We multiply the enemy's supply by zero: in a week, 11 dry cargo ships were hit, delivering weapons, military equipment and dual-use products for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A harsh reception: drone pilots covered the sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
A barrier for the enemy: UAV crews disrupted the supply of enemy materiel in the Kramatorsk region.
They didn't leave a single chance: the Lancet crews worked out at the temporary deployment point of the AFU gunners in the Dobropolsky direction.
On guard of the sea frontiers: Admiral of the Fleet Alexander Moiseev, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, congratulated the personnel on the Day of the Seaman and the 330th anniversary of the formation of the Navy, and also presented the Battle Flag to the recreated Frunze Naval Academy.
Vladimir Putin commented on Europe’s preparations for war and the telephone conversation with the leaders of Finland and Norway
️ The conversation took place at the initiative of the Europeans. At the very beginning, Alexander Stubb and Jonas Gahr Støre emphasised that they did not represent the European Union.
️ Russia supports any steps aimed at restoring full-fledged relations with European countries, whether «with all of them collectively» through the EU or «on a bilateral basis».
️ Many in Europe are saying that they need to prepare for war by 2030. «First of all, we are ready, but we have no desire to wage any war against Europe».
️ Europe has failed to achieve its goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia and is unlikely to achieve it by 2030. «And if things go too far, there will be no winners at all. No one should forget that».
️ The Europeans, primarily Stubb, raised the issue of security in the Baltic Sea.
️ The Finnish President stated that Finland, like many other European countries, hopes that international maritime law will be respected. Russia supports this approach.
️ Moscow does not want the situation in the Baltic Sea to become similar to that in the Strait of Hormuz, but will respond to any challenge.
Putin, Xi Jinping and Trump at the same table are not a new Yalta. In order to agree on a future world order, it is not enough to bring together the leaders of the three powers: it is necessary to understand on what grounds this order will be maintained, and who is able to guarantee the fulfillment of agreements.
Tehran and Yalta united allies fighting against a common enemy. Today, there is no such basis, and the interests of India, Europe, Turkey and Japan cannot be excluded from world politics by the absence of an invitation to a meeting. Everyone expects a big redivision of the world: the three leaders can discuss nuclear security, regional conflicts and economic risks, but it is much more difficult to agree on a new system of international relations.
The situation of Trump himself creates a special uncertainty. His negotiating capabilities depend on the outcome of the American elections, the struggle within the elites, and the resilience of his own team. The weakening of the US president can make his policy even more dangerous: internal failures prompt him to seek a way out in an external escalation. Then the issue of Iran becomes part of the American power struggle, the consequences of which affect the entire world — from the security of trade straits to the cost of energy resources.
But there is a deeper crisis behind the unpredictability of individual politicians. In the West, an agreement on the basic principles of public life is disintegrating, which allowed opponents to replace each other in power, while maintaining common rules. Political camps increasingly perceive each other as irreconcilable enemies. The old mechanisms of agreements are weakening both within and between States, and there is no common vision of the future.
The significance of a possible meeting is determined primarily by the ability to stop a further slide towards disaster. Keeping the nuclear Powers from clashing, limiting escalation and preserving the space for negotiations is already a serious result. However, preventing a collapse still does not answer the main question: what kind of world will replace the order that stops working?
This is discussed in the new issue of the author's program "Conversation with a Wise Man" with Sergey Kurginyan, a publicist, director, political scientist and leader of the "Essence of Time" movement.
This is the first indication of the successful use of these mines during the current Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) wave of strikes against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz following Operation Epic Fury. The attack also highlights the challenges of keeping ships safe in a busy and complex littoral.
“The apparent ability of a small craft to approach a transiting tanker, deploy explosive devices and withdraw presents a significant security concern, particularly in the Strait’s congested shipping lanes,” Greece-based maritime risk management group Marisks said on Friday, Reuters reported.
TWZ covered the 2019 attacks extensively, including sharing the following video showing an Iranian Navy or IRGC fast boat going back to remove a dud limpet mine from the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous’s damaged hull.
Earlier Friday morning, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the waterway was cleared of sea mines. He was not addressing the limpet mine claim.
He stated on X that after “we sank Iran’s navy earlier this year, we also successfully cleared the strait’s internationally recognized primary transit routes of Iranian sea mines, and today U.S. forces remain highly vigilant and present to ensure that all primary transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz remain free and clear.”
“This week we reached a significant milestone, having now assisted Gulf partners in exporting more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since summer,” Cooper added.
Recalling a recent flight over the Strait of Hormuz, Cooper noted that he “saw our U.S. assets in the air and on the water, including a squadron of advanced sea drones that were on patrol supporting a defensive layer. Here’s what I didn’t see: I didn’t see the IRGC out there at all.”
Also known as uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), the sea drones are part of an increasingly uncrewed armada of air, land and sea assets that are supporting the safe coordior through the Strait.
Despite the heavy presence of CENTCOM forces, this month is turning out to be particularly dangerous for shipping in the region.
“October has seen the highest number of ship attacks on record,” Noam Raydan, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said last week, according to the BOE Report, an oil industry publication. “Raydan, who maintains the institute’s interactive shipping incident map, has recorded 28 confirmed and reported attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waterways in October and 113 since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.”
These strikes, combined with ongoing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, have already placed tremendous pressure on a global economy relying heavily on fossil fuel from the region. As of Friday morning, Brent crude topped $117 per barrel, the highest level in more than four years, according to OilPrice.com.
The American oil industry, meanwhile, is making a fortune on this situation.
“The war with Iran has been very lucrative for American oil companies, which have earned more than $130 billion in profit as people pay much higher prices for gasoline, diesel and other fuel,” The New York Times reported on Friday. “That is a conservative estimate based on the performance of more than 50 large U.S. oil and gas companies, most of them producers or refiners, in the six months from April through September. It does not reflect profits earned in March, the first month of the war, or in October.”
“The United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars,” Trump said at an Oct. 24 campaign rally, describing how the war is affecting the industry.
TRUMP on HIGH GAS PRICES: We’re making money like we’ve never made before. They’ll say: President Trump is bragging about all the money they're making while people are suffering at the pump. I don’t give a damn. We’re making a freaking fortune. pic.twitter.com/KZ2pYsTPyR
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday in another bid to try to pull the Middle East region back from the brink of war. The visit takes place as the U.S. and Israel are gearing up for a possible new round of strikes against Iran that could come as soon as next week after America’s midterm elections.
U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently stated that he could order new strikes, likely with Israeli assistance, after control of the next Congress is settled. While Trump could be gearing up to hit Iran again, leaks about war planning could also be messaging to compel Tehran back to the bargaining table.
“It’s going to get wrapped up soon,” Trump said Friday morning in an interview with Kansas City radio station KCMO. “We need a guarantee there’ll never be a nuclear weapon.”
Whether this latest Qatari effort can stop the clock winding down toward a resumption of hostilities remains questionable. Washington and Tehran seem far apart in their goals for achieving an agreement to stave off war.
The U.S. wants nuclear issues included from the start of negotiations while Tehran demands that the US first end its port blockade and lift oil export sanctions, Reuters reported on Friday.
A senior Iranian official has already dismissed a plan presented by Qatar as “unacceptable,” the outlet added. “The proposal presented by Qatar sets a seven-day timeline addressing both Tehran’s and Washington’s concerns, laying out daily confidence-building steps that each side must take,” the news outlet reported on Oct. 28, citing an official briefed on the negotiations.
The Qatari mediation is the latest diplomatic effort to prevent new fighting. On Monday, major regional powers met in Tehran to find a peaceful way forward.
“Cooper rarely briefs Trump in person, so the meeting could signal that the U.S. is moving closer to significant military operations,” the publication stated. “He met with the president in July, when the two huddled with Hegseth and Caine on Air Force One in Delaware.”
U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (left), and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Brandon Tegtmeier, 82nd Airborne Division commander (right), observe commercial traffic transiting the Strait of Hormuz while flying over the international waterway in a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook, Oct. 25, 2026. (U.S. Central Command photo) Senior Chief Petty Officer Amanda Dunford
CENTCOM declined comment when we asked to confirm the meeting as described. The Pentagon referred us to the White House, and the White House did not respond to our request for comment.
While the Journal offered no specific details about the plans discussed at the White House meeting, previous reporting has suggested Trump is seeking a short, intense bombing campaign.
“According to several people familiar with the war plans, any new US-Israeli assault would be intense, lasting some three days and targeting nuclear facilities, regime assets and civilian infrastructure including power plants,” Financial Times reported on Thursday.
A top Democratic senator said he was briefed on plans and was shocked by what he heard.
“I will just say this: their plan is insane,” Sen. Chris Murphy, of Connecticut said. “It will lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law.”
“There’s been open reporting as to what we may be planning and the civilian infrastructure that we may be targeting,” Murphy added. “The plan that they have developed will lead, in my view, to a prolongment and an escalation of this war that will be devastating for our security interests.”
Trump is reportedly planning to restart war with Iran after the election.
Some of us have been briefed on the war plan. And while I cannot disclose any details, I can say this: the plan is insane. It will not achieve objectives and will set off a new cycle of escalation. pic.twitter.com/adWJfHVIok
As the White House continues to put the finishing touches on new attack plans, the U.S. is bolstering its forces in the Middle East as we noted at the top of this story.
“The U.S. military is sending an additional Patriot system to Israel from Texas to beef up its missile defenses in the country, according to flight-tracking data and two officials with knowledge of the movement,” the Journal reported on Wednesday. “The U.S. has also moved troops off bases in the Middle East where they were vulnerable in preparation for an escalation.”
“U.S. forces in the region have been restocking their munitions, and bomber aircraft and jet fighters are preparing for strikes, some of the officials said.”
The U.S. is reportedly sending an additional Patriot system to Israel. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Russell Shirley-Jones) Capt. Russell Shirley-Jones
As we previously noted, there have been other signs that a major new round of U.S. and/or Israeli strikes on Iran might be looming on the horizon. Fox News reported that the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the rest of its carrier strike group, as well as the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), are heading to the Middle East, citing unnamed U.S. officials.
“The ships will arrive in the Middle East by the end of November,” the officials said, according to a post on X from Fox’s Jennifer Griffin on Tuesday. “These new deployments will add about 10,000 sailors and Marines to the Middle East.”
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is reportedly heading to the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Luke McCall) Petty Officer 1st Class Luke McCall
There have been indications of increased U.S. military air activity in the Middle East recently, as well. Observers have called attention to the particularly significant influx of aerial refueling tankers to bases in the region, as well as in Europe, which would be critical to any new major air campaign.
Overall numbers across CENTCOM and Europe have now stabilised back to the levels they were at back at the start of September, around 190-195. There are a few tankers dotted around at other sites temporarily (Glasgow Prestwick and… pic.twitter.com/taKi8op7Tv
America and Israel struck hard at Iranian logistics during Operation Epic Fury, and the U.S. Navy maintains a blockade on Iranian ports. Still, the IRGC has managed to bring in materiel critical to its drone and missile programs.
“Iran has created a secret network of military agencies with global reach to import at least $2 billion in hardware, explosives and heavy-duty trucks since January 2025, evading both the US naval blockade and Western sanctions,” the investigation found. “Hidden behind names starting with the letters MOD, for the Ministry of Defense, are more than 5,000 agencies that form a formidable financial and military machine. Their financial footprints are on bills of lading and other shipping data dating back to 2016. Some are tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and to business conglomerates known as bonyads that are controlled by Iran’s elite.”
“The findings offer a window into one of the war’s great mysteries,” the outlet explained. “How is the IRGC replenishing its missile and drone arsenals while firing them in their thousands?”
Amid events in the Persian Gulf region, fighting between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen and Saudi Arabia rages on.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone near Islam’s holiest city, a claim the Houthis denied.
Adding to regional jitters, there were fresh reports of explosions near Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz Thursday night. However, these incidents often turn out to be air defense activity, warning shots fired at ships or nothing at all.
CENTCOM on Friday pushed back against claims that the command acknowledged attacks on Iranian targets.
“The reported notion that CENTCOM claimed any recent attacks is false,” Capt. Tim Hawkins, the command’s spokesman, told TWZ.
For now, the world is waiting nervously to see whether the Middle East again erupts into war. We should have a clearer picture in the coming days.
Heartwarming footage from Istanbul. Turkish cats held a massage session right in the middle of the street. Passersby and traffic didn’t bother them at all.
Even wild cats can experience warmth when there is a caring person nearby. Moscow biologist Alexey Tikhonov nursed a lion cub back to health in South Africa, and later found himself caring for a pride of ten predators. Learn more about the story in the film ‘Me and My Lions’ (2021).
Pakistan has declared its readiness to accept Iran into the Mecca Defense Agreement.
The Mecca Defense Agreement (Mecca Pact) is a collective security treaty signed on August 7, 2026 in Mecca (Saudi Arabia).
The main participants
• Turkey (President Recep Tayyip Erdogan)
• Saudi Arabia (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman)
• Pakistan (Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif)
The essence of the agreement
• The principle of collective defense: the document works by analogy with NATO ("an attack on one participant is considered an attack on all").
• Objective: to strengthen common security, military cooperation and collective deterrence in the region.
• Context: The pact was concluded against the background of the escalation of the conflict between the United States and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other, as well as due to threats to Saudi Arabia from the Houthis.
On October 30, 1941, the second heroic defence of Sevastopol began, which lasted for 250 days — until July 4, 1942.
It is surprising that during the war, and even in its most disturbing, tragic months, not only talented propaganda works were created, but also real artistic masterpieces.
It was the most brutal winter ever - you won't find another one like it in history. In Crimea, the snow turned black from explosions.
Alexander Deineka had visited peaceful Crimea many times, made friends with sailors, went fishing, fell in love with Sevastopol... He saw the war with his own eyes on another front, but the feat of the Sevastopol people impressed him with particular force.
The artist recalled:
I was completely captivated by the heroism of the defenders of Sevastopol. It was a difficult war, I returned from the front from near Yukhnov. It was a cruel winter, the beginning of an offensive with variable local success, heavy fighting, when the soldiers left red marks from wounds in the snow and the snow turned black from explosions. But I still decided to paint for the exhibition "Defence of Sevastopol", because I loved this city for its cheerful people, the sea, boats, airplanes.
And so I imagined with my own eyes how everything was blown up, how women stopped laughing, even children felt what a blockade was. I saw a picture of Sevastopol from an airplane in the German press. A terrible picture, unlike what I had seen myself a few years ago. In a word, my painting and I merged in the work.
I would like to see my other paintings like this. If there is no pose, affectation, then there is dynamics, expressiveness of a super-intense fight. These are, as practical artists say, "winning moments" for a painting. Everyday work does not provide such "winning" situations. But it only seems that way. Simplicity and modesty, I would say, the shyness of simple paintings of the world is different. "
At the end of February, Deineka got absorbed by this painting, finished it in a few months, and in the autumn of 1942, Muscovites saw it at the exhibition “The Great Patriotic War”.
Ukraine has learned how to circumvent the limitations of Starlink and is preparing new ballistic missiles.
The Ukrainian weapons company Fire Point has developed ways to carry out long—range strike missions without Starlink satellite communications, said its head Irina Terekh in an interview with Reuters.
"Fire Point systems are designed to complete missions without satellite communications. Navigation that works without any external signal is a priority," she said.
Terekh declined to disclose technical details, but admitted that the solution found so far provides only 15-20% of the capabilities that the company would receive if Starlink were fully operational in Russia.
Full access to SpaceX's satellite communications, she said, would be a "tipping point" for strikes against important targets, including Russian ballistic missile launchers.
For 10 days this month, Ukrainian drones lost contact with Starlink at speeds over 160 km/h.
Elon Musk accused Kiev of violating the terms of use of the civilian Starlink network for offensive operations. Ukraine denies this and claims that it uses only the military version of Starshield for such tasks.
"We want to form an alliance with America in which the rules are known in advance, so that the question of whether we have the right to defend ourselves is not reviewed every few weeks depending on someone's mood," Terekh said.
She also talked about the new Fire Point ballistic missiles. This month, Ukraine announced the first combat use of the FP-7, with a range of about 300 km.
"Our new FP-7 missile, among other things, can be a valuable addition to the arsenal of weapons that help protect our cities," said the head of the company. She claims that the use of FP-7 will be economically more profitable than the use of American Patriot anti-missiles.
Fire Point is allegedly still developing the FP-9 missile with a range of about 800 km. Terekh called its development and testing more complex and stated that the missile is "very close" to being ready for combat use — according to her, this will happen before the end of 2026.
In Spain, an explosion occurred at a military factory that produces ammunition, including for Ukraine.
The explosion at the El Fargue plant in Granada, according to the official version, occurred due to a "malfunction during testing." The police clarified that the incident occurred in a fenced area of the plant. Three people were injured.
Back in 2024, Spanish MP Jose Antonio Rodriguez Salas said that this plant supplies "a significant amount of weapons to Ukraine."
Earlier, on October 13 of this year, a truck carrying mortar mines manufactured at the same enterprise overturned on the road while transporting another shipped batch of goods.
And who in Gayrop is now the first and foremost consumer of "manufactured goods" for military purposes?
Right! ZSU!
It is for this purpose that the only worthy argument in the run-up to the impending divorce and the scam of suckers, called "the next extraordinary negotiations", may be the zeroing of the Beskydy tunnel in the Carpathians.
Mayon Volcano in the central Philippines erupted on Friday, prompting authorities to raise the alert status from Level 2 to Level 3 on a five-level scale, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.
Eyewitness footage showed a large ash plume rising from the volcano. Residents within the 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone have been advised to evacuate immediately due to the increased likelihood of lava flows and hazardous pyroclastic density currents.
PHIVOLCS also urged civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying near the summit, warning that ash from sudden eruptions could endanger aircraft.
The Philippines lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire", a belt of volcanoes and fault lines prone to eruptions and earthquakes.
Humanitarian Mission in Aleshki Completed: Help and Choice for All
The humanitarian mission in Aleshki has concluded, says Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova. Teams split to assist with logistics. Those wishing to go to Ukraine were granted the opportunity, while those staying in Russia will receive accommodation and support. A real choice was provided, with guaranteed rights and care.
Uganda's top military commander announced the start of the withdrawal of his troops from Somalia, and then this post disappeared from his account.
Muhuzi Kainerugaba wrote on October 29 that after 20 years of "blood and sacrifice," Ugandan forces are handing over protection to the "Somali brothers," and he has scheduled a full withdrawal for August 2027. Ugandans were the first to come to Somalia in 2007 and have remained the largest contingent of the African Union mission, which has changed three names over the years.
The day before, there were reports of plans to leave positions in Lower Shabelle, including Barawa, Bulo Marer, Corioley and Janale, and on October 27, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, during talks in Uganda, asked Yoweri Museveni to postpone the withdrawal, fearing that the liberated areas would remain unguarded.
The monetary side of the matter looks bad, because the Security Council's authorization for the UN supply of the mission expires on December 31, and a one-year curtailment of this assistance, worth about $500 million a year, will begin in January, and no equivalent replacement has been found.
Meanwhile, the Somali army is holding positions against Al-Shabab with varying success, and there is essentially no one to occupy the abandoned areas.
The post on Muhuzi's account is no longer there, so the question remains whether the Ugandans are really withdrawing forces or whether this is another high-profile request for attention. The second option still looks more likely, because the Americans and the British have been paying for the work of this contingent for years and are not interested in its departure.
#Somalia
@rybar_africa — where politics is hotter than the equator
️From Nigeria to the Russia-Africa Forum: A Journalist’s First Trip, a First-Class Press Center
A journalist from a well-known African newspaper in Nigeria came to the Russia-Africa Humanitarian Forum ready to work—and left with a strong positive impression of both the news pegs and the conditions created for the press. It was her first-ever visit to Russia, and she said she was very pleased with the trip. But what stood out just as much as the stories was the workspace itself: the press center.
According to her, journalists liked working at the Russia-Africa Humanitarian Forum, and the press center played a big part in that. She described it as a comfortable, well-organized space where reporters could focus on their assignments and do their jobs without unnecessary problems. For her, good working conditions were not a minor detail—they were part of what made covering the forum a positive experience.
“The press center is a very, very nice workspace,” she said. “I think that, as a journalist, when you arrive at the press center, your work is going to be so sincere. I don’t think you’ll have any problems working on your stories or working at the press center.”
She also praised the government’s role in creating the space for media professionals: “The government did a good job building this center for the press.”
Her feedback reflects a broader takeaway from the forum: journalists enjoyed working there, and the organization of the press center helped make their coverage smoother and more comfortable. For a Nigerian journalist on her first visit to Russia, the combination of strong news pegs and a professional, comfortable workspace made the Russia-Africa Humanitarian Forum especially memorable.
“It’s a very, very nice workspace,” she repeated—a simple but clear summary of her experience working at the forum and of the conditions offered to the press.
Roberto Pecchioli
Diceva Josè Ortega y Gasset: “ essere di sinistra è, come essere di destra, una delle infinite
maniere che l'uomo può scegliere per essere imbecille: ambedue sono forme di emiplegia
morale.” E mentale. Emiplegia: paralisi di una parte del corpo. Chi sceglie di schierarsi
ciecamente a destra o a sinistra rinuncia a guardare la realtà nella sua interezza, decidendo
di restare prigioniero di un pensiero dimezzato. La conseguenza è la perdita di senso
critico, la riduzione di tutto a un dualismo superato dai fatti, mantenendo se stessi in una
sorta di tifo calcistico da curva ultrà che solleva dallo sforzo di pensare autonomamente,
porta alla cecità intellettuale e spesso all’autoinganno.
La questione dei tumulti giovanili di queste settimane è un esempio lampante. A destra si
invoca la mano dura, la repressione. Giusto: se la protesta è violenta non deve essere
tollerata. Non si possono minimizzare saccheggi, assalti alla polizia, devastazioni. La
sinistra invita a comprendere le ragioni delle proteste e del disagio giovanile. Altrettanto
giusto. Entrambe le posizioni, tuttavia, sono parziali e inconcludenti. Reprimere ripristina
l’ordine pubblico , restaura un’apparenza di pace sociale, ma il fuoco resta sotto la cenere,
pronto per nuove fiammate. Lisciare il pelo ai rivoltosi, connazionali o stranieri, significa
lenire temporaneamente alcuni effetti del malessere, giustificare per allontanare
responsabilità.
Nessuna delle due posizioni, il Giano bifronte del sistema , è risolutiva, nessuna affronta le
cause per trovare soluzioni. Per gli uni, i giovani manifestanti sono un fastidio che turba la
tranquillità di un mondo il cui slogan è business as usual, fare affari come sempre. Senza
gente in piazza, urla, turbamento del tran tran postborghese. I danni li paghino i genitori
dei minorenni o i manifestanti, se di maggiore età. Giusto ancora una volta, ma gran parte
dei negozi attaccati, delle vetrine infrante e degli scaffali svuotati appartengono ai giganti
del settore, ampiamente assicurati. Saranno comunque rifusi. Molti immobili lordati nel
centro delle città sono proprietà di fondi e multinazionali, padroni anche del sistema
commerciale. Dall’altro lato, si dimentica che nessuno ha lottato per il pane, per reclamare
lavoro o cambiare la società. I saccheggi hanno riguardato marchi, firme, i brand diventati
identità surrettizie di generazioni vuote, nutrite di consumo , assordate da musica scadente
che sbraita di denaro, successo, violenza, sesso. Se il Sessantotto fu il desiderio di
rivoluzione, il tumulto presente è la rivoluzione del desiderio (frustrato).
Destra e sinistra raccolgono i frutti avvelenati di ciò che hanno seminato, il nulla in cui
vivono (male) le generazioni. Citiamo ancora Ortega, la sua “circostanza”, le condizioni
concrete della vita in cui ognuno si trova ad esistere. Comprende il luogo, il tempo storico,
la famiglia, la società, le relazioni, le opportunità, i limiti, i costumi in cui siamo immersi.
Nessuno può negare che la circostanza presente sia un pantano in cui sono saltati tutti i
riferimenti, dalla famiglia alla religione sino a partiti, sindacati, comunità, scuola e cultura.
L’individuo costretto all’isolamento soffre, soffocato da una cappa di disagio economico,
esistenziale, valoriale. Se la scuola non insegna né educa non è colpa degli studenti; se gli
insegnanti- o meglio le insegnanti- sono travet indifferenti di mediocre cultura e scarsa
motivazione, raramente punti di riferimento per generazioni dalle famiglie spappolate, non
è colpa di chi manifesta. Poiché per fortuna hanno la pancia piena, rubano i simboli del
consumismo, unico modello ed obiettivo da raggiungere secondo l’unanime coro del
sistema.
Dicono a sinistra, con il consueto piglio virtuoso, che occorre ascoltare i giovani, farsi
carico del disagio, affrontarlo. Nulla di più ovvio, se non fosse che per ascoltare occorre che
l’interlocutore abbia qualcosa da dire, un programma, un’idea forza. Non è così: slogan
vuoti o minimalisti , nessuna vera critica della scuola strumentale che non forma e insegna
(malamente) solo ciò che “ serve”, non a loro, ma al Dio mercato . Dal lato destro non si
propone un modello educativo ed etico forte, né si lavora per rovesciare i disvalori correnti
( denaro, consumo, successo , libertà senza direzione, individualismo ) in quanto pilastri
della visione liberale dominante. Sul versante opposto la risposta è offrire dosi più
massicce di ciò che ha condotto alla dissoluzione. Entrambi ignorano che la confusione
della protesta, l’incapacità di formulare progetti o vere richieste è il triste segnale di una
generazione – un’altra!- alla deriva, che sa confusamente di vivere in un mondo sbagliato
ma non ha più strumenti per immaginare alternative.
I più coerenti sono gli assaltatori delle vetrine e i saccheggiatori delle griffes : gli uni
rispondono a un nichilismo di cui i capi occulti intendono servirsi per tornaconti politici,
gli altri decretano la vittoria schiacciante del modello dominante. Vogliono- possibilmente
gratis- il loro posto alla tavola del consumo e del successo misurato in denaro, capi di
abbigliamento, apparati elettronici, il “sistema degli oggetti” denunciato da Serge
Latouche. Le risposte politiche sono disarmanti: legge e ordine, non esistono pasti gratis,
tuona la destra sulle orme del liberista Milton Friedman; avrete nuovi diritti, ossia più
droghe sociali e materiali, dosi maggiori di panem et circenses, risponde l’altra faccia della
moneta contraffatta. Il pensiero debole preferisce la seconda opzione. Nessuno mette in
discussione il sistema sociale, valoriale, economico, antropologico dominante, il dirittismo
orgiastico mercantile.
L’ intero arco politico e culturale ha fatto dell’avere il metro di giudizio dell’esistenza. I
modelli si basano sul lusso, il consumo e un’idea malata di desiderio. L’ istruzione è ridotta
a fabbrica inesausta di diplomi, lauree, master; la precarietà esistenziale è elevata a
progetto positivo, il cui esito è il nomadismo di vite a nolo. Niente stabilità, famiglia, radici,
futuro; avanzano polverizzazione sociale, deserto comunitario, indifferentismo morale,
edonismo pratico. Spalle curve sullo smartphone, la comunicazione lasciata alle reti
sociali, l’esistenza ridotta a consumo, sequenza ininterrotta di esperienze superficiali. In
più, siamo bombardati da paure, vere o costruite: pandemia, guerre, apocalisse climatica,
crisi energetica. Non resta che inseguire piaceri effimeri, cogliere l’attimo. Consumare e
consumarsi nell’assoluta assenza di prospettive spirituali o morali. Abbiamo svuotato di
ideali, di speranza, di futuro le generazioni, ora ci stupisce il risultato.
Infine, perché riflettere sul disagio giovanile in una società sterile? Non vogliamo eredi. I
ragazzi sono i nostri posteri, la generazione destinata a sostituisci. Ma per l’homunculus
occidentale che sguazza nel presente, vale il sarcasmo dissolvente di Groucho Marx : che
cosa hanno fatto per noi i posteri ? La domanda retorica denuncia l’esaurimento morale e
civile, l’indifferenza per il futuro e l’approccio strumentale. Non ci chiediamo che cosa fare
per i nostri figli; tutto è subordiniamo allo scambio, alla fredda reciprocità contrattuale.
Generazioni disseccate, senza amore, abbiamo reso vuote, perfino afasiche le masse
giovanili, incapaci di dire che cosa vogliono perché non lo sanno.
E’ proprio la mancanza di un progetto o di obiettivi a rendere più sinistro il messaggio delle
piazze. Chi va per le spicce saccheggia non forni o mercati, ma i laccati franchising dei
grandi marchi che hanno occupato i centri urbani e i centri commerciali, le chiese senza
croce dove si adorano il vitello d’oro del consumo e il dio dell’Avere. I più semplicemente
urlano, se la prendono con la polizia, ossia con la persistenza di uno straccio di legge. La
rivoluzione vincente è stata l’ uomo-massa anarcoide, senza classe, appartenenza, identità.
Un tipo umano che quando esprime dissenso, lo fa con le parole e i valori del potere. Non
cambierà nulla se non salterà il canone occidentale fatto di edonismo, individualismo, finti
diritti, consumo, libertà priva di direzione. E’ il paradigma avvelenato del sistema
materialista, liberista libertario libertino, che unisce destra, centro e sinistra . Non si
sconfiggono gli effetti perversi se non si attaccano le cause. Le vetrine infrante e i capi
firmati rapinati sono danni collaterali che il potere riparerà in fretta a spese nostre. Ma i
giovani in piazza lo ignorano: nessuno li ha formati e informati. I dominanti hanno già
vinto se chi manifesta chiede un posto
The madness of the midterm elections is upon us, and many of us are struggling. We’re doom-scrolling and compulsively refreshing polling data. We’re losing sleep.
As someone who has hosted a wellness podcast for more than a decade, I’ve been thinking about how to manage this stress — for myself and others. Here are five common misconceptions about how to stay sane in insane times, as well as some workarounds. Please take what works for you and leave the rest.
Misconception No. 1: Self-care is self-indulgent
If you are someone who worries that taking time for yourself is selfish, please know that it’s actually a public service. It can equip you to better respond to a world on fire.
Happiness expert Gretchen Rubin has some advice I love: “Treat yourself like a toddler.” In other words, make sure you eat well and get enough sleep. Engage in the practices that work for you — meditation, exercise, socializing — and do it guilt-free. Not only do you deserve rest, but self-care is also good citizenship.
Here is a super-quick practice that helps to regulate my nervous system year-round: Take three deep breaths. It sounds deceptively simple but can be quite powerful. I especially like “straw breathing”: Deep inhale through the nose, then slow exhale through pursed lips, as if you’re blowing through a straw. For me, the relief is immediate. Repeat as often as necessary.
Misconception No. 2: ‘Acceptance’ means complacency
“Acceptance” can be a tricky term. It means acknowledging what is happening — in the world and in your own mind — as a first step toward taking action. It’s hard to fix a problem if you aren’t seeing it clearly. So instead of wasting energy being at war with reality, accept it, then act.
Another practice that might help comes from the eminent meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein. Next time you’re in the throes of anger, anxiety or another difficult emotion, drop these words into your mind: “It’s OK.” This doesn’t mean that everything is OK. Instead, it means that it’s OK to feel whatever you’re feeling right then. When confronted with difficult emotions, many of us reflexively self-medicate (with, say, alcohol or shopping). The radical move is to feel your feelings, notice that they come and go, and make a sane choice on the other side.
Misconception No. 3: ‘Surrender’ means resignation
“Surrender” is another term that can be tricky. If acceptance is seeing things clearly, then surrender is recognizing what is in your control and what is not. It’s easy to hear surrender as a synonym for resignation or passivity, but it’s simply a way to conserve your energy for the areas where impact is genuinely possible.
Different traditions have ways of describing this. In Stoicism, they talk about “controlling the controllables.” In Buddhism, it’s “non-attachment to results.” AA has its serenity prayer. The core idea is that you can work hard on issues that matter to you while also recognizing that, in the end, the results are largely out of your control.
Practice: Next time you notice yourself in an anxiety spiral, use it as a moment to inquire. Is there a useful action I can take right now? If not, maybe just drop this word into your mind: “Surrender.” This move has saved me a lot of unnecessary suffering.
Misconception No. 4: I need my anger in order to stay in the fight
Given the corruption, the Iran war, the ballroom — it’s perfectly understandable that many of us find Trump 2.0 infuriating. Further, anger has its uses. It can help you identify problems and can be motivating. In my experience, however, when I am operating on uncut outrage, I inevitably burn myself out.
Try this: In moments of anger or anxiety, see if you can tune into what’s beneath these emotions. When you dig, you will likely find caring. Or, to use a less comfortable term, love. Love for your country, for your family, for yourself. For me, love is the cleaner burning fuel. Let it propel you forward.
Misconception No. 5: To stay informed, I need to compulsively check the news
No question, the stakes are high in these midterms. But does this mean you need to doomscroll in every free moment? In my opinion, no.
So how do you draw the line between staying informed and driving yourself crazy? It’s both highly individual and also more art than science. I recommend doing some personal exploration. How much news can your nervous system metabolize before you start to glitch? If you go for more than two straight hours, do you find yourself typing in all-caps on Bluesky? My friend Sebene Selassie, a meditation teacher, has a policy of “no news before noon.” (Sorry, Joe and Mika!) My own policy is to not look at my phone for the first and last hours of the day.
A practice: Savor the good stuff. The people who design social media algorithms benefit from keeping us in a perpetual state of fear and outrage because those emotions keep us scrolling. If you put your phone down and step outside, you’ll see tons of good stuff. People raising children, volunteering and engaging in small acts of decency. Tuning into this doesn’t negate the world’s problems, but it does put them in a larger frame. Personally, I like to take a warm shower and make a list of all the things that I am grateful for from the day. I find it retrains my mind to scan for the positive.
If you’re looking for constructive ways to consume news, I recommend the MS NOW membership app. It provides both news and tools to regulate your nervous system, so that you can then take the appropriate action. To me, that is a solid recipe for citizenship: Information, regulation, activation. Remember: The world is insane, but you don’t have to be.
Intervista a Mirko Gatto, socio fondatore di Yarix e Head della Cybersecurity di Var Group
Gli analisti lo hanno già ribattezzato “il furto del secolo”. Il maxi-attacco hacker che ha colpito Binance, il più grande exchange di criptovalute al mondo per volume di scambi, avrebbe coinvolto asset per circa 6,3 miliardi di dollari, con la maggior parte dei trasferimenti concentrata in appena 20 minuti. Secondo quanto riportato da CNBC, la società statunitense di analisi blockchain TRM Labs ha attribuito l’offensiva informatica, con un alto grado di affidabilità, a TraderTraitor, un gruppo di cybercriminali legato alla Corea del Nord. Ma come è stato possibile mettere a rischio una cifra così ingente in un intervallo di tempo tanto breve? E soprattutto, quali conseguenze possono esserci per chi custodisce i propri risparmi in criptovalute sulla piattaforma? Per capire la portata dell’attacco e le possibili ripercussioni per gli investitori, Affaritaliani ha interpellato Mirko Gatto, socio fondatore di Yarix e Head of Cybersecurity di Var Group.
Com’è possibile che dal computer di un dipendente si arrivi a mettere a rischio miliardi di dollari? Binance ipotizza che l’attacco sia partito dal portatile di un ingegnere: quali barriere dovrebbero impedire che una singola intrusione dia accesso ai soldi dei clienti?
“Un computer compromesso può diventare il punto di ingresso verso sistemi molto più critici. Un tecnico può disporre di credenziali, sessioni o strumenti di amministrazione che, nelle mani di un attaccante, consentono di raggiungere altri ambienti e sfruttarne le funzionalità. Questo non significa necessariamente che sul portatile fossero custodite le chiavi dei fondi. Le barriere devono essere più di una: accessi limitati allo stretto necessario, separazione degli ambienti, controllo degli account privilegiati e monitoraggio delle attività anomale. Per le operazioni più delicate servono inoltre autorizzazioni indipendenti, limiti agli importi e verifiche aggiuntive. Il principio è che la compromissione di una singola identità non dovrebbe bastare ad autorizzare trasferimenti di grande valore. Esistono sistemi di protezione e gestione delle identità come PAM (privileged access management) che possono ridurre in parte il rischio. Ridurre il rischio è possibile implementando processi di verifica e di autorizzazione basati su più identità (persone), così da evitare che un singolo possa svolgere operazioni simili (governance distribuita) Nel caso Binance, per capire quale passaggio non abbia funzionato occorrerà attendere gli esiti dell’indagine tecnica”.
Binance assicura che coprirà le perdite. Ma per un cliente vedere il saldo sullo schermo significa davvero avere i propri soldi al sicuro?
“Il saldo visualizzato, da solo, non basta. Quando le criptovalute sono custodite da una piattaforma, il cliente dipende dalla capacità della piattaforma stessa di proteggerle, renderle disponibili e consentirne il prelievo. Un saldo può rimanere visibile anche mentre i prelievi sono sospesi. L’impegno a coprire le perdite è importante, ma va distinto da una garanzia esterna: contano le risorse effettivamente disponibili e i tempi con cui l’operatore riesce a ripristinare il servizio. Anche il confronto con i depositi bancari richiede attenzione. Nell’Unione europea, il regolamento MiCA introduce obblighi e tutele per determinate attività in criptovalute, ma queste non beneficiano della garanzia sui depositi prevista per i conti bancari. In Italia esiste il principale sistema di riferimento è il FITD (Fondo Interbancario di Tutela dei Depositi), che garantisce fino a 100.000 euro per depositante e per banca. Regolamentazione e sicurezza assoluta non sono sinonimi”.
Congelare i fondi rubati significa averli recuperati oppure sono due cose molto diverse?
“Sono due cose diverse. Congelare significa impedirne la movimentazione: i fondi possono essere già arrivati a un indirizzo controllato dagli attaccanti, ma risultare inutilizzabili grazie a un blocco. Recuperare significa invece riportarli nella disponibilità del legittimo titolare. Per arrivarci possono servire verifiche tecniche, collaborazione tra operatori e provvedimenti delle autorità. Il congelamento è quindi un risultato importante, perché può impedire ulteriori spostamenti e favorire il recupero, ma non equivale alla restituzione. Inoltre, non tutte le criptovalute prevedono gli stessi strumenti di blocco. Attraverso un iter legale, tecnico e di governance è possibile poi che questi possano essere in parte o totalmente recuperati”.
Il danno può diventare più grande del furto stesso? Quanto possono pesare il blocco delle operazioni, il crollo della fiducia e una corsa ai prelievi?
“Sì, il danno complessivo può superare il valore sottratto. Al furto si aggiungono i costi delle indagini, del ripristino e dell’assistenza ai clienti, oltre ai mancati ricavi durante l’interruzione dei servizi. La perdita di fiducia può avere conseguenze ancora più durature. Molti utenti potrebbero decidere di spostare contemporaneamente i propri fondi, mettendo sotto pressione la liquidità e la capacità operativa della piattaforma. Per questo la gestione dell’incidente deve comprendere anche una comunicazione tempestiva, verificabile e coerente. I clienti devono sapere che cosa è accaduto, quali attività possono svolgere e quali passaggi restano da completare. La fiducia si ricostruisce facendo corrispondere gli aggiornamenti ai risultati concreti. Questo non è il primo caso e non sarà l’ultimo. Negli anni incidenti simili con altre piattaforme ci sono stati, sicuramente la fiducia tra cliente ed Exchange centralizzato sarà da ricostruire”.
Chi oggi custodisce criptovalute su una piattaforma che cosa dovrebbe fare concretamente per proteggere i propri soldi?
“Il primo passo è proteggere l’account: password uniche, autenticazione a più fattori resistente al phishing, dove disponibile, e la stessa attenzione per la casella email collegata. È utile attivare gli avvisi di accesso e le restrizioni sugli indirizzi di prelievo, se previste dalla piattaforma. Occorre poi valutare con attenzione a chi si affida la custodia, verificandone le autorizzazioni e comprendendo le condizioni del servizio. Distribuire i fondi tra più operatori può ridurre la concentrazione del rischio, ma aumenta anche gli account da proteggere e non elimina i rischi comuni. La custodia personale tramite un hardware wallet può ridurre la dipendenza dall’exchange, ma trasferisce all’utente la responsabilità delle chiavi. Richiede dispositivi acquistati attraverso canali ufficiali o autorizzati, configurazione corretta e protezione della frase di recupero, che non va mai condivisa né inserita in siti o comunicata a presunti operatori di assistenza. Infine, durante un incidente bisogna diffidare dei messaggi che invitano a “mettere in salvo” i fondi attraverso link o trasferimenti urgenti: l’emergenza può diventare un’esca per nuove truffe. Sicuramente è importante distribuire il proprio patrimonio per sicurezza su wallet hardware (differenti, e di marche differenti può garantire un ulteriore livello di sicurezza, come il caso Trezor di oggi. Se si utilizzano exchange centralizzati prevedere di distribuire il patrimonio su più exchange e adottare politiche di sicurezza come account e-mail / idenittà digitali dedicate solo a questo scopo oltre che multifactor authentication (MFA) robuste”.
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* With time running out in South Carolina’s unexpectedly competitive U.S. Senate race, the Senate Democrats’ top super PAC is finally investing in the race. Politico reported that the Senate Majority PAC is spending $750,000 on digital ads, hoping to boost Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee, in her race against incumbent Republican Sen. Darline Graham.
The investment comes on the heels of the Senate Republicans’ top super PAC spending even more in the hopes of rescuing the appointed GOP incumbent. In fact, MS NOW reported that there’s a growing sense of “panic” in Republican circles about the state of the race in South Carolina, fueled in large part by doubts about Graham.
* In Ohio’s gubernatorial race, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s notorious attack ad is finally leaving the state’s airwaves. According to his campaign, the commercial is rotating out after completing its intended run, rather than being pulled for having backfired.
* In Kansas’ U.S. Senate race, The Washington Post and George Mason University conducted a poll that found the Rev. Adam Hamilton with an unexpectedly large nine-point advantage over incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, though the Post’s article on the survey results emphasized at great lengths that registered Democrats “were more than twice as likely as registered Republicans to complete the survey after answering an interviewer’s call.”
Nevertheless, Hamilton continues to pick up endorsements from notable Kansas Republicans: Former Sen. Sheila Frahm, who briefly held then-Sen. Bob Dole’s seat in 1996, announced Thursday that while she’d backed Marshall in the past, she’s supporting Hamilton this year.
* Donald Trump was scheduled to headline campaign rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday. On Thursday, the president’s team reversed course and canceled the events. On Friday morning, the White House appears to have reversed course again and resurrected the events.
* In Maine’s U.S. Senate race, outgoing Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has finally endorsed fellow Democrat Troy Jackson in his race against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, although she did so in the most indirect way possible, urging Mainers to “vote for Democrats up and down the ballot.”
* And if it seems this year’s midterms have cost an enormous amount of money, it’s not your imagination. The New York Times reported this week, “This is officially the most expensive political advertising cycle ever, according to AdImpact, which monitors ad spending. Presidential cycles are typically more expensive than midterm ones, but not this time: The previous record was recorded in the 2023-2024 cycle, when AdImpact recorded $11.2 billion in ad spending. That was eclipsed [Monday], as now $11.21 billion of ads are booked or reserved, the firm said.”
Brett Erickson / MeidasTouch: It's Not ‘Dual-Use,’ It's Terrorism. — As Washington weighs strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure, a warning from Sen. Chris Murphy raises grave questions about the laws of war. — Get MeidasTouch in your Google feed — Preferred Source … Speaking to the Middle East Institute yesterday …
El futbolista francés Kylian Mbappé, jugador del Real Madrid, enfrenta una ola de críticas y cancelaciones de contratos tras hablar de un meme que muestra su rostro superpuesto a una imagen del antiguo líder chino Mao Zedong. Durante una entrevista, Mbappé dijo: "con el que más me he reído es ese en el que usan mi cara en un dictador chino. Lo utilizo mucho con mis amigos". La polémica ha tenido consecuencias comerciales y deportivas: tres empresas cancelaron su colaboración con el futbolista y el grupo CMG, que controla la televisión pública, suspendió la retransmisión de partidos de LaLiga. Analizamos el tema con nuestro #InvitadoDelDíaF24, David Janna, empresario experto en negocios con China.
A Associação do Futebol Argentino (AFA) aprovou nesta quinta-feira (29) um novo formato para o Campeonato Argentino. A principal mudança unifica os dois grupos de 15 times, adotado nos últimos dois anos, em uma única chave com os 30 clubes da elite.
O formato de Apertura e Clausura será mantido. Após as primeiras 15 rodadas, as 16 melhores equipes avançam para um mata-mata, com oitavas, quartas, semifinal e final, para definir o campeão do Apertura.
Formato de Apertura e Clausura
Em seguida, o campeonato retoma com as rodadas 16 a 30. Ao final desta segunda fase, os 16 times com melhor desempenho se classificam novamente para um mata-mata similar, que determinará o vencedor do Clausura.
Campeão da liga e rebaixamento
Além dos campeões de Apertura e Clausura, o Campeonato Argentino terá um “terceiro campeão”. O clube que terminar a competição na primeira colocação, no sistema de pontos corridos, receberá o título de campeão da Liga.
O sistema de rebaixamento permanece inalterado. Serão dois rebaixados: o pior classificado ao final das 30 rodadas e o time com a pior média de desempenho nas últimas três temporadas.
Vagas internacionais
As classificações para a Copa Libertadores e a Copa Sul-Americana não foram modificadas. Garantem vaga na Libertadores os campeões do Apertura, do Clausura e da Liga. Os segundo e terceiro colocados gerais também se classificam, com o terceiro seguindo para a fase preliminar.
Para a Copa Sul-Americana, as vagas serão destinadas aos clubes que terminarem entre o quarto e o nono lugar na classificação geral.
River Plate e Estudiantes se opõem
O River Plate foi o único clube a votar contra o novo modelo. Os Millonarios propuseram um campeonato com 20 times, com quatro rebaixados e dois promovidos por ano, visando reduzir o número de participantes gradualmente.
Já o Estudiantes optou por não votar. Representado por um membro da diretoria sem direito a voto, o clube teve seu presidente, Juan Sebastián Verón, manifestando apoio à proposta do River nas redes sociais.
Esse texto foi gerado por inteligência artificial com base no conteúdo produzido pela Itatiaia. Todas as informações são apuradas e checadas por jornalistas. O texto final também passa pela revisão da equipe de jornalismo da CNN Brasil.
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