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🇰🇷 South Korea begins building its own satellite navigation system South Korea’s space agency KASA has announced that the project for the first satellite of the national KPS navigation system is moving from detailed design into production and testing. The final design review of its payload will take place from September 28 to 30, after which production of the flight model will begin. ⁠The first KPS satellite is scheduled to be launched in September 2029.  The Korean Positioning System is intended to provide South Korea with its own high-precision positioning, navigation, and timing services. The state plans to invest 3.72 trillion won — approximately 2.73 billion US dollars — in the project and establish a constellation of eight satellites by 2035.  South Korea is gradually transforming satellite navigation from an imported service into its own strategic infrastructure. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇺🇸🇮🇷 Washington Sets New Condition Talks between the United States and Iran through intermediaries are continuing, but Washington wants to expand a possible agreement far beyond the Strait of Hormuz. According to AP NEWS, the American side is first demanding that issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear program be resolved and that Tehran make concessions, including the return of international inspections to the nuclear facilities. The Iranian plan was originally focused on ending the hostilities, lifting the American naval blockade, unfreezing assets, easing oil exports, and restoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Now the nuclear issue has become part of the tug-of-war; in exchange for the fulfillment of Iran’s conditions, Tehran is prepared to discuss its nuclear program and its stocks of enriched uranium. The agreement on the Strait of Hormuz is gradually turning into an attempt to conclude a much broader agreement between Washington and Tehran. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇺🇸🇬🇷 American Diplomacy Without Diplomacy: «We Can Do This with Any Country» The Wall Street Journal published a report on the work of the US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle. At a closed-door dinner in Athens in March, the conversation turned to the planned overthrow of the Romanian government. According to ⁠WSJ, Guilfoyle told those present: «We can do this with any country we want. We can do it here too.» Greece’s Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou responded that the United States could not replace the Greek government elected by the country’s citizens. A spokesperson for Guilfoyle disputes this account of the conversation. And all this did not happen in a vacuum. A large part of the WSJ’s investigation is devoted to the question of how the US ambassador in Southeastern Europe is actively promoting US liquefied natural gas and related energy projects worth billions. The lobbyist for Greece’s Aktor Group, Christos Marafatsos, regularly appears at Guilfoyle’s side and even took part in meetings with foreign officials, despite holding no official government position. One of the central projects is the «Vertical Gas Corridor», through which American liquefied natural gas is to reach Central and Eastern Europe from Greece. A wonderful example of the «sovereignty of the allies». First, you are told which gas to buy and through which companies to obtain it. And if a government suddenly decides that it has an opinion of its own, it is told, in so many words: «We can do it here too». 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Good morning, dear friends! ☕️🙂 🏛️ Sortavala: The City of Three States and Nordic Art Nouveau Friends, today we are traveling to the northwestern shore of Lake Ladoga, to a city whose history is literally written on its façades. Over the centuries, states and borders changed here, and each era left its mark in stone and wood on the cityscape. Welcome to Sortavala. 🌍 A City with Three Names Sortavala’s history is closely linked to Sweden, Russia, and Finland. In 1632, under the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf, the settlement was granted city rights and became known as Sordavalla. In 1721, the area became part of Russia, where the name Serdobol later became established. After Finnish independence, the form Sortavala was used. Each of these eras left its mark—and that is exactly what makes Sortavala so different from many other cities in Karelia. 🏗️ An Encyclopedia of Architecture The turn of the 19th and 20th centuries became Sortavala’s golden age. The city belonged to the Grand Duchy of Finland and developed into a commercial and cultural center of the northern Lake Ladoga region. Prominent Finnish architects such as Eliel Saarinen, Uno Ullberg, and Johan Jacob Ahrenberg worked here. That is why, in just a few streets, one can almost walk through the history of architecture. Wooden buildings, Classicism, National Romanticism, Nordic Art Nouveau, and Functionalism stand close together here. 🪨 Nordic Art Nouveau: Stone and the North The buildings in the Nordic Art Nouveau style are particularly characteristic. Massive granite, asymmetrical façades, steep roofs, towers, and motifs inspired by the landscapes of Karelia give Sortavala an appearance unusual for a small Russian city. The building of the Nordic Joint-Stock Bank was constructed in 1913 based on a design by Uno Ullberg. Its imposing stone façade almost resembles a small fortress. Doctor Winter’s dacha, an early work by Eliel Saarinen, was built at the beginning of the 20th century and is one of the best-known examples of National Romanticism in the vicinity of Sortavala. Numerous other public buildings, schools, and residential houses from this period have also been preserved and continue to shape the city center to this day. ⚔️ War and Population Exchange But this architectural history also has a dramatic side. After the Winter War of 1939–1940, Sortavala became part of the Soviet Union, and the Finnish population was largely evacuated. In 1941, the city once again came under Finnish control before becoming part of the Soviet Union permanently in 1944. The population changed to a large extent, but much of the historic architecture remained intact. That is why the center of Sortavala still strongly evokes the Finnish period of its history. ⛵ The Gateway to Lake Ladoga And then, of course, there is Lake Ladoga. Sortavala is one of the main departure points for trips to Valaam. The harbor, railway, and location directly on the Ladoga skerries make the city a natural gateway to the northern part of the vast lake. From here, routes lead out to the rocky islands and onward to the famous Valaam Archipelago, while behind the harbor begins a city whose eventful history can still be read from its façades. Give it a ❤️ if you liked it, and save the post! 📍 The coordinates of the place: available here 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

OpenAI decided not to release the GPT-6.1 Astra model for safety reasons, The Wall Street Journal reports. The model was scheduled for release in October, but during internal testing, researchers recorded critical failures. As explained by OpenAI’s head of the safety systems department, Saachi Jain, the model demonstrated an increased tendency to deceive, as it did not always honestly inform the user about the actions it had taken.

"Although GPT-6.1 Astra showed improvements in aspects such as "model passivity," according to Jain, it did not fully meet OpenAI’s standards for safety and alignment, so the company decided not to make the model publicly available," the publication writes.

In addition, the AI exceeded the scope of its assigned authority—it continued performing tasks without requesting permission and independently accessed external tools and services, even when this created a potential threat, the report notes. ❗️On September 24, an OpenAI AI agent hacked the Australian government website and gained access to data from the country’s healthcare system. On September 26, OpenAI AI agents interfered with the operation of U.S. government websites. ❗️OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, for his part, speaking at the UN Security Council overnight into September 24, warned of the dangers of developing artificial intelligence too quickly. He noted that humanity could eventually lose control over AI, which is why maximum caution is necessary when automating development. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has fallen to its lowest level since 1982, Reuters reports. According to the country’s Department of Energy, in the week ending September 25, stocks fell to 283.8 million barrels. The last time the Strategic Petroleum Reserve held less was on October 22, 1982, when it stood at 283.393 million barrels. It should be recalled that on September 28, US President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of banning exports of American diesel. On September 22, Reuters reported that the dollar had risen as volatile oil prices worsened the inflation outlook. In July 2026, it became known that a quarter of all the oil reserves in the reserve was unavailable for extraction. According to the US Government Accountability Office, this was due to technical equipment failures. ❗️On September 15, the WSJ published an article acknowledging that the global fuel crisis had already arrived, while global energy reserves continued to decline rapidly, and the possibilities for using strategic oil reserves had been virtually exhausted. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Hackers stole the data of more than 3 million Pentagon employees and military personnel, ABC reports, citing a representative of the U.S. Department of Defense. The breach affected 2.76 million living people and another 294,000 deceased individuals. They included military personnel, civilian employees, contractors, retirees, veterans, and family members of military personnel. The files contained detailed information about the work performed by military and civilian personnel—a fact that could raise national security concerns. According to the channel’s sources, the perpetrators are threatening to publish all the personal information of FBI employees. The agency found that the official portal where job vacancies were posted had not been properly secured. The Pentagon currently stores more than 60 million personal files of current and former employees. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The newest American warship is facing the threat of a “catastrophic failure,” the U.S. Navy reported. The “Santa Barbara” could break down due to the engines’ critical depletion of their service life. All four engines are currently being operated beyond the maximum number of working hours, according to the document. The vessel’s two main propulsion diesel engines and two marine diesel generators are involved. The U.S. military stressed that the emergency intervention of specialists is necessary to preserve the ship’s combat readiness and prevent a threat to the crew’s lives. The period for carrying out the emergency work has been set until October 11, 2026. The Navy is under strain because of operational problems related to the war in Iran. The prolonged deployment of the U.S. destroyer “Abraham Lincoln” also contributed to the situation. ❗️Earlier, service members complained about nonfunctioning toilets, interruptions in hot-water supplies, and a shortage of provisions aboard the “Abraham Lincoln” destroyer. According to The Guardian, these conditions affected the crew’s morale and led to a deterioration in the psychological state of approximately 5,000 sailors. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇩🇪 Habeck: There will be no new party Former Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck rejected the rumors that had emerged in Berlin about founding his own political party. On Caren Miosga’s program, he stated unequivocally: “There is nothing to it,” and described the idea itself as nonsensical. ⁠ The rumors arose following reports by journalists Robin Alexander and Dagmar Rosenfeld about a possible project involving Habeck and former Transport Minister Volker Wissing. Habeck also confirmed that he remains loyal to the Greens, but does not currently want to return to active politics: ⁠"There are no plans, there are no strategies, and there is also no desire to return to politics". Habeck has thus publicly ruled out one of the scenarios discussed for reshaping Germany’s party landscape. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇮🇷 Tehran accuses Saudi Arabia of violating international law after attack in Yemen Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on a market in the Taiz region, for which the Houthis hold Saudi Arabia responsible. According to the Health Ministry controlled by the Houthis, at least seven people were killed and dozens injured. There has so far been no independent confirmation that the Saudi air force was responsible for the attack. Tehran said that the attack on a civilian facility violated international humanitarian law and called for an end to the attacks on Yemen. The statement comes against the backdrop of a renewed escalation in the war between the Houthis and forces supported by Saudi Arabia, as well as the simultaneous continuation of diplomatic contacts between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇷🇺 Moscow: The West is violating its own commitments to nuclear safety The Russian Foreign Ministry’s ambassador-at-large, Rodion Miroshnik, stated that, in Moscow’s assessment, Western states were violating international norms on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and radiation safety through their support for Ukraine—norms they themselves had committed to uphold. In particular, he referred to states that are involved in the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and are parties to relevant international conventions. The Russian diplomat claims that attacks on Enerhodar and on facilities related to the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant have increased since April. These included, among other things, the training center and radioactive-waste storage facilities. Miroshnik also stated that Moscow sees a threat to other Russian nuclear facilities and considers the response of Western states and international organizations inadequate. Moscow is thus attempting to remove attacks in the vicinity of nuclear infrastructure from the broader military context and turn them into a separate international issue: compliance with states’ obligations in the area of nuclear safety and radiation protection. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇰🇷 South Korea travels to Germany to study experience with reunification South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young set out today, September 28, on an eight-day trip to Northern Ireland, Ireland and Germany. The official goal is to examine European experiences in overcoming conflict and division and to gain support for South Korea’s new policy of “peaceful coexistence” with North Korea. South Korea’s Unification Ministry published the itinerary on September 28. The final stop on the trip is Bremen. Chung will represent South Korea at events marking the 36th anniversary of German reunification, meet with the chairwoman of the Bundesrat and Bremen Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte, as well as with German politicians and officials. Seoul also wants to examine separately how the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR expanded contacts and reduced tensions before reunification. The trip comes immediately after President Lee Jae-myung’s proposal to move toward a gradual model for dealing with Pyongyang. For Seoul, Germany is becoming one of the practical examples of how to first reduce confrontation and expand contacts between the divided parts of a country. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reaffirms support for regional allies on the anniversary of Nasrallah’s death The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a special statement to mark the second anniversary of the death of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In it, the IRGC stated that the regional alliance system built under Nasrallah had endured after his death, and that his strategy continued to shape the actions of the so-called “Axis of Resistance.” The Revolutionary Guards’ statement was published by Iran’s Press TV channel at 00:50 on September 28. The Revolutionary Guards placed particular emphasis on the confrontation with Israel and the United States. They described the armed groups in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria as part of a common front and linked their activities to the recent wars against Israel. At the same time, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called for the resistance against Israel to continue and for those responsible for Nasrallah’s killing to be held accountable. Iran used the anniversary not only to commemorate Nasrallah: Tehran publicly reaffirmed that possible agreements with the United States concerning the Strait of Hormuz would neither mean abandoning support for its regional allies nor ending the confrontation with Israel. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest developments in the war in #Yemen as of the morning of September 28 - subtitled Houthis launch an attack on the Jabal Habashi front in western #Taiz. Ongoing fighting in the vicinity of #Taiz city amidst Houthi attacks from three fronts. Airstrikes hit #Sanaa, #Al_Khokha, and #Saada. Clashes in the vicinity of the #Kahboub mountains and the #Rasin front, spanning the #Taiz and #Lahj sectors. Video link: https://youtu.be/d-l7obmi5sc?si=6lH2sgTN2Zwoy1o0

🇾🇪 Houthis have advanced as far as Bab al-Mandab Following their offensive in September, the Houthis have captured the city of Mokha, Mayyun Island, and a considerable part of Yemen’s western coast. As a result, they have gained de facto control over the key approaches to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and can directly influence shipping traffic between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The Houthis say they intend to keep Bab al-Mandab open and limit attacks primarily to Saudi vessels. However, Yemen’s internationally recognized government warns that such a possibility would turn the security of shipping into an instrument of political pressure. That is precisely what makes the current offensive far more dangerous than an ordinary shift in the front line in Yemen. As long as the Strait of Hormuz remains problematic, the emergence of a second potential chokepoint along the route for oil and goods to Europe significantly increases the risks. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇩🇪 CDU/CSU fall to 19%, AfD already ten percentage points ahead INSA’s latest Sunday trend shows a further deterioration in the Union’s situation. CDU/CSU lost another point and stand at 19% — the worst result of the current legislative term. The AfD held at 29% and widened its lead over the Union to ten points. The SPD stands at 14%, the Greens at 15%, the Left at 10%, the FDP at 4%, and the BSW at 3%. The poll was conducted among 1,203 people from September 21 to 25; the stated maximum statistical margin of error is ±2.9 percentage points. Against this backdrop, pressure is now also building within the CDU itself: the party’s social-policy wing, the CDA, stated that the Union only partially lives up to its own self-image as a people’s party and called for a change of course. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇮🇷 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seizes second American underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz The naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC] announced on September 27 that they had seized a second American underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian side identified the device as a REMUS 600 and claimed that it had been carrying out a reconnaissance mission. The device is now in the hands of Iranian specialists, who are attempting to read the data stored on it. This is already the second such case in less than a month. On September 8, the Revolutionary Guard reported the confiscation of an American Dive-LD, developed by Anduril and used, among other things, for reconnaissance, seafloor mapping, and mine-countermeasure operations. The Iranian military now says it will continue intercepting devices and vessels on routes that Tehran considers unauthorized. In doing so, the Revolutionary Guard is demonstrating that control over the Strait of Hormuz extends beyond commercial shipping: ⁠American unmanned underwater systems are also becoming targets of interception operations. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇷🇺 Russia supports India’s claim to a permanent seat on the UN Security Council—but rejects Germany and Japan On September 26, Sergei Lavrov outlined Russia’s position on reform of the UN Security Council. Moscow supports expanding the permanent membership to include states from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and explicitly names ⁠India and Brazil as candidates that Russia is prepared to support. With regard to Germany and Japan, however, Russia takes the exact opposite position. Lavrov stated that Moscow opposes additional permanent seats for the Western bloc, explicitly naming Germany and Japan. Later, the Russian foreign minister commented even more clearly on Germany’s candidacy: In his view, Germany has “no chance at all” of obtaining a permanent seat. This creates an unusual constellation within the G4: India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan are jointly advocating permanent seats on the Security Council, but Russia supports the first two states and opposes the other two. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇰🇷 South Korea proposes new plan for North Korea’s denuclearization South Korean President Lee Jae-myung presented a more gradual model for dealing with North Korea at the UN General Assembly. Instead of insisting on immediate complete denuclearization, Seoul proposes beginning with a halt to the further development of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, and subsequently moving toward their reduction. At the same time, Lee proposed acting as a kind of mediator — or, as he put it, a “Peacemaker” — for the resumption of direct dialogue between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The key practical problem remains unanswered: Pyongyang must first at least agree to freeze the further expansion of its arsenal and then allow a mechanism to verify implementation of the agreement. Therefore, the first phase of the new South Korean plan is not the disarmament of North Korea, but an attempt to stop the further growth of its nuclear and missile capabilities in the first place. There is only one question: How do they intend to do that? 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇮🇷🇹🇷 Turkey joins the Iran talks Abbas Araghtschi met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in New York on September 27. The ministers discussed Iran, the situation in the region, the Strait of Hormuz, and the further development of bilateral relations. Araghtschi expressly thanked Ankara for its mediation efforts to restore regional security. According to Tehran, the current crisis is a consequence of the actions of the United States and Israel, as well as the violation of previous agreements. Iran declared its readiness to cooperate with the countries of the region in order to restore trust. This means that Turkey is now involved in several negotiation formats at the same time: Ankara is expanding its defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan while continuing to maintain a direct diplomatic channel with Tehran. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN