NEW THREAD: After the United Nations? The UN was created to preserve peace, provide a universal diplomatic forum and embody international principles. But those functions are increasingly pulling in different directions. My new essay asks whether one institution can still do all three. 1/10

Putin promises "favorable conditions" to European firms in Russia, weeks after his decrees handed Nestlé's and Auchan's businesses to Kremlin managers Russia has "many friends in Europe," Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed, and their governments forced European companies out. "Our friends from these countries nearly cried," he said, adding that Russia is trying to create "favorable conditions" for the firms that stayed. Since September, his decrees have put the Russian businesses of Nestlé, Auchan, Metro, Tarkett, and others under Kremlin-appointed managers. A senior Russian official's word for the European companies that could be next: "Let them be scared." 🔗 euromaidanpress.com/2026/10/…

From YouTube (Falklands1982): Britain vs Argentina: Who Really Owns the Falkland Islands? #shorts #HistoryShorts youtube.com/watch?v=naTkxdIL…

KyivIndependent: ⚡️️ US holding up air defense missiles for Ukraine for nearly a month, Zelensky says. A senior Ukrainian official previously told the Kyiv Independent that the batch awaiting U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's approval was "significant." kyivindependent.com/us-holdi…

TheStudyofWar: RT @TheStudyofWar: NEW: The Houthis have fired at least 12 missiles and two drones targeting Saudi Arabia since October 24 as part of the Houthi strike campaign, which aims to impose economic and political costs on Saudi Arabia and compel Saudi Arabia to capitulate to the Houthis’ primarily economic demands. Yemeni government-aligned forces continue to engage Houthi forces south of Taiz City in an effort to break the Houthi encirclement of the city and central Taiz Governorate.

KyivIndependent: ⚡️️ Ukrainian strike reportedly damages chemical plant in Russia's Voronezh. Voronezh Oblast Governor Aleksandr Gusev claimed that Russia had downed 113 Ukrainian drones over Voronezh and several districts of the region overnight and this morning, with over 70 of them heading toward the regional capital. kyivindependent.com/ukrainia…

TheStudyofWar: RT @TheStudyofWar: NEW: Ukrainian forces are making slow but tactically significant gains in the Oleksandrivka direction that may later threaten Russian logistics and efforts in the Oleksandrivka and Hulyaipole directions over the long term. Other Key Takeaways: Ukraine had a slightly lower but still relatively high interception rate of Russian jet-powered drones during the Starshield restrictions in mid-October 2026, but will need innovative jet-powered interceptors to work to sustain and improve these interception rates over the long term. Russian forces recently advanced in the Novopavlivka direction. Ukrainian forces conducted a series of long-range strikes against industrial facilities in Russia. Russian forces conducted several high-casualty strikes on October 24 and 25, including in western Ukraine.

RT wartranslated "This is what Lyman in the Donetsk region looks like right now. Another small town that the Russians continue to turn into ruins. Unfortunately, people still remain in the city, mostly living in basements. Food and water have long been gone. Ukrainian soldiers share their scarce provisions with them, which they receive via drone deliveries."

Defence Spending: Challenges for the Budget and Beyond ift.tt/qFRB6dW

Five ways to look after yourself as winter approaches ift.tt/4HT1wC2

KyivIndependent: ⚡️ Update: Zelensky says Serbia faces ‘new chapter’ after Vucic concedes election defeat. “We are ready to continue expanding our cooperation,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. kyivindependent.com/russian-…

Freight train derails and burns near Russia's Yekaterinburg 39 cars of a freight train came off the tracks overnight on 26 October in Sverdlovsk Oblast, a Russian region in the Urals, and 7 tank cars caught fire. No one was hurt. Rescuers uncoupled the burning cars and towed 54 others away, while more than 330 people fought the fire until past noon. Doctors told nearby residents to stay indoors and keep their windows shut. Russian authorities haven't said what the tanks carried or why the train derailed. 📷 Russian Emergencies Ministry

RT wartranslated "In Vinnytsia, a UAV struck the "Epicentre" shopping centre. https://xitter.cf/t.co/yRiNTAu6UI"

StratcomCentre: RT @ZelenskyyUa: There have been changes in Serbia – a victory of the Student List @studentblokade. And this is clearly a new chapter in the history of the country and its people. We wish Serbia success, real development, and warm relations with the European community. We in Ukraine thank Serbia for respecting our people, our state, and our independence. And we always celebrate our shared achievements – everything that strengthens our societies and gives people more opportunities. We are ready to continue expanding our cooperation, and may all the good hopes of the people of Serbia come true!

RT wartranslated "Children's entertainment in Ukraine: finding a downed Shahed drone on the beach and dragging it home. https://xitter.cf/t.co/vjQ3MzGIey"

RT wartranslated "In the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, 39 freight train cars suddenly derailed, causing seven tank cars, likely carrying fuel, to burst into flames. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has not reported the cause of the incident in the Sverdlovsk Region. xitter.cf/wartranslated/st…"

Ukraine, the US, the EU, and NATO plan to meet in Brussels for security talks The meeting is planned for 27 or 28 October, with the EU joining at the presidential level and NATO through its secretary general, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Kyiv has already had a briefing from the Americans, and the partners now want a broad discussion of security and guarantees, he said. Such guarantees would oblige Ukraine's allies to act if Russia attacks again. Zelenskyy also said Ukraine's neutrality and limits on its army are not up for discussion. The Brussels round follows talks in Oslo on 20 October and US special envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg a day later. 🔗 euromaidanpress.com/2026/10/…

StratcomCentre: Russian Information Interference: Propaganda Blames Ukraine and Europe for Obstructing Peace The news cycle was driven by statements from Kremlin representatives regarding the possible continuation of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, described the first meeting as merely "exploratory," while Dmitry Peskov accused the EU of taking a non-constructive stance on the diplomatic process. During October 23-25, the Center for Strategic Communications recorded 824 publications promoting this narrative. 🔹 Sputnik and RT portray Russia as a proponent of a "lasting settlement," while Kyiv's position on territorial issues and the mobilization in Ukraine are presented as evidence of alleged "double standards." In this way, propaganda obscures the reasons for the lack of peace and shifts the blame onto Ukraine. 🔹 Moscow's demands are presented by propagandists as "security guarantees for both sides," while the participation of European partners in the diplomatic process is portrayed as an obstacle. In this way, Russia is attempting to present itself as a party willing to compromise, while Europe is depicted as a force that is allegedly hindering agreements. 🔹 The goal of these information operations is to place the responsibility for the lack of peace on Kyiv and Brussels, weaken Europe's role in the negotiations, and create a basis for pressuring Ukraine to accept Moscow's terms.

18 million people living in poverty depend on underwater meadows for food and income - but these vital habitats are under threat ift.tt/VIUY3Gh

Working-class academics are still struggling to fit in at university ift.tt/76IBTej

Victorian spiritualism capitalised on the desire to transcend death to create new ways of making money ift.tt/84w9z5v