Ukraine

• The NYT noted that Ukraine is rethinking its priorities for peace talks in light of recent Russian advances and a sense that Pres. Trump will advocate an accelerated timeline for ending the war - even if it means Ukraine will be negotiating from a weaker position.
• Pres. Zelensky previously ruled out any agreement that ceded territory to Russia, but an unnamed Ukrainian official now told the NYT that's only the "second question" and security guarantees are a higher priority for Ukraine.
• Analysts believe Ukraine would still refuse to formally accept Russia's claim to territory Kyiv considers Ukrainian but could be open to a deal that lets Russia keep control of some disputed territory but gives Ukraine security assurances (or even NATO membership) that would stop Russia from taking any more land.

• Uganda's Foreign Minister, Abubaker Jeje-Odongo, told Sputnik newspaper that his country is seeking Russia's help to build a nuclear power plant.
• Russia's state-owned Rosatom signed similar nuclear development agreements with Congo-Brazzaville in July, Algeria in March, and Rwanda in 2019. It's also pitching several other African countries, and Tanzania has expressed interest.

• Following the brutal beheading of the newly-inaugurated Mexican mayor of Chilpancingo in early October, police arrested the man the mayor had just picked to be his top security official and charged him with ordering his new boss's murder.
• The accused man was the mayor's second pick - the first appointee was brutally murdered too - and prosecutors allege that he colluded with the armed groups that carried out the mayor's murder because the mayor refused to appoint gang-friendly officials who wouldn't interfere in the local drug trade.

• On Monday, a crazed man deliberately mowed down dozens of people on a sports track in Zhuhai, China, killing 35 and injuring 45 more. The perpetrator was reportedly upset about his divorce settlement and "taking revenge on society" (as Chinese netizens describe acts like this that take personal frustrations out on strangers).
• Though it was thought to be China's deadliest act of violence in decades, Chinese government censors have worked to suppress discussion of it: memorial flowers left at the site were quickly removed, and several media outlets told BBC that officials gave them clear orders not to report on the attack.
• This seems like a good example of Beijing's efforts to suppress any news or commentary that disrupts the narrative that China is an idyllic, happy place under Pres. Xi's tight control.

• The U.S. State Department assessed that Israel has not broken U.S. laws about blocking aid supplies into Gaza, which means Israel has met the loose demands of the 30-day ultimatum SecState Blinken set on Oct. 13 and will not face restrictions on new U.S. military aid.
• However, NGOs say aid flows into Gaza are still far short of what's needed and blame Israel for the shortfall.

• Six Israeli soldiers were killed in a firefight with Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon yesterday. It was the largest single-day loss in Israel's operation against Hezbollah so far.