What could be the game-changing ‘October surprise’ in the run-up to the 2024 election?    

As October draws to a close, one might wonder whether the much-talked-about ‘October surprise’, a game-changer in the run-up to Election Day, really did occur.   

Sputnik has picked up on key events which could crucially influence the 2024 race:   

🔸 Iran's strike on Israel on October 1, followed by Tel Aviv's retaliatory raid on October 26, has once again underscored the waning influence of the United States in the Middle East. Furthermore, it highlights the Biden-Harris administration's inability to iron out the escalating tensions in the region.  

🔸 Sex trafficking charges against Sean 'Diddy' Combs were leveraged by Republicans to bash the Harris campaign and Democrats over their longstanding association with the rapper, who apparently belongs in the same company with convicted sex offenders, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.   

🔸 Elon Musk's active participation in Trump's presidential bid was called "the October surprise" by the Washington Post. Musk contributed almost $75 million to a Trump-supporting PAC in the last three months.   

🔸 Liberal mega-donors poured millions into Kamala Harris’ campaign. The sitting vice president ended up raising a total of $1 billion in less than three months, something that has never been done by any other presidential contender.   

🔸 Kamala Harris faced plagiarism accusations regarding her 2009 book, "Smart on Crime." In contrast, Joe Biden was forced to withdraw from the 1988 presidential race due to similar allegations.

🔸 FEMA's inadequate response to the crises caused by Hurricanes Helena and Milton, which ravaged the southeastern battleground states, sparked a public outcry against the Biden-Harris administration.

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Telegram to transform into video hosting platform?

Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, recently announced a major update that signals the platform's first move toward becoming a comprehensive video service. Previously, videos uploaded to channels were displayed in their original format, often requiring users to download large files just to view short clips.

With this update, Telegram's servers now compress popular videos into several quality options, optimizing them for seamless streaming. The platform automatically selects the best quality based on the user's connection speed, resulting in a smoother and more efficient viewing experience.

"Our October update includes more features that redefine messaging — but I’ll let you fully focus on (spooky) videos this Halloween," Durov said on his TG channel.

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From the Netherlands to Russia: Peter's unbreakable bond with Sakhalin Island

Watch Dutchman Peter van der Wolf who has spent 21 years on Russia's Sakhalin Island, building a life surrounded by nature and his beloved animals. Now a farmer and tour guide, he embodies the spirit of his adopted home.

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October surprise 2024? Political scandals just entertainment, but no game changers, says ex-Pentagon analyst

"There was expectation of the so-called October surprise and there could have been several of them," former Pentagon analyst and US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski told Sputnik, adding that despite a lot happening during this month, none of the events could be called a game changer.

Kwiatkowski assumed that neither the missile exchange between Iran and Israel nor the Ukraine crisis or other overseas events have had an impact on Americans, who "don't pay attention to foreign policy…, don't really care… [and] not impacted by it personally."

By contrast, rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs's sex trafficking case has made some splash, since "the P. Diddy thing is quite interesting, it will implicate many people," the former Pentagon analyst noted.

"It's another Epstein Island situation, except probably far worse because it implicates many people in Hollywood and politicians who we do know the names of," Kwiatkowski specified.

The case, however, has fallen short of influencing the ongoing election cycle and Democrats with links to Diddy because most Americans "are cynical about the high moral character of our leadership," according to Kwiatkowski.

Likewise, US media speculations about Donald Trump's alleged "praise of Hitler" and accusations that he "groped" a woman in 1993 have left his supporters unimpressed.

"In [the] worst case scenario, they just say, well, you know, what do you expect? All the politicians are like this. We like Trump for this other reason, and we're going to ignore all this bad stuff," the pundit noted.

"I think it's very hard to move the meter in American politics through things like scandals. We find scandals in the mode of entertainment. So political scandals, they're entertaining. They don't really change our mind," Kwiatkowski concluded.

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The United States is going to beef up its military presence on the Korean Peninsula, Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense said.

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🔸 Who's endorsing who in 2024 US presidential race?

🔸 Why do Russian TV channels suing Google for $20 decillion dollars?

🔸 FBI unleashes crackdown on Russians living in the US

🔸 What could be the game-changing ‘October surprise’ in the run-up to the 2024 election?

🔸 How IDF shelling imperils Lebanon’s ancient city of Baalbek?

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Russian forces carrying out 'cascade' offensive strategy on the battlefield, experts reveal

Russian military forces have effectively employed a strategy known as an "integrated systemic offensive," as explained by military expert and retired colonel, Anatoly Matviychuk, in an interview with Sputnik. This approach, referred to by journalists as a “cascade” offensive, integrates "time and location-coordinated fire strikes with ground assaults targeting the enemy's rear and flanks,” he noted.

"This strategy now enables Russia's military to impose tactical isolation on the enemy, which can escalate into a full-scale encirclement. The choices left for the enemy are stark: surrender or die,” Matviychuk explained.

Retired Russian Army colonel and seasoned military analyst Viktor Litovkin suggested that the term “cascade offensive” may denote multiple echelons simultaneously attacking and securing positions, with each wave moving in succession.

“A cascade attack does not have to be a frontal assault. It could involve flanking maneuvers or be executed along the entire front line,” he stated.

Litovkin also identified significant challenges faced by Ukrainian forces, including lack of ammunition, manpower, and air and artillery support, as well as the inability to reinforce their ranks.

He pointed out that Russian forces maintain a relentless barrage on supply routes, complicating the situation further. Additionally, he warned that many Ukrainian soldiers “lack the desire to fight and are insufficiently trained.”

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📹 Durov spotted at Maxim's restaurant in Paris – reports

Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, has reportedly been seen at Maxim's, a well-known restaurant in Paris, located near the Crillon Hotel where he is said to be staying. A video clip allegedly showing him at the restaurant has been shared by netizens.

In August, Durov was placed under judicial supervision and prohibited from leaving France. He faces 12 charges and was released on bail set at 5 million euros ($5.5 million), according to the Paris prosecutor's office.

French officials stated that investigators targeted Telegram due to its failure to respond to requests for the identification of certain cybercriminals.

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🇬🇪 Unprecedented foreign interference in Georgia's elections – prime minister

The recent parliamentary elections in Georgia were marked by unprecedented foreign interference, according to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

"Foreign money is being used in Georgia for political purposes... The elections witnessed unprecedented interference from the outside, including interference funded by foreign money," Kobakhidze told local media.

The Prime Minister stated that despite opposition parties' declarations of a boycott, their representatives who secured seats in Parliament will assume their roles sooner than expected.

"This issue has lost relevance; whether they decide to enter or not is their choice... I am confident that they will join Parliament faster than anyone can imagine," Kobakhidze emphasized.

He further noted that the opposition lacks sufficient resources to maintain prolonged acts of sabotage.

In the meantime, leaders of the Georgian opposition have announced protests against the election results, according to Reuters. The first rally is set to take place on November 4 at Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi.

The parliamentary elections were held on October 26. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), the ruling Georgian Dream party, which advocates for a pragmatic approach in relations with Russia and opposes LGBT* propaganda, secured 53.93% of the vote. Four opposition parties also gained seats, collectively earning 37.78% of the vote. However, opposition representatives have stated they do not recognize the CEC's results.

*LGBT is an extremist movement banned in Russia.

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📹 Israel launches series of strikes on southern suburbs of Beirut

The Israeli Air Force conducted six powerful strikes on a southern suburb of Beirut, according to a RIA Novosti correspondent.

Columns of smoke were visible from the Ghobeiry and Haret Hreik neighborhoods. Explosions from the direction of the southern suburb could also be heard in the center of the Lebanese capital.

Video from social media

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🇷🇺 The only Christian denomination not 'corrupted by loathsome political correctness' - King Charles III of Great Britain

King Charles III of Great Britain believed that the Orthodox Church was the only Christian denomination “not corrupted by loathsome political correctness.” He expressed this opinion in a letter to a friend in 1998, which was later sold at Lay's Auction.

“Personally, the older I get, the more I am drawn to the great, timeless traditions of the Orthodox Church,”wrote the monarch, who was then the Prince of Wales.

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🥴 ‘We're fighting for a democracy’ – Harris nearly screams at crowd

Kamala Harris appeared to lose composure during a speech after being interrupted by protesters, raising her voice and nearly shouting at the audience.

"We're here because we're fighting for a democracy. Fighting for a democracy. And understand the difference here. Understand the difference here, moving forward. Moving forward. Understand the difference here. What we are looking at is a difference in this election. Let's move forward and see where we are," Harris said, repeating her noscripted slogans as her tone escalated, suggesting a struggle to respond more substantively on the spot.

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