After rejecting the transfer of two MiG-29 jets to Ukraine, Poland said it will soon send two more aircraft as part of a new military aid package worth about €50 million (£43 million).
Dariusz Łukowski, director of strategy and defense planning at Poland’s Ministry of National Defense, told the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita that the decision had already been made.
“In the near future. The decision has been made, and these two MiG-29s will be transferred,” he said.
One of the jets has reached the end of its service life and is likely to be used for spare parts. The other is still airworthy. Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski later confirmed that Poland has signed an agreement for the two aircraft.
The wider package is expected to include 155mm and 152mm artillery ammunition, 20mm rounds for the multi-barrel guns on F-16 fighter jets, and missiles for Piorun man-portable air defense systems.
Poland’s defense ministry said it is preparing aid that includes equipment its armed forces are retiring because it has reached the end of its useful life.
“Equipment that will no longer be used by the Polish military, but may still be useful in Ukraine,” the ministry stated. It added that the scale of support depends on Poland’s security needs and the resources of its armed forces.
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Poland-Ukraine Tensions
Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, Ukrainian President Zelensky infuriated Poland by naming a military unit after the nationalist Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a group involved in the massacres of Polish people during World War II.
Poland’s nationalist President Karol Nawrocki responded by stripping Zelensky of the country’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle, prompting several top Ukrainian officials, including Sybiha, to return their Polish awards.
“Therefore, in light of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s consent to name one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ‘Heroes of the UPA,’ and after consulting with the Chapter, I have decided to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from the President of Ukraine,” the Polish President Nawrocki said in his statement.
After meeting Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Nawrocki’s political opponent from the ruling party, Sybiha said that he “proposed a package of anti-crisis steps.”
He added that the proposals call for facilitating talks between historians and inviting religious leaders from both nations to engage in dialogue.
“I reaffirmed… that the Ukrainian military’s choice of unit name carried no anti-Polish intent,” he said.
The Polish foreign ministry said, “The ministers underlined their common commitment to develop tools for historical dialogue.” They agreed that “de-escalating tensions” and economic cooperation were essential “to fully exploit the potential of the Polish-Ukrainian partnership.”
During World War I, Germany’s aggression led traditional rivals France and Britain to set aside their differences and unite against Hitler-led Germany. In World War -2 the menace of Nazi Germany drove even the ideologically opposed United States and Soviet Union into an uneasy wartime alliance.
Something similar is happening between Poland and Ukraine. Russia’s invasion has compelled the two neighbors, whose relationship has historically been marked by deep mistrust and conflict, to cooperate closely in the face of a shared threat.
Interestingly, Poland has now emerged as one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters.
Why Poland Rejected MiG-29s For Ukraine
On July 1, Poland announced it won’t transfer additional MiG-29 jets to Ukraine because Kyiv did not provide information on drone production technology.
Poland was one of the first countries to donate fighter jets to Ukraine.
In March 2023, Poland donated 14 MiG-29 Fulcrums to Ukraine.
“I proposed what I believe was a very partnership-based approach. MiGs in exchange for drones. The Ukrainians initially agreed, but they did not honor this arrangement, so there will be no MiGs for Ukraine because Poland does not have drones or the capability to use them,” Polish defense minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz told the Polish Polsat News outlet.
Poland’s decision to withhold the transfer came after Kyiv reportedly backed out of an agreement to share drone technology.
Nawrocki went further, saying that Poland will not support Ukraine’s membership in the European Union. The decision was taken after Zelensky named a military unit after an army battalion that took part in the massacres of Poles during the Second World War.
Poland’s decision to transfer two more MiG-29 jets—despite initial refusals, stalled technology deals, and historical tensions—highlights a familiar wartime logic. Just as Germany once pushed France and Britain, and later the US and the USSR, into uneasy alliances, Russia’s invasion has brought together Poland and Ukraine to keep Moscow at bay.
US President Donald Trump is scrapping two of his last midterm election rallies, his Republican Party said Thursday, as the 80-year-old leader lashed out at a reporter who asked if he was “sick of travelling”.
“You’re sick to ask that question. You are sick,” Trump told the reporter after returning to Washington from a campaign trip to South Carolina.
“I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape, you look like hell.”
Trump told reporters he did not “feel like I have to go to Kansas,” a Midwestern state where Senator Roger Marshall, a fellow Republican, is in an unexpectedly competitive race with Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton.
“He is doing very well,” Trump said of Marshall.
“We are going to have a strong Tuesday night.”
Later on Thursday, the Republican National Committee said in a statement that it would also cancel a planned rally in Iowa, home to several competitive congressional races.
Instead of the events in Kansas and Iowa, Trump will hold a “large number” of virtual “telerallies” in a series of states, the Republican National Committee said.
The canceled in-person rallies were set for Salina, Kansas, on Saturday, and Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday.
Republicans are fighting to keep control of Congress in the November 3 midterms. Trump has urged the party to “pretend I’m on the ballot” to maximise turnout despite his poor approval ratings.
“With Republicans in a strong position in Kansas and Iowa, previously planned in-person rallies in those states will no longer take place as scheduled,” the RNC statement said.
The president is still expected to travel to rallies in several states before Tuesday’s election. Trump’s final election rally is now set to be in Florida on Friday.
Despite being the oldest elected president in US history, Trump has kept up a gruelling schedule of near-daily rallies throughout October to help Republicans in the midterms.
Since October 1, Trump has hosted 25 rallies in 19 states, often speaking for his party in rural areas of Republican-friendly states. Tuesday’s midterm elections will determine whether Republicans retain narrow control of the US Senate and House of Representatives.
MAGA Inc, a campaign funding group aligned with Trump, said on Thursday it would host a series of “tele-rallies” with the president in at least 19 states, including Kansas and Iowa, before Election Day.
Trump has noted that his recent series of more than hour-long campaign speeches has been challenging. Sounding hoarse in Mississippi on Monday, Trump said, “God didn’t make your vocal cords to do a rally every day.”
On Thursday, after campaigning for Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina, Trump ridiculed a Reuters reporter who asked how he felt after weeks of rallies and whether he was sick of travelling.
“You’ve been following me for two weeks,” Trump said before boarding his motorcade back to the White House.
The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced a policy change that will allow small compounding pharmacies to manufacture six specific peptides without facing federal enforcement action. While these substances have long been promoted for wellness and various medical conditions, they have not undergone the Food and Drug Administration's standard approval process and were previously restricted to the gray market. This shift creates a new legal pathway for access, though industry leaders warn that supply constraints will likely limit availability.
The policy relies on the concept of enforcement discretion. Rather than changing the legal status of the peptides, the administration stated it will not pursue enforcement actions against 503A compounding pharmacies that produce them. This distinction is critical: 503A pharmacies are small-scale operations that must verify the quality of their active ingredients, whereas 503B outsourcing facilities, which produce higher volumes, are explicitly excluded from this allowance. By targeting smaller producers, the HHS aims to steer patients away from illicit "research-use-only" peptides sold online by unverified overseas suppliers.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that can exert powerful effects in the body. The six peptides covered by the new policy include BPC-157, Epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, Semax, and TB-500. Their proposed uses range from treating ulcerative colitis and insomnia to aiding wound healing and managing migraine headaches. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal supporter of peptide therapy, has personally used some of these compounds. However, the scientific evidence regarding their safety and efficacy remains sparse, and they have not been reviewed for rigorous drug approval.
Air Force Flight Lieutenant K.M. Tahsif Souri reportedly filmed a video showing deposed P.M. Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh in an Air Force aircraft on August 5, 2024, according to local media
The Philippines raised its volcano alert level for Mount Mayon after a moderately explosive eruption sent ash skyward. Evacuations have been advised within a six-kilometer radius.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. filed a draft policy on Wednesday that would permit compounding pharmacies to prepare six specific peptide drugs, even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved them for safety or effectiveness. The policy targets BPC-157, Epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, Semax, and TB-500, substances currently marketed for wellness purposes despite the lack of regulatory clearance. This move shifts the legal landscape for these compounds, allowing their production by licensed pharmacies under specific safeguards rather than solely through unregulated channels.
Regulatory Mechanisms and Quality Controls
The draft guidance explicitly states that HHS does not intend to take action against licensed pharmacies or physicians who compound these peptide bulk drug substances, provided they are not components of an existing FDA-approved drug product. This decision relies on a July vote by an FDA advisory panel that recommended allowing the peptides in compounding, a stance that contradicted the internal recommendations of FDA scientists who cited insufficient evidence of safety and efficacy. Kennedy's policy cites this panel recommendation, framing the decision as a balance between patient choice and safety.
Access to these medications is not unrestricted. The policy mandates several conditions to ensure quality and accountability. Compounding pharmacies must source ingredients from FDA-registered manufacturers, provide laboratory certificates for raw materials, and report any serious side effects. Additionally, the policy requires that these drugs be prepared based on patient-specific prescriptions. An HHS spokesperson clarified that this framework does not grant FDA approval or establish clinical safety and effectiveness but aims to provide a controlled alternative to unregulated sellers.
A hacking collective identified as the Department of Peace disclosed the personal contact information of more than 40,000 U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel on Wednesday. The exposed records include the names, phone numbers, and addresses of agents, operatives, and contractors, with a specific emphasis on individuals involved in undercover operations and enforcement activities. According to the group, the data was accessed by compromising DHS's single sign-on system and subsequently shared with the activist organization Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS) for public release.
The breach affects a significant portion of the department's workforce, including over 21,000 records linked to U. S. Customs and Border Protection and approximately 10,000 related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its Homeland Security Investigations unit. This represents roughly one-fifth of the total DHS workforce, which comprises more than 220,000 employees. In a statement, DHS confirmed its awareness of the potential breach and stated that it is actively working to address the situation to ensure the protection of its personnel.
The hacking group framed the release as a direct response to government actions, specifically citing a July 17 statement by Markwayne Mullin regarding increased enforcement pressure. A spokesperson for the Department of Peace argued that the disclosure was justified by the government's lack of transparency and the use of masks and plain clothes by federal agents. Emma Best, a co-founder of DDoSecrets, described the leak as making explicit the connections between officials overseeing covert operations and those involved in rendition and deportation programs. She characterized the data as simple yet significant for understanding internal departmental structures.
The destruction of schools, universities and cultural institutions threatens Palestinian education, historical memory and future generations.
United Nations experts have warned that the systematic destruction of Gaza’s education system and the killing of Palestinian journalists are undermining Palestinian society’s ability to educate future generations, preserve its history and document events in the occupied territories.
Speaking Thursday at a briefing organized by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People at the organization’s headquarters in New York, the experts condemned the destruction of educational institutions and the growing restrictions on press freedom across the occupied Palestinian territories.
Farida Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education, described the devastation in Gaza as “scholasticide,” defined as the systematic and deliberate destruction of education. She reported that 98% of schools and all 13 universities in the territory had been destroyed.
The damage extends far beyond educational facilities. According to the experts, 13 libraries, 195 heritage sites, 227 mosques, at least three churches and Gaza’s central archives have also been destroyed. The archives held 150 years of collective memory, representing a significant loss of Palestinian historical records.
Gaza’s children are losing more than classrooms and textbooks. Three years of Israel’s genocide have disrupted their education, killed teachers and classmates, and left many struggling with hunger, trauma and the basic skills they need to learn.https://t.co/Fz7cmDzbzB
The consequences for education are also evident in the occupied West Bank. Shaheed reported that 10 of the 48 schools in East Jerusalem were demolished in September. She also cited 224 security incidents during the first half of the year that affected 152 schools and 20,450 students.
The experts also raised alarm over the killing of Palestinian journalists and media workers, warning that the loss of those documenting events in Gaza has compounded the restrictions on freedom of expression.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, recalled that nearly 300 journalists and media workers had been killed in Gaza since October 2023, making the territory an increasingly deadly place for members of the press.
The most immoral army will continue to slaughter innocent people
No matter which fugitive or potential war criminal leads Apartheid Israel.
They will. Until or Unless WE THE PEOLE force it to stop.
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) October 29, 2026
Albanese warned that silencing witnesses not only allows crimes to be committed but also conceals them, allowing impunity to become part of the process.
The experts called on the international community to take immediate action by halting arms transfers, protecting journalists and sustaining humanitarian assistance through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). They also warned that the ceasefire announced the previous year had failed to bring relief, with more than 1,500 Palestinians killed since it took effect.
For Bhutan, the challenge is particularly serious because settlements, roads, agricultural land and hydropower infrastructure are often located along river valleys.
American automakers are facing a multibillion-dollar surge in production costs driven by trade tariffs, expensive raw materials, and high fuel prices, even as consumers continue to buy high-priced trucks and SUVs.
General Motors and Ford both project that rising costs for computer memory chips, commodities, and logistics will create a headwind of approximately $2 billion each this year. For GM, the financial pressure is further compounded by roughly $2.5 billion in costs tied to tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, and copper.
The drivers of rising production costs
The increase in expenses is rooted in three primary areas:
Bangladesh is unlikely to see an immediate fall in remittances from Saudi Arabia even as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensified from early October, but a slowdown in new migration could weigh on inflows in the years ahead.
Following the attacks, migration to Saudi Arabia, the largest destination for Bangladeshi workers, has already been disrupted. As of Sunday, 144 direct and transit flights had been affected by prolonged flight restrictions at Saudi airports, disrupting the travel plans of around 22,000 passengers.
But economists and manpower experts say remittance inflows are unlikely to be hit immediately because newly arrived migrant workers typically take about a year to start sending significant amounts of money home.
According to them, the longer-term impact will depend on the duration of the crisis, the performance of the Saudi economy and demand for labour, particularly in construction.
A prolonged crisis that damages the Saudi economy could slow job creation and reduce workers’ incomes. But the outcome is not necessarily negative for the kingdom’s economy.
If Houthi missile and drone attacks continue without damaging oilfields and refineries, higher global oil prices could boost Saudi revenues, potentially supporting investment and demand for foreign workers, according to Zahid Hussain, a former lead economist at the World Bank’s Dhaka office.
“But everything is uncertain so far,” he commented.
Remittances are a major source of foreign currency for Bangladesh, accounting for around 7.5 per cent of gross domestic product, according to World Bank data. Their importance has grown amid volatility in global energy markets following the US-Israel war on Iran, which has sent shockwaves through sectors ranging from agriculture to the garment industry.
In the July-September quarter of the current fiscal year, Saudi Arabia remained Bangladesh’s largest source of remittances. Inflows from the kingdom rose to $1.65 billion, up from $1.23bn in the same period of FY26, according to Bangladesh Bank data.
The kingdom accounted for 19.2pc of Bangladesh’s total remittance inflows in the first quarter of FY27, compared with 16.26pc a year earlier.
During the July-September quarter, overall remittances reached around $8.59bn, with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries continuing to account for the bulk of transfers.
Diversifying overseas jobs is becoming urgent
The latest disruption shows Bangladesh’s heavy reliance on a handful of overseas labour markets, leaving migrant workers and the economy exposed to regional crises.
Since FY2014-15, Saudi Arabia has employed around half of the 9.6 million Bangladeshis who went abroad for work. Workers in the kingdom have sent home an average of $5bn a year.
The pressure on migration is already evident. Overseas employment fell 36pc year-on-year to 134,000 in the July-August period this year, following a decline to around 969,000 workers in FY26, the lowest level in five years, according to Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training data.
Tasneem Siddiqui, executive director of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), a local think tank, said the crisis exposed the structural weaknesses of the country’s migration sector.
“Therefore, rather than relying on piecemeal decisions, we must completely overhaul and diversify the manpower market. Otherwise, one crisis after another will emerge, leaving us perpetually vulnerable,” said Tasneem, also a political science professor at Dhaka University.
She said the government needs a long-term strategy to develop skills suited to specific overseas markets and expand employment opportunities beyond traditional destinations.
“Long-term strategic planning is essential. Particularly, allocating a mere 0.08pc of the budget for a $35bn remittance sector is grossly insufficient to accomplish meaningful interventions,” she said.
Meanwhile, economist Zahid said Bangladesh should target countries facing ageing populations and labour shortages, including Japan and countries in eastern Europe, where demand for workers in nursing, caregiving and manufacturing could offer alternatives to Middle Eastern markets.
Sayema Haque Bidisha, an economics professor at Dhaka University, also called for greater diversification of migration destinations, stronger diplomatic engagement and better support for expatriates through overseas missions.
She said Bangladesh needs to improve its international image by demonstrating that its workers can fill skilled jobs, rather than being seen primarily as a source of manual labour.
Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC’s Migration Programme and Youth Platform, said earlier this month that many Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia depend on daily or weekly employment and that security concerns have reduced work opportunities.
Pakistan faces greater exposure than India
Bangladesh is not the only country with a significant reliance on remittances from Saudi Arabia.
Its neighbours India and Pakistan also depend on money sent home by their citizens working in the kingdom, although the potential impact varies.
Saudi Arabia is Pakistan’s largest source of remittances, contributing $9.78 billion in the last fiscal year, according to State Bank of Pakistan data.
Meanwhile, around 7pc of India’s international remittance inflows originate from Saudi Arabia. The country receives about $8 billion annually from the kingdom, according to the Reserve Bank of India.
A prolonged crisis that affects employment and earnings in Saudi Arabia could therefore have a greater impact on Pakistan than on India, given Pakistan’s substantial reliance on the kingdom as a source of remittances.
According to an NPR analysis of advertising expenditures in the final days of the 2026 midterm elections, 70 House districts are currently competitive, defined as areas where both the Democratic and Republican parties are investing at least six figures in final messaging efforts.
This financial commitment extends beyond traditional battleground states. The data shows significant spending in districts that voted for the Republican presidential candidate in 2024, including deep-red communities in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. This indicates that the current electoral battle is focused less on preventing a potential shift in House control and more on determining the scale of that shift.
Institutional and Procedural Context
The current competitive landscape is shaped by recent redistricting decisions and the procedural aftermath of a Supreme Court ruling that altered the application of the Voting Rights Act. Following this legal change, state legislatures in multiple jurisdictions redrew congressional district boundaries. In states such as Ohio, North Carolina, Alabama, and Florida, Republicans adjusted district lines to consolidate conservative voters into seats previously held by Democrats. Conversely, in California, Democrats implemented similar boundary changes to affect districts held by Republicans and independents.
Amid upcoming midterm elections, a majority of US voters express concerns over the soaring cost of living. A survey indicates the economy is the primary issue for 84 percent of early voters.
A hand-drawn survey of the Mason-Dixon Line, created between 1767 and 1768, is scheduled for auction in a livestreamed event this Thursday. The document, which measures 76 inches in length and 6.5 inches in height, has been remounted on Japanese rice paper backing. Lauren Brunk, vice president of Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina, estimates the item will fetch between $800,000 and $1.2 million. The seller remains anonymous.
The map was originally drafted by surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to resolve a border dispute between the colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania. While the line later became the symbolic boundary between Northern free states and Southern slaveholding states, particularly after its use in the 1820 Missouri Compromise, Brunk noted that the line was not drawn for that specific purpose. The document has changed hands several times over the past two centuries. It was initially given to the family of attorney Benjamin Chew, who represented the descendants of Pennsylvania founder William Penn. The family retained possession until 1982, when publisher Malcolm S. Forbes purchased it for $360,000, reportedly the highest price ever paid at auction for an American map at that time. A vertical section depicting the Delaware-Maryland border is currently housed at Princeton University.
Brunk Auctions has notified officials at the Library of Congress regarding the upcoming sale. According to Brunk, library representatives stated they are not in a financial position to bid on the item due to current budget constraints. However, Brunk added that the Library of Congress would be happy to receive the map if a private buyer purchases it on their behalf.
A former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent has publicly alleged that the agency's leadership permitted a strategy that intentionally allowed fentanyl to circulate in New Mexico in order to cultivate larger criminal investigations. The whistleblower contends that this approach, which prioritized building comprehensive drug cases over immediate interdiction, has exacerbated the state's ongoing fentanyl crisis and placed local residents at heightened risk of overdose. According to the agent, his warnings regarding the public safety implications of this tactic were dismissed by DEA managers, who he describes as having failed to act on his concerns.
The alleged operational shift
The core of the whistleblower's claim centers on a specific operational methodology within the DEA's New Mexico operations. The agent argues that the agency adopted a "narcotics enforcement” strategy that involved allowing significant quantities of fentanyl to remain in distribution networks rather than seizing them immediately. The stated institutional goal of this tactic, as described by the whistleblower, was to trace the drug supply chains further upstream, thereby identifying and prosecuting major traffickers rather than merely stopping street-level sales. While the DEA routinely uses covert operations to infiltrate and dismantle trafficking organizations, the whistleblower asserts that the scale of permitted distribution in this context created a public health hazard that leadership ignored.
Institutional response and verification status
These allegations stem from individual testimony and represent a critique of agency discretion rather than a confirmed judicial finding or a formally documented policy reversal. The DEA has not issued a public statement specifically confirming or denying the existence of a directive to "let fentanyl reach the streets” as a standing practice in New Mexico. Standard DEA practice involves balancing immediate seizure with the development of long-term investigative leads, but the whistleblower characterizes this balance in New Mexico as a deliberate choice to prioritize case size over community safety. Without access to internal agency directives or court filings that explicitly outline this specific tactical decision as a binding rule, the situation remains a dispute over the application of existing enforcement discretion. The claim highlights a tension between two recognized law enforcement objectives: the disruption of organized crime networks and the immediate reduction of drug availability in local communities.
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