Mike

Any talks/negotiations about a post-war security arrangement for Europe need to start from the indisputable fact that Russia’s neighbours have an acute need of protection from Russia whereas Russia has no demonstrable need for protection (and it already has nukes for that).

First Orban and now Vucic conceded electoral defeat, de facto turning out to be more committed to democracy than Trump and lots of his followers.

A Gray Squirrel about to tuck into a black walnut.

"One of the major issues raised by early reviews of the iPhone Duo is limited support by third-party apps… The good news is that Apple says the position is changing rapidly, citing 'incredible' support for the larger display of the folding iPhone" 9to5mac.com/2026/10/22/a...

Remember how Washington blew up trade talks because Canada wouldn't let American tech giants write our digital laws? Now, Canada and the European Union announced they are closing in on a major new DIGITAL trade deal of their own. When one door closes, open a better one. 🇨🇦🇪🇺 ~ Canadian Outlook

Obama in Michigan: "After 10 years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence and tomfoolery and nonsense the likes of which this country has not seen in modern times at least, you get to say enough is enough. We're voting for change right here in Michigan."

Who told men parenting was a favor?

“It shouldn’t matter where you grow up. It shouldn’t matter the color of your skin. It shouldn’t matter what you or your parents do for work. It shouldn’t matter if you’re urban, rural, or suburban. You deserve a long, healthy life.” Abdul El-Sayed

New Mexico’s civil action against Epstein’s trustees could be significant: beyond seeking documents, litigation may allow attorneys to question people with firsthand knowledge under oath and examine the financial structure of the operation. Hear my full analysis on the MissTrial podcast, link in my

there is no other current or former politician in the US who gets this sort of response

It always makes me sad when I see men say they want sons because they want to have a kid to play catch with (and yes, I STILL see them saying this despite it being the year of our Lord 2026). I'm so lucky to have a dad who loves playing catch with me. The ways misogyny prevails boggles the mind.

States of play

⚡️ "We will see." Melania Trump, when asked if she plans to visit Ukraine.

How imperialist of some Americans to call Zelensky’s display of dignity, misguided mishandling. Get a load of yourselves! Even if you think he should’ve grovelled to your unhinged leader like American elites generally do, at least appreciate the bravery and don’t criticize!

“How much time do you think this defense secretary spends looking in the mirror in the morning? These are not serious people” — Obama’s audience in Ohio is hanging on every word as he skewers Trump and Hegseth

A Russian subsidiary of Germany’s Metro AG transferred 1 billion rubles to the Russian military without the company’s approval. Metro AG says it did not authorize the donations. On Sept. 28, Putin placed the subsidiary under Kremlin control.

A Russian energy giant secretly financed a US gas project in Alaska, while that same project was being discussed by Putin with Witkoff and Kushner as part of talks supposedly aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. The US company’s CEO resigned after discovering the Russian money.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney points out that Elon Musk and Trump's crippling of Starshield, to help Russia, has led to deaths and reduced Ukraine's ability to stop indiscriminate attacks on innocent people.

Carney and Erdoğan launched a Canada–Türkiye strategic partnership covering trade, defence and energy. The deal expands military industry cooperation. Canadian firms are also pursuing nuclear reactor contracts in Türkiye.

Lisa Blackburn on NS AI data centre: “A $10 billion investment deserves more than a photo op & a headline about jobs. It demands public scrutiny, independent reporting, & straight answers about the costs. If this project is as good for N.S. as we’re being told, transparency shouldn't be a problem.”

⚡️Germany in talks to buy Ukrainian jet powered drones. The Bars jet powered drone has a range of 1,000 kilometers and can reach speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour.

🇺🇦‼️ Zelensky has imposed sanctions against entities and individuals who help produce Russian ballistics, as well as supply the Russian defense industry with equipment and components for drones, military aviation, armored vehicles and missile weapons.

This is my must watch for the day! Great commentary by two of the best !

The MAGA regime is getting increasingly unhinged toward Canada. Meanwhile Canadians are bringing the A game to the fight. Not just elbows up - sticks in the face. We are showing the world how the political game is played against political goons. youtu.be/jL1MhOUG_rA?...

🇺🇦🇺🇸 Blumenthal: Ukraine losing access to Starshield raises serious concerns for our national security—like who controls critical capabilities the U.S. government has spent billions to procure & how decisions to restrict them are made. I'm demanding answers from the Department of Defense & SpaceX

Explosion in Kharkiv ‼️ Russian drones again. Second attack tonight. 04:20

⚡️Russian ballistic missiles rock Kyiv in late-night attack, injuring 6. In the Dniprovsky district, a car service station and a private residential building were damaged in the attack. In the Darnitsky district, missiles hit near a transportation infrastructure facility.

🔥 The Belgorod region is also under attack.

‘Staggering in terms of scale’: Report finds more Canadians than ever rely on food banks to survive Food bank visits in Nova Scotia are up 82% since 2019 "The number of people in crisis, we’ve never seen that number before," Sue Kelleher with Feed Nova Scotia told me earlier today.

Pete Hoekstra is threatening Canada about our interference in the melt-down of the Trump regime. Pete can fuck right back to Michigan.

It's been a bad week for the MAGASTAN embassy in Ottawa. Their efforts to break apart our nation in the referendum went down in flames. So now lying Pete Hoekstra is setting the stage to target us when MAGA gets trashed in the mid-terms.

“.. the ordered departures would potentially involve the evacuation ​of all personnel and ​their ⁠families from the US Mission to Saudi Arabia.” @reuters.com www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Elon Musk ordered restrictions on Ukraine’s military satellite communications, according to officials. The slowdown disrupted Ukrainian interceptor drones, Trump and Pentagon deny ordering it, while Ukrainian officials say restrictions remain in place.

P.O.S.

🇺🇸‼️ AFP: US embassy staff and families ordered to leave Saudi Arabia, with families of embassy staff in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain also ordered to leave

⚡️ US President Donald Trump aims to broker a peace deal between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit.

RUBIO: There's nothing being deliberately denied to Ukraine. It's simply a balance between our obligations to other partners, and frankly, our own standards and requirements for our own facilities as well.

Ukraine says ballistic-missile early warning is working again after talks in Oslo. Washington launches fraud-tip reward program, but the written rules differ from Trump’s promise. Europe is strengthening its Arctic infrastructure strategy, US is pressing for deeper commercial ties with India.

⚡️ Poland detained and expelled 15 Russian and Belarusian karate athletes who entered on tourist visas to compete in the World Championships. united24media.com/world/15-rus...

⚡️Ukrainian forces reportedly strike energy infrastructure in occupied Donetsk Oblast, blackouts in Crimea. Ukrainian forces struck energy infrastructure in the city of Chystiakove in Donetsk Oblast, and blackouts were reported in Crimea amid drone fire, monitoring channels reported late on Oct. 20.

The fact that Amy Acton was removed from her mother’s care and went on to obtain an MD and flourish in public health makes her even more of a hero in my eyes. This type of trauma never really goes away. Yet when there was a fork in the road, she chose the one where she helps others. Hero.

Hah. They’re both right.👇

Every Iowa Republican on this ballot tied themselves to Trump. Now Iowans are paying the price: $4,100 a year.