Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
Taiwan Opposition Criticizes Plan to Block Chinese App Rednote Over Security Concerns 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
New Orleans Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fear as Federal Arrests Intensify 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
Trump’s Name Appears on U.S. Institute of Peace Ahead of Rwanda–Congo Deal Signing 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were able to “repel” an offensive by Russia in the region of Donetsk, which Moscow claims to have annexed. Zelenskyy added that prisoners were also taken in amidst recent prisoner exchanges by both sides.
In his nightly address Sunday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops were able to fend off Russia’s offensive in the eastern region of Donetsk. The fiercest fighting took place in the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiika as Ukrainian forces continued their counter-attack to reclaim the partially occupied territories.
“Today they stopped the fierce offensive actions of the enemy,” said Zelenskyy. “The Russian attack was repelled.”
Zelenskyy noted that a military unit in western Ukraine was able to carry out the counter-attack in Donetsk but did not specify which areas the clash took place. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine’s “exchange fund” was replenished, indicating that Russian troops were taken prisoner in the midst of the fighting.
On the same day, the French foreign ministry rebuked Russia’s accusations of the United Kingdom that it was involved in the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipeline and the Russian Navy Ships in the annexed Crimea region. The ministry said in a statement that Moscow’s accusations are baseless.
“The accusations Russia brought against the United Kingdom on Saturday, 29 October, are utterly baseless and supported by no tangible evidence. They are yet another clear illustration of Russia’s strategy to disguise reality and make wild and outrageous allegations to distract from its own, sole responsibility in its war of aggression against Ukraine,” said the statement.
London also denied involvement in the attacks on the pipeline and the Russian naval ships in Crimea following the accusations by Moscow. The British defense ministry said its Russian counterpart was trying to distract the world from its invasion of Ukraine by making false accusations.
The British defense ministry added that the accusation by Moscow “says more about” the internal conflict within the Kremlin than it does on the West.
Russia has already previously blamed the West for the attacks on the pipeline but did not give specific details on who it thought was responsible for the damage to the gas pipelines.
