In Asian media this week: Trump says he spoke to Modi but India denies call took place. Plus: Japan’s new coalition a shift to the right; Timor Leste finally gets seat at regional table; Life worse than death on Myanmar scam farm; Prabowo – control, populism and diminished accountability; Sri Lanka suffers from world’s worst plastics spill.

David Armstrong

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cancelled a trip to the imminent ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, avoiding any possibility of a meeting with Donald Trump.

Ukraine’s European backers made no official statements on granting Kiev access to long-range weaponry following a meeting in London on Friday.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Dutch and Danish counterparts Dick Schoof and Mette Frederiksen attended the meeting devoted to additional military support for Kiev.

Zelensky was expected to seek more long-range weaponry following US President Donald Trump’s refusal to grant him access to Tomahawk missiles. However, despite statements from Rutte that Ukraine has the right to long-range weaponry, no statement was made recognizing Kiev’s request.

Starmer vowed to put “military pressure” on Russian President Vladimir Putin through continued supplies of “long-range capabilities” to Kiev.

There was – or seemed to be – hope for peace for a brief moment. And how deceptive it turned out to be. I was among those cautiously optimistic when we were told just over a week ago that the presidents of Russia and the US, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, had a long and useful phone conversation and were planning to meet in person again.

Why the Putin-Trump summit cancelation is terrible news for Ukraine
The West and Kiev are once again stranding Ukrainians in the forever kill zone

BY Tarik Cyril Amar

US President Donald Trump has announced the suspension of all trade talks with Canada, accusing Ottawa of distributing fake ads against tariffs.

"Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs … Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED," Trump said on Truth Social on Thursday.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has launched a striking ad featuring Ronald Reagan’s 1987 radio address, in which the former president warns against imposing tariffs. Reagan argues that while protectionist measures may seem patriotic in the short term, they ultimately harm American workers, shrink markets, and cost millions of jobs.

Washington’s nine-month pause on new restrictions against Russia has come to an end. President Donald Trump has imposed his first sanctions of his second term – targeting two of Russia’s biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, along with their subsidiaries.

The move, presented by the White House as a push to “encourage Moscow to agree to a ceasefire,”comes alongside the postponement of an anticipated summit between Trump and President Vladimir Putin in Budapest. While the administration insists the meeting is merely delayed, not canceled, the twin decisions have reignited debate in Moscow about Trump’s real intentions – and about who truly sets the tone for US policy toward Russia.

My tween-age daughters make me proud in countless ways, but I am still adjusting to the fact that they are not bookworms. I’m pretty sure that two generations ago, they would have been more like I was: always with their nose in some volume, looking up only to cross the street or to guide a fork on their plates. But today, even in our book-crammed home, where their father is often in a cozy reading chair, their eyes are more likely to be glued to a screen.

My Students Use AI. So What?
Young people are reading less and relying on bots, but there are other ways to teach people how to think.

By John McWhorter

French forces could be at war with Russia by 2028, the country’s newly appointed chief of staff, General Fabien Mandon, has claimed.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected claims that it plans to attack EU countries, saying any such allegations are being used by European politicians to scare the population and justify growing military spending. Russia has also said it is defending itself in the Ukraine conflict, accusing NATO of provoking the hostilities.

Mandon, who became France’s top general in early September, told lawmakers on the National Assembly’s Defense Committee on Wednesday that “Russia is a country that may be tempted to continue the war on our continent.”

Federal politics: Nationals senator says 'malicious intent' behind Barnaby Joyce One Nation push — as it happened

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie says she thinks former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce will remain in the Nationals party room after he left the door open to joining One Nation.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-23/federal-politics-live-blog-oct-23/105922588

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

The plans are devised by Justice Michael Snow. He is the epitome of judicial prejudice. When Julian Assange appeared before Snow in the first hearing after being dragged from the Embassy, Snow called Assange a “narcissist” even though Assange had said nothing but to confirm his name, and no evidence had been led.

36 Minute Trials and No Jury – Starmer’s Fascist Mass Courts

Olympic organizers have approved a croc-infested river as a venue for rowing and canoeing events at the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia, according to local media reports.

The Fitzroy River, some 600km north of Brisbane, was designated as an Olympic venue in March, but faced criticism from national and international organizations that warned the waterway did not meet technical standards. As well as its crocodile population, the river is known for its strong tides.

However, on Tuesday, Queensland state lawmaker Matt Canavan confirmed to the media that the river had successfully passed initial testing by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA).

“We now have a green light for rowing in 2032. All the data is in, and there are no longer any barriers to holding rowing events here,” Canavan said.

Kiev and Stockholm have agreed to work on a major long-term arms contract under which Sweden would provide between 100 and 150 domestically-produced Gripen fighter jets, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced on Wednesday.

The meeting came a day after the Ukrainian parliament approved amendments to this year’s budget that increased military spending by additional 325 billion hryvnia ($7.7 billion), bringing it to a record 2.96 trillion hryvnia ($70.86 billion).

The two sides have yet to ink the deal, with Sweden only confirming that it had signed a letter of intent on the issue. Zelensky insisted that both parties should ensure that Kiev’s forces start operating Gripen jets “next year.”

EU countries are at odds over how to use a proposed loan for Kiev funded by frozen Russian assets, with some pushing to restrict spending to European-made weapons while others want US arms included, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

EU officials are debating the so-called “reparations loan” of about €140 billion ($162 billion) to Ukraine that would be guaranteed by Russian assets immobilized by the West after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

According to the proposal, Kiev would repay only if Moscow covers damages incurred by the conflict. Moscow has repeatedly condemned Western efforts to use its frozen funds to aid Ukraine, calling the move “theft.”

Somerset as Stand-In – Funeral Etiquette for Abandoned Lads

In the Unted States at least 25% of homes are without a Father. (Representing 18 Million children.)

In the United Kingdom another 25% of homes are single-parent, and of these 80% lack a Father.

In Germany over 18% of homes with minor children are single-parent, about 86% having no Father.

In France 30% of kids are living single-parent, in 85% of the cases enduring life absent a Father.

In Russia almost 40% of all children reside with a singular parent, nearly 90% of these lack a Father.

BY GUY SOMERSET

US President Donald Trump is set to support South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham* at a fundraiser and golf tournament next month, according to US media reports.

The upcoming November event has already been dubbed the “Trump-Graham Classic.”

The US President formally endorsed Lindsey Graham - running for his fifth term in the Senate in what the Cook Political Report calls a “solid Republican race” - in a Truth Social post earlier this year. Trump called him a “wonderful friend.”

Following a haul of $1.7 million in the third quarter, Graham’s cash on hand total sits at $14.5 million. This is believed to be the largest war chest of any Republican senator up for reelection next year.

When Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister, headlines hailed a “historic moment” – a symbol of progress and national renewal. A conservative firebrand molded in Shinzo Abe’s image, she vowed to “work, work, work” for Japan’s rebirth.

Meet the woman vowing to Make Japan Great Again but serving her foreign masters
Behind Sanae Takaichi’s nationalist swagger lies a country still marching to US orders

By André Benoit