Penny Stuart

About time.

African nationals captured fighting for Russia in Ukraine are appealing to participants at the Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled to take place in Moscow on October 28-29, to help secure their release. "We have been in captivity for quite a long time, and it feels as though we've been forgotten.

How Putin's illegal invasion of #Ukraine forced the UK to wake up & to stop sucking up to Russian oligarchs - so says campaigner @billbrowder.bsky.social in my latest Lowdown podcast. On Apple etc podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t... & YouTube -please subscribe! www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_J6...

Just a reminder for these quieter afternoon hours, handling EU matters might be too complicated for Andy Haldane, but Andy Burnham has no choice if he wants to achieve his wider aims particularly on industry than to look again at freedom of movement.

🇺🇦🛰️ Ukrainian company HIMERA, together with Danish GomSpace, launched OBRIA NANO into orbit — the first test satellite of the future independent Ukrainian communications network. OBRIA NANO satellite was launched on October 1, 2026 as part of the SpaceX Transporter-18 mission.

More photos from Trump Jr's luxury hunting trip in Mongolia with Putin crony that only two months before paid for an island party for the entire Trump family.

The lying liar lied surprise

If you’d like to share your reaction to tomorrow’s Budget or ask a question about what it means for you then come join me on #MoneyBox Live! Email felicity.hannah@bbc.co.uk with a bit about yourself and we could ring you for your thoughts as soon as the chancellor sits down

🧵It’s Day 100 of the Burnham premiership. Burnham has made a good first impression personally and lifted the Labour brand, with Labour up 7pts since May. There are longer-term challenges ahead, but Labour has enjoyed a sustained rise in support since July. What's driving it?

The difference in the speed between our procurement process to buy weapons for Ukraine and our own weapons, is extraordinary...

The fiscal devolution roadmap probably won’t be the biggest story on budget day, but it may be Healey’s most consequential announcement. @tompope.bsky.social on what he's looking for in this early test of how radical Burnham intends to be on devo www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/fisc...

"...you can laugh or you can cry. Or go mad, which more than a few of us did" As a society, we ask and expect a lot of police officers, who are largely expected to cope with exposure to endless trauma without it affecting their judgement or behaviour. dominicadler.substack.com/p/three-smal...

Three Russian diesel tankers steam for US — including one under sanctions ft.trib.al/YuQAdWa

We’ve never learned this lesson in the UK. We still have to listen to the ‘legitimate concerns’ of a bunch of racists and fascists.

Zelensky says Ukraine has completed its part of the Freya anti-ballistic missile project, while work by 10 partner countries is still ongoing. The system is intended to combine Ukrainian missile technology with European radars, sensors and command systems. #Ukraine

Incredible. Student List are candidates selected by groups of students to form an anti-corruption party. Another youth-led movement overthrowing an authoritarian government in Europe.

31 years ago I moved to Germany for a year. The sum total preparation was they my company rented a temporary flat for a month and I packed my car and went. Why are my kids - now the age I was then - now denied this opportunity.

First Orban, now Vučić. Both fundamentally undone by rank corruption of their regimes. Which is so often the reality of the authoritarian right in power. Really worth paying heed to in Western Europe right now

Five tests for nationalism in the next 10 days. Could be genuinely transformative. 🇷🇸 Serbia — Vucic lost (yay!) 🇧🇷 Brazil — Lula leads early count 🇮🇱 Israel — 27 Oct 🇧🇬 Bulgaria — 1 Nov 🇺🇸 USA — 3 Nov One down, one looks promising, three to go.

Vučić’s defeat could mark a geopolitical turning point for Serbia. It could also inject fresh momentum into EU enlargement across the W. Balkans, where progress has stalled for years. A Serbia firmly anchored in Europe would transform the region’s outlook and significantly weaken Russia’s influence

The Russian drone operators call this "human safari."

Thread

Preferred party to handle Britain's future relationship with EU? Labour 30% LibDems 7% Greens 7% Reform 15% Conservatives 10% None/Don't Know 31% @ipsosintheuk.bsky.social (15th-22nd October 2026)

🇺🇸🇺🇦 Zelensky: The American side proposed a ceasefire regime in the Oleshky area starting October 27. Because this cannot be just one day. It will last several days. Humanitarian missions must come there: the Americans, us, and the Russians.

Hello! It doesn’t cost anything to repost but it helps me spread the word about my small business. My online shop is full of bold & colourful prints, homewares and cards. I’m also available for freelance design work and art licensing. gailmyerscough.co.uk

Zelensky lists what he wants from the US, Ukraine and Russia trilateral meeting. An energy ceasefire, the sea, grain, an all-for-all exchange or a meeting of leaders.

Elon Musk says the limit on Ukraine’s drones came from “ultimately POTUS.” Trump says he has no idea who did it. One of them is lying.

I’m hearing that the Brazilian news is reporting that buses in Salvador in Brazil, a Lula stronghold, are being disrupted preventing votes. Also planes the the North East are being cancelled due to non existent bad weather.

A large missile alert is on right now in Russia across Moscow, Smolensk, Kaluga, Tula, Ryazan, Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, Voronezh, Lipetsk and Tambov regions. Drones are being tracked over Smolensk, Bryansk, Kursk, Voronezh and toward Rostov.

One of the world's rarest types of river flows through Norwich. Yet the Wensum and neighbouring Yare may be in their worst ever condition. Restoration could take 30 years and cost hundreds of millions. Who's going to pay? @eastangliabylines.co.uk @celinawords.bsky.social

Though I don't claim that politics is all pragmatism, I believe there is a strong pragmatic national interest in re-establishing EU freedom of movement to benefit other urgent policy concerns. The job of politics is not to suggest that important conversations should happen - it is to have them.

This is just dreadful stuff from Kuenssberg: "What has the government done to cut the national debt?" ONS: "Public sector net debt was provisionally estimated at 94.0% of GDP, 0.7 percentage points lower than a year earlier"

Read this if you’ve ever dissected a human body. #medsky www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng-...

from @zarinazabrisky.bsky.social:

A carefully planned Russian propaganda operation is underway. Having starved people in Oleshky for months, Russia, with the 'intervention' of Melania, will allow people to leave and pretend Ukraine was at fault. Read @zarinazabrisky.bsky.social www.kyivpost.com/analysis/88041

Attitudes in 2026 to free movement, to secure single market membership General public: 48-30 support (+18) Labour: 67-20 support (+47) LibDems: 65-21 support (+44) Green 64-20 support (+44) Conservatives 47-40 support (+7) (!) Reform: 39-46 opposed (-7) @britishfuture.bsky.social June 2026

The recent Starlink / Starshield incident in Ukraine has created a dangerous precedence for the US export industry, many haven't yet grasped. The sudden deactivation respectively curtailing of those systems without warning not only cost precious lives, but also equipment worth millions.

If Musk can disable Starlink against the Ukrainian or other European militaries, he can also disable it against the US government. Musk's brain is so utterly fried that in trying to prevent US state intervention he is making claims that make nationalisation of SpaceX more likely

A wave of Russian regions are under drone attack right now, with at least four airports shut down.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he wants a more 'honest conversation' about freedom of movement, suggesting it could work better than post-Brexit immigration has. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Zelensky says Starlink and Starshield have been restored to the speeds Ukraine had before the restrictions. Tests confirmed both are working, with speeds now sufficient for frontline logistics and defending against jet-powered Shaheds. #Ukraine

This was not just an online-shopping warehouse. Ozon has become a procurement channel for Russian troops, including body armor, military optics, firearm parts and drone components. Its Omsk logistics hub was hit by drones today. Support link is in our Bio.

Two critical elections tomorrow: the runoff for the Brazilian Presidential election which could cement Trump’s influence over South America if Bolsonaro wins; and the snap election in Serbia which Putin will be closely watching.

Come on, we did this in GCSE and moved on v quickly

🤯🤯🤯🇺🇸🇺🇦

🇬🇧 farmland is v capitalised, margins are tight, business requires huge continuing investment just to produce food. So if Burnham wants 🇬🇧 back inside EU system, he can’t simply ignore a domestic tax regime that weakens farm succession and leave British producers carrying structural disadvantage.