending, including assistance to Kiev, despite acknowledging that Germany’s economy is in a “structural crisis.” His government amended the constitutional debt brake to fund the buildup and passed a 2026 budget allocating a record €108.2 billion for defense and €11.5 billion in military aid for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Germany’s central bank has warned that the country is on course to record its largest budget deficit since reunification by 2028.

Cashing in on war?

Ukraine, in turn, appears to be actively seeking to cash in on weapons exports, including sales to its Western backers. In February, David Aloian, deputy secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told Reuters that the country expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue from it this year alone.

Kiev halted all weapons exports following the escalation of the conflict in 2022, but Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky reversed that decision when he announced plans to open nearly a dozen weapons export centers across Europe in early 2026.

The plans have not stopped Kiev from seeking further financial and military assistance from Western nations. Last month, Ukrainian Defense Minister Evgeny Khmara suggested that Western donors supply Kiev with highly sought-after US-made Patriot interceptors from their own stockpiles, which would then be replenished with 1,000 missiles it plans to purchase with EU funds at some point in the future. In October, Zelensky himself lashed out at the country’s backers over their reluctance to cover a major budget shortfall.

Trump accused Ukraine in mid-October of selling American-supplied missiles on the black market. He also claimed that Kiev had failed to account for billions of dollars in American military and financial aid.

Ukrainian arms manufacturers have been implicated in some of the nation’s numerous corruption scandals. Fire Point – a defense contractor personally promoted by Zelensky during his visits to Western nations – was reportedly effectively owned by the Ukrainian leader’s longtime former business partner, Timur Mindich, known as ‘Zelensky’s wallet’ in Kiev. The businessman fled Ukraine last year after a major corruption investigation named him as one of its primary suspects.

There were times, in the mid-to-late 20th century, when the Soviet Union was deeply engaged with Africa. It not only welcomed decolonization but actively promoted it and it supported national liberation movements from Algeria to Angola and from Guinea-Bissau to Zimbabwe. It assisted newly independent nations economically, helping them build factories, hospitals, and schools. A number of African countries became Moscow’s political allies and received arms and advisers to strengthen their security.

Having long since recovered from the collapse of the USSR, today’s Russia is again turning its attention to the African continent. Both Africa and Russia, however, are very different from what they were sixty or seventy years ago. Russia’s interest in Africa is largely an expression of its comeback as a world power. It also reflects Moscow’s recognition of African countries’ rapid economic and demographic growth, and their potential as an important component of the 21st-century multipolar world order, which encompasses not just states but civilizations.

Russia, however, is not looking to impose an ideology on its partners because it has no ideology to export in the first place. Nor does it go to Africa primarily in search of natural resources, which it possesses in abundance within its own borders. Russia doesn’t need military bases in Africa as part of its grand strategy, which remains firmly focused on its own neighborhood in Eurasia. Rather, it sees Africa as part of what it calls the Global Majority, the part of the world where it has partners with whom to cooperate, as opposed to the West, which has shut itself off from Russia.

What Russia has to offer could be of considerable interest to Africans, given Russia is among the world’s major producers of energy and food. Over the decades, it’s built a reputation as a reliable supplier of both, and neither global energy nor food security can be assured without Russia. Disruptions in these markets are the result of Western sanctions and other attempts to undermine Russia’s strength. One of Moscow’s major projects is the North-South Transport Corridor, which would link Russia, the world’s fourth-largest economy in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, with India, the third-largest, via Iran. Once fully operational, this corridor would also provide Russia with a gateway to East Africa.

Russia has already established itself as a security provider for African countries facing serious challenges. Under the banner of the Africa Corps, Russian military advisers and specialists are working in several West African countries belonging to the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso), as well as in the Central African Republic. They have managed to thwart a number of large-scale coup attempts and military offensives masterminded and supported from abroad. Such security assistance is essential to upholding the sovereignty of nations that have requested it.

Russia, of course, is much more than a military power. Among other things, it is a leader in digitalization. Moscow is one of the world’s most advanced capitals in this field. Russia is ready to share its expertise in establishing and improving electronic government services. Since Soviet times, Russian scientists have conducted pioneering research into deadly viruses and vaccines to combat them. A vaccine against Ebola was developed in 2019 by the Russian research institute Vector, located in Siberia, while the Sputnik V vaccine, developed against COVID-19, proved highly effective in fighting the pandemic.

In 1960, Peoples’ Friendship University was founded in Moscow for international students. The following year, it was named after Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the independent Congo (formerly Belgian Congo). At present, some 35,000 young Africans study at Russian universities, mostly majoring in medicine, energy, and engineering – fields in which Russian universities have historically been particularly strong.

To date, three African countries – South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia – are full members of the 10-member BRICS grouping. This format offers a novel, non-hierarchical and genuinely consensus-based approach to addressing economic, financial, environmental, educational, and other global issues. The BRICS way of doing business supports sovereignty and rejects diktat. Russia, which helped initiate the formation of BRICS just over two decades ago, works to ensure that the group remains true to its founding principles.

Russia has never been a colonial power in Africa and has never attempted to plunder its resources. It regards Africans as partners and African civilization as an equal in the emerging world order. This week’s Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow will bring the two even closer.

Serbia will maintain its longstanding ties with Russia and will not impose sanctions on Moscow despite EU pressure, a representative of the winning Student List movement has told RT Balkan.

The student-led opposition secured 52.73% of the vote in Sunday’s parliamentary election, according to the latest preliminary results, defeating the coalition of former President Aleksandar Vucic. He conceded defeat but warned that Belgrade could abandon its resistance to EU pressure and sanction Russia within months.

The movement emerged from nearly two years of anti-government protests sparked by the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people.

Speaking on Monday, Jovo Bakic, a university professor and Student List representative, said: “We respect Russia both as a great power and as our historically important partner and, in many cases, protector.”

“There will be no changes in that regard,” he added.

Recalling the harsh UN sanctions against Yugoslavia in the 1990s, when Serbia was one of its constituent republics, Bakic said restrictions imposed by “small Serbia” would have little effect on Russia but would be “symbolically very bad” for Belgrade.

🇷🇸 Jovo Bakić za RT Balkan: Studentska lista neće uvoditi sankcije Rusiji ▪️Predstavnik "Studentske liste", profesor Jovo Bakić ponovio je da nova vlada Srbije neće uvoditi sankcije Rusiji, uprkos tvrdnjama bivšeg predsednika Aleksandra Vučića da će se to dogoditi za nekoliko meseci. "Mi Rusiju poštujemo i kao veliku silu i kao našu istorijski važnu partnerku i u mnogim slučajevima zaštitnicu. Tu (u spoljnoj politici zemlje) neće biti nikakvih promena", izjavio je Bakić gostujući u emisiji "Srbija bira" na TV RT Balkan.

— RT Balkan (@rtbalkan) October 26, 2026

Under Vucic, Serbia resisted EU demands to adopt the bloc’s restrictions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, despite pursuing EU membership. The Student List campaigned primarily on domestic reforms, leaving several contentious foreign policy questions unaddressed.

The movement’s exact position on the anti-Russian sanctions remains unclear. The Student List lead candidate, Ilija Srdanovic, did not explicitly rule out reconsidering Belgrade’s earlier refusal to sanction Moscow in an interview with RFE/RL. When pressed on the issue, he stated that foreign policy should be “decided by the citizens of Serbia” rather than a single leader of a a “very small group of people” in the government.

According to Reuters, leading candidates of the victorious movement have said the incoming government would halt arms exports to conflict zones, including sales to Western intermediaries that subsequently supply weapons to Ukraine.

Vucic previously said European buyers could decide how to use Serbian ammunition, including whether to send it to Ukraine, although Belgrade has denied supplying Kiev directly.

Energy ties present another major issue for Serbia’s incoming government. Russia remains the country’s dominant gas supplier, accounting for roughly three-quarters of its needs. In March, Vucic said Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to maintain deliveries on favorable terms, at prices far below those in most of Europe. The agreement was subsequently prolonged through the end of 2026.

Serbia also faces uncertainty over its oil supplies due to US sanctions on NIS, the majority Russian-owned energy company that runs the country’s only oil refinery. Hungarian energy group MOL is seeking to acquire the Russian stake, while the current US waiver allowing NIS to continue business expires on October 30. The company has requested another extension to avoid disruptions to fuel supplies.

Unlike Serbia, the EU has sought to phase out Russian fossil fuel imports and secure alternative suppliers since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Asked about pressure to abandon Russian energy supplies, Bakic said: “We are not here to satisfy foreigners, but to act in our national interest.”

The Kremlin said on Monday that it hoped to maintain mutually beneficial relations with Serbia. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Vucic’s contribution to bilateral ties and added “As you know, it takes two to tango.”

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is increasingly becoming Europeans’ “own personal court” as the US expands sanctions on the institution, an expert has told RT.

George Szamuely, a senior research fellow at the Global Policy Institute in Budapest, pointed out that major global powers such as the US, Russia, and China do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, leaving European nations as its main backers.

“So essentially the ICC is becoming a European project,” he said.

Szamuely argued that the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to former ICC judge Navi Pillay underscored Europe’s support for the court.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Pillay the prize on October 9, just hours before Washington imposed sanctions on the ICC as an institution, expanding measures that had previously targeted individual officials.

The ICC is now becoming increasingly the tool of the Europeans.

According to Szamuely, European lawmakers sought to reaffirm their backing for the court despite mounting pressure from Washington.

“The European Parliament wanted to send a message to the Trump administration… to say: ‘we thoroughly endorse the ICC. The ICC does our work’,” he said.

Szamuely noted that Washington’s “war against the ICC really intensified” during President Donald Trump’s first term, when the US sanctioned several court officials, including then-chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.

“Now he has imposed much harsher sanctions against the ICC,” he said, arguing that the latest measures effectively impose secondary sanctions on “anyone who actually engages in any kind of dealings with the ICC.”

Watch the RT interview below:

The media forum is expected to gather over 200 participants from 46 African countries. Leading experts from the regional media community and political figures, including Gregoire Ndjaka, Director-General of the African Broadcasting Union; Evariste Ngamana, Minister of Communications and Media of the Central African Republic; and Badr Shneba, Director of Foreign Media Department in the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will participate. Also, prominent bloggers and descendants of esteemed African leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Samora Machel, and Gamal Abdel Nasser will take part in the event.

The key focus of the media forum will be the role of media in the development and unification of the African continent, as well as in shaping its identity and image abroad. On October 26 and 27, RT will hold sessions featuring leaders of major African television channels and influential bloggers.

On October 28, a plenary session of the media forum will take place, featuring Elizaveta Brodskaya, RT First Deputy Editor-in-Chief; Dmitry Kiselev, Director General of the Rossiya Segodnya media group; and Andrey Kondrashov, Director General of TASS, along with representatives from ministries and media regulatory authorities in both Russia and Africa.

On the final day of the forum, a session organized by RT will include descendants of legendary African leaders who inspired RT’s program “Africa: Legacy of the Great Leaders.” The session will feature Juliana Lumumba, daughter of Patrice Lumumba; Ndileka Mandela, granddaughter of Nelson Mandela; Gamal Abdel Nasser, grandson of Gamal Abdel Nasser; and others.

Throughout the business program, attendees will not only participate in the media forum but will also conduct joint broadcasts with Russian media and sign several cooperation agreements with their Russian counterparts.

The international RT television network includes news channels in English, Arabic, Spanish, German, Serbian, and French, as well as the RTD documentary channel in Russian and English. RT also operates online portals in ten languages and the global multimedia agency RUPTLY, which supplies exclusive content to broadcasters worldwide. RT is available 24/7 to more than 950 million viewers in over 100 countries.

Africa is one of the key regions for RT’s operations. The channel is expanding its partnership network with new media corporations and enhancing cooperation with existing partners. Currently, RT has eight bureaus across Africa. Additionally, RT conducts training programs for African journalists and co-hosted the African Media Awards ceremony in Ethiopia in 2025, which is the largest media event of the year for the continent.

Major military bases in the continental US will be expected to sustain essential operations for at least 90 days without external support under a new Pentagon strategy, Fox News has reported.

The autonomy target was set out in FORTRESS documents reviewed by the network, it said on Sunday. Critical military supplies would also require at least two qualified supply or production routes to guard against disruption.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the initiative last month. The US military has faced serious logistical disruption in the Middle East following Iranian strikes on American facilities and other sites used by US forces in retaliation for the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

Fox News, which is generally supportive of President Donald Trump’s agenda, wrote that the US needed to be prepared for a contingency in which military action would “cripple power grids, disrupt supply chains and threaten critical infrastructure on American soil.”

FORTRESS stands for Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply and Survivability. A founding memorandum signed by Hegseth last month identifies five pillars: energy independence, supply-chain resilience, strategic reserves, physical protection and cybersecurity, and resilience in space and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Pentagon planners aim to reduce reliance on civilian infrastructure that could be severely damaged in a major armed conflict. Proposed options include small nuclear reactors and large battery banks to support base microgrids if external electricity supplies are cut. The program also envisages preparing civilian factories to switch to defense production in an emergency, alongside other measures.

The report comes less than two weeks before midterm elections in which polls suggest the ruling Republican Party could suffer significant losses. The Iran war and the resulting surge in fuel prices are major factors bolstering opposition candidates.

Trump’s rhetoric has fueled widespread expectations that the US could escalate the war with Iran shortly after the election, or even before it. According to NBC News, Washington has withdrawn some personnel from its Middle Eastern bases ahead of a possible renewed airstrike campaign.

On October 26,2001, US President George W. Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act into law, less than seven weeks after the September 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in New York. The speed of its passage reflected the extraordinary political and social atmosphere in the United States. The tragedy had shattered the country’s sense of security, and fears of further terrorist activity continued to haunt the country in the months that followed.

In the weeks after 9/11, grief and anger were accompanied by an unprecedented surge of patriotism and national solidarity. President Bush’s approval rating reached 86 percent by late September, and public trust in the federal government rose to levels unseen in decades. A majority of Americans also expressed a willingness to sacrifice at least some civil liberties if doing so would help combat terrorism. Under intense pressure to prevent another catastrophe, Congress moved rapidly to expand federal investigative and surveillance powers.

The Patriot Act facilitated information sharing between intelligence and law enforcement agencies, broadened certain authorities to obtain records, and expanded investigative tools available in terrorism cases. Supporters argued that these measures were necessary to confront a transnational threat with legal instruments suited to a new security environment.

Yet national unity did not eliminate concerns about civil rights. Arab and Muslim Americans, as well as people perceived to belong to these communities, faced increased discrimination and violence. As the immediate shock of 9/11 receded, questions grew over how far the governments’ new powers should extend and what safeguards were needed to prevent abuse.

These tensions would shape the law’s legacy for decades. The debate intensified after Edward Snowden’s 2013 disclosures exposed the scale of certain US surveillance programs, helping spur the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015, which curtailed the government’s bulk collection of domestic telephone records. The controversy revealed that the challenge was not simply how to protect Americans from terrorism, but how to preserve privacy and civil liberties while doing so.

The Patriot Act’s legacy in the age of AI

The surveillance debate that follows 9/11 has evolved alongside technology. Today, governments can analyze enormous volumes of digital information, from communications metadata to online activity, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish targeted intelligence gathering from the broader collection of personal data.

However, not all modern US surveillance powers originate in the Patriot Act. One important distinction is between Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which became associated with the NSA’s bulk collection of domestic telephone records, and Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), enacted in 2008.

Section 702 allows US intelligence agencies to target non-US persons reasonably believed to be outside the country for foreign intelligence purposes. Yet communications involving Americans may also be collected when they interact with foreign targets. A separate framework. Executive Order 12333 governs much of the intelligence community’s overseas surveillance activity.

These authorities raise questions that extend beyond the original post-9/11 debate. Artificial intelligence is adding a new dimension to the problem. Machine-learning systems can process vast quantities of communications, financial records, location data and other digital information, identifying patterns that human investigators might overlook. Such capabilities could help intelligence agencies detect terrorist networks and anticipate emerging threats. Yet they also raise the possibility of increasingly comprehensive surveillance, in which individuals can be assessed through their digital associations, behavior and inferred characteristics rather than through evidence of specific wrongdoings.

The risks are not limited to the amount of information collected. AI systems can produce false positives, reproduce biases present in their training data and generate conclusions that are difficult to explain or independently verify. If such assessments inform investigations or security decisions, errors may have serious consequences for individuals. The challenge for governments is therefore not simply to regulate access to data, but also to establish accountability for how algorithms analyze it, how their conclusions are used and whether affected individuals have meaningful avenues for redress.

Twenty-five years later: Has America found the balance?

Twenty-five years after the Patriot Act became law, the United States has neither abandoned its expanded national security apparatus nor settled the debate over its proper limits. The government’s ability to collect and analyze information remains an important instrument in counterterrorism and foreign intelligence. At the same time, experience has shown that powers introduced in response to an emergency can endure long after the circumstances that justified them have changed.

The law’s defenders argue that intelligence agencies need effective tools to identify threats before they result in violence. Critics counter that broad surveillance authorities, secret legal interpretations and insufficient oversight can undermine privacy and weaken public trust. Both concerns are fundamental to a democratic society: security is essential to protecting freedom, but security measures can also threaten it when they operate without adequate safeguards.

The central lesson of the Patriot Act is therefore not that national security and civil liberties are necessarily incompatible. It is that the balance between them cannot be established once and left untouched. It requires clear legal limits, meaningful judicial and congressional oversight, transparency wherever possible, and public debate about how surveillance powers are used.

Artificial intelligence makes this balance even harder to maintain. Surveillance systems are increasingly capable of drawing connections across datasets and generating assessments at a speed and scale that traditional oversight mechanisms were not designed to handle. Decisions may depend partly on algorithmic outputs that are difficult for the public, and sometimes even for officials, to scrutinize. Democratic oversight must therefore evolve alongside technology, requiring clear rules on the use of AI, independent testing, safeguards against discriminatory outcomes and human accountability for consequential decisions.

The digital age makes this task more urgent. As governments acquire increasingly sophisticated tools to monitor communications and analyze personal information, lawmakers must ensure that technological capabilities do not automatically translate into unlimited authority.

The question raised in October 2001 remains relevant today: how can a democracy protect its citizens without compromising the freedoms that give its political system legitimacy? Twenty-five years later, the United States continues to grapple with the answer.

The Netherlands has unveiled plans to cut around 25,000 full-time government positions by 2035, turning to artificial intelligence and sweeping administrative reforms to reduce costs and bureaucracy.

Announced on Monday, the overhaul aims to save €900 million ($1 billion) by next year, with annual savings projected to reach €3.5 billion by 2035. The job cuts will be phased in over several years, with police and security services exempt.

Planned measures include simplifying regulations, reducing advisory bodies, standardizing IT systems, and expanding digital services.

The plan follows years of rapid growth in the Dutch civil service. The central government workforce reached a record 160,000 positions in 2025, an increase of more than 40% since 2018, according to official figures.

State Secretary Eric van der Burg said excessive rules, exceptions, and procedures had made it increasingly difficult for the government to address problems, while mounting costs demanded action.

“We cannot continue to do what we did,” he said, calling for a government that is “simpler, smarter and smaller.”

Other European countries are also embracing AI to streamline public administration.

Denmark announced plans last year to free up 50 million working hours annually by 2035 through AI, equivalent to roughly 30,000 full-time positions, without committing to corresponding job cuts.

Albania went a step further in September 2025, appointing an AI-generated virtual minister to help combat corruption in public procurement. However, the country’s AI procurement system had yet to be rolled out as of October.

The push comes as rapid advances in AI fuel concerns about widespread disruption to employment.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk warned in July that the transition would be “a bumpy road,” predicting that AI would eventually outperform humans in any job.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has also warned of major upheaval in the labor market, while arguing that certain professions, including caregiving, should remain “human reserved” even if AI becomes capable of performing them.

Indian and Russian troops have finished up the INDRA-2026 military exercises in Chelyabinsk Region. During simulated combat, they worked with drones, artillery, tanks, and robotic systems, making use of real-world battlefield experience.

The ground phase of the exercise ended on Friday after ten days at a Russian Central Military District training ground, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

The final operation simulated the enemy occupying a settlement and establishing defensive positions. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground-based robotic systems carried out reconnaissance before artillery units and strike drones targeted mock command posts, weapons positions, and supply depots, clearing the way for a joint assault.

The joint contingents then advanced under cover from tanks, air defense systems, mobile fire teams, and first-person-view (FPV) drone interceptors. The forces practiced securing the settlement and pursuing the retreating enemy, completing the ground exercise.

The October 14-23 drills focused on joint command and control and coordinating operations against armed groups. The Russian contingent consisted primarily of personnel from the Central Military District’s 90th Guards Tank Division.

💥🇮🇳🇷🇺 Total Annihilation: India, Russia Unleash Drones, Tanks & Assault Teams In Massive INDRA-2026 Drills The joint contingents unleashed relentless firepower to encircle and wipe out simulated fortified enemy positions. 📹 🇷🇺 MoD https://t.co/gz4zLkZnzk

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) October 24, 2026

The exercise incorporated lessons from recent armed conflicts to improve combat readiness and coordination between tactical units, Central Military District combat training chief Sergei Pimenkov said at the closing ceremony.

”All assigned tasks were accomplished and the objectives achieved during the joint training,” he said.

For the air component of the exercise, Russian and Indian aircrews practiced coordinated missions using Su-30SM fighter jets, including engaging low-flying targets and maneuvering combat at medium and low altitudes. Mi-8 helicopter crews rehearsed special forces deployments and search-and-rescue operations.

The naval component concluded earlier in the Sea of Japan, where the Indian frigate INS Sahyadri and the Russian corvette Aldar Tsydenzhapov conducted live-fire artillery exercises, counter-drone operations, and a simulated mission to rescue a hijacked civilian vessel. The INS Sahyadri departed Vladivostok on October 20 following the naval exercise, India’s Defense Ministry said.

”We have seen how professionally the Russian armed forces are working,” Indian Brigadier Shubhanshu Kamatnurkar told RT. He said the Indian troops were able to gain from the Russians' frontline combat experience during the exercise.

The INDRA exercises are part of regular military cooperation between India and Russia.

The EU faces a growing budget squeeze after borrowing hundreds of billions for pandemic recovery and Ukraine. Rising repayment costs threaten future spending and rushed payouts raise fraud risks, its chief auditor has warned. Brussels is nevertheless seeking billions more for Kiev.

Speaking to Rapporteur, Tony Murphy, president of the European Court of Auditors, described the budget situation as a “pressure cooker,” with EU debt potentially reaching €1 trillion ($1.12 trillion) by the end of 2027.The bloc’s debt stood at €739 billion in 2025, up from €601 billion a year earlier.

“You have to pay it back at some time. It’s not free money,” Murphy said. He emphasized that “it’s real money that has to be paid back.”

However, concerns have repeatedly been raised about the EU getting back any of the billions it has spent on Ukraine, including its recent €90 billion ($100 billion) loan, which Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico recently slammed as “gifts” that Ukraine will “never pay back.”

Kiev is required to repay the loan only after receiving Russian reparations – something Moscow has vehemently ruled out. Ukraine’s own former Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov has also acknowledged that such scenarios are “just fairy tales” and that Brussels will never get its money back, which is being actively embezzled by Kiev.

The EU, however, must still repay the money it borrowed. According to Murphy, servicing pandemic debt alone would consume 8% of the bloc’s proposed 2028–2034 budget and governments have yet to agree on new revenue to cover the repayments, leaving Brussels with less money for other priorities.

The squeeze comes as households and businesses continue to face high energy costs following Europe’s break with Russian supplies, compounded by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Murphy also warned about how quickly money is being spent. He called the requirement to process €90 billion in remaining pandemic recovery payments by December “crazy,” describing the impending payouts as a “tsunami.”

Pressure to meet deadlines could also encourage weaker checks and more abuse, he said, as European prosecutors are already investigating hundreds of suspected fraud cases involving recovery funds.

Despite the crisis, Brussels is again looking for more money for Kiev after Vladimir Zelensky requested another €70 billion ($78 billion) for 2027, beyond existing commitments. European Council President Antonio Costa said Friday that the EU expects to cover roughly two-thirds, with a decision potentially coming in November.

Sunday’s snap Serbian parliamentary elections have  delivered a bombshell as former President Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat. Hardly anyone seems to have seriously expected that. Calling the election was a gamble, of course, but he still had reason to believe he could pull it off.

The reasons will take time to untangle. Vucic himself spoke of a “revolution” backed by Europe. Others, with some justification, see an “Orban scenario”: accumulated fatigue with one man’s prolonged rule, during which his personal traits and interests came to exert too much influence over national policy.

Clearly, more than one factor was at work. Just as clearly, Serbia is entering a new era. Vucic’s increasingly elaborate and convoluted balancing act will likely give way to an attempt to steer the country sharply toward the European Union. Hungary’s experience is telling in this respect. And Russia should expect little good to come of it.

Serbian society, however, is different from Hungary’s. There really is considerable sympathy for Russia. Whether that sentiment can rally a new opposition, this time against a firmly pro-EU course, should become clear soon enough. The EU will try to make the most of the defeat of yet another set of “pro-Russian forces.” Whether that will bring Serbia any closer to EU membership is another question entirely.

Whatever the outcome, if there is a common thread running through elections across Europe, it is probably this: people in different countries are disillusioned with the status quo and the establishment, whatever its political stripe – even when those establishments stand at opposite ends of the spectrum.

India’s interim trade deal with the US remains stalled as New Delhi reportedly refuses to accept a proposed 18% tariff rate and weighs politically sensitive agricultural concessions ahead of next month’s US midterm elections.

India wants to retain the current additional 10% levy on covered exports and could reassess negotiations after the November 3 elections, the Hindu BusinessLine reported on Sunday, citing sources familiar with the talks.

Under a framework agreed in February, Washington proposed reducing tariffs on several categories of Indian goods to 18%, from penalties of up to 50% imposed last year. In return, India agreed to lower duties on US industrial goods and selected agricultural products.

However, the negotiating landscape changed after the US Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs later that month. Washington subsequently imposed a separate additional 10% duty on covered Indian imports under Section 301 of US trade law.

Around 55% of India’s exports to the US are subject to the additional levy, while products including generic pharmaceuticals and smartphones remain exempt, according to India’s Commerce Ministry.

New Delhi is seeking assurances that future US tariffs will not leave its exporters at a disadvantage to competitors in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, the BusinessLine reported. India also wants protection against further duties after an agreement is signed.

Agricultural market access remains another obstacle to finalizing the deal. Washington is seeking concessions on American farm products, including those from Republican-leaning states, while India has sought to protect sensitive sectors such as dairy, poultry, rice, and wheat.

Granting such concessions while accepting higher tariffs would be difficult to defend domestically, sources told BusinessLine. New Delhi is therefore reportedly inclined to wait until after the US elections before deciding how to proceed.

The deadlock comes despite US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying last week that 99% of the agreement was complete and that a deal could be finalized within weeks.

Trump also described the negotiations as “pretty close,” even as Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar cautioned that the remaining stages could prove difficult.

Trump waived key Russia-related sanctions and tariffs earlier this month, easing a major obstacle to the negotiations. However, a separate US investigation into alleged industrial overcapacity remains unresolved, leaving uncertainty over possible future duties on Indian goods.

Anthropic’s Claude AI model went rogue and broke past a paywall to obtain voter data in the US state of Georgia, Axios reported on Sunday. The intrusion heightens concerns about developers’ ability to control increasingly autonomous AI systems.

The incident occurred during an internal statistics project involving public information. Anthropic said the model obtained aggregate voter counts but did not access Georgia’s voter registration system, retrieve individual voter records or alter any data.

The company confirmed the incident on Sunday, ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

“Without being asked to, the model requested a token to query a dashboard that contained information normally available for a fee,” an Anthropic spokesperson told Axios. Claude had learned from an archived government webpage that the dashboard issued digital access keys to visitors. It was able to request a key and retrieve the information without paying.

Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs confirmed to Fox Business that the data came from a public information service but insisted that Claude “did not get into the voter registration system.”

Anthropic described the incident in an October 9 report but did not name Georgia. According to Axios, it notified state officials and the White House weeks ago. A source told the outlet that administration officials had urged Georgia to disclose the incident publicly sooner, but those requests went unheeded.

The case is among several instances Anthropic has disclosed of models finding unintended ways around restrictions instead of stopping. Other incidents included a false homicide tip submitted to Philadelphia police and incomplete applications filed on the US State Department’s visa website.

On Friday, Anthropic also revealed that a model had impersonated a human during a cybersecurity exercise, attempting to persuade an unrelated software developer to accept malicious code. The developer rejected the request and the attempt failed.

Other developers have tightened controls following similar incidents. OpenAI said Friday that it was keeping its most powerful models’ training offline after agents escaped restricted environments. In July, its agents bypassed safeguards and accessed systems belonging to Hugging Face, an online repository for AI models and datasets.

Anthropic said it has moved some evaluations offline, restricted internet tools and introduced systems to detect unauthorized actions. It said those systems blocked each of the disclosed cases when tested against them.

Israelis head to the polls on Tuesday in a closely contested parliamentary election that could end the nearly four-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current coalition, following years of war, political scandals, mass protests, and deepening divisions within Israeli society.

The vote is widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership, with the opposition blaming him for security failures surrounding the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and accusing his government of undermining democratic institutions.

The Hamas attack killed around 1,200 people and saw some 250 taken hostage. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, including at least 21,000 children, according to the local Health Ministry.

Despite their fierce political rivalry, the main Israeli election contenders differ less considerably over the country’s military policies and its approach to the Palestinians.

Netanyahu’s fight for political survival

Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief who heads the centrist Yashar party, has emerged as Netanyahu’s strongest challenger.

Speaking at a mass rally in Tel Aviv on Sunday, Eisenkot urged traditional voters for Netanyahu’s Likud party to abandon the prime minister, claiming that Israel cannot survive another four years under his leadership.

“Anyone who thinks our Israel can survive another four years like these is living under a dangerous misconception,” Eisenkot said, according to the Times of Israel.

Netanyahu is also facing accusations of attempting to provoke a new war with Iran to postpone the election. Former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has demanded a criminal investigation into the prime minister on suspicion of treason after Channel 12 reported a clash between Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over a proposed military operation.

“The man has gone off the rails,” Liberman said on Monday, accusing Netanyahu of putting his political survival ahead of national security. The prime minister denied the reported confrontation, and no criminal wrongdoing has been established.

Netanyahu also failed to persuade US President Donald Trump to launch strikes on Iran before the Israeli election, CNN reported, citing American and Israeli sources. The operation has reportedly been postponed, potentially until after the November 3 US midterm elections. Netanyahu’s office rejected the report.

The confrontation is not simply between the left and the right. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid are also seeking to oust Netanyahu, but the opposition remains divided over domestic policy, coalition alliances, and who should lead the next government.

Four years of war and political turmoil

Netanyahu’s latest term has been marked by a series of crises, from mass protests over his judicial overhaul to the October 7 Hamas attack, which exposed major failures in Israel’s security apparatus and triggered years of warfare.

The attack remains a central election issue, with Netanyahu’s opponents accusing him of evading responsibility and blocking an independent state commission of inquiry. While the opposition demands a full investigation into the political and military failures, the prime minister has backed a government-appointed panel with more limited powers.

Israel’s subsequent military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran have come at a heavy human, economic, and diplomatic cost. The Gaza offensive has devastated the Palestinian enclave, killing tens of thousands and displacing much of its population.

In September 2025, a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Netanyahu is also subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel rejects the genocide allegations and denies committing war crimes.

Another major dividing line concerns Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul, which triggered nationwide protests in 2023. His opponents have pledged to reverse measures they say undermine judicial independence. The prime minister is also standing trial on corruption charges, including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which he denies.

Another contentious issue is the exemption of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military service. Despite a 2024 Supreme Court ruling against blanket exemptions, Netanyahu’s coalition has continued to resist compulsory conscription for religious students, fueling resentment among Israelis repeatedly called up for military duty.

The economic toll has added to public anger. Rising defense spending, higher living costs, and a VAT increase to 18% in 2025 have put further pressure on households.

Yet the wars themselves have attracted relatively little debate among the main contenders, many of whom support Israel’s military campaigns. The deeper political battle is over Netanyahu’s leadership, accountability, and the direction of the Israeli state.

Election arithmetic: Can anyone secure a majority?

Recent surveys indicate a tight race, with Eisenkot’s Yashar holding a narrow advantage over Netanyahu’s Likud in several polls.

An October 21 Jerusalem Post analysis of four major surveys put Yashar at an average of 22.5 seats, compared with 19.75 for Likud. But neither Netanyahu’s allies nor the opposition appear assured of the 61 seats needed for a majority in Israel’s 120-member Knesset.

Under Israel’s proportional representation system, parties must win at least 3.25% of the national vote to enter parliament. Votes for parties that fail to cross the threshold do not translate into seats, meaning even small shifts could tip the balance between rival camps.

The real battle may therefore begin after the ballots are counted. Smaller parties, particularly ultra-Orthodox factions, could determine who governs, with military conscription exemptions and religious education funding among their key demands.

According to a Jerusalem Post report published Monday, possible scenarios include opposition cooperation with ultra-Orthodox factions, reliance on Arab parties’ parliamentary support, or even another election if coalition talks fail.

Would a defeat for Netanyahu change Israel’s course?

A new prime minister would not necessarily mean a new direction for Israel’s military and foreign policies.

Despite their fierce opposition to Netanyahu, leading opposition figures broadly support maintaining Israel’s military superiority, confronting Iran, and retaining extensive security control over Palestinian territories. None of the principal contenders has made the establishment of a Palestinian state a central campaign commitment.

The election also comes amid renewed tensions in the occupied West Bank. Israeli authorities have imposed sweeping restrictions following a shooting near Hebron that killed two Israeli soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen, including curbs on Palestinians entering Jewish settlements for work.

Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis have demonstrated against the government and violence toward Palestinians, even as younger voters increasingly identify with the political right.

Reporting from Tel Aviv, RT correspondent Charlotte Dubenskij described Israel as “a nation dramatically shifting towards the right,” with many young people citing the October 7 attack as a turning point in their political views.

The election could therefore remove Netanyahu from power without reversing the security policies that have defined his latest term.

What happens after October 27?

The vote could leave Netanyahu in power, hand the opposition a chance to form a government, or produce another parliamentary deadlock.

Under Israel’s parliamentary system, the president consults party leaders before choosing a lawmaker to form a government. Coalition talks can drag on for weeks, with smaller parties demanding concessions in exchange for their support. If no candidate can secure a majority, Israel could face another election.

The final result may therefore be decided not at the ballot box, but behind closed doors, as rival parties bargain over who will govern Israel next.

Yet even if Netanyahu loses power, the election may change Israel’s leadership without fundamentally altering its approach to the Palestinians or the regional conflicts that have defined his latest term.

Russia is helping African nations strengthen their capabilities through cooperation that benefits both sides, Gamal Abdel Nasser Jr., chairman of the Nasser Foundation for Humanities and Development, has told RT.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Media Forum in Moscow, the grandson of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser said Russia’s growing appeal on the continent stems partly from the fact that it never took part in the colonization of the continent. 

He contrasted Moscow’s approach with that of former European colonial powers, which he accused of denying African societies access to education and technological progress. “Now Russia is coming today and offering us a kind of situation where they are helping us become stronger,” Nasser Jr. said.

He acknowledged that Moscow has its own strategic interests in expanding cooperation with African countries, but argued that the relationship is beneficial to both parties.

“It’s a win-win situation, kind of. And we are happy with that,” he added.

Nasser Jr. also criticized the legacy of European colonialism, singling out Britain, France, the Netherlands and Belgium for their treatment of African populations. 

Turning to Egypt’s membership in BRICS, Nasser Jr. said he had long advocated for Cairo to join the group, viewing it as an opportunity for developing countries to reduce their dependence on Western-dominated financial institutions.

He argued that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund emerged from a post-World War II system in which the US and Britain exercised disproportionate influence. BRICS, by contrast, is giving developing nations a greater role in shaping international economic arrangements, he said.

The foundation chairman also called for greater attention to colonial reparations, arguing that recovering historical artifacts taken from Egypt should be only part of a broader effort to address the consequences of foreign rule.

The remarks came at the four-day Russia-Africa Media Forum, which opened in Moscow on Monday. Organized by RT in cooperation with Sputnik and TASS, the event has brought together more than 200 media professionals and experts from 46 African countries.

The gathering comes ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit and the accompanying Economic and Humanitarian Forum, scheduled for October 28-29 in Moscow.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is pushing for former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to become the next UN secretary-general, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

Members of Trump’s team have already reached out to Orban, who is open to the idea but will only run if there is confidence that he can secure the job, the paper said in an article on Sunday.

The US believes that Russia and China would also support the former Hungarian leader, who would be seen as a joint candidate from the three countries, a State Department official told the outlet.

The term of current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expires on December 31. AP reported last week that none of the seven candidates to replace him, including Costa Rica’s Rebecca Greenspan, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodriguez Birkett, and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi of Argentina, currently have the required support of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC): China, France, Russia, the UK, and US.

The Trump administration considers Orban to be “the dream MAGA-conservative candidate,” who has the right ideology and knows how to exercise authority, according to the WSJ’s sources.

Orban, who left office in Hungary after 16 years in power this May, used to describe his rule as an “illiberal democracy.” The 63-year-old politician has been a harsh critic of EU’s policies, repeatedly clashing with Brussels over his moves against mass migration, a clampdown on left-wing NGOs, resistance to the LGBTQ+ agenda, and other issues.

He was one of the few European leaders to maintain contacts with Moscow after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, insisting on Hungary continuing to purchase Russian energy and decrying Western sanctions as counterproductive. The former Hungarian leader also consistently advocated stronger economic cooperation between the EU and China.

Orban has called Trump a “good friend” and visited the US to back the Republican’s presidential campaign in 2024. The US president endorsed Orban ahead of this year’s Hungarian election and sent Vice President J.D. Vance to Budapest to campaign for him, although the move did not help to deliver victory.

A State Department official estimated that Orban would “comfortably” get eight votes in the 15-member UN Security Council, with two more also being within reach. Permanent members the UK and France, who could stand in the way of majority support for Orban, usually use their veto power cautiously, the WSJ stressed.

Trump has been increasingly unhappy with the UN during his second term, saying that the global body hasn’t come close to reaching its “tremendous potential.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last month that Moscow expects the new UN secretary-general to represent the interests of all mankind, not just a small group of Western nations as happened under Guterres. Lavrov also said several of the candidates possessed the qualities needed to be effective in the role.

Trade, sovereignty and peace are on the table as African leaders gather in Moscow this week for the third Russia-Africa Summit.

Their participation comes despite what Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has described as Western pressure on African governments to stay away. This prodding prompted Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to retort that partnerships should deliver investment and fair returns rather than be determined by competition among outside powers.

The October 28-29 meeting will set cooperation priorities for the next three years, alongside an Economic and Humanitarian Forum bringing together officials, businesses and experts. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union (AU) chairman, will co-chair the leaders’ plenary session on the second day.

The gathering follows summits in Sochi in 2019 and St. Petersburg in 2023.

Who is coming to Moscow?

Russia has invited all African heads of state and the leaders of regional organizations. Most African delegations have confirmed their participation, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa arrived in Moscow on Sunday. Writing on X, he said Zimbabwe’s participation would focus on “driving economic diversification, boosting industrial trade, and creating sustainable jobs for our youth,” alongside cooperation in energy, food security and technology. 

The presidents of Mali and Mozambique as well as the Senegalese prime minister have also arrived. Delegations from Ghana and Uganda are in Moscow, according to Ruptly footage showing their motorcades in the city center on Monday.

Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso left Brazzaville for Moscow on Sunday, according to a Facebook post made by his office.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama arrived in Moscow on Monday after confirming his participation at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London last week. At that event, he defended Ghana’s nonaligned foreign policy, citing friendly relations with Russia, China, the US, and the EU.

Mahama also said he would “try to convince President Putin to have a ceasefire if I can,” referring to the Ukraine conflict. His appeal follows earlier African peace efforts, including a seven-country mission led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to Ukraine and Russia in June 2023.

Kenyan President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni are expected to attend, their ambassadors in Moscow confirmed in June. Kenya’s envoy, Peter Mathuki, said he anticipated “very fruitful talks.”

Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traore and Niger’s President Abdourahamane Tchiani will also participate, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Alimov.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir confirmed his attendance in a letter to Putin delivered through diplomatic channels in July, according to Russia’s embassy in Juba. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also announced the participation of Guinea-Bissau’s transitional leader, Horta N’Tam.

Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will attend, her office confirmed, announcing her scheduled departure on Monday. It said Namibia would seek partnerships supporting mineral processing, job creation, technology transfer, and economic diversification.

Libya’s Presidential Council Chairman Mohamed al-Menfi is also expected to participate, Sputnik reported, citing a source in the council. Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan will attend, Russian Ambassador to Sudan Andrey Chernovol told RIA Novosti.

Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead his country’s delegation, Nigeria’s ambassador to Russia, Joseph Olusola Iji, told TASS.

Ramaphosa will not attend. During talks with Putin in September, he cited local election campaigning, saying he would be “in the middle of a very vigorous campaign.” South Africa’s embassy subsequently confirmed that its delegation would be led by Zane Dangor, director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

What is on the agenda?

The topic of sovereignty is central to the forum, which features sessions on development financing, food security, and technological independence.

Discussions will cover infrastructure, transport corridors, industrial cooperation, and payment mechanisms that reduce reliance on the dollar and euro. Participants will also assess closer links with BRICS and the Eurasian Economic Union, including barriers that continue to restrict trade.

Interdependence regarding agriculture is a foundational sector for Russia-Africa relations, and the forum is expected to address fertilizer supplies, farm machinery, local production, and the financial and logistical obstacles facing food trade. 

Peaceful nuclear energy is another priority. Rosatom is building four reactors at Egypt’s El Dabaa nuclear power plant and has signed roadmaps to advance planned nuclear power projects in Ethiopia and Rwanda. Its cooperation with Rwanda also includes a proposed nuclear science and technology center for research, specialist training, and applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry.

Digital infrastructure discussions come as Africa’s online economy expands. GSMA’s 2025 assessment put the continent’s mobile internet users at 416 million, projected to reach 576 million by 2030. African companies also bring established financial technology expertise: Kenya’s Safaricom said its M-PESA mobile money service reached 40 million customers in March 2026. Other sessions cover artificial intelligence, healthcare and training African specialists.

Why is the summit important?

African priorities include processing more resources at home, building energy and technological capacity, and diversifying partnerships on their own terms.

Disputes with Western governments have reinforced the emphasis on sovereignty. In September, South Africa’s Foreign Ministry challenged US visa restrictions linked to Washington’s criticism of its domestic policies, declaring: “It is our sovereign right to put in place laws that address the nation’s concern over centuries of racial injustice.”

The summit builds on sustained diplomatic engagement. Since 2022, Lavrov has visited countries across the continent, including repeated trips to Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa. His July 2026 tour included Ethiopia, Niger, Mozambique, and Burundi.

The summit framework has also developed into regular ministerial consultations. Sochi hosted the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in November 2024, followed by a second in Cairo in December 2025.

The gathering for Russia “is a momentous event – hardly ever before have so many leaders gathered together in the Kremlin,” Andrey Maslov, director of HSE University’s Center for African Studies, told RT on Monday. He described relations as undergoing a slow but sustained strengthening, supported by an expanding network of intergovernmental commissions, business councils, and other institutions.

Trade between Russia and Africa rose from $16.8 billion in 2019 to $27.1 billion in 2025, according to Nikolay Golovko, a leading expert at HSE’s Center for African Studies. The balance remains heavily tilted toward Russian exports, which accounted for $22.7 billion, compared with $4.4 billion in imports from Africa.

Has the threat of Western sanctions reached Russia-Africa relations?

There still might be concerns about secondary sanctions; however, “they are being removed from the first plan,” Maslov said. A new group of partners has emerged, ready to develop new logistics networks and payment mechanisms. “Sanctions have gone from being a problem to a cost of doing business,” he noted.

Economic cooperation already includes major projects. Russia is building Egypt’s El Dabaa nuclear power plant, while Rosatom’s subsidiary Mantra Tanzania opened a pilot uranium processing facility at the Mkuju River project in July 2025.

Russia and the AU also reiterated support in July for greater African representation in the UN Security Council, reflecting their push to reform global institutions.

What was the central theme of Summit 1.0? 

The inaugural summit took place in Sochi on October 23-24, 2019, co-chaired by Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, then the AU chair.

Held under the motto “For Peace, Security and Development,” it established a framework for cooperation across politics, security, trade, science, education, and culture.

The event provided a foundation for 92 agreements, contracts and signed memorandums of understanding between participants, with publicly disclosed values totaling more than 1 trillion rubles, approximately $12.5 billion at the time. These were signed commitments rather than a measure of completed investment.

What did the second summit deliver?

The second gathering, held in St. Petersburg on July 27-28, 2023, expanded the format to include a humanitarian forum. Official delegations from 48 African countries attended.

Participants adopted a joint declaration and a cooperation action plan for 2023–2026. Separate declarations addressed counterterrorism, international information security and preventing an arms race in outer space. Organizers recorded 161 publicly disclosed agreements, many covering education, science, and other humanitarian cooperation.

Food security was a prominent issue and remains a pressing concern. An estimated 309 million people in Africa faced hunger in 2025, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s latest report.

At the 2023 summit, Putin pledged free grain for six African countries. Russia completed the 200,000-metric-ton delivery program in February 2024, according to its Agriculture Ministry. Somalia and the Central African Republic received 50,000 tons each; Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Mali, and Zimbabwe received 25,000 tons each.

In August 2026, Russia delivered nearly 556 metric tons of split peas and sunflower oil to Burkina Faso through the UN World Food Program, according to Russian Ambassador Igor Martynov.

What can we expect for Summit 3.0?

A central expected outcome is a new Russia-Africa action plan for 2027-2029, replacing the framework adopted in St. Petersburg. Lavrov has said it will be approved at the Moscow gathering.

Zakharova has also said a substantial package of intergovernmental agreements and commercial contracts is expected. Putin will hold bilateral meetings, while Lavrov will host a working breakfast for African foreign ministers on October 28.

The gathering will also provide an opportunity to review implementation of the 2023-2026 action plan, Golovko writes. Its 181 points cover areas ranging from politics and security to agriculture, energy, transport, education, and investment.

What other events are taking place?

The Russia-Africa Media Forum opened in Moscow on Monday, bringing together more than 200 participants from 46 African countries. Organized by RT in cooperation with Sputnik and TASS, the four-day event focuses on media cooperation and journalism’s role in shaping Africa’s image abroad.

Sebastian Maganga, head of content at Tanzania’s Clouds Media Group, highlighted the value of exchanging stories.

“If you have forums similar to this, that’s when you get the opportunity to share our stories and get stories from Russia and other places respectively and package them,” he said on the sidelines of the event.

The media forum’s published program identifies “strengthening the media sovereignty of African countries” as a priority. Sessions will examine how African newsrooms can develop their own sources, expand the international reach of their reporting and cooperate with Russian outlets through content production, resource sharing, and journalist exchanges.

Moscow will also host the eighth Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit on October 27. The gathering will address global market developments, energy security, and investment opportunities.

The GECF’s members account for 70% of proven global natural gas reserves and 42% of gas exports, according to the organization. Its African members are Algeria, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, and Nigeria, while Angola, Mauritania, Mozambique, and Senegal hold observer status.

Africa exported 39.77 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas in 2025, up 1.8 million tons from the previous year, according to the International Gas Union. Mauritania and Senegal joined the LNG export market that year through their shared Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project.

Russian companies already have investments in African gas production. Rosneft acquired a 30% stake in the concession containing Egypt’s giant Zohr gas field in 2017 for $1.125 billion, excluding reimbursement for past project costs.

Participants of the Russia-Africa Media Forum are set to meet Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as the gathering gets underway in Moscow.

Organized by RT in cooperation with the Sputnik and TASS news agencies, the event comes ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for October 28-29 in the Russian capital.

The meeting with Zakharova is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at 11 am Moscow time.

The four-day forum opened on Monday, bringing together more than 200 participants from 46 African countries, alongside Russian media executives, journalists, and experts. Among the attendees are African Broadcasting Union Director General Gregoire Ndjaka and Central African Republic Communications and Media Minister Evariste Ngamana.

Discussions will focus on media cooperation, combating disinformation, and the role of journalism in shaping Africa’s image internationally. The program also includes joint broadcasts with Russian media outlets and the signing of cooperation agreements.

Zakharova previously announced that TASS would host a panel discussion on the role of media resources in combating disinformation and promoting a positive image of Russia and Africa.

The forum coincides with preparations for the third Russia-Africa Summit, where Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current chair of the African Union, are scheduled to co-chair the plenary session on October 29.

The Russian side will be represented by RT first deputy editor-in-chief Elizaveta Brodskaya, Rossiya Segodnya director general Dmitry Kiselyov, and TASS director general Andrey Kondrashov.

The Russian Foreign Ministry will also organize two sessions focusing on digital opportunities and challenges, as well as the role of AI in developing cooperation between Russia and Africa, according to Zakharova.

Sessions hosted by RT, Rossiya Segodnya, and TASS are scheduled for October 26-27 at the Russia National Center, followed by a plenary discussion involving senior media executives and regulators at Gostiny Dvor on October 28.

The program also includes an RT session on October 29 featuring descendants of prominent African leaders highlighted in the broadcaster’s African Legacy project. Participants are also expected to hold joint broadcasts with Russian media outlets and sign cooperation agreements.

India has reminded developed nations that they have an equal responsibility to find solutions to conflicts around the world impacting people in the Global South.

“The Global South today faces a 4F crisis of finance, fuel, food and fertilizers,” Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar told a global forum on peace and international cooperation in New Delhi on Saturday. “The Global North must realize that it has equal stakes in finding solutions.”

The minister and career diplomat is known for his takedowns of Western narratives employed to coerce the Global South, including India, to isolate Moscow. Earlier this month he reminded the West that New Delhi’s ties to Moscow run long and deep, and will not be “easily forgotten.” 

With the Ukraine conflict now in its fifth year, and the Iran war disrupting energy supplies from the Middle East, Jaishankar called for “genuine dialogue” to bring them to an end. “We cannot remain helpless spectators,” he said, adding that India was expressing the global sentiment when it urged dialogue and diplomacy as the only solution.

A pleasure to join Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan celebrating the United Nations day. Underlined: ➡️ How ‘Advaita’ or ‘One Reality’ requires us to discard zero-sum game thinking and instead, focus on the collective, the shared, the common and our unity. ➡️ The indivisibility of peace, where war anywhere threatens peace everywhere. 🇮🇳 urges dialogue and diplomacy as a solution. ➡️ The need for stronger resolve in countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. ➡️ The equal responsibility of Global North in find solutions to ensure progress and prosperity for the world. ➡️ AI’s universal applicability and 🇮🇳’s advocacy for responsible, inclusive and human-centric approach. ➡️ The urgent need for reformed multilateralism and for the UN to show leadership in face of global crises

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 25, 2026

New Delhi has consistently called for the Ukraine conflict to be resolved peacefully, and offered its own proposal earlier this month. Both the Kremlin and Kiev have welcomed India’s efforts.

The Indian position stands in stark contrast to that of Europe, which wants a seat at the negotiating table, but has still not named a negotiator. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on Sunday that “the EU has been willing to [appoint a negotiator] for a very long time, but it either cannot do so or lacks the resolve to do so.”

Russia is ready to resume three-way negotiations with the US and Ukraine to discuss post-conflict security arrangements, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said last week.

Jaishankar said market distortions caused by constriction and chokepoints only add to the suffering of the people in the Global South.

The Indian foreign minister also called on the United Nations to show leadership rather than remaining a spectator to global crises, pointing out that the case for a reformed multilateralism is getting stronger by the day.

The Russia-Africa Media Forum has opened in Moscow, bringing together more than 200 participants from 46 African countries. 

The gathering, which began on Monday, is being organized by RT in cooperation with the Sputnik and TASS news agencies. It brings together media executives, journalists, and experts from Russia and African countries. The four-day event will focus on media cooperation and the role of journalism in shaping Africa’s image abroad.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Sebastian Maganga, head of content at Tanzania’s Clouds Media Group, highlighted the importance of such gatherings, saying they allow media organizations to exchange stories and share their perspectives with international audiences.

“If you have forums similar to this, that’s when you get the opportunity to share our stories and get stories from Russia and other places respectively and package them,” he said. 

The forum comes ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for October 28-29 in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin will co-chair the plenary session on October 29 with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current chair of the African Union, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Moscow will also host the eighth Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit on October 27, bringing energy diplomacy into the same week’s meetings. The gathering will address global market developments, energy security, and investment opportunities.

African leaders have begun arriving in Moscow ahead of the summit, including Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, and Mali’s transitional president, Assimi Goita. Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo has also arrived in the Russian capital, according to media reports.

Putin is also expected to hold bilateral talks with African leaders, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet his African counterparts on October 28. More than 2,000 guests are expected to attend the accompanying Economic and Humanitarian Forum, Zakharova said.

The economic forum will be held at Moscow’s Gostiny Dvor exhibition center. Its agenda covers trade, investment, energy, food security, digitalization, education, and technology.

The upcoming event follows two previous summits between Russian and African leaders. The first, held in Sochi in October 2019, attracted delegations from all 54 African countries, while the second, held in St. Petersburg in July 2023, brought together representatives from 48 African nations.

A Ukrainian plot to damage a key component of Moscow’s air defense system has been thwarted, according to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

In a statement on Monday, the agency accused the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) of organizing the operation and recruiting a man in Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk Region to carry it out. The SBU allegedly supplied him with small drones and improvised explosive devices.

The suspect recruited another person, and the pair retrieved the equipment in Russia’s Smolensk and Kaluga regions before heading to Moscow Region, the FSB said. They were allegedly tasked with assembling the drones, fitting them with explosives and positioning them near two targets: an air defense site and an energy facility.

Russian investigators were reportedly aware of the operation in advance and intervened at a time of their choosing.

A video released by the FSB includes footage apparently recorded by a third person as equipment was retrieved from a cache and one of the drones assembled in the field, with instructions relayed live over a phone.

The agency did not identify that person, but said alerting the authorities to a planned crime could exempt an informant from criminal liability.

The two suspects, identified only as foreign nationals from the Caucasus region, face up to 15 years in prison on terrorism charges.

Moscow is among the most heavily defended parts of Russia. During the record Ukrainian drone attack on the capital on September 19–20, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said more than 1,600 drones were intercepted across defensive lines, including 450 which were approaching the city.

Kiev has previously used infiltrators in attempts to deploy short-range quadcopters carrying explosives for sabotage or targeted assassinations.

Russia is willing to maintain mutually beneficial relations with Serbia after the opposition Student List movement forms a new government following its election victory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Outgoing Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic has conceded defeat for his United Serbia coalition in Sunday’s vote. Peskov on Monday hailed Vucic for playing a constructive role in maintaining ties with Moscow amid pressure by the European Union.

“We express hope that their actions will similarly be aimed constructively at further development of our relationship and that these new political forces realize that cooperation with Russia meets Serbia’s interests,” he said.

“But, as you know, it takes two to tango,” the official added.

Vucic, who Peskov noted intends to remain involved with Serbian politics, previously claimed that Student List candidates intend to bend to Brussels’ pressure and impose anti-Russian sanctions as soon as next spring. The movement has denied such plans on the campaign trail.

The Student List is projected to secure a majority in the parliament, positioning it to form a single-party government.

Serbia has been on the road to join the European Union for over a decade, having been granted candidate status in 2012. Following the 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict, Brussels made alignment of foreign policy mandatory for nations seeking EU membership, forcing Belgrade to choose between making progress on its path or maintaining its traditionally good relations with Russia.

Trade between India and Russia has grown by more than 20% this year, Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said during talks in New Delhi on Sunday, where he called for the removal of trade barriers and the expansion of joint business ventures.

Volodin met the speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, ahead of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, which New Delhi is hosting on October 26-27. The discussions covered closer cooperation on trade, industry and agriculture, along with the strengthening of parliamentary ties.

Bilateral commerce reached $47.7 billion in the first seven months of 2026, up 24.3% from a year earlier, according to data from the Indian Commerce Ministry, cited by Russian lender Sberbank.

India imported $44.9 billion of Russian goods during the period, including $36 billion in crude oil. Indian exports to Russia totaled $2.8 billion, with Moscow increasing purchases of chemicals, electrical goods, medical equipment, seafood, tea, and spices.
Volodin credited Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with advancing bilateral ties.

🇮🇳🇷🇺 'Dynamic' Modi & Putin Set The Pace: Russian Duma Chief Says Moscow & Delhi Align On Global Issues Vyacheslav Volodin told Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that bilateral ties are advancing across sectors, stressing that parliamentarians must ensure agreements reached by the countries' leaders are translated into law. The duo met ahead of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi.

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) October 25, 2026

Lawmakers should “provide legislative support for all decisions made at the level of heads of state,” he said, according to TASS.
Birla highlighted opportunities to expand cooperation in nuclear energy and other industrial sectors, while calling for regular exchanges between the two parliaments.

The expansion in commerce comes as New Delhi and Moscow work toward reaching $100 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2030. India is seeking to narrow its trade imbalance with Russia by increasing exports of pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, chemicals, food products, and auto components.

The countries have also strengthened local currency payment mechanisms to facilitate trade. Ruble-rupee settlements now account for 96% of bilateral transactions, Ivan Nosov, head of Sberbank India, said in September.

The two countries are working to address standards-related issues and non-tariff barriers affecting Indian agricultural and marine exports. India is also negotiating a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which includes Russia, to improve market access.

Indian Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar said earlier this month that expanding the range of traded products and easing market restrictions would be central to increasing bilateral commerce.

A cruise liner has collided with a container ship while departing Bremerhaven in northwestern Germany for a voyage to the Canary Islands.

The incident involving the Mein Schiff 3 occurred on Sunday in poor weather brought by storm Manja. Strong crosswinds appeared to overpower the tugboats assisting the 293-meter vessel down the Weser River. The collision was filmed from aboard the liner.

Hamburg-based operator TUI Cruises reported no injuries among the 2,428 guests and 922 crew members aboard the ship. The vessel was brought back to the pier for a damage assessment.

Media reports and footage indicate that at least three lifeboats were seriously damaged, potentially disrupting the voyage unless they can be replaced promptly. In similar cases, operators have negotiated cancellations with some guests to bring the number of people aboard into line with the remaining lifeboat capacity.

Die „Mein Schiff 3“ kollidiert beim Auslaufen in Bremerhaven mit einem Containerschiff. Aufnahmen zeigen die Wucht des Zusammenstoßes; mehrere Rettungsboote wurden offenbar beschädigt. Nach bisherigen Berichten gab es keine Verletzten. Die Unfallursache muss untersucht werden. Doch ich frage mich grundsätzlich: Wie lange wollen wir noch eine Kreuzfahrtindustrie fördern, deren Geschäftsmodell mit enormen Treibhausgasemissionen verbunden ist? Luxus auf See darf nicht bedeuten, dass die Umwelt die Rechnung bezahlt. Wir brauchen einen konsequenten Ausstieg aus besonders klimaschädlichen Kreuzfahrten. Klimaschutz ist keine freiwillige Zusatzleistung!

— Paro. Karl Kautabak (@KarlKautabak) October 25, 2026

The Mein Schiff 3 was beginning a 20-day ‘Timeless Canary Islands’ cruise, with its first stop scheduled for October 28 in the Spanish port of A Coruna.

The MSC Victorine, which the liner struck, also postponed its departure for Hamburg following the collision.

An initial police report mentioned a third vessel involved in the collision, although footage suggests the Mein Schiff 3 narrowly missed the smaller container ship MSC Anne F. before hitting the Victorine.

Some reports said two tugboats were also damaged. Shipping was temporarily suspended after the incident.

Three people have been killed and 39 others injured, including a child, in a Ukrainian overnight drone raid on the southern Russian city of Voronezh, Governor Aleksandr Gusev has reported.

Most of the victims in the attack come from a single apartment block that was hit by a downed drone, the official said on Monday morning. Three of the injured people are in serious condition, he added.

Gusev said regional air defenses engaged 113 targets overnight, including 70 drones that were intercepted over the city.

A similar large-scale Ukrainian drone raid on Belgorod over the weekend killed two civilians and left 13 others wounded.

Kiev continues its long-range strikes on Russian cities amid renewed pressure from Washington to end its conflict with Moscow.

Last week, tech billionaire Elon Musk accused Vladimir Zelensky of abusing his Starlink satellite internet service to conduct strikes against civilians. The rebuke came after Zelensky complained about speed limitations imposed on Starlink terminals, which reportedly made them useless on fast-moving platforms.

Starlink reportedly operates only over the part of Russia that the US recognizes as Ukrainian territory. Zelensky has for years been lobbying Musk and the administration of US President Donald Trump to extend the coverage to other parts of the country, including after Washington renewed its efforts to find a resolution to the conflict.

The Russia-Africa Summit taking place in Moscow on October 28-29 will be the third of its kind, and relations have undergone a great transformation since the first summit. Over the past seven years, permanent frameworks have been established, diplomatic presence has expanded, and trade turnover has grown.

This year’s summit will provide an opportunity to evaluate the results of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan, which was adopted at the second summit. It contains 181 points covering politics and security, trade, investment, agriculture, energy, industry, transport, digitalization, science, education, and humanitarian cooperation.

Prior to 2022, expert discussions focused mainly on Africa’s place among Moscow’s foreign policy priorities. However, in the past four years, the practical importance of Russia’s relationship with the continent has surged.

African nations have become a higher priority for Russia in terms of diplomacy, business, foreign trade, and international coordination. Today, the primary focus is on the quality of cooperation.

From summits to permanent mechanisms

The first Russia-Africa Summit, held in Sochi in October 2019, brought together all 54 African nations, including more than 40 heads of state and government. Its most significant outcome was the establishment of a pan-African approach in Russian foreign policy. This set a framework for regular summits, the ongoing work of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, and cooperation with the African Union.

The second summit took place in St. Petersburg in July 2023 and was attended by delegations from 49 African states, 17 of which were led by heads of state. A three-year Action Plan adopted there featured key topics such as financial settlements, banking ties, logistics, investments, information technology, industry, and transport. Following the summit, expert discussions increasingly focused on shipping, insurance, correspondent accounts, currency settlements, and project finance – that is, issues that directly impact corporate business activity and trade volumes.

Cooperation has since become multi-dimensional. In November 2024, the first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum took place in Sochi, followed by a second such conference in Cairo in December 2025. In July, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held high-level consultations in Addis Ababa.

Russia’s diplomatic network has also expanded.There are currently 45 Russian embassies physically operating in African nations. Since 2023, embassies have resumed operations in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Niger, and Sierra Leone, and a new Russian embassy was opened in South Sudan. The opening of embassies in the Gambia, Liberia, Togo, and the Comoros are next on the agenda. A separate Department for Partnership with Africa has been established within the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The developments are, step-by-step, reducing the extent to which the African agenda depends on meetings between leaders.

Politics outpaces economics so far

Russia’s political presence in Africa has been expanding faster than economic ties. At the same time, tangible progress has been made in commerce: trade turnover between Russia and Africa grew from $16.8 billion in 2019, when the first summit was held, to $27.1 billion in 2025.

However, a pronounced imbalance persists: in 2025, Russian exports accounted for $22.7 billion, while imports amounted to only about $4.4 billion. Much of the growth seen in recent years is linked to shifts in the external environment and the redirection of trade flows. Establishing a sustainable presence, however, requires direct supply channels, infrastructure, local partners, and financing.

The geography of economic ties is also uneven, with about 70% of total trade turnover still concentrated in North African countries. Food, fertilizers, fuel, and metals account for a significant portion of trade turnover. The modest scale of economic engagement becomes clear when compared to that of other major powers; for example, China-Africa trade reached $348 billion in 2025.

Moscow’s policy currently commands fewer financial resources. To make its presence in Africa more effective, Russia is focusing on the sectors where it possesses the necessary technologies and expertise, and where demand is stable. These include the agro-industrial complex, nuclear energy, the extractive industries, digitalization, information security, and education.

Food, fertilizers, energy, and education

Russia maintains a strong position in the food and fertilizer sectors. Following the 2023 summit, a pledge to provide free shipments of wheat to six African countries was fulfilled. In 2024, Russia delivered 200,000 tons of grain (valued at approximately $60 million) to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Somalia, and the Central African Republic. The deliveries were made independently of any international organizations, which means Russia is establishing a sovereign infrastructure for food supplies to African nations and engages with importers directly.

The next phase of cooperation could focus on developing production capacities in African nations. The African Union’s agenda prioritizes fertilizer production, the storage and processing of agricultural products, mechanization, seed production, transport infrastructure, and enhancing local added value. Talks between Russia and the African Union in July 2026 addressed industrialization, the expansion of trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and food security.

This approach aligns with the objectives of Agenda 2063 – the African Union’s development blueprint –which calls for the strengthening of national economies, fostering domestic production, creating jobs, and reducing reliance on external supplies. The AfCFTA, designed to dismantle trade barriers between the nations of the region and establish a unified market, supports these same goals. Within this framework, fertilizer production, raw material processing, the establishment of service centers, the assembly of machinery, and the training of local specialists help build a sustainable presence in markets.

Cooperation in the field of nuclear energy also offers long-term benefits. The construction of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt is Russia’s largest infrastructure project on the African continent, generating long-term demand for technical support, fuel, personnel training, and maintenance services. In the humanitarian sphere, education plays a comparable role: tens of thousands of students from Africa are currently enrolled in Russian universities. Value is further amplified when educational programs are linked to specific economic projects.

African demand

The context for cooperation with Africa has also evolved. One of the most notable shifts has been the development of the AfCFTA. By 2026, 50 of the 54 signatory countries had ratified the agreement. The primary challenge now is to ensure that free trade becomes a practical reality. Participants have agreed to phase out tariffs on 90% of product categories – a process set to take five years for more developed economies and 10 years for the least developed nations.

Concurrently, the African Union has taken a more active role in coordinating relations with external partners. African governments are cultivating ties with China, the EU, the US, India, Türkiye, the Persian Gulf states, Japan, South Korea, and other countries. Such diversification has become standard foreign policy practice. For several nations, most notably those in the Sahel, Russia has emerged as a high-priority foreign policy partner.

The summit in St. Petersburg in 2023 demonstrated the autonomy of African diplomacy. Prior to the meeting, an African peace delegation visited Kiev and St. Petersburg, presenting their own proposals for resolving the conflict. African leaders raised concerns with the Russian leadership regarding food security and the impact of the hostilities on the continent’s economy. For Moscow, this may signal a need to engage with partners who maintain a broad range of foreign policy options.

The number of leaders attending the summit in fact only offers a limited perspective on the state of relations. A more meaningful indicator lies in the ongoing cooperation with the African Union Commission, the AfCFTA, regional economic communities, relevant government ministries, and private-sector companies.

What are instruments of sovereignty?

There are 54 countries in Africa, and all are very different. The pan-African format is most suitable for education and humanitarian cooperation, international coordination, and shared economic initiatives. Practical projects, however, are better implemented at the level of individual countries and sectors.

Russia’s experience in recent years highlights the value of stable regional powers with large economies and well-developed external ties – such as Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and several others. Entering these markets, however, requires more thorough preparation and a solid understanding of local conditions. At the same time, the scale of these economies opens up opportunities for long-term projects. Such ventures can serve not only the market of a single country but may also supply neighboring states, gradually expanding the presence of Russian companies throughout the region.

Another promising direction is ​​the exchange of experience in the field of technologies that expand the practical capabilities of the nation in management – generally referred to as “instruments of sovereignty.” In the agricultural sector, these are food reserve systems, the forecasting of climate risks and the storage and processing of products. In the digital sphere, it is data localization, government information systems, satellite communications and fiber optic infrastructure. In the extractive industry, it is geological exploration, personnel training, and regulatory instruments that stimulate the processing of raw materials in the country.

This approach is giving practical meaning to Russia’s rhetoric about sovereignty. Results can be measured by an increase in new capacities, trained specialists, a reduction in import dependence and an increase in the tax base.

What will the Moscow summit show?

The practical results of the summit may be assessed according to five parameters. First, the public assessment of the implementation of the 2023-2026 Action Plan (including by the African side) will reveal functioning aspects, delayed initiatives, and projects that require revision. Then comes the new 2027-2029 Action Plan: Its measurable objectives and realistic timelines will facilitate the work of relevant departments. Third is financial infrastructure: export lending, risk insurance, banking support, and working settlement mechanisms are important for business.

Another important point is deepening the economic presence: developing projects, service centers, processing, energy and digital infrastructure. Lastly there is country prioritization, which means that limited resources necessitate that projects be chosen with a clear economic or political effect.

The 2026 summit will essentially serve as an evaluation of Russia’s policy in Africa over the past seven years. This period allows us to separate functioning projects from initiatives that exist mainly as part of the public agenda. The next three-year cycle will show to what extent Russia can play to its strengths and build sustainable mechanisms for financing, trade, local production, personnel training, and constant interaction with African institutions.

Ukrainian language ombudswoman Elena Ivanovskaya has accused Google of not doing enough to promote the national tongue in the global digital environment. The US tech giant’s search engine often provides results to Ukrainians in Russian even when the queries are typed in Ukrainian, she told a local media outlet.

The government has been cracking down on the use of the Russian language in Ukraine since the 2014 Western-backed Maidan coup, using what Moscow has repeatedly denounced as discriminatory practices. 

Former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko introduced restrictions on the import of books from Russia and Belarus in 2016, which became an outright ban in 2023. Kiev also purged Russian literature from state curricula and systematically removed cultural monuments, memorials, and inscriptions to remove historical links to Russia.

Kiev seeks to block access to Russian music on international streaming platforms inside Ukraine and prevent its performers from appearing in domestic popularity charts, according to Ukrainian Sanctions Policy commissioner Vladislav Vlasiuk. More than 100 Russian performers have been blacklisted in Ukraine, and the list will be expanded, according to the official.

In an interview with the outlet Censor.net, Ivanovskaya stated that her office had filed a formal complaint with Google over its search algorithms. “For example, when a user enters a search query in Ukrainian, the system returns results in Russian – solely because of the user’s geographic location,” she stated, adding that her office asked the company to address the supposed lack of “accuracy of their search result algorithms.”

The Ukrainian authorities have banned the use of any language other than Ukrainian in the public sphere, including government, education, media, and customer service. Violations can result in administrative fines of up to $270.

Ivanovskaya has previously suggested increasing the fines tenfold and demanded Russian-speaking children and parents use Ukrainian during breaks and in conversations with teachers, arguing that both instances fall under the “public sphere rule” and could be punished with fines.

Despite the concerted persecution campaign, Russian remains widely used in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian polling data, as many as 46% of country’s nationals spoke Russian in everyday life before the conflict escalated in 2022. Another survey last year showed the number of Russian speakers had fallen to 30% since four former Ukrainian territories, including the Donbass republics and Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions formally joined Russia after a series of referendums.

Ukrainian Culture Minister Tatyana Berezhnaya said earlier this year that 71% of Ukrainians regularly consume Russian-language content, with nearly a quarter doing so every day.

Moscow has repeatedly denounced the discriminatory measures as “Russophobic censorship,” warning that attempts to “cancel” Russian culture will ultimately fail.