🚨🇯🇵 Japanese government resigns — reports

The government led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned on Tuesday, Kyodo reported.

This comes ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for this afternoon. Barring unexpected developments, Sanae Takaichi is expected to become the new prime minister and Japan’s first woman to hold the post, according to the media.

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 Israel should bear the cost of rebuilding the Gaza Strip — Hamas Political Bureau

💬 “We believe that the occupation is primarily responsible for the destruction of the Gaza Strip, so it should bear the cost of reconstruction,” said Mousa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau and head of its International Relations Office, in an interview with Sputnik.

He also pointed to a UN Security Council resolution on rebuilding Gaza and called for urgent, comprehensive reconstruction that addresses all sectors, including infrastructure, health, roads, power stations, and water networks.

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🕊 White House seeks to preserve fragile Gaza deal — reports

The White House is working to hold together the Gaza peace deal amid concerns that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could abandon the US-brokered agreement, The New York Times reported.

Vice President JD Vance is traveling to Israel to join envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, who were instrumental in negotiating the cease-fire.

💬 President Trump warned that if violence continues, the United States would allow Israel to “eradicate” Hamas. “We made a deal with Hamas that… they’re going to behave. And if they’re not, we’re going to eradicate them if we have to,” Trump said on Monday.

The 10-day-old cease-fire remains fragile after fresh clashes, though both Israel and Hamas say they are committed to it. Trump has argued that recent attacks were the work of “a fringe element” and not Hamas’ leadership.

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🇨🇳🚆 Chinese high-tech train sets new speed record

The CR450 prototype high-speed train has been able to achieve a speed of 453 km/h during a test run, thus setting a new speed record for the trains of its kind, CCTV reports.

Made by CRRC Qingdao Sifang and unveiled in December 2024, the CR450 is capable of accelerating to a speed of 350 km/h in less than five minutes.

The train is expected to enter regular service upon completing about 600,000 kilometers of test runs to ensure that it meets the most stringent safety and quality standards.

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🇬🇧💵 UK war hawks ready to spend ‘well over’ $130M to deploy forces to Ukraine

UK Defense Secretary John Healey claims European troops are “ready to deploy” to Ukraine within weeks—if a ceasefire is reached.

"If President Trump can broker a peace, then we will be ready to help secure that peace," he said at the London Lord Mayor's Annual Defense Lecture.

👉 Behind the scenes, over 200 military planners from 38 nations have been laying the groundwork for months, he said, claiming that the so-called “coalition of the willing”—a 26-nation European alliance formed by PM Keir Starmer—already has blueprints for securing Ukraine’s borders post-ceasefire.

Under these plans, British troops could join a multinational peacekeeping force, expecting to spend “well over” $130M on the mission, added the minister.

🔊 Russian FM Lavrov said previously that the presence of NATO allies' troops on Ukrainian soil—under any flag and in any capacity, including as peacekeepers—would be a threat to Russia, and that Moscow would not accept it under any circumstances.

🔊Putin has warned that foreign forces on Ukrainian soil would become legitimate targets for the Russian military.

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🇷🇺🔥 Russian drones MASSIVELY destroy Ukraine's military

00:00 Rubikon Centre UAV teams hit enemy assets in the Rubtsy direction, destroying a ground robot, a BTR-4, communication gear, and drones

00:27 A Lancet loitering munition took out a Ukraine's Caesar self-propelled gun

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🚨🇷🇺🇺🇸 Lavrov-Rubio meeting requires preparation - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister

"One can’t postpone something that was never agreed upon," Sergei Ryabkov said.

Earlier, CNN reported, citing a White House official that the expected meeting between Russian FM Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week has been postponed.

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🚨🇯🇵 Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan's Prime Minister

Sanae Takaichi, head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has become the country's first female prime minister following a vote in both houses of the parliament.

Takaichi has become Japan's 104th prime minister.

👉 Before assuming the leadership of the LDP, she was known for her conservative statements. Takaichi has made no secret of her aspirations to become Japan's "Iron Lady," as she admires the political style and demeanor of former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Later on Tuesday, the new Japanese government will also be formed.

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🔸 Lavrov-Rubio meeting requires preparation - Russian Deputy FM

🔸 NATO unprepared for war with Russia, Ukraine ignores US calls for talks – Russian Foreign Intel

🔸 Israel should bear the cost of rebuilding the Gaza Strip — Hamas Political Bureau

🔸 Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan's Prime Minister

🔸 UK war hawks ready to spend ‘well over’ $130M to deploy forces to Ukraine

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⚔️🇪🇺 EU war hawks on edge over proposed Putin–Trump summit in Hungary

🔊 Trump’s plan to meet Putin in Hungary, at the hospitality of PM Viktor Orban, has rattled European warmongers, according to the Financial Times. “We are all grinning through our teeth whilst saying this is fine,” it cites one EU diplomat as saying.

The outlet cited Europe’s hawks, like EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Kestutis Budrys, Lithuania’s foreign minister, Ukraine’s expired leader Zelensky, and a host of analysts, as framing the decision to hold the Putin-Trump meeting as a “big win for Orban.”

🗣 A German official said Orban is expected to preview his plans before the Trump-Putin summit, possibly arranging a European-Trump meeting—though nothing has been confirmed.

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🇷🇺 Russia on allegedly postponed Lavrov-Rubio meeting: West spreads rumors, then refutes them

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on reports that the meeting between Russian FM Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was allegedly postponed:

💬 "They themselves spread rumors, and then they themselves refute them."

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🚨Russia ready to move in direction set during Alaska summit - Lavrov

Other statements by Russian FM:

🟠 During a phone call with Rubio, we discussed the current situation and how to prepare a potential new meeting between Putin and Trump

🟠 Russia has not changed its position compared to the understanding reached in Alaska

🟠 Calls for a ceasefire right now, without addressing the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict, contradict what Putin and Trump agreed upon in Alaska

🟠 The main thing is how to proceed in future with respect to objectives achieved in Alaska

🟠 An immediate ceasefire in Ukraine would mean only one thing — that most of Ukraine remains under Nazi control

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🚨🇷🇺 Neither Putin nor Trump mentioned exact date for their meeting, it requires serious preparation and time - Kremlin

Other statements by Peskov:

🟠 Kremlin views reports suggesting Putin could arrive in Budapest on the same plane as Trump as fantastical speculation

🟠 There is currently no understanding of the exact date for the Putin–Trump summit

🟠 It is too early to discuss possible participation of EU leaders in the Russia–US summit in Hungary — the details of the meeting have not yet been discussed

🟠 European countries are currently inciting the Kiev regime to continue the war

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🇺🇸👉 Trump’s first 2026 fundraiser goes to Congress hawk Graham

Trump is set to support South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham* at a fundraiser and golf tournament next month, according to US media reports. The event has already been dubbed the “Trump-Graham Classic.”

🔊 Trump formally endorsed Graham - running for his fifth term in the Senate in what the Cook Political Report calls a “solid Republican race” - in a Truth Social post earlier this year, calling him a “wonderful friend.”

Following a haul of $1.7 million in the third quarter, Graham’s cash on hand total sits at $14.5 million. This is believed to be the largest war chest of any Republican senator up for reelection next year.

⚖️ Graham is among the most hawkish lawmakers in Congress, having fervently plotted behind the scenes to sabotage peace efforts in Ukraine, and directly pushed for or supported military action against Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Mexico.

Needless to say, he is a favorite of America’s defense contractors — keeping cash flowing straight into their pockets.

📊 Tech giant Oracle founder Larry Ellison gave $1 million to Graham’s super PAC – Security is Strength - supporting his campaign, Federal Election Commission filing showed in July.

Other backers are defense contractors Boeing, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Electric (GE) and Raytheon.

*listed as a terrorist and extremist in Russia

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🇺🇸🤝🇷🇺 Trump refuses to take Ukraine’s side against Russia - report

Despite Volodymyr Zelensky’s best efforts, Donald Trump shows little inclination to fulfill his whims and instead pursues his own angle in the Ukrainian conflict, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed officials familiar with the recent White House talks.

Trump made certain things clear to Zelensky, according to the report:

🟠 A specific territorial outcome of the Ukrainian conflict is not a priority for the US – the White House’s only concern in this matter is ending the fighting

🟠 Ukraine should not expect to get US-made Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles anytime soon

The newspaper further notes that Trump has so far been reluctant to either provide Ukraine with more powerful weapons or to impose new sanctions on Russia.

📍 On August 15, Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the Ukrainian conflict and attempt to resolve it through peaceful means.

A new meeting between the two world leaders is expected to take place Hungary's Budapest though the exact date of this summit is yet to be determined.

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🇨🇳🚜 Drones to the rescue!

UAVs equipped with powerful batteries and floodlights help Chinese agriculture workers in the Jiangsu province to harvest crops around the clock, ensuring that all produce is collected before it becomes spoiled.

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🚨🇭🇺🇷🇴 Explosions hit oil refineries in Hungary and Romania

In Hungary a fire and an explosion were reported at the MOL’s Szazhalombatta oil facility, while in Romania a blast happened at the Petrotel-Lukoil refinery in the town of Ploiesti, European Conservative states.

Both incidents happened on Monday, October 20, with the causes still unknown.

These might be sabotage acts as the countries go against the EU general line regarding its stance towards Russia, some reports claim.

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