Summary

International Zelensky makes major concession in push to end Ukraine war MxM News Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that he is willing to freeze the war with Russia along the current front lines, a significant concession that could give President Trump’s push for a negotiated peace a new opening. During an appearance on Fox News’s Fox & Friends, Zelensky was asked whether he would accept an agreement that stops the fighting where Russian and Ukrainian forces currently stand, leaving Kyiv in control of roughly three-quarters of its territory. “Yes, right now we have to freeze, and I think this is real way to end this war,” Zelensky told host Brian Kilmeade. “We call it a ceasefire or ‘stop killing,’ like President Trump called it. Freeze and stop. And of course, this is the minimum what we need from Russia today.” NEW: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells @kilmeade he would accept a peace deal that freezes the war along the current frontlines, calling it a realistic way to stop the fighting. He says Ukraine would then seek security guarantees from President Trump and European… pic.twitter.com/OkvCdsAuNC — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 21, 2026 The Ukrainian leader made clear that any agreement would require security commitments from the United States and European allies to prevent Russia from launching another offensive. “Then, of course, we will go to [the U.S.] president and to Europeans, and we will ask for security guarantees,” Zelensky said. The proposal would effectively halt the war without immediately resolving the dispute over Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, an issue that has complicated peace negotiations for months. Zelensky characterized a ceasefire as the first step toward a broader settlement rather than a permanent agreement recognizing Moscow’s territorial claims. His remarks come as the Trump administration intensifies diplomatic efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table. On Tuesday, Zelensky met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, Norway, alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and representatives from several European governments, the European Union, and NATO. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner participated remotely. Witkoff traveled to St. Petersburg on Wednesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, carrying a revised peace proposal developed following consultations with Ukrainian and European officials. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev met Witkoff upon his arrival, according to Reuters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered an encouraging assessment of the Oslo discussions, saying his understanding was that the meetings had been “positive,” with “nothing unexpected” or “surprising.” Zelensky also signaled a willingness to suspend Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, provided Moscow agreed to reciprocal measures. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian energy infrastructure in an effort to disrupt revenue and supplies supporting the Kremlin’s military campaign. The Ukrainian president renewed his request for a three-way meeting involving himself, Putin, and Trump, although Moscow has so far rejected that arrangement. Trump has spent months pressing Moscow and Kyiv to reach an agreement, dispatching senior advisers to negotiate with both governments as the war continues. Daily Caller Military’s Sci-Fi Heat Ray Weapon Could Soon Be Headed To Southern Border This article from the Daily Caller News Foundation By Jillian Butler The Department of War has officially authorized the Department of Homeland Security to test a military-grade heat ray for use in future operations at the U.S.-Mexico border. This testing was approved in a memorandum signed by DoW Secretary Pete Hegeseth acquired by CNN on Wednesday. Officially known as an Active Denial System (ADS), the heat ray is a nonlethal weapon that shoots an invisible beam of electromagnetic waves that can reach just over half a mile away, the U.S. military told the outlet. The beam causes a burning sensation when it comes into contact with skin that the Pentagon has previously compared to the feeling of a heat blast from opening a hot oven that lasts ten to 15 minutes. Additionally, the beam generates “an instinctive and irresistible urge to run from the effect,” per CNN. As a nonprofit, we are dependent on the generosity of our readers. Please consider making a small donation of any amount here. Thank you! “CBP is continually evaluating new technology, especially technology that can save lives while simultaneously enhancing national security effectiveness,” a public affairs official from DHS told the DCNF. The Pentagon referred the DCNF to the DHS when asked for comment. The memorandum authorizes “temporary loan” of one ADS to DHS for seven months, which began in September. DHS is entirely responsible for “system employment, use and development of tactics, techniques and procedures” the memorandum outlines, stating that it “shall not be operated by DoW (Department of War) personnel.” At the end of the seven month period, DHS can submit a request for further use of the mechanism in border operations, according to the outlet. This system was previously deployed in Afghanistan, but ceased to use it during active combat operations. Border patrol has previously contemplated using it as a crow control mechanism in areas with high concentrations of illegal crossings, but ultimately declined, CNN reported. The Trump administration has highly prioritized border security. At the start of the month, the U.S. military deployed an additional 500 troops to the Rio Grande Valley after cartel members shot at Coast Guard Personnel. Crime Saudi Arabia executes Bangladeshi couple for allegedly kissing inside mosque From LifeSiteNews A maintenance employee and a woman were executed October 14 in Saudi Arabia under a punishment left to the discretion of the court, which found that they violated the ‘sanctity’ of the mosque. Bangladeshi authorities want answers after the kingdom of Saudi Arabia executed two Bangladeshi nationals for an unspecified “indecent act” inside a Mecca mosque. The Week reported that Nazrul Islam Basir, a maintenance employee at Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, and Siti Akhtar were executed October 14 under a punishment left to the discretion of the judge. Basir’s family says he was arrested eight months after arriving in Saudi Arabia four years ago. The “indecent act” is not specified, but early reports indicated the couple was caught kissing inside the mosque. Whatever the case, the BBC reported that the court found it violated the “sanctity” of the mosque. Basir’s father said of the woman, “We do not even know her. I heard they worked at the same place,” though another unidentified family member claimed the son had acknowledged having an “affair” with her. The family maintains their son “had a dispute with a Pakistani co-worker, whom they accused of conspiring against him.” As for Akhtar, the Indian Express reported that her father said she had been framed and imprisoned after getting into an argument with other female workers, roughly 3 1/2 years ago. After losing contact for a year, she began calling family members on a monthly basis but with few specifics about her legal situation. “During one of her last calls, she said she might be released from jail in two months. She called us from jail as recently as 15 days ago. Even then, she said nothing about her sentence,” the father said. Neither Bangladeshi officials nor the victim’s families were informed of the execution beforehand. “In this regard, we have submitted a note verbale to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting formal acknowledgement of the matter,” the Bangladeshi Consulate General in Jeddah said. Reuters reported that as of October 20 the Saudis have still not responded. Personal, political, civil, and religious freedom are largely nonexistent in Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Islamic monarchy in which justice is defined by the comprehensive dictates of Sharia law. Saudi Arabia is also home to some 3.5 million Bangladeshi laborers (among millions more from other countries) who send significant financial remittances back to their homelands. Yet humane treatment of these workers has long been a serious issue. “It is undeniable that many foreigners employed in the kingdom, in jobs from the most menial to the highest skilled, have returned home with no complaints,” read a 2004 report from Human Rights Watch. “But for the women and men who were subjected to abysmal and exploitative working conditions, sexual violence, and human rights abuses in the criminal justice system, Saudi Arabia represented a personal nightmare.” The report interviewed numerous workers and their families from multiple countries on a wide range of ordeals, the most extreme of which being “five cases of migrant workers who were beheaded in Saudi Arabia without the knowledge of their embassies or immediate relatives.” More recently, the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR) reported last December that the Saudi kingdom performed 347 executions in 2025, “marking a new high for the nation” after establishing the previous record high the year before. Sixty-nine percent were for drug offenses, which are not typically punishable by death in the West, and 79% “were for crimes that did not “meet the international legal threshold of a ‘most serious crime,’” according to the group. Further, 57% of those executions were of foreign nationals and “often” included violations of due process and neglect to inform their families until after the fact. 153 Nations Adopt UN Pandemic Declaration to Push FAST-TRACKED Vaccines and Crack Down on “Vaccine Hesitancy” Marco Navarro-Génie, PhD: Remain and do what? Take 2 THE BUREAU: Huawei Founder Downplayed Rule Against Trade-Show Photos in Late-Night FBI Interview Alberta Heavy Oil Discount Widens to Over $25 as Global Shipping Crisis and Venezuelan Supply Pressure Prices Trending - Alberta11 mins ago Alberta Referendum Results: Swing Wednesday – 4 of 9 referendum questions now leaning “No” - Alberta1 day ago Alberta chose Canada. Now Canada needs to choose Alberta. 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