 Friday that agreements will have to be reached on Ukraine, and reiterated that he has said on many occasions that Russia is ready for it, but expressed his doubts about the West's position after the failure of the Minsk peace accords for Donbas eight years ago.

Speaking at a press conference Putin maintained that he was "disappointed" by a recent 

 of Angela Merkel, in which she states that signing the Minsk agreements would buy Ukraine time to better defend itself against a Russian attack.

"Honestly, it was completely unexpected for me, it's disappointing," he said

"Frankly speaking, I did not expect to hear this from the former chancellor, because I always proceeded from the fact that the leadership of Germany behaves sincerely with us," he added.

"Yes, of course, (she) was on the side of Ukraine, supported it, but still it seemed to me that the German leadership always sincerely sought an agreement on the principles that we agreed, that were achieved, including within the framework of the Minsk process," he maintained. 

The president added that Merkel's statements "only prove that we did everything right from the point of view of launching a special military operation", referring to the war Russia launched on February 24 against Ukraine.

"I expected the other participants in this process to be honest with us. It turns out that they also deceived us. The goal was just to pump up Ukraine with weapons and prepare it for hostilities. Maybe all this should have started earlier," he said, referring to Russia's military intervention.

Putin noted that now the problem is one of trust, which "is already almost at zero" because of such statements, the question arises, "how to negotiate, about what, is it possible to negotiate with anyone, and where are the guarantees?"

"At the same time, in the end we will have to negotiate," he 

. "I have said many times that we are ready for those agreements, we are open, but this makes us think about who we are dealing with," he emphasized.

"I have said many times that we are ready for these agreements, we are open, but this makes us think. Think about who we are dealing with," he said. 

He also reiterated that the participants in the settlement process will have to accept the "reality".

"One way or another, all participants in this process will have to agree with the realities that are developing on the ground," he stated.

What does that mean? Well, it means Ukraine will have to accept Russia's annexation not only of Crimea, but now also of the Kherson, Zaporiyia, Donetsk and Lugansk regions. 

Russia does not control any of these four southern and eastern Ukrainian provinces in their entirety and their annexation is considered illegal by the West and Kiev, which has already said it will fight until it has liberated all occupied territory.

Putin did not acknowledge the setbacks suffered by the Army in the last nine months of the military campaign on the ground - with the withdrawal first from northern Kiev, then from Kharkov, and later also from northern Kherson, but assured that "there are no problems at present."

An image of the Ukrainian forces taking back territories for the Russians

"The special military operation is ongoing. The situation is stable. There is no doubt there and there are no problems at present," he said.

The announcement from President Putin that he is willing to negotiate with Ukraine on a resolution to the conflict is an encouraging sign, but it is important to remain wary of any potential traps that he may have set. 

Putin is a master manipulator and he has been known to use deception and obfuscation to exploit any potential agreements to his own advantage. 

Therefore, it is essential that the international community remain vigilant and ensure that any agreements made with Putin are fair and just for all parties involved. 

Ultimately, the success of any agreement in Ukraine will depend on the willingness of both parties to negotiate in good faith and the ability of the international community to effectively enforce any agreed upon terms. The only way to ensure a lasting and equitable resolution to the conflict is through open dialogue and honest negotiation.

Early Bird

Leaders of the two largest superpowers met on Monday in Bali amid heightened tensions. The crucial US-China bilateral came before the G20 summit. Additionally, it was US President Biden's first encounter with Xi Jinping since taking office in January 2021.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in person for the first time since the American took the oath of office. 

There were frank discussions, but with relations between the US and China at their lowest point in decades and each nation dealing with a number of serious conflicts with the other, including Taiwan, North Korea's nuclear programme, and the war in Ukraine

Biden and Xi met for the first time after Biden took office as the President of the United States

US officials are also talking of a new quiet effort by both sides to try to mend those ties.

What are the challenges? Can they look eye to eye on some issues?

In my opinion, both have a responsibility to address this issue in order to demonstrate that China and the United States 

can manage our differences and keep competition from approaching a point of confrontation.

Xi informed Biden that Taiwan was a red line that he was not willing to cross

Since Biden served as vice president during the Obama administration, this is the first time they had actually interacted in person. They also seemed friendly in front of others. But this was challenging. 

For instance, Xi reportedly told Biden that Taiwan was the first red line between them that could not be crossed, according to a readout in Chinese media.

This is also the first G-20 summit since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Another issue between Washington and Beijing has been Xi's growing friendship with Putin. According to Xi and Putin, their nations enjoy an unrestricted alliance. 

But Xi's administration has also taken care to avoid giving Russia any tangible aid that might result in Western sanctions.

Xi Jinping and Putin's growing bonhomie has complicated matters further

Additionally, a US official claimed that China's Premier Li Keqiang recently made a reference to nuclear threats being reckless, seemingly in relation to Russia's rhetoric in Ukraine

. The official, who requested anonymity, claimed that it would be obvious that Beijing is uncomfortable with Russia's behaviour in Ukraine, astonished by it, and possibly even embarrassed by it.

What are the other issues on Biden's mind?

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has a full schedule. 

What will his main argument be at the G20?

He reportedly wants to reassert US leadership in the region. The most important thing he can bring to Bali, in my opinion, is a message of participation. 

The meeting between President Biden and President Xi proved that the G20 is actually a chance to, as one of Biden's advisers put it, "set a floor on that relationship."

 To make progress on some of the major issues the world is facing, such as climate change, you need to put a floor under the tensions. 

It's also notable that he just left Cop27 and is travelling there now.

Climate change is one of the issues on which the US and China can agree on

On the back of the COP27 in Egypt, China and the US can put climate change on the agenda

, which holds that the nations that up until now have been accountable for the climate problem should be prepared and able to compensate people who are suffering the effects. 

The topic of finance will also be important for the G20.

 Sustainable energy transition will be one of the G-20's three core cornerstones. 

And that won't happen until there are financial flows that can genuinely decarbonize the industries with the quickest growth. And the majority of those are located in the developing world.

International economics and supply chains

 she addressed India on the importance of friend shoring and the necessity for friendly friends 

to band together to resist nations like Russia that are weaponizing commerce and energy as well as to reduce dependency on China.

 A similar message will likely be delivered by Biden to the G20.

A strategy used by the US to persuade companies to relocate their sourcing and manufacturing operations to friendly shores—often back to the same shores in the case of the US—is known as friend-shoring. And the goal is to protect their supply networks against countries with less compatible policies, like China.

Fed Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen was recently in Delhi

President Biden will also emphasize that at the G20, as will the president of Indonesia this year.

 I believe the main emphasis there will be on examining how all G20 nations can truly contribute to tackling some of the most difficult problems. 

Additionally, although I don't think it would necessarily be a focus in G20 negotiations, bilateral discussions will undoubtedly include supply chain security.

The European Union and the United States have proposed a 

 It hasn't yet been put into effect. Will there be pressure at the G20 to get a resolution on that and to increase the economic pressure on Russia?

China, India, and South Africa are among the nations that make up the G20 and they abstained in the UN vote to denounce the Russian invasion

. If the G20 as a whole can't agree on such fundamental principles, I believe it will be very difficult for them to take significant action on issues like the price ceiling.

It might have to do with how to handle the 

 for instance, and working to ensure its clarity. The 

 is one of the numerous types of topics that might be agreed upon.

It might be difficult for a fractured G20 to reach a consensus on certain issues

From our vantage point, these are the kinds of issues that the G20 as a whole group can probably agree on; 

but, it is difficult to see this sort of accord leading to the capacity to reach a consensus on something as particular and targeted as the price ceiling.

India will be the next President of G20 for 2023

Prime Minister Modi arriving at the G20 summit

Geopolitically speaking, as well as in terms of the energy transition, the usage of coal, and the capacity to power renewables, India is in a very special situation. 

The G20 will address these issues, but the COP will focus explicitly on 

finances and access to finance, development access, and global contributions to resilience and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

India will have that chance, and when it does, the energy transition and energy resilience aspects of things will be crucial.

Prioritizing climate entails two major components:

In a letter carried by state-run Press TV on Sunday November 6th, Iranian parliamentarians urged the judiciary to "

" to protestors as thousands of people continue to demonstrate in the streets despite the possibility of detention.

In spite of a harsh crackdowns, new protests broke out in Iran on Sunday. They concentrated at universities and in the country's predominately Kurdish northwest, continuing a seven-week anti-regime streak.

Following the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurd imprisoned by the morality police for allegedly not properly donning her hijab, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, Iran is dealing with one of the largest and most extraordinary displays of popular discontent.

They have been widespread, across socioeconomic classes, universities, streets, and even schools, and they don't seem to be slowing down.

In an open letter signed by 227 of Iran's 290 parliamentarians, the lawmakers 

 in order to prevent future insurrectionists.

The  punishments were not disclosed, but they would: 

“prove to all that life, property, security and honor of our dear people is a red line for this (Islamic) establishment, and that it would show no leniency to anybody in this regard."

According to state news agency IRNA, Iran has charged at least 1,000 people in Tehran Province for their participation in the demonstrations. Their public trials have been going on for over a week.

Dozens of demonstrators are accused of "enmity against God" and "corruption on earth," both of which are punishable by death.

 as a result of the regime's crackdown against protesters. Although no one can confirm what is really going on. 

Different numbers have been made by opposition parties, foreign rights organizations, and local journalists. 

The letter from the lawmakers also states, without proof, that the ongoing demonstrations, which it refers to as riots, were sparked by the United States and other adversaries of Iran. 

These antigovernment demonstrations at Iranian universities and schools also demonstrate the regime's four-decade-long failure to teach its own ideology.

What the Islamic Republic hoped to instill in students' brains through the curriculum has had the exact opposite effect. 

Students take off their head coverings and deface classroom portraits of regime figures. 

Girls enter school without the headscarf, yell slogans, record it with cellphones, and upload the recordings on social media despite all the threats and crackdowns. 

This signifies a significant loss for the ideology of the Islamic Republic, the pundit emphasized.

On Sunday, Iranian schoolchildren continued their daily protests, singing slogans and holding demonstrations in protest of the government assault on elder protestors.

Despite all the restrictions put in place, university students vow they will still visit campuses where they will stage strikes and skip classes.

Students have organized sit-ins and strikes at practically all of Tehran's institutions as well as in a few other locations, calling for the immediate release of their peers who had previously been jailed.

Social Media is clearly a major pillar of this movement. Even if it is mostly restricted, horrible images and 

In recent days, security agents have tightened their controls on campuses, searching students as they arrive and taking away their phones so they cannot film footage.

Since the start of the anti-regime protests in September, several students have been detained. Some are taken hostage by security personnel, and frequently no one is aware of their whereabouts for days.

Tehran University of Arts has made the shocking announcement that all theater graduate students will be suspended and will not be allowed to take the final exams.

Students stress that they won't end their strikes, however, unless their demands are satisfied. Additionally, a number of teachers have said that they will refrain from instructing until all students are allowed to return to class and the dismissal is reversed.

Some of Iran's more moderate political elites appear to be encouraging the administration to find solutions to the deadly popular unrest and political impasse.

Seven weeks of ongoing nationwide protests have recently intensified as more individuals have been slain by security forces and the opposition has grown more determined to topple the clerical-military administration in the Islamic Republic.

The Pelosi Scandal Proves There's No More Truth:  

 broke into Nancy Pelosi's house in San Francisco looking for her. But she was in Washington D.C. 

He was injured, attacked and eventually rescued by the police. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi in Washington, DC, in 2021. AFP via Getty Images

What followed was a war between those who believe the authorities, the police reports and the main newspapers, against those who believe an alternate scenario, pushed by none other than Elon Musk & Trump. 

And it's not like you can brush off those two super Twitter personalities, or their hundreds of millions of followers. 

Is there even a truth anymore if it's 50-50? Or is reality whatever you decide? 

 to have used a hammer he had taken with him to smash a glass door at the Pelosi residence. 

(This information is crucial to the conspiracy that comes next). 

 from CNN, DePape allegedly woke up a shocked Paul Pelosi at his bedside shortly after 2 a.m., while carrying a hammer and zip ties.

According to the documentation, DePape enquired "Where's Nancy?" several times. Paul Pelosi, who was still sleepy, responded, "She's not here." 

According to the records, he then deterred Paul Pelosi from using the elevator and threatened to tie him up. Paul Pelosi questioned DePape about why he wanted to see his wife.

DePape said "Well, she's number two from the presidency, right?"

When Paul confirmed, DePape reportedly said, "We've got to take them all out".

According to the court records, DePape gave Pelosi permission to use the restroom at one point, and it was at this time that he was able to contact the police on his cell phone. 

Police surround Pelosi's house the morning of the attack

During the brief contact, Pelosi communicated cryptically with police and managed to identify himself to the dispatcher, who was then able to get help.

The documents state that after the call, the two men headed downstairs, with DePape following Pelosi and carrying the hammer and zip ties. 

DePape threatened Pelosi downstairs, saying he could "take him out" because he overheard the conversation in the bathroom and sensed that the cops were on their way. He then approached Pelosi holding the hammer straight up, which prompted Pelosi to reach out and grab it as well. 

At this point, the officers came to the scene, and when Pelosi opened the door, an officer switched on his flashlight and noticed the two men gripping the hammer's opposite ends, according to the court records. 

DePape withdrew the hammer away from Pelosi when an officer instructed him to do so. He then quickly stepped back and pounced at Mr. Pelosi, slamming Mr. Pelosi in the head with the hammer at full force, knocking Mr. Pelosi unconscious.

The police barged inside, tackled DePape, and took his weapons away. According to the documents, Mr. Pelosi was rendered unconscious for about three minutes before awakening in a pool of his own blood.

Paul Pelosi is expected to make a full recovery. 

Who is David DePape? What brought him to do this?

 to family members who spoke to CNN, he was raised in Canada, and then moved to California, where he later became a nudist activist and promoted far-right conspiracy theories before being linked to the attack.

DePape's support for the Green Party was was also noted in voting records years ago.

David allegedly recently maintained a Facebook account with multiple posts full of theories, according to Gene and Mark DePape, who are his uncle and father. 

During his first court appearance on Tuesday, DePape pleaded not guilty to all state charges.

Following the break-in last week, DePape was charged with a long list of offenses, including assault, attempted murder, and attempted kidnapping.

He allegedly believed in far-right conspiracies. 

It reminds me of Qanon, who thought that the Democrats set up a ruling class motivated by satanic practices and ideals.

But then again, I don't necessarily picture a San Francisco nudist when I think of those kinds of people.

This is where the alternate reality was written. And this was the article that Elon retweeted, and Trump kind of defended with his statements. 

"The Awful Truth: Paul Pelosi Was Drunk Again, And In a Dispute With a Male Prostitute Early Friday Morning. 

As SF's gay bars closed at 2 am, two gay men met in a bar and went home together. Happens every night in the City by the Bay. Except one of these two men, was married to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

I might disappear for telling you the truth. If I do, you'll all know why. But here's what really happened early Friday morning in San Francisco.

According to SFPD, David DePape told Paul Pelosi he would wait in the home for Nancy Pelosi. "RP (Reporting Party) stated there's a male in the home and that he's going to wait for his wife. RP stated that he doesn't know who the male is but he advised that his name is David and that he is a friend."

It's been a rumor for years in SF that Paul Pelosi is gay. David Depape is said to be a Castro Nudist. "The lunatic who allegedly assaulted Paul Pelosi is a Berkeley resident and a 'Former Castro Nudist Protester' and hemp 'jewelry maker' ...sounds totally MAGA Republican to me. 🤣🤣" this from Twitter.

Ok, so here's the theory, as related to me by a source: "Castro Nudists are a group of really radical gay male prostitutes that parade around naked with c--k rings. First of all, the Police did not come in response to an alarm. They come in response to a "wellness check". So someone called them to check on Pelosi."

"When he didn't answer the phone, the cops came inside. When SFPD arrived, Pelosi was with the suspect, both men in their underwear. I have three stories that said it, and then they were forced to do a retraction, but I have the originals. And the British papers still say it."

"Pelosi owned the hammer. Not Depape. Or, the male prostitute was doing something he didn't like."

"And then there was the press conference when they didn't know the mic was on. During that, a reporter confirmed that the suspect was a gay Castro Nudist, but they told him he couldn't use it."

"Now tell me something. This people are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Nancy is third in line to the presidency. You don't think they have the most amazing security? And by the way, when Pelosi was in that drunk driving accident, he had a young man with him, and that too was covered up by the police and the press." 

"There was only one hammer, and it belonged to Pelosi. And only ONE cop said he said "Where's Nancy?" None of the others said that he said that.

And one of them could easily have broken that window. Remember, there was no alarm triggered. How would (suspect Depape) have gotten into that house without doing that?"

Admittedly, David Depape is a known nutcase. He's an election denier, says mainstream media, who has posted conspiracy theories online. That may be true, but he also lives in Berkeley, where he is a 42 year old career student.

"My law firm served a lawsuit against Paul Pelosi one time in SF after attempting to serve at other residences-Napa, Georgetown. They weren't home, but staff were, and multiple law enforcement officers were on the perimeter. Break-in is odd given this level of security." said Harmeet Dillon, Republican National Committee Chairman

Pretty bizarre stuff, given that there are 

However, you get the idea. People essentially don't believe it was a break-in since there were too many police officers in the area, especially because the Pelosi family is so important, so how could that be?

And also, the broken glass was outside. This makes a lot of people believe it was a break out, not a break in. 

I haven't broken into enough houses to know for sure, but when you hit a glass with a hammer, wouldn't it go everywhere? I wouldn't expect 100% of the glass to go inside the house...

The Santa Monica Observer then updated the article later on the day, stating: "Update: In response to this story, San Francisco Police said today that victim Pelosi and suspect DePape, did not know each other prior to the attack. SFPD reaffirmed that the assault followed a break-in."

The article made its rounds in the internet. And one of the people to retweet just so happened to be Elon Musk, the richest and most powerful man in the world.

He tweeted a response to Hillary Clinton:

After being barraged by the media for "promoting misinformation," he deleted the tweet. But it was already too late.

This man continues to keep the news interesting 24/7. 

He said: “It’s weird things going on in that household in the last couple of weeks”. 

“You know, probably, you and I are better off not talking about it. The glass, it seems, was broken from the inside to the out and, you know, so, it wasn’t a break in, it was a break out,” the former President 

 conservative radio personality Chris Stigall.

Trump continued by stating that although he is “not a fan of Nancy Pelosi,” what transpired was "extremely sad." 

"The whole thing is crazy. I mean, if there’s even a little bit of truth to what’s being said, it’s crazy. But the window was broken in and it was strange the cops were standing there practically from the moment it all took place.”

The saying "there's two sides to every story" has become way too real. And tribal. 

I've been thinking about this lately, and I think it's killing discourse. 

What I mean by that is that we all have to chose a side now. 

Will you chose a more democratic narrative? Or will you chose a more republican one? 

And whatever you chose, it means everything. Racism, sexual identity, religion, immigration, foreign policy, economy.... When you make a stance on one issue, you are making a stance for 

For example, I really do not want to be associated with Trump. But the glass thing did surprise me, as did some other details. 

Can there be a middle ground? Can there be a discussion anymore?

Following his victory in Sunday's reelection as the leader of the Communist Party, President Xi Jinping, China's most powerful leader in decades, has maintained his position of authority.

given a third five-year term as general secretary

, breaking with party tradition that required his predecessor to step down after ten years in office.

After a week-long convention in which he solidified his hold on power, Xi was selected as the party's general secretary in a vote held behind closed doors.

After his reelection, Xi said, "Confronted with new challenges and tests on the new journey, we must remain on high alert and stay sober-minded and prudent like a student sitting for an exam,"

He and the other Standing Committee members made their first joint appearance before the media on Sunday at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, home to China's ceremonial legislature.

"The new journey is a long one filled with glories and dreams. The road-map has been drawn and the bugle has been sounded. We must forge ahead with enterprise and fortitude and endeavour to create an even brighter future"

Some predict that the 69-year-old leader will attempt to secure a lifetime of rule.

Analysts believe Xi now has total control over the party's inner circle because he has also promoted allies who share his aim for tighter control over society and the faltering economy.

According to Hong Kong Baptist University professor Jean-Pierre Cabestan, “Power will be even more concentrated in the hands of Xi Jinping”. 

The new hires, according to him, are "all Xi faithful." "There is no counterweight or checks and balances in the system at all.”

Hu Jintao, Xi's predecessor, exited the party Central Committee meeting on Saturday without warning with an assistant holding his arm. Hu is 79 years old.

That raised concerns about whether Xi was abusing his authority by dismissing other powerful party members. "Hu is in poor health and needs to rest", stated later on the official Xinhua News Agency.

After Prime Minister Li Keqiang, a supporter of market-style reform and private enterprise, was removed from the leadership on Saturday, the party also named a seven-member Standing Committee, which is its most exclusive circle of authority and is predominated by Xi loyalists.

Li was a year younger than the party's 68-year-old informal retirement age.

Putin and Kim Jong Un both expressed their "warmest congratulations" to Xi on his reelection, according to Pyongyang's state-run media.

, we might be living at a time where another allies and axis forms. The last time that happened, WWII almost destroyed the world. And nuclear bombs were used. 

At a time of rising tensions between Taiwan and China, provoking the US, this move strengthens the Chinese. Russia and North Korea are also influenced by Xi, as their only ally has restored and reconfirmed his power. 

, Telegram's founder criticized WhatsApp. Through a 

 in his messaging service, the businessman charged against the Meta platform and criticized its security measures. 

According to his analysis, the application's failures in this area are not the result of an error, but of the system's own design.

Screenshot of Pavel Durov (Founder of Telegram) warning against Whatsapp 

During the last few years, WhatsApp achieved an enormous expansion and gained an increasingly large user base. So much so that it is now considered the leading messaging service in much of the world.

Despite its strong presence in the sector, logically, it has competitors with a strong market position. The most recognized case is Telegram, which, although still lagging behind in terms of popularity, already has a considerable user base. 

In this context, the battle between the two to impose themselves is becoming more and more powerful and the promoter of this platform decided to bring up one of the weakest points of its rival: security.

Is Putin admitting defeat by saying that he needs to reach agreements in Ukraine?

G20 Indonesia Summit: Biden-Xi meet, Russia Ukraine war, Climate change and more

Iran Protests & Violence: What to expect from the youth

The Pelosi Attack: Musk & Trump reject the "Official Narrative", this is the "Post-Truth" Era

Xi Jinping as the forever leader? Who can stop him?

The Founder of Telegram warns against Whatsapp

New case in US Supreme Court could change the internet

Joe Biden calls for a dead person; Should there be an age limit for politicians?

Well, Trump’s wall didn’t go away...