Massive air attack continues in Ukraine

"Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported a threat of the Russian forces using

ballistic missiles and Shahed drones in several regions of Ukraine. The Air Force urges citizens to be especially attentive in Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, Poltava and Kharkiv oblasts. Group of assault UAVs in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. The likely direction is Starokostiantyniv.
Several groups [of drones - ed] in Kirovohrad Oblast are heading towards Uman.
There are also several groups in Poltava Oblast, heading towards Kremenchuk." Pravada

Zelensky Feels Betrayed by His Allies and Faces Challenges Within Ukraine

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's growing frustrations with his allies are laid

bare. The weight of a war that shows no signs of resolution, coupled with dwindling international support, has left the leader grappling with a multitude of challenges. The promise of American aid seems to be fizzling out, sparking concerns over the country's capability to sustain its war efforts. Another source suggests Zelensky feels a deep sense of betrayal from the Western allies he once counted on." MS

Iran's exiled crown prince calls out Biden's weak policies, says Islamic regime 'emboldened'

"The exiled crown prince of Iran called out the Biden administration's weak policies after Iran's president issued an ominous warning that Israel's actions in Gaza "may force everyone to act."
"The [Iranian] regime… is trying to push the envelope, trying to see whether they can take advantage of a weakness, which currently seems to be the case. That's why they've become emboldened every time the West hesitates or doesn't apply the necessary pressure, as it should have, to at least contain this," Reza Pahlavi told FOX News'." FOX

Poll: Most Russians would not support ending invasion if it meant returning occupied territories to Ukraine

"According to the survey, only 34% of Russians would support President Vladimir Putin if he decided to end the invasion and return occupied territories to Ukraine....70% of respondents said they would support Putin’s decision to end the invasion of Ukraine, without the caveat about returning territories. When asked if they personally support the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine, 76% of respondents replied "definitely" or "most likely" yes, a figure that has remained relatively stable over the past year of polling." KI

Yemen's Houthis enter Mideast fray

"Yemen's Houthis have waded into the Israel-Hamas war raging more than 1,000 miles from

their seat of power in Sanaa, declaring they had fired drones and missiles at Israel in attacks that highlight the regional risks of the conflict." MS

Attack on shipyard near Odesa: Number of casualties rises

"Russian forces launched a missile strike on a shipyard in the Odesa region causing

destruction and injuries.
Additionally, the attack triggered a fire, which was promptly extinguished by rescue teams. The administrative building and equipment of the facility were also damaged.: RBC

Russians launch mass shelling in Kherson: Reports of damage and injuries

"Russians occupiers covered the Tsentralnyi district of Kherson with massive fire, as a result

of which one person was injured, destruction also occurred, according to the head of the Kherson City Military Administration, Roman Mrochko.
As a result of the attack, warehouses were destroyed, and about 10 cars were damaged." MS

Top Zelenskyy Adviser Admits the Truth About Corruption in Ukraine: 'People Are Stealing Like There's No Tomorrow'

"Pople at the highest levels of Ukraine’s government are lining their pockets with cash as U.S. taxpayers prepare to fund yet another year of that nation's war against Russia, an adviser to

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Time magazine published a lengthy story about reporter Simon Shuster's recent visit to the war-torn country..... people at the top are “stealing” like there is no tomorrow and Ukraine's president faces pressure to root out corruption as its allies continue to give the country everything it asks for.
The reporter also spoke to an adviser who said that in spite of some internal housecleaning in the Zelensky Cabinet, theft is rampant. “But when I made this point to a top presidential adviser in early October, he asked me to turn off my audio recorder so he could speak more freely. ‘Simon, you’re mistaken,’ he says. ‘People are stealing like there’s no tomorrow.'" the adviser told Shuster that people behind the corruption did not “feel any fear” about facing consequences for misusing government funds as Ukraine relies on international aid." BNN

Israeli military jets strike Gaza camp, says Hamas commander killed

"Israeli airstrikes hit a densely populated refugee camp in the Gaza

Strip, killing a Hamas commander." MS

Bolivia's government breaks diplomatic ties with Israel

"Bolivia's government said it had broken diplomatic ties with Israel due to its attacks on the

Gaza Strip, while neighbors Colombia and Chile recalled their ambassadors to the Middle Eastern nation for consultations." MS

Wildfires erupt in southern Lebanon, civil defence blames Israeli shells

"Firefighters in Lebanon were battling wildfires that Lebanese civil defense said had been

sparked by Israeli shelling, with the flames visible for miles as darkness fell.
The fires started around 1700 GMT and were caused by Israeli shells containing white phosphorous being launched across the border." AP

Blinken’s son dresses up as Zelensky for Halloween

"US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised quite a few eyebrows, after choosing to dress his kids up in “pro-Ukrainian” costumes to attend President Joe Biden’s traditional White House Halloween party......Their daughter, meanwhile, was dressed in a blue dress with a yellow shawl, apparently meant to resemble a Ukrainian flag." RT

India-Qatar ties strained by 'spy' death sentences

"Days after a Qatari court sentenced eight Indian naval veterans to death, India's External

Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with the men's families in New Delhi and promised that the government would make "all efforts" to help release them.....The veteran officers had worked for Al Dahra, a private Gulf-based company....the men — who had been arrested in Doha in August 2022 — were accused of spying for a "third country," while The Times of India said "various reports claimed they were accused of spying for Israel."..."While the specific charges were never disclosed publicly, their confinement in solitary cells hinted at possible security related offences," an intelligence official told DW on condition of anonymity." DW

Pro-Palestine supporters storm US hearing on $100 billion aid for Israel

"Pro-Palestine protesters interrupted and were dragged out screaming from a US government

hearing on a $105billion request for aid for Israel, Ukraine and more security matters." Metro

North Korea's closure of Africa embassies a sign of economic hardships

"North Korea's recent closing of its diplomatic missions in Angola and Uganda was a sign that

the reclusive country is struggling to make money overseas because of international sanctions....Pyongyang's state media outlet KCNA said its ambassadors paid "farewell" visits to Angolan and Ugandan leaders last week, and local media in both African countries reported the shutdown of the North's embassies there." Reuters

Japan says Russian helicopter violated country's airspace

"A Russian helicopter likely violated Japanese airspace according to Kyodo News.

According to preliminary data, the helicopter was spotted in the airspace over the waters near the Nemuro Peninsula on the eastern side of Hokkaido at approximately 12:44 local time." MS

Exclusive satellite footage sparks concern over Russian nuclear weapons

".....satellite imagery of Belarus from the start of September has captured covert radiological

warfare exercises by an alliance of post-soviet states, provoking concern among analysts that Russia is committed to hosting nuclear weapons in Belarusian territory.
The intra-day imagery, gathered by geospatial intelligence company BlackSky and then independently verified by specialist defense services company Preligens, exposes the radioactive decontamination of a formation of military vehicles at Bretsky Training Ground, near the borders with both Poland and Ukraine, as part of Exercise Barrier, an exercise intended to prepare ground forces for combat operations in a hazardously irradiated environment." GlobalData

China deletes Israel from online maps

"Internet users in China are expressing bewilderment that Israel’s name no longer appears on

major online digital maps from Baidu and Alibaba." AP

Explosion rocks Russian explosives plant

"An explosion occurred at the Ural military-industrial plant for the production of explosives,

one of the largest in Russia, located in Solikamsk. The Solikamsk Ural plant is one of the largest military-industrial plants in the Russian Federation, and is a part of the Rostec state corporation. Explosive materials and industrial explosives, including powder for small arms and projectiles, are manufactured there." Pravada

Russian troops lock down occupied Kreminna amid search for Ukrainian Special Forces

"Russians in Kreminna were conducting counterintelligence activities, checking the

documents of the civilian population, and searching private houses and farm buildings, even ditches...Russians launched the operation as they believed Ukrainian Special Forces had infiltrated the town....it was reported that the Russians were deporting the residents of Berezove, Luhansk Oblast, to set up a military camp under the guise of an evacuation." Pravada

Plane targeted at Dagestan airport struck again by mob after diversion

"A plane was targeted at an airport in Dagestan by an anti-Semitic mob who demanded to see passengers' passports yesterday. Israeli passengers onboard flight WZ4728 from Tel Aviv were caught in chaos at Makhachkala airport in the Russian republic after people stormed the airstrip." MS

Israeli Ground Troops Rescue Hostage, After Mossad Chief's Secretive Trip To Qatar

"Axios has revealed that the head of Mossad, David Barnea, made a secretive weekend trip to Qatar where he met with senior Qatari officials as part of mediation efforts to secure the release of Israeli and foreign hostages.
According to the latest update, over 235 are in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) captivity, and Qatar remains the chief third party communicating with both Tel Aviv and Hamas. But Israeli officials have described that the ground offensive was launched after it became clear that the talks had born no fruit. Barnea was in Doha as the ground invasion kicked off and progressed....Israel Defense Forces (IDF) made the unexpected announcement that one hostage, a military member who had been taken on Oct.7, has been rescued alive from the battlefield.....Hamas has also announced it is engaged in "heavy fighting… with the invading occupation force", after the IDF confirmed more Israeli troops have been surged into the Strip. It appears the warring sides are in some locales engaged in building-to-building and door-to-door fighting in the dense urban zone." ZH

Russians bombard Sumy Oblast with mortars and artillery

"Russians have fired 16 times at the border areas and settlements of Sumy Oblast over the past

day, using mortars and artillery, and dropped five bombs......Krasnopillia hromada was subjected to mortar attacks from the territory of the Russian Federation....Mortar attacks and artillery shelling were recorded in Bilopillia hromada....The Russians dropped bombs on Shalyhyne hromada. There were also artillery attacks." Pravada

Russians damaged thermal power plant in Donetsk Oblast last night, people left without power

"Russian forces have attacked one of DTEK's thermal power plants in the frontline area of Donetsk Oblast, leaving one of the settlements there without electricity." Pravada

Drones target Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase

"Two armed drones targeted Iraq’s Ain al-Asad airbase, which hosts U.S forces and other

international forces in western Iraq....A group called the "Islamic resistance in Iraq" has endorsed the attack.....four Katyusha rockets were fired at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base but it was not clear if the attacks caused damage or casualties." Reuters

China plans to take 'hack-proof' quantum satellite technology to new heights

"China is planning new, cutting-edge quantum communications satellites. The satellite can

generate random but entangled pairs of photons, thus creating secret keys, which are distributed to two separate ground stations with detectors to measure the polarization of the incoming photons. Placing new quantum satellites in higher orbits, similar to those of GPS satellites, means they will have a greater view of Earth below than does Micius, which orbits at around 310 miles (500 km) above our planet, and will be visible to ground stations for longer periods of time. It also means Chinese scientists and engineers will need to be able to transmit the quantum keys accurately over much greater distances." Space.com

Israel says it shot down ‘aerial target’ near Red Sea city of Eilat

"The Israeli military says it has shot down an approaching “aerial target” outside Israeli

airspace, near the Red Sea city of Eilat, as regional tensions rise amid the Israel-Gaza war. The incident triggered air raid sirens in the popular tourist resort and sent residents running for shelter." MS