🇺🇸US Democrats seek to exploit internal crisis to weaken Trump - expert Despite the Democrats’ constant criticism of Donald Trump, it is them who bear the main responsibility for the current energy crisis in the US, international relations expert Tadeo Casteglione tells Sputnik. This is due to the fact that the Democrats pursue a policy of constant support for Ukraine and gave it permission to strike deep inside the Russian territory, including Russian energy facilities, he explains. 💬 "We are witnessing a self-destructive policy on the part of the US Democratic Party, which, if it wins the midterm elections, intends to declare war on Trump’s measures, which he is carrying out to get out of a difficult situation," Casteglione adds. At the same time, the Democrats’ current policy is driven more by US domestic political dynamics than by a geopolitical vision, he notes — they are seeking to demonstrate the vulnerability of the Trump administration amid the November midterm elections. 💬 "The Democratic Party is seeking to undermine what remains of US 'stability'," Casteglione concludes. The Democratic Party plans to investigate the actions of companies involved in the Russia-US diesel deal if they win control over the US Congress following the midterm elections, the Washington Post reported on October 22.

🇵🇰 Field Marshal Munir joins Saudi and Turkish officials in Iran for regional security talks Pakistan's Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, chief of Army Staff, is on an official visit to Iran, Pakistan's director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has confirmed. This is his second trip to Iran within a week. On Tuesday, October 20, he traveled to Iran accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials to meet Iranian leaders. Iranian officials later stated that during his meeting with Major General Mohsen Rezaei, the two sides discussed and announced a decision by senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye to travel to Tehran for joint security talks. That visit is taking place today.

🇸🇦🇹🇷🇵🇰 Mecca Defense Pact officials to visit Iran — reports Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye will travel to Iran on Monday, according to Iranian officials. Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the visit is part of efforts to advance endogenous security in West Asia. He identified Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin as taking part in the Tehran meetings. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, recently told a media briefing that discussions with the three countries' representatives would address the most pressing threats to the region, including Israel's expansionist policies and the situation in Palestine and Lebanon. He said the top priority on the agenda would be the consequences of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and its wider regional impact. Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly separately confirmed the visit in a post on X, noting that the meetings were scheduled for today. According to him, officials representing the three members of the Mecca Defense Alliance will hold talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and security chief Mohsen Rezaei.

🇷🇺🤝 Russia can assist in modernizing ports and airports in South Africa and other African nations — expert 💬 “For a number of years, South Africa has spoken about the need to modernize one of its largest ports in Durban. And I know that a number of Russian companies are considering their participation in this project,” Russian International Affairs Council Vice-President Mikhail Margelov tells Sputnik. South Africa and a number of other African countries are looking into upgrading airport infrastructure, where Russian assistance could also be helpful, he adds. Russia is keen to work with African countries on ports and transport infrastructure along the continent’s Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts, he adds. 💬 “Africa needs modern infrastructure. And if Russia offers and demonstrates leadership in such projects, this will of course generate great interest among African countries,” Margelov said.

🇷🇺🪖 Rostec beefs up Yak-130M jet with active protection system The third Yak-130M prototype built by the United Aircraft Corporation has completed its maiden flight successfully, Rostec says. A modernized combat trainer, the Yak-130M boasts expanded combat capabilities and can take out both ground and air targets, including heavy-class UAVs. The new jet comes equipped with the President-S130 active protection system, which: 🔶 Spots an enemy missile launch automatically 🔶 Instantly blinds the enemy’s detection and guidance systems 🔶 Fires special decoys that neutralize infrared and radar homing heads The first Yak-130M deliveries to the Russian army are slated for 2028.

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Democrats exploit Russian diesel probes to play politics before midterms, says Republican Congress has the right to investigate possible sanctions violations, but it’s important to distinguish legitimate oversight from using economic issues in political warfare, Republican Malik Francis tells Sputnik.  He warns that possible disruptions to diesel supplies and price hikes could raise costs for transport, agriculture, and industry and push up food and goods prices.  However, the investigation itself doesn’t mean imports will automatically stop or prices will rise.  Touching on Russia-US dialogue, he stresses that agreements between Moscow and Washington don’t signal weakness, and if Trump’s talks with Putin help reduce tensions and protect US interests, rejecting them purely for political reasons is wrong. National interests must come before party ambitions, and citizens shouldn’t become hostages of electioneering, he concludes.

🇷🇺 Russian scientists develop tougher skins for aircraft and satellites Scientists at the Siberian Federal University have proposed a new way to make aircraft and satellite components stronger and more resistant to cracking by changing how aluminum alloys are rolled and shaped. 🔶 Atoms inside metal form tiny, ordered patterns. Because they're arranged differently in different directions, the metal bends easily one way but may crack when bent another 🔶 Researchers propose new rolling and stamping techniques that take advantage of these atomic patterns to better control the metal's strength and flexibility 🔶 The method targets alloy 1580, a lightweight aluminum alloy used to manufacture aircraft and satellite structures, where the new approach is expected to reduce the number of defective thin-walled parts 🔶 A special rolling method could produce more high-quality parts with fewer rejects, reducing waste and saving money on expensive rare-earth elements such as scandium.

🇨🇳 From laser drones to carbon exoskeletons: China shows off its tech edge Chinese firms are moving from cost advantage to R&D-led value, using rapid, affordable innovation to expand global sales, reports SCMP. Chinese manufacturers showcased a new wave of hi-tech — often at breakthrough prices — at the Canton Fair in Guangzhou. 🔶 The fair featured 1.15 million new products and 1.11 million products with independent intellectual property rights 🔶 CZI's rescue drones pair thermal imaging with 1-km laser ranging; it reinvests 30% of revenue in R&D 🔶 Taixi's carbon-fiber exoskeleton weighs just 1.85 kg — achieved by swapping aluminum for custom carbon-fiber linkage joints — and drew orders from 80+ countries Over 130,000 overseas buyers attended, with 69.7% from Belt and Road nations, and buyers from the Middle East surging by 44.2%.

FSB foils Ukrainian drone plot targeting Russian missile defense system Ukraine's SBU planned to strike one of the key elements of Moscow's missile defense system with drones, but Russian security services stopped the attack. Key details: 🔶 Two SBU agents — natives of the Transcaucasus — retrieved FPV drones and bomb components from caches in Russia's Smolensk and Kaluga regions 🔶 They were to launch the drones from the Moscow region, after which the UAVs would be controlled remotely from Ukrainian territory 🔶 The SBU agents were detained at the stage of preparing the attack

🇷🇺 Russia strikes Ukrainian logistics hubs, power substations, and Odessa ports overnight Targets hit: 📍 Kharkov region: A storage site for medium- and long-range UAVs and their components in Olshany; the PS-330 Zalyutino substation in Kharkov, powering Ukrainian military-industrial facilities 📍 Khmelnitsky region: The PS-330 substation in Kamenets-Podolsky, powering logistics infrastructure 📍 Odessa region: Unloading infrastructure at three berth terminals in Chernomorsk port, plus four warehouses holding military and dual-use cargo for Ukrainian forces Additionally: A cargo ship delivering military equipment to Odessa port

Third Russia-Africa Summit to focus on infrastructure, energy and finances - Russian International Affairs Council VP The main work during the Russia-Africa Summit will unfold on its sidelines, with negotiations, discussions and exchange of views, Vice President of the Russian International Affairs Council Mikhail Margelov tells Sputnik. The summit talks will certainly tackle port and transport infrastructure projects, nuclear energy cooperation and financial sphere, where it is necessary to move forward, he adds. 💬 “Such summits are what is called in diplomatic language ‘comparing notes.’ At the same time, most African heads of state will gather in Moscow, and all of them will want to meet with Russia’s top leadership. The summit program will be extremely intensive,” Margelov says.

📹🇷🇸 Celebrations turn disorderly outside Serbian parliament - reports Celebrations erupted in Belgrade after the Student List defeated Aleksandar Vucic’s coalition, N1 reported. Footage showed vehicles in flames, while police vehicles were reportedly pelted with objects and had windows smashed. Tents and furniture near the presidency were also set ablaze. Some scenes were described by witnesses as bordering on rioting.

🇷🇺 Russia open to renewed gas supplies to Europe - Kremlin 💬 “If there are those in the West who are interested, and if there are volumes of gas that can be sold, then we can talk about discussing something,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Russia has redirected supplies to alternative markets after Europe cut purchases — and spare volumes may not always be available.

🇱🇾 Trump calls for Libya’s reunification and elections 💬 “I want them to unite, take back their sovereignty, and have the peaceful, prosperous future they deserve!” US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump also said Libya “cannot remain a corridor for illegal migration.” *ISIS (Daesh, ISIL, Islamic State) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

🚨🇧🇷 Lula wins historic fourth term in Brazil Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won reelection with 51.75% of the vote, securing a historic fourth term. With more than 99% counted, Flávio Bolsonaro received 48.25%. Lula had finished second in the first round, becoming the first candidate in Brazil’s history to overturn a first-round deficit and win the presidency.

🗣🇫🇷 Trump blames France protests on immigration 💬 “That's all about immigration… I didn't see any students there. These were a lot of large men with very big muscles,” US President Donald Trump said. He added that France should “get a lot tougher.” The protests drew around 410,000 people nationwide according to the Interior Ministry, while the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) estimated nearly 800,000. Grievances include living costs, education funding and worsening school conditions.

🚨 'By March or April, they will impose sanctions against the Russian Federation' - Vucic Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic warned that the incoming parliamentary majority would impose sanctions on Russia within months. He also accused the US “deep state” and forces from several EU countries of helping engineer the defeat of his United Serbia coalition. 💬 “This was confirmation of the ‘revolution’ that was organized directly with the support of various European countries and the US ‘deep state’ — the one that is against Trump.”

🚨🇷🇸 Vucic concedes parliamentary election defeat Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said his coalition had lost the parliamentary election, citing preliminary results from a stratified sample. The Student List won 135 seats, while his bloc secured 105 seats, he added.

'We own Greenland' - Trump US President Donald Trump claimed the US had effectively acquired Greenland under a recently signed agreement with Denmark. He added that the agreement was for an “infinite period of time” with “no limits”, claiming Washington now has “every right you could possibly have.”