Giorgos Vardinoyannis, one of the best-known figures in Greek business and sports, who also had a significant presence in the commercial shipping industry, died on Friday at the age of 90. Widely known by the nickname “The Captain”, Vardinoyannis was associated not only with the Athens soccer team Panathinaikos FC but also with the Vardinoyannis […]

The post Giorgos Vardinoyannis, shipping magnate and former Panathinaikos FC owner, dies at 90 appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

Russia has placed five foreign-owned businesses under compulsory administration, including Belgian manufacturer Ontex and French flooring group Tarkett. The latest seizures deepen the confrontation over sanctions, frozen Russian assets and the future of European investment in Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the transfer of five Western-owned businesses into compulsory Russian management, extending a campaign of asset seizures targeting European companies that continued operating in Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The decree, signed on 15 October, affects businesses with combined annual revenues exceeding 53 billion roubles, approximately €530 million. They include French flooring manufacturer Tarkett, Belgian hygiene products group Ontex, German packaging producer Menshen, Kappa Rus and Eviosys Packaging Kuban, now linked to American group Sonoco.

Under Presidential Decree No. 738, operational control has been transferred to Centre Capital, a little-known Moscow company established in February 2026 with registered share capital of just 10,000 roubles.

The decision follows similar interventions against Nestlé, Auchan, FM Logistic and Metro in September. Together, the measures demonstrate how Moscow is using foreign-owned businesses as instruments of economic retaliation against countries supporting Ukraine.

Foreign businesses placed under Russian control

Centre Capital is headed by Marat Mirkhaydarov, a former senior official in Russia’s Zabaykalsky region who reportedly served with the Akhmat military formation during Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The scale of the companies placed under his management contrasts sharply with the financial standing of the administrator.

Tarkett’s Russian operations generated approximately 19.3 billion roubles in revenue during 2025, while Kappa Rus recorded 16.5 billion roubles and Ontex RU another 10.3 billion. Eviosys Packaging Kuban and Menshen Packaging CIS reported approximately 6.1 billion and 1.4 billion roubles respectively.

The decree does not formally transfer ownership of the companies to Centre Capital. It does, however, remove the foreign shareholders’ effective control over management, operations and commercial decisions.

For Belgian manufacturer Ontex, the consequences are immediate.

In an official statement issued on 16 October, the Aalst-based company confirmed that a government-appointed administrator had assumed operational control of its Russian subsidiary.

Ontex Russia employs approximately 350 people, operates a manufacturing facility in Noginsk and maintains a sales office in Moscow. The subsidiary accounts for around five per cent of the group’s total revenue and between seven and eight per cent of adjusted EBITDA.

The company said it was examining measures to protect its assets and maintain business continuity.

Tarkett likewise confirmed that it was losing effective control of its Russian operations.

A mechanism established in 2023

The legal framework for such interventions dates to April 2023, when Putin introduced Decree No. 302, allowing the Russian authorities to place assets associated with countries designated as unfriendly under temporary external management.

The appointed administrator can exercise extensive ownership-related powers, although the formal right to dispose of the assets remains excluded.

Crucially, the arrangement can be terminated only by presidential decision. There is no automatic deadline for returning operational control to the original owners.

Moscow maintains that the measures are reversible. Nevertheless, the loss of management authority raises questions about whether businesses could eventually be returned with their financial position, organisational structure and commercial value intact.

The latest decree extends the process already documented by EU Today following the September takeover of Nestlé and Auchan’s Russian operations.

The Kremlin’s approach also serves domestic economic objectives. Keeping factories, retail networks and distribution facilities operating under Russian management helps preserve employment, production capacity and established supply chains.

At the same time, appointing Russian administrators allows the authorities to exercise greater influence over businesses originally developed through foreign capital, technology and expertise.

European companies caught in sanctions confrontation

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has explicitly linked the seizures to the nationality of the affected companies and the policies of their governments.

He accused European states of participating in the unlawful seizure of Russian property through sanctions and financial restrictions.

Moscow’s argument centres partly on approximately €210 billion in Russian sovereign assets immobilised in the European Union, most of them held through Belgium-based securities depository Euroclear.

The European Union has used extraordinary revenues generated by those assets to support Ukraine, while further proposals involving the underlying funds remain subject to legal and political debate.

Belgium has been particularly concerned about potential financial exposure and legal claims. As EU Today reported in September, a Belgian Council of State judgment raised additional questions about the administrative procedures governing certain frozen assets.

The dispute has also moved into the European courts, with the Bank of Russia challenging EU measures intended to protect Euroclear against the enforcement of Russian judgments.

Moscow’s treatment of European businesses adds another dimension to this confrontation. By retaining control over foreign-owned industrial and commercial assets, Russia possesses a means of exerting pressure on companies whose governments support sanctions and military assistance to Ukraine.

The implications are particularly serious for Western banks that still maintain substantial Russian operations.

Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International and Italy’s UniCredit remain exposed to Russia through local subsidiaries. Any extension of compulsory administration to financial institutions could create additional difficulties involving deposits, capital and banking supervision.

The cost of remaining in Russia

The seizures also expose the financial risks faced by Western companies that delayed their withdrawal after February 2022.

Many initially sought to protect their investments, employees and commercial infrastructure. Others reduced operations but retained ownership, expecting that conditions might eventually permit an orderly sale or renewed business activity.

Russian restrictions have progressively complicated that calculation, requiring foreign investors from designated countries to accept substantial discounts on asset sales and obtain official approval for transactions.

Companies remaining in the country now face the additional possibility that the government will appoint administrators without their consent.

The consequences extend beyond the businesses immediately affected. Russia is establishing a precedent under which foreign investment can remain legally owned by its original shareholders while its economic benefits and operational management are placed beyond their control.

For European governments, the latest decree illustrates the increasing connection between commercial interests and geopolitical decisions.

The Kremlin has demonstrated that sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine can be answered not only through diplomatic or financial measures, but also through direct intervention in European-owned businesses operating on Russian territory.

Any eventual negotiation over sanctions relief and the restoration of economic relations will consequently have to address the status of these assets, the rights of their original shareholders and the question of compensation.

Until then, Western companies remaining in Russia face an investment environment in which the ultimate authority over their businesses rests increasingly with the Kremlin rather than their shareholders.

Ukrainian president says US limiting access was a ‘dangerous and unpleasant surprise’, amid reports the order came from inside White House

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the Ukrainian military’s access to the Starlink satellite internet service has not yet been fully restored, as media reports suggested the order to throttle the service had come from within the White House.

Zelenskyy met European leaders on Friday in Brussels, where he asked the EU for another €70bn (£60bn) next year to fund Ukraine’s defence against Russia.

On Friday, Gabriela Castillo Madrid, SpaceX’s Senior Manager of Global Government Affairs, is set to appear before the New York City Council’s Committee on Technology to answer questions about the safety of its artificial intelligence technology.

RELATED:

Artificial Intelligence Pioneers Call for International Body to Oversee Cybersecurity Standards

The hearing comes after City Council Speaker Julie Menin formally subpoenaed the company to participate in an Oct. 5 hearing on AI risks, which it did not attend.

After the initial refusal, the body formally notified the company of its intent to file a petition with the New York State Supreme Court to compel compliance, after which the firm requested a meeting and agreed to testify.

SpaceX’s appearance follows the Oct. 5 hearing, which included senior representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta and Google, as well as sworn testimony from prominent industry whistleblowers Jacob Coxon, Daniel Kokotajlo and Alex Turner, and British lawmaker Jess Asato.

“We held a multi-hour hearing with whistleblowers, the world’s largest technology companies and the nation’s leading AI experts. The conspicuous absence of SpaceXAI was unacceptable,” Menin said at the time.

Citizens deserve “to hear directly from the companies developing this powerful technology what safeguards they are implementing to protect people and how they will be held accountable when they fail,” she pointed out, warning that “self-regulation is not enough.”

During the previous hearing, Menin asked spokespeople for OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta and Google under oath to commit to not releasing a model if it failed an internal test or an evaluation by a third party outside the company.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

• Harvard's endowment returned a five-year high of 27.1% in the 12 months to June 30, besting the S&P 500.
• The Ivy League college counted a $2.2 billion SpaceX stake as its top Q2 portfolio holding by far.
• Harvard's endowment grew to almost $68 billion after accounting for taxes, gifts, and distributions.

Harvard University delivered its best investment return in five years as its bet on SpaceX boosted its stock portfolio.

The elite college's endowment returned 27.1% in the fiscal year ended June 30, its annual financial report revealed on Thursday. That comfortably outpaced the benchmark S&P 500's 22.3% total return over the same period.

After accounting for taxes, distributions, and gifts, Harvard's endowment grew by $11 billion to nearly $68 billion.

Harvard Management Company's stake in Elon Musk's maker of Starship rockets, Starlink satellites, and AI chatbot Grok was worth $2.2 billion at the end of June, per its second-quarter portfolio disclosure.

SpaceX was its number-one holding, more than six times more valuable than its second-biggest position, a sub-$350 million stake in Taiwan Semiconductor.

Its next-largest positions — each worth over $150 million — were Cerebras, Amazon, Alphabet, and Nvidia. Its 19 holdings at the end of June were together worth about $4.3 billion, more than double the portfolio's $1.8 billion value three months earlier.

Harvard said the strong performance of its endowment, which is nearly 400 years old and comprises about 15,000 individual funds, helped it weather the "abrupt termination of federal research grants" by the Trump administration.

It's worth noting that 13-F portfolio disclosures are a snapshot of a fund's US stock holdings on a certain date. They don't include foreign-listed stocks, non-stock assets like bonds or real estate, private investments, or stocks sold short.

Harvard said that as of June 30, 14% of its endowment was invested in public equities, 29% in hedge funds, 46% in private equity, 4% in real estate, and the balance elsewhere.

Harvard declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.

SpaceX's valuation has whipsawed since the aerospace company went public on June 12. Its market capitalization topped $2.4 trillion on June 20, then tanked to $1.4 trillion by August 1, and has since rallied to around $2 trillion.

Musk's company posted a 92% year-on-year revenue jump for the quarter ended June, helping narrow its net loss from $1 billion to $541 million.

The world's richest man recently posted on X that he sees a path for SpaceX to be worth "orders of magnitude more than the current Earth economy," implying its stock could rise at least 6,000-fold to $12 quadrillion over time.

He later clarified that wasn't a "statement of extreme confidence," but he believes the probability of achieving that valuation is "not zero." On October 14, he said he expects SpaceX to be worth more than $100 trillion in the next 10 years.

Harvard is one of several shareholders to reveal a sizable stake in SpaceX. Google parent Alphabet reported a roughly 4% stake valued at $94 billion as of the end of June. Longtime Musk associate Peter Thiel disclosed a 3.2% position worth $73 billion held by his Founders Fund and related entities. AI chipmaker Nvidia has a $21 billion stake.

The EU plans to fast-track antitrust approval for Project Bromo, a satellite venture meant to cut Europe's reliance on American space technology, Bloomberg reports. The news comes days after the White House ordered the Pentagon to slow Starshield, the military-grade Starlink service Ukraine's forces use, according to Reuters.

Project Bromo would merge the satellite businesses of Italy’s Leonardo and France’s Airbus and Thales into one company. Bloomberg calls it the bloc’s answer to SpaceX, and the EU sees it as a regional giant able to compete with US and Chinese rivals.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has backed the project, Eunews reports.

“These are the types of industrial champions we need if Europe is to lead in the space economy of tomorrow,” she said at an international space summit in Paris last month, citing Bromo by name.

A year of quiet groundwork before the filing

Over the past year, the partners and EU officials have worked through potential competition concerns so they can be resolved before a formal application, according to Bloomberg. The companies have not yet applied, but Brussels expects them to in the coming weeks.

For large deals, regulators usually hold such preliminary talks to flag obstacles early. If the companies offer concessions, such as selling some assets, the deal could clear after a first-phase review of a little over a month. If competition concerns remain, the Commission could open an in-depth probe lasting several months.

The caveat behind the SpaceX-rival label

A fast review is not a free pass. Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera has warned that the project cannot expect one, and unions and suppliers have raised concerns about jobs and competition, Bloomberg reports. Von der Leyen’s public backing drew criticism from some members of the European Parliament.

Her support “doesn’t mean we are not going to apply and to enforce our own regulation,” Ribera told Bloomberg TV.

Why it matters to Ukraine

The push is part of a wider European scramble for space autonomy. Ukraine wants to build a satellite system of its own that no single company controls.

This week showed why. After the Starshield order, the military-grade terminals stopped working on fast-moving objects, and now work only at speeds of up to 160 kph, a person in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry told Reuters. Ukrainian officials said the restrictions complicated strike missions against Russian forces and logistics in occupied territory and slowed the interceptor drones that shoot down Shaheds.

El otoño es la época perfecta para recuperar algunos de esos clásicos de la televisión que nos hicieron reír, emocionarnos o pasar horas frente a la pantalla. Con la llegada de los días más fríos y las tardes más cortas, los planes de sofá y manta se convierten en una buena oportunidad para volver a disfrutar de historias que nunca pasan de moda.

Desde comedias míticas como Friends (1994) y Las chicas Gilmore (2000) hasta dramas como Breaking Bad (2008) y ficciones llenas de misterio como Stranger Things (2016), hay series que siempre merecen una segunda oportunidad. Estas son 20 series que deberías volver a ver este otoño, ya sea para revivir tus capítulos favoritos o para descubrir nuevos detalles que quizá se te escaparon la primera vez.

20 series que deberías volver a ver este otoño

Los Serrano (2003) | Filmaffinity

Los Serrano (2003)

La familia Serrano mezcla las vidas de sus hijos, los conflictos sentimentales y las ocurrencias de Diego y sus amigos en el barrio madrileño de Santa Justa. Entre humor, música y momentos emotivos, esta comedia española invita a recuperar una de las series más recordadas de la televisión de los años 2000.

The Big Bang Theory (2007) | Filmaffinity

The Big Bang Theory (2007)

Sheldon, Leonard y sus amigos convierten la ciencia, los videojuegos y las relaciones sociales en una sucesión de situaciones cómicas. Sus episodios cortos y su humor reconocible la hacen especialmente apropiada para una maratón sin complicaciones.

Bridgerton (2020) | Filmaffinity

Bridgerton (2020)

Entre bailes de salón, vestidos espectaculares y rumores que recorren la alta sociedad londinense, la familia Bridgerton busca el amor en una época marcada por las apariencias y las convenciones sociales. Una historia de romances, secretos y escándalos perfecta para dejarse llevar por el ambiente de época en una tarde de otoño.

Twin Peaks (1990) | Filmaffinity

Twin Peaks (1990)

La aparición del cadáver de Laura Palmer rompe la tranquilidad de un pequeño pueblo estadounidense. El agente Dale Cooper se adentra en una investigación en la que nada es lo que parece, entre bosques inquietantes, personajes excéntricos y sucesos inexplicables.

The Office (2005) | Filmaffinity

The Office (2005)

En la oficina de Dunder Mifflin, una jornada de trabajo puede convertirse en un espectáculo de situaciones absurdas, silencios incómodos y bromas inesperadas. Su humor cotidiano y sus personajes peculiares la convierten en una comedia perfecta para desconectar.

Pequeñas Mentirosas (2010) | Filmaffinity

Pequeñas Mentirosas (2010)

En el aparentemente tranquilo pueblo de Rosewood, cuatro amigas intentan rehacer sus vidas tras la desaparición de Alison, la líder de su grupo. Todo cambia cuando empiezan a recibir mensajes amenazantes de alguien que conoce sus secretos más oscuros. Secretos y giros inesperados convierten esta serie en una opción perfecta para engancharse de nuevo durante las tardes de otoño.

Peaky Blinders (2013) | Filmaffinity

Peaky Blinders (2013)

En la Birmingham de los años veinte, Tommy Shelby lidera una banda criminal que busca ampliar su poder en una sociedad marcada por las secuelas de la Primera Guerra Mundial. Entre conspiraciones, violencia, ambición y una estética oscura e inconfundible, la serie protagonizada por Cillian Murphy es perfecta para volver a sumergirse en una historia cargada de tensión.

Modern Family (2009) | Filmaffiinity

Modern Family (2009)

Tres ramas de una misma familia intentan sobrevivir a los problemas cotidianos, las diferencias generacionales y los enredos sentimentales. Su humor cercano y sus personajes entrañables hacen de esta comedia una apuesta segura para las tardes de sofá y manta.

Los Soprano (1999) | Filmaffinity

Los Soprano (1999)

Tony Soprano dirige una organización criminal en Nueva Jersey mientras intenta mantener el equilibrio entre su familia y sus negocios. Un drama sobre el poder, la violencia y las contradicciones humanas que sigue siendo imprescindible para entender la televisión contemporánea.

Juego de Tronos (2011) | Filmaffinity

Juego de Tronos (2011)

Traiciones, alianzas imposibles y luchas por el poder se entrecruzan en los Siete Reinos. Volver a Poniente permite revivir una de las grandes sagas televisivas y descubrir de nuevo los detalles que anticipaban sus giros más inesperados.

Friends (1994) | Filmaffinity

Friends (1994)

Seis amigos, un apartamento en Nueva York y una cafetería en la que parece que siempre hay sitio para uno más. Entre romances, rupturas y situaciones disparatadas, esta comedia sigue siendo una de las mejores opciones para volver a sentirse en casa.

Dowton Abbey (2010) | Filmaffinity

Dowton Abbey (2010)

La vida de la aristocrática familia Crawley y la de sus empleados transcurre entre los salones de una gran mansión inglesa, los cambios históricos y los conflictos sentimentales. Una ficción de época con el ambiente elegante y pausado que acompaña bien a los días más fríos.

Dark (2017) | Filmaffinity

Dark (2017)

La desaparición de un niño en la localidad alemana de Winden destapa secretos familiares que se extienden a lo largo de varias generaciones. Con bosques sombríos, atmósfera opresiva y una trama de viajes en el tiempo, es perfecta para quienes buscan un misterio que resolver capítulo a capítulo

Cómo conocí a vuestra madre (2005) | Filmaffinity

Cómo conocí a vuestra madre (2005)

En 2030, Ted Mosby comienza a contar a sus hijos la larga historia de cómo conoció a su madre. Entre citas desastrosas, noches de fiesta y una amistad que lo atraviesa todo, la serie recupera el encanto de las comedias románticas de los años 2000.

Breaking Bad (2008) | Filmaffinity

Breaking Bad (2008)

Walter White es un profesor de química que, tras recibir un diagnóstico de cáncer, comienza a fabricar metanfetamina para asegurar el futuro económico de su familia. Lo que empieza como una decisión desesperada termina convirtiéndose en una espiral criminal que transforma por completo a sus protagonistas

Las Chicas Gilmore (2000) | Filmaffinity

Las Chicas Gilmore (2000)

En el pequeño pueblo de Stars Hollow, las hojas caen mientras Lorelai y Rory Gilmore comparten cafés interminables, conversaciones ingeniosas y complicidades entre madre e hija. Una serie reconfortante que invita a recuperar el placer de las pequeñas cosas

The Walking Dead (2010) | Filmaffinity

The Walking Dead (2010)

Un mundo devastado por un apocalipsis zombi obliga a un grupo de supervivientes a luchar por mantenerse con vida mientras buscan un lugar seguro. Liderados inicialmente por Rick Grimes, sus protagonistas tendrán que enfrentarse tanto a los muertos vivientes como a otros seres humanos. Con su atmósfera oscura y sus escenas inquietantes, es una opción ideal para recuperar el espíritu de Halloween este otoño.

Stranger Things (2016) | Filmaffinity

Stranger Things (2016)

Como un tributo a las historias clásicas de misterio paranormal de la década de los 80, "Stranger Things" narra la repentina e inexplicable desaparición de un joven en Hawkins, un idílico poblado de Indiana, en 1983. Mientras sus seres queridos, sus compañeros y el jefe de policía lo buscan sin descanso, quedan atrapados en un misterio impresionante que involucra pruebas científicas clandestinas, horripilantes entidades de otra dimensión y una pequeña sumamente peculiar.

The Wire (2002) | Filmaffinity

The Wire (2002)

Las calles de Baltimore sirven de escenario para una historia que va mucho más allá de la policía y el narcotráfico. La serie retrata las desigualdades sociales y las instituciones desde distintos puntos de vista, con un realismo que invita a verla con atención.

Aquí no hay quien viva (2003) | Filmaffinity

Aquí no hay quien viva (2003)

En el número 21 de la calle Desengaño, la convivencia entre vecinos se convierte en una fuente inagotable de cotilleos, discusiones y situaciones surrealistas. Sus personajes y frases míticas mantienen vivo el atractivo de una de las comedias españolas más recordadas.

Nueva operación inmobiliaria de primer nivel por parte del fundador de Inditex, Amancio Ortega. El empresario se ha hecho con un rascacielos en Chicago por más de 490 millones de euros (550 millones de dólares) a través de su vehículo inversor Pontegadea.

Ortega ha adquirido el rascacielos One North Wacker de 51 plantas situado en el distrito financiero de la ciudad, según ha avanzado el medio CoStar y han confirmado a Efe fuentes conocedoras. Algunas de las oficinas del inmueble están alquiladas a empresas como PwC, UBS o Fitch Ratings.

Esta operación se suma a la creciente presencial de Ortega en Chicago, donde ya es propietario a través de Pontegadea de una torre residencial de 492 viviendas adquirida en 2023, el antiguo edificio del Esquire Theatre, un hotel y otras propiedades.

El brazo inversor de Ortega adquirió en agosto un complejo de apartamentos en Londres por 150 millones de libras (unos 175,4 millones de euros), lo que se complementó otras inversiones realizadas en los últimos meses en París o Canadá, enfocadas en el sector logístico o de alquiler de oficinas.

A powerful explosion on Thursday afternoon at the refinery of MOTOR OIL in western Attica has injured two workers seriously and another four slightly. it is the second explosion at the refinery within a week. Two serioylsy injured workers, aged 40 and 59, were transported to a hospital in Athens where they underwent surgeries for […]

The post MOTOR OIL explosion injures seriously two workers; 2nd explosion in a week appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

As a free speech absolutist, Elon Musk is making a mistake going after Nitter, says Dr R P. He should instead be praising the site that helps users speak freely, uninhibited by login screens that undermine their privacy.

The post Musk’s Perplexing Battle With Nitter and the Problem With Locking the Internet Behind Login Screens appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

White House officials instructed Pentagon leaders to limit Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade satellite service used by Ukrainian forces, Reuters reported on 15 October, citing three officials. The report came a day after a senior US official told Axios the Trump administration had nothing to do with the alleged Starlink restrictions.

Ukrainian forces rely on US-controlled satellite technology for battlefield operations and for intercepting Russian drones aimed at Ukrainian cities, so the latest restrictions have raised questions about how reliably they can depend on it.

Senior US official denies president requested restrictions

Asked about the order, a senior US official replied, “No such request was ever made by the president.” The White House did not respond to questions about whether other administration officials might have made the request.

Ukrainian officials contacted the White House, State Department and Pentagon on 13 and 14 October and were told it was a White House decision

European allies question Starlink restrictions

European officials raised concerns about the restrictions. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticized the throttling and said Ukraine must continue to receive full support, Spiegel reported on 15 October. Wadephul said Germany had questions for the US, noting that Germany finances part of the Starlink technology used in Ukraine.

On 16 October, UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had assured him in a face-to-face meeting that Starlink was back up and running, the Guardian reported. However, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry source said that military-grade terminals were working in motion again, but only at speeds of up to 160 km/h.

New data-speed restrictions disrupted drone missions

The military Starshield package previously had no data-speed restrictions, Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps told Novynarnia. Ukrainian officials said that after the restrictions were imposed, terminals disconnected when drones exceeded 160 km/h and sometimes at 80 km/h.

The Corps also reported 10–20-second connection drops at 110–120 km/h on the Huliaipole front, which made drones harder to control. One unit had to cancel some missions.

The restrictions came as US President Donald Trump pressed Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries, blaming them for soaring energy prices ahead of November’s midterm elections. Ukraine suspects SpaceX imposed the restrictions to pressure Kyiv over the refinery strikes, but that motive has not been confirmed.

US President Donald Trump called Ukraine’s renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries a disgrace in an interview with Newsmax and questioned President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s will to settle the war on 15 October. His statements came after he made a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow Russian diesel back into the US ahead of the mid-term elections in the US.

Kyiv says its long-range strikes have knocked out more than half of Russia's refining capacity, one of the few levers it controls on Moscow's war income, according to Ukraine's Defense Ministry. This is part of efforts to reduce the aggressor's capabilities to launch assaults, including the latest, during which four Russian regions fired 39 Iskander-M, North Korean KN-23, hypersonic Zircon, and supersonic anti-ship cruise Oniks missiles, Zelenskyy said.

Trump criticizes Zelenskyy over oil prices while remaining silent on Russian strikes

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine stopped refinery strikes for three days to meet US wishes after Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” on 11 October. At the same time, Russia struck a Kharkiv heat-and-power plant within hours of the announcement, he emphasized.

Meanwhile, in the interview with Newsmax, Trump said Zelenskyy is only pushing world oil prices higher.

“Well, I think that’s a disgrace,” he said.

He added that Ukraine has other options: “There are a lot of targets that you can hit.”

At the same time, Trump didn't say a word about Russian strikes on Ukraine's civilian buildings and power infrastructure ahead of the winter.

Trump compares Zelenskyy to a circus showman

The US leader said he is “not a big fan” of Zelenskyy. He claimed both sides “would like to see it end,” but that he finds Zelenskyy “more difficult to deal with than Putin.”

Explore further

US weighs relief for sanctioned shadow fleet tankers, days after freeing Russian diesel

He also said that he believes the depletion of US ammunition stockpiles is linked to the aid provided to Ukraine under the Biden administration, rather than the war with Iran.

Ukraine has repeatedly offered to help the US counter Iranian drones during the operation. The New York Times reported that a Ukrainian team departed the day after the US made such a request.

Nevertheless, despite Kyiv’s offers and actions, Trump once again compared Zelenskyy to P. T. Barnum, the 19th-century American circus showman, saying that he received a tremendous number of Patriots and Tomahawks.

However, there is no public confirmation that Tomahawk missiles were transferred to Ukraine during the Biden administration.

The clearest example concerns Ukraine’s air defenses. One of the biggest challenges currently facing Ukraine’s air-defense units, whether mobile teams or surface-to-air missile systems, is Russia’s jet-powered Geran drones. These can now exceed speeds of 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour, although they do not always fly at the same speed. Bringing them down requires munitions fast enough to intercept such targets and guided by highly accurate tracking data. That is why Ukraine’s access to the satellite network operated by Starlink, the company owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, is so critical.

Seguir leyendo

TOKYO — An unwelcome blast of US inflation is blowing across Asia’s markets. September’s hotter-than-expected price data revived concerns that the Federal Reserve will keep rates higher for longer, threatening fresh pressure on currencies, capital flows and economic growth across the region.

Last month’s 3.7% year-on-year increase in consumer prices didn’t just exceed forecasts. It ensured the Fed is on an even bigger collision course with both the bond market and US President Donald Trump’s White House. It’s arguably the last thing both Trump and US Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh wanted to see less than three weeks ahead of the mid-term elections.

The post Hot US inflation singes Asia as higher-for-longer Fed rates loom appeared first on Asia Times.

• Prince William and Prince Harry's relationship has been fraught in recent years.
• The brothers haven't been photographed in the same room since King Charles' coronation in 2023.
• Photos of the pair show the evolution of their relationship over the years.

It's no secret that Prince William and Prince Harry have a complicated relationship.

Harry, 42, first confirmed a rift in his relationship with William, 44, in 2019, and their bond only grew more strained in the years that followed as Harry stepped back as a senior royal and began speaking publicly about his and Meghan Markle's issues with the royal family.

Still, the brothers didn't always have such a complex relationship, sticking close to each other during their childhoods.

Take a look at some photos that show the evolution of William and Harry's relationship.

Prince William was publicly photographed with his younger brother for the first time in October 1984.

Harry was born on September 15, 1984, and though he was photographed for the first time just a day later, he wasn't pictured with his brother, then 2 years old, until the following month.

William sat on the floor in front of Princess Diana, who held an infant Harry in her arms.

The brothers were photographed with their extended family at Harry's christening in December 1984.

William posed for a few photos at Harry's christening, including a shot with his parents, Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Mother.

In the photo, baby Harry reaches out to touch his big brother.

A 1985 photo of the brothers hinted at their bond.

The brothers seemed to have a close relationship from a young age, as the pair were often side by side in pictures.

In this shot, they play the piano together with Diana at Kensington Palace.

As the boys got older, they were photographed playing together, as in this 1986 shot.

Cameras captured the brothers playing at Highgrove House, where they lived with Diana and Charles when they were young.

William waited at the bottom of a slide as Harry made his way down.

The family appeared close-knit in shots shared before Charles and Diana split, such as this 1989 photo.

Harry and William were typically photographed with one or both of their parents when they were children. For instance, the palace shared a photo of the pair on bicycles with their parents in 1989 on the Isles of Scilly.

The duo continued to smile during public appearances after their parents split, including a 1993 trip to Thorpe Park.

Charles and Diana officially separated in December 1992 after years of turmoil.

Harry and William continued to appear separately with their parents, and they seemed cheerful despite the change in their home life. In April 1993, they grinned widely during a visit to Thorpe Park with Diana, not caring that a ride got them wet.

The brothers supported each other at various milestones, such as William's first day at Eton College in 1995.

The brothers attended the same boarding school, Eton College. Prince George attends the prestigious school as of 2026.

When William enrolled in 1995, Harry accompanied their parents to drop him off, giving him a familial send-off.

Harry later joined William at Eton in 1998, though he said in his memoir "Spare" that William asked him "to pretend [he] didn't know him" at the school.

The brothers were photographed on the grounds of Balmoral Castle together weeks before their mother died in 1997.

The brothers were vacationing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland with their father when their mother died on August 31, 1997.

Harry said in his memoir "Spare" that Charles personally told him his mother had died, though he didn't hug him when delivering the news.

On August 16, two weeks before Diana's death, photographers captured William and Harry exploring the grounds of the royal retreat with their father.

They famously walked behind Diana's casket at her funeral a few weeks later, with their father, uncle, and grandfather.

During Diana's funeral, William and Harry, who were 15 and 12 at the time, walked behind her coffin as it processed from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.

Charles and Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, accompanied the boys, as did their grandfather, Prince Philip.

The brothers were often photographed side by side in the years after their mother died, like in this shot from March 2001.

Harry and William spent much of their teens in school, but when they appeared with the royal family, they were typically together, such as at the Queen Mother's birthday celebration in August 2001.

Prince William later said that they were "uniquely bonded because of what we've been through" when speaking of Diana's death in a 2015 video shared by Time.

While William and Harry pursued different paths after graduating from high school, they reunited in 2009 to undertake military helicopter training.

William attended the University of St Andrews, where he met Kate Middleton, while Harry took a gap year after graduating from Eton.

However, in 2009, they were both in training to fly helicopters as part of their service in the Royal Air Force, and they shared a cottage during the experience.

They jokingly told the BBC it would be their "first and last time living together," with William saying Harry snored and that he often tidied up after him.

Harry wrote in "Spare" that he didn't snore and cleaned up after himself, so he found his brother's comments puzzling.

Harry served as best man at William and Kate's wedding on April 29, 2011.

William and Kate tied the knot at Westminster Abbey.

Harry was by William's side for the occasion, serving as his best man. They were photographed chatting before Kate walked down the aisle.

Harry later wrote in "Spare" that although he was excited that Kate was joining their family, he felt, to some extent, like he was losing his brother as he got married.

Kate Middleton started attending events with William and Harry after the wedding.

The trio often looked gleeful when attending events together, including formal events like Trooping the Colour and more casual engagements.

In August 2012, they were photographed celebrating at the London 2012 Olympic Games after watching an event together.

The trio often worked together on projects, like their Heads Together initiative.

Harry was far from a third wheel in this trio, with the three often taking on charitable endeavors.

For instance, William and Kate partnered with the younger royal to launch Heads Together, a mental health initiative, in 2016.

Meghan Markle made her first appearance with Harry, William, and Kate on Christmas Day 2017, earning the group the nickname of "Fab Four."

Harry and Meghan got engaged in November 2017, and Meghan joined the royal family the next month for their annual Christmas walk at Sandringham.

The newly engaged couple walked with Kate and William, and British media outlets were quick to label the two couples "the Fab Four" after the joint appearance.

Harry and William still made appearances as a pair in the initial months after Harry got engaged, as they did in December 2017.

In December 2017, the two attended a "Star Wars" premiere without their significant others, grinning in black tuxedos.

William served as Harry's best man at his wedding on May 19, 2018.

Just as Harry did for him, William served as his brother's best man for his May 2018 wedding.

However, behind the scenes, there was tension between Meghan and Kate ahead of the wedding. Meghan shared in her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey that Kate made her cry during a disagreement about a flower girl dress, which she later apologized for.

British media outlets had reported in 2018 that Meghan had made Kate cry, and the Duchess of Sussex told Winfrey she found it "shocking" that the opposite story would be made public.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have never publicly commented on Meghan's account of the incident.

The brothers appeared with their wives at royal engagements throughout 2018.

As Harry and Meghan established themselves as a royal couple, they often appeared alongside William and Kate, promoting charitable causes as a unit.

However, after Harry and Meghan announced they were resigning from their joint charity with William and Kate, The Royal Foundation, in June 2019 to start their own charity, the couples weren't pictured together for months.

The brothers stood somberly together side by side in November 2019 after Harry said in a documentary that they were "on different paths."

Harry publicly confirmed a rift between him and William during an interview for an ITV documentary in October 2019.

"We're certainly on different paths at the moment, but I'll always be there for him, and as I know he'll always be there for me," Harry said.

"We don't see each other as much as we used to because we're so busy, but I love him dearly," Harry added. "The majority of this stuff is created out of nothing, but as brothers, you know, you have good days, you have bad days."

A month later, the brothers and their wives attended a Remembrance event, but they weren't photographed speaking to each other, fueling further speculation about the rift. A day later, William and Harry processed together in a memorial ceremony, both looking serious.

Harry and William stepped out for their final royal engagement together in March 2020.

Two months after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were stepping back as working royals, Harry and Meghan attended their final royal engagement, a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.

The brothers didn't appear to speak, and Harry has since said it "felt cold" with his family at the event.

Harry and Meghan left for North America shortly after the event, first moving to Canada before ending up in California. The brothers wouldn't see each other for over a year.

The brothers reunited for Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021, though they didn't walk side by side.

Harry and Meghan's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey aired in March 2021. The couple opened up about some of their conflicts with the royal family, including the flower-girl dress debacle involving Kate and Meghan. They also said that unnamed members of the family had speculated about Archie's skin tone ahead of his birth.

The same month, William said he hadn't spoken to Harry since his tell-all interview with Winfrey, and, in response to some of Harry's claims, said the royals are "very much not a racist family."

A month later, Prince Philip died at 99, and Harry returned to the UK for his funeral. Both brothers walked behind their grandfather's coffin at the ceremony, but their cousin, Peter Phillips, walked between them.

They appeared together again to unveil a statue of Princess Diana in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace on July 1, 2021.

The brothers made a joint statement to mark the statue's unveiling, which took place on what would have been Diana's 60th birthday.

They were spotted speaking to each other after the unveiling.

William and Harry walked side by side during Queen Elizabeth's funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022.

Unlike at Prince Philip's funeral, Harry and William walked side by side at Queen Elizabeth's service, an experience that William said reminded him of his mother's funeral.

The procession would mark the last time the brothers performed a royal duty together to date.

A few months later, in December 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, "Harry & Meghan," premiered, in which Harry spoke candidly about his relationship with William. He went into further detail about their conflicts in his January 2023 memoir, "Spare," calling him his "beloved brother" and "arch nemesis" in the text and saying William physically attacked him in 2019. William has not publicly commented on Harry's memoir as of October 2026.

Harry also wrote in his book that he and William barely spoke at their grandmother's funeral.

The brothers were distant at King Charles' coronation in May 2023.

Harry traveled to London for his father's coronation, though he didn't appear to interact with his brother at all during the ceremony.

They entered separately, and Harry was seated a few rows behind William and his family. Harry was spotted looking at his elder brother during the event, though William didn't return the favor.

They have not been seen together since Harry moved back to the UK.

William and Harry's relationship has remained distant since 2023, though Harry visited his father a handful of times following the king's cancer diagnosis. Harry has also said he wishes to reconcile with his family on multiple occasions.

In a January 2023 interview with ITV, he said, "I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back." In May 2025, he said in an interview with BBC News that he "would love a reconciliation" with his family, but added that his legal struggles to secure protection for his wife and children in the UK were a barrier to their relationship.

Likewise, he told The Guardian in September 2025 that he saw his memoir as a step toward a better relationship with his family: "You cannot have reconciliation before you have truth."

Harry and Meghan moved back to the United Kingdom in September with their children, creating greater potential for a reunion between the brothers. The couple set up a home near London and enrolled Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, in school.

William and Harry have not been photographed in public together since Harry's move, and no reports of private visits with each other have surfaced as of October.

• SpaceX says Grok is taking 20,000 Starlink customer calls a day — and closing 70% without humans.
• The company revealed the stat while touting its voice-capable agent.
• It's part of a race to build AI agents that love to chat — possible (likely, even) with each other.

Elon Musk's AI is a talker.

This week, Musk's combined AI-and-space-exploration company, SpaceX, announced a new Grok Voice model — and revealed that Starlink call centers are already using the AI-as-a-conversationalist technology to answer 20,000 customer calls a day.

The company said roughly 70% of those calls are resolved without humans.

Grok Voice agents are verifying customers, troubleshooting Starlink hardware, issuing credits, and shipping replacement equipment, the company said. Its AI agents can take on those tasks in multiple languages, too.

That makes Starlink a useful, real-world test case for AI voice technology — and particularly useful for its global expansion. The company says Starlink serves more than 6 million active customers around the world.

Instead of building a massive human customer-service operation to power call centers, SpaceX is betting it can serve its multilingual customers with AI.

SpaceX did not respond to Business Insider's questions about which languages Grok supports or what types of calls still require a person.

AI companies have been quickly rolling out more powerful voice models that do their best Chatty Cathy impression. In July, OpenAI released GPT-Live-1 with call-capable support, while Google has launched similar enterprise systems.

The same is true for AI companies that are focusing on consumers. Meta's Muse, for example, can also handle phone calls for those let into the beta feature.

So, soon, your bot may dial one for English — while a company's bot answers the call.

KARACHI – Forex rates in Pakistan recorded slight changes on October 16, 2026. According to currency rates provided for local exchange market, US Dollar is being bought at Rs277.40 and sold at Rs280.35. UK pound sterling is available at buying rate of Rs366.82 and a selling rate of Rs371.56, while Euro is quoted at Rs310.64 for buying and Rs315.74 for selling.

UAE Dirham is being bought at Rs75.5 and sold at Rs76.3. Saudi riyal stands at Rs73.85 for buying and Rs74.50 for selling.

Latest Forex Rates in Pakistan Today

Following are buying and selling rates of major international currencies in Pakistan.

US Dollar Rate in Pakistan Today

The US dollar is being bought at Rs277.40 and sold at Rs280.35 in the provided exchange rate list. The buying rate represents the price at which an exchange dealer buys dollars from customers, while the selling rate is the price customers pay to purchase dollars.

Pound and Euro Rates in Pakistan

The British pound is being sold at Rs366.82, while its buying rate stands at Rs371.56. Meanwhile, the euro is being bought at Rs310.64 and sold at Rs315.74.

Both currencies are closely watched by Pakistanis travelling to Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as students, overseas workers and businesses making payments abroad.

Saudi Riyal and UAE Dirham Rates

Saudi riyal is available at Rs74.55 for selling, compared with a buying rate of Rs73.85. The UAE dirham is being sold at Rs75.50 and bought at Rs76.14.

These currencies are particularly important for Pakistani expatriates working in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as their exchange rates affect the rupee value of remittances sent to families in Pakistan.

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