RT
Over the past three months, Ukrainian UAVs have fallen in Finland, the Baltic states, Greece, and Romania, and killed five Azerbaijani citizens in the Sea of Azov Ukraine has launched hundreds of long-range drones at Russia, with many targeting civilians and critical infrastructure, including oil terminals – and a significant portion of EU members have cheered on the strikes. However, as the pace of the attacks has surged, Ukrainian drones are now increasingly hitting neighboring countries that provide military assistance to Kiev. The incidents, stretching from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, have left Kiev issuing a litany of apologies – although with no indication that it plans to scale back its drone campaign. Most EU governments have declined to formally condemn Ukraine – instead blaming the incidents on Russia and its electronic warfare defenses. In late May, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called on NATO members to help Ukraine “direct” its attacks “in the right directions,” while Poland has urged Ukraine to “be more precise.” Russia has stated that NATO is a direct participant in the Ukraine conflict. RT recounts the recent incidents of Ukrainian drones hitting the wrong targets. A Ukrainian naval drone exploded near an oil terminal in Constanta, Romania’s largest port in the Black Sea, with three more detonating offshore. Kiev has confirmed that the drones belonged to the Ukrainian navy, claiming that it lost control of the devices. Read more No casualties were reported, with the local authorities scrambling to evacuate the area. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the incident a “direct consequence” of the Ukraine conflict, while sidestepping the question of Ukrainian accountability. The response was a far cry from Romania’s response to an incident on May 29 when it claimed that a Russian UAV carrying explosives crashed into an apartment block in Galati, Romania, injuring two people. Moscow has said that Bucharest did not provide any evidence for the claim. However, the Romanian government ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate in Constanta and declared the consul general persona non grata.
Read more The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry did not assign responsibility, saying the vessels were not state-owned and that the sailors were working aboard them voluntarily with private contracts. Russia said the incident “once again proves the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime that increasingly targets civilians.” A NATO fighter jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia after the UAV entered from Russian territory. The debris fell in a marshy area near the village of Kablakula without causing any casualties or property damage. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said the drone was “most probably meant to hit some Russian targets.” Read more The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued a formal apology to Estonia and other Baltic nations over what it described as “unintended incidents,” while assigning blame to Moscow. “Russia continues to redirect Ukrainian drones into the Baltics with the use of its electronic warfare,” it said. Finland temporarily closed Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on May 15 after a suspected drone incursion was detected, with nearly 2 million residents in the southern part of the country receiving emergency instructions. Read more While Finnish officials did not initially say which country the UAV belonged to, Helsingin Sanomat reported this week that the emergency measures were prompted by a warning from Ukraine, which said it accidentally sent drones carrying explosives toward Finland. On May 7, two Ukrainian drones crossed into Latvian airspace from Russia and struck an empty fuel depot in the city of Rezekne, around 40 km from the Russian border, with no casualties. Then-Defense Minister Andris Spruds at the time called the incident regrettable but understandable. Read more Prime Minister Evika Silina later demanded Spruds’ resignation, saying he “lost the trust of the public” and that “the drone incident clearly demonstrated that the political leadership of the defense sector has failed to fulfill its promise of safe skies over our country.” Later that month, Spruds’ party withdrew from the coalition, and Silina herself resigned, leading to the collapse of the government. In early May, Reuters reported that a local fishing vessel discovered a Ukrainian-made sea drone near the island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea. The Greek authorities later confirmed that the UAV was Ukrainian and lodged a diplomatic protest. Read more The drone, Athens said, “seriously endangered maritime traffic and could have caused casualties among innocent citizens [and] incalculable environmental damage.” In response, Kiev apologized, attributing the incident to “circumstances brought about by ongoing Russian aggression.” Two Ukrainian drones crashed near the southern Finnish city of Kouvola on March 29, with one confirmed to have carried an unexploded warhead. Two days later, a third Ukrainian drone was subsequently found on the ice of Lake Pyhajarvi near the Russian border, also carrying a suspected warhead. Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said Finland takes the issue of stray Ukrainian drones “very seriously.” Kiev once again apologized and attributed the deviations to Russian jamming. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke by phone, though Stubb’s office confirmed that scaling back Ukrainian strikes near Finnish territory was not discussed. On March 25, Estonia and Latvia both reported drones entering their airspace from Russia. In Estonia, a drone – later identified as Ukrainian – struck the chimney of a power station in the northeastern village of Auvere. The same morning, a second Ukrainian drone entered from Russia and crash-landed in the Latvian village of Dobrocina, and two days prior, another Ukrainian drone crashed into Lake Lavysas in the Varena district of Lithuania. The Baltic authorities concluded that the drones were targeting Russian oil infrastructure in the region and veered off course due to electronic warfare measures. Bottom lineThe long string of incidents involving Ukrainian drones – often carrying explosives – typically follows the same pattern: Kiev apologizes and blames Moscow, while EU capitals nod along or turn a blind eye. There have also been no calls to revisit the assistance Western countries provide Ukraine, despite the aid evidently contributing to the raids, which have the potential to kill EU citizens. Медиа: | ↑ |
Researchers in Italy say making beer with the revived microorganisms could be next Scientists have baked sourdough bread using ancient yeast harvested from a 5,300-year-old mummy’s insides and skin, according to Eurac Research. The Italian-based research center reported on Wednesday that its scientists discovered several strains of cold-resistant yeast from the Copper Age mummy nicknamed Otzi the Iceman, which was found in the Italian Alps in 1991. Scientists examined microorganisms found on Otzi’s skin, in his digestive tract, and in meltwater from inside the mummy. “We’ve already conducted initial, though not yet systematic, experiments − with good results. We tried to make a sourdough starter with it,” microbiologist Mohamed Sarhan said. “We made some really good dough with it.” After around two weeks of being fed flour, the yeast strain adapted to a dough environment, he said. As Otzi was preserved at around -6 C (21.2 F), “these yeasts are remarkable because they are adapted to very cold temperatures,” he added. The newly discovered strains could offer advantages for the modern food industry, allowing fermentation at refrigerator temperatures and during transportation, saving energy, Sarhan said.
Read more The study found that the mummy’s microbiome contains several layers of microbial life, including traces from his lifetime, organisms that colonized the body after death in the glacier, and modern microbes introduced during decades of handling and preservation. Genetic analyses suggested that the cold-loving yeast strains originate from the glacial environment Otzi was preserved in, and remained associated with the mummy for millennia. In an even older resurrection of ancient organisms, in 2023, scientists in Russia revived a female roundworm that had lain dormant in Siberia’s permafrost for 46,000 years. Медиа: | ↑ |
Other famed historical figures such as Alan Turing and Jane Austen have also reportedly fallen victim to Britain’s diversity overhaul The Bank of England’s decision to remove historical figures such as Winston Churchill from banknotes came after research commissioned by the regulator concluded that they were “elitist and divisive,” The Telegraph reported on Friday. The central bank announced in March that it would end its use of historical figures, with the next series of banknotes set to feature UK wildlife. It said that the move followed public consultations in which nature-themed designs received the strongest support and argued that wildlife imagery would be harder to counterfeit than faces. According to the newspaper, however, the decision was ultimately shaped by an internal study commissioned from market research firm Savanta. It reportedly found that figures such as wartime leader Churchill, World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, and novelist Jane Austen were “contentious and not representative of the UK’s cultural and natural diversity.” Savanta advised replacing portraits with nature, arguing that historical figures projected “a backward-looking vision of the UK” and were viewed as “imperialistic,” “potentially divisive,” and “elitist.” Read more Review participants reportedly wanted banknote imagery to “better reflect modern Britain by being more inclusive.” The firm also warned that landmarks and historic architecture could prove controversial, with Georgian and Victorian-era buildings deemed high-risk due to links to “colonialism/slavery.” Even some nature-themed symbols were considered problematic, including the White Cliffs of Dover over alleged association with immigration concerns. Savanta reportedly urged the regulator to frame the move “as a positive evolution that enhances banknotes, rather than a ‘censorship’ or ‘cancellation’ of history,” but the decision has sparked accusations of precisely that. Read more Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, dismissed the plan as “nonsense.” Other politicians, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and Shadow Communities Secretary Kevin Hollinrake, have likewise condemned the decision as “wrongheaded wokery” and an attempt to erase British history. Critics argue that the move is part of Britain’s broader “diversity overhaul.” Over the past decade, major UK institutions have increasingly reassessed the legacies of empire and colonialism. The National Trust linked dozens of historic properties to slavery and colonialism in a 2020 report, while the BBC, Civil Service, and Armed Forces have rolled out diversity initiatives. Local authorities have also renamed streets and reviewed monuments associated with colonial-era figures. READ MORE: UK schools warned kids’ drawings could be blasphemous under Islam The Bank of England has featured historical figures on banknotes for more than half a century. William Shakespeare became the first non-royal to appear on the £20 note in 1970. This week, the regulator said that the public would help choose the imagery for the new notes, with options including the red fox, bottlenose dolphin, and common frog. Медиа: | ↑ |
Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and other executives have said AI advances could weaken biosecurity barriers Executives from leading AI companies have joined biotechnology experts in an urgent call to mandate safety screening for synthetic DNA purchases. In a public letter addressed to the US Congress, the signatories argue that rapid advances in AI could increase the risk of biological weapons being developed. The appeal published earlier this week was signed by Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, and Microsoft AI’s Mustafa Suleyman and Eric Horvitz. They were joined by dozens of experts from the biotech, DNA synthesis, and national security fields. Synthetic DNA refers to artificially produced genetic material that can be ordered online and shipped much like other laboratory supplies. Although the letter is addressed to Congress, the signatories stressed that the issue is global, as synthetic DNA can be purchased and transported across borders. “The ability to order synthetic DNA online has accelerated vaccine development, powered basic research, and made it possible for small teams to access capabilities that used to be confined to major institutions,” the letter reads. Although synthetic DNA has a wide range of legitimate uses, including the development of life-saving medicines, engineering microorganisms, and even storing vast amounts of digital data, it also carries risks, according to the appeal. In theory, malicious actors could order DNA sequences designed to recreate dangerous pathogens, the signatories warned. Read more While some companies already voluntarily screen customers and orders, there is no legal requirement to do so. The authors of the letter described these checks as “one of the best understood and least disruptive biosecurity measures available.” They also called for mandatory record-keeping to help trace suspicious activities. Beyond aiding investigations, the authors argued that simply knowing orders are traceable could deter misuse. The authors said the underlying threat is not new, but argued that the unprecedented pace of AI development is changing the equation. Today’s AI systems, they noted, can already outperform PhD-level virologists on questions involving highly complex laboratory procedures. As these systems improve, they warned, the knowledge and skill barriers that have historically limited access to biological weapons could be significantly eroded. Медиа: | ↑ |
Ukrainian forces have frequently targeted vessels, ports, and other infrastructure in and around the peninsula, which voted to join Russia in 2014 A Turkish-flagged fishing boat sank after being attacked in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea, leaving one crew member dead and four others injured, Türkiye’s Coast Guard has said. In a statement on X, the Coast Guard Command said the trawler DURU 67 came under attack on Friday near Sevastopol. A nearby fishing boat, BURAK KAYA, rescued five wounded crew members from the sinking vessel and headed for the Turkish port of Inebolu. One sailor, who was in critical condition, died during the journey. Following a distress call, the Coast Guard dispatched a rescue vessel carrying a medical team. The ship reached BURAK KAYA around 7:00 PM local time, 115 nautical miles north of Inebolu within Türkiye’s search-and-rescue zone. The deceased sailor and four injured crew members were transferred aboard, where they received medical treatment before being taken to a hospital in Kastamonu. The local health authorities said the victims mainly suffered shrapnel wounds. Read more While the Turkish authorities did not identify who carried out the strike, Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted vessels, ports, and other infrastructure in and around Crimea since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022. Crimea, along with the former Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye, overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in 2014 and 2022, but Kiev and its Western backers continue to regard the territories as “annexed.” Ukrainian forces routinely target Russian oil depots, supply routes, shipping, and port infrastructure in the area, often using naval drones and Western-supplied long-range missiles. On Thursday, drone attacks on the peninsula, including the port city of Sevastopol, killed at least four people and wounded ten others. Two more people were injured in a strike on Sevastopol on Saturday. Read more Kiev has also targeted vessels it claims are involved in Russia’s supposed ‘shadow fleet’ – which allegedly helps Russia bypass Western sanctions on oil exports – including Turkish-flagged ships. In March, the Turkish tanker Altura was reportedly struck by drones near the Bosphorus. Last month, maritime security company Tribeca reported drone attacks on three tankers in the Black Sea near Türkiye’s northern coast. The Turkish government has condemned the Ukrainian attacks in the Black Sea. Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli issued a warning last autumn after the Kairos and Virat tankers – also allegedly part of the ‘shadow fleet’ – were struck inside Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone, saying the attacks “posed serious risks to navigation, life, property, and environmental safety in the region.” READ MORE: Putin comments on Ukrainian strikes on Russian Black Sea oil refinery Russia has condemned Ukrainian attacks on Black Sea infrastructure and vessels, describing them as acts of terrorism. Медиа: | ↑ |
Polish PM Donald Tusk has called for a hard business line instead of empathy after the Ukrainian leader honored nationalist figures blamed for massacres of Poles Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Warsaw’s support for Kiev could become increasingly driven by hard national interests. The criticism follows Zelensky’s move to honor World War II-era Ukrainian nationalist paramilitaries responsible for massacres of Poles and Jews by naming a commando unit after them. In May, Zelensky decreed that the Special Operations Center North would bear the honorary title ‘Heroes of the UPA,’ referring to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the armed wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). The OUN sought to establish an ethnically and religiously homogeneous Ukrainian state and collaborated with Nazi Germany during the early stages of the invasion of the Soviet Union. The UPA was formed in 1942 following a split between much of the OUN leadership and the Germans. Ukrainian nationalists killed an estimated 100,000 Polish civilians in what is now western Ukraine from 1943-44. The massacres remain a major source of tension between Warsaw and Kiev. Read more “Perhaps these arguments will reach Kiev,” Tusk said on Friday as cited by RMF24. “If not, it will mean that not empathy, but hard business interests will determine our relations.” The PM noted that “all responsibility lies with the Ukrainian side to somehow heal this completely unnecessary conflict over historical interpretations.” While Kiev has promoted the legacy of the UPA and Ukrainian Nazi collaborators as part of state historical policy for years, the latest move has sparked an unusually fierce reaction in Poland. President Karol Nawrocki has called for Zelensky to be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle, the country’s highest state distinction, highlighting that a nation honoring “bandits and murderers” is not yet fit to join “the European family.” Earlier in May, the Ukrainian authorities rolled out full state honors for the remains of Andrey Melnik, the leader of the OUN, and his wife, Sofia Fedak-Melnik. Exhumed in Luxembourg, the couple was reburied in Kiev’s main military cemetery. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities announced plans to rebury Evgeny Konovalets, one of the founders of the, whose remains will be transferred from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Read more The controversial steps came around a month after Vladimir Zelensky announced plans to establish a “pantheon of outstanding Ukrainians.” Commenting on Kiev’s latest steps, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the current Ukrainian leader is Jewish by nationality, and suggested that his grandfather, who fought against Nazism during WWII, “is probably turning in his grave.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has highlighted that, had Andrey Melnik and his OUN followers triumphed, Zelensky’s grandfather would have perished in a Nazi gas chamber, and that the current Ukrainian leader himself would never have been born. Медиа: | ↑ |
Demonstrators claim Peter Magyar secretly agreed to Brussels’ asylum framework in exchange for the release of frozen funds Protesters marched through central Budapest on Friday, chanting “traitor” as they denounced Prime Minister Peter Magyar over the EU Migration Pact. When Magyar appeared on a balcony of his Tisza party’s headquarters waving a Hungarian flag, the crowd booed and chanted “Dirty Tisza,” demanding his resignation, local media have reported. Magyar later estimated the crowd at about 1,000 people. Demonstrators claim the Prime Minister, who assumed office last month, secretly agreed to implement the pact in exchange for billions in EU funds, speculation that intensified after he and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a political agreement on May 29 to unlock the €16.4 billion. The funds had been frozen since 2022, when the Commission accused then-Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government of corruption and rule-of-law violations. Orban, a long-time critic of EU policies on issues such as migration and Ukraine aid, accused Brussels of political blackmail. Critics also allege that the deal would require Hungary to build a migrant transit facility for 8,000–10,000 people near its southern border. Magyar has repeatedly stated that Hungary “will not accept any pact or allocation mechanism” on asylum and migration. However, Hungarian media have noted he has remained largely silent on the issue in recent weeks. According to Hungary Today, one condition tied to the release of EU funds is believed to be a reversal of Orban’s opposition to the pact. Following the protest, Magyar dismissed the demonstrators on Facebook as “frenzied, inarticulate, shouting fellow citizens,” arguing they were effectively protesting EU funds allocated to Hungary. The pact establishes a common EU framework for migration and asylum procedures. It introduces a system of “mandatory solidarity,” under which each member state is obliged to either accept a certain number of migrants, provide operational support, or pay €20,000 ($23,000) per person they refuse to take in. READ MORE: Has Hungary opened the EU door for Kiev? The EU has grappled with mass immigration for more than a decade, following the conflicts in Libya and Syria and, more recently, the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, which triggered successive waves of arrivals numbering in the millions. Медиа: | ↑ |
Kemi Badenoch’s remarks came after the murder of Polish-British student Henry Nowak by a Sikh man triggered uproar over what was seen as two-tier policing Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has slammed UK politicians over what she described as attempts to score points on existing racial divisions, warning that it risked pushing the country towards a “civil war.” Speaking in an interview with the BBC aired on Friday, Badenoch reacted to the murder of Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old Polish-British university student, who was stabbed five times by Vickrum Digwa, a 23-year-old Sikh. The incident took place in Southampton in December 2025, but gained a national spotlight only recently. When police arrived, Digwa falsely claimed he had been the victim of a racist assault, with police initially believing his account. Body-cam footage released after sentencing showed officers handcuffing the dying student as he repeatedly told them he had been stabbed and could not breathe. Read more While Digwa was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years, the fall-out triggered widespread uproar, protests, and accusations of “two-tier policing” and “anti-white prejudice” in Britain. The incident also drew outcry from the US – a traditional UK ally – with the State Department warning that “ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing are glaring symptoms of civilizational decline.” Badenoch insisted that Britain “is not a racist country,” but acknowledged that “we are now seeing more and more hostility to people of every ethnicity, whether they’re English or not English.” However, she insisted that the real driver of tension was politicians using racial divisions to harvest votes and importing these conflicts into communities that had previously been spared from them. “Parties which do that, politicians who do that, they may get to benefit in the short term, but in the long term, that’s how you end up with civil war,” Badenoch warned. While Badenoch did not name specific politicians, one of those who seized on the controversy was Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, widely known for his anti-immigration agenda. Farage called for “pure cold rage” in response to the incident. Reform UK is currently polling at around 27%, with Labour and the Conservatives tied at roughly 18% each. Meanwhile, Badenoch herself became the Tory leader after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s landslide defeat in the general election in 2024, which was in large part caused by the party’s identitarian and cultural policies as well as a failure to deliver on immigration promises. The culture war has long plagued British politics, with one of the most notable instances coming in August 2025 when “Operation Raise the Colours” saw activists tying Union Jacks and St. George’s Cross flags to lampposts across England. While the protest was framed as an expression of patriotism, some Labour-run councils disagreed, ordering the flags to be removed over concerns that they were sowing division – a move that drew furious condemnation from Reform UK. Медиа: | ↑ |
The suspects were caught while allegedly trying to sell the endangered mammal, authorities said Four suspects are expected to appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court in South Africa’s Free State province, following their arrest for attempting to sell an endangered pangolin for R80,000 ($5,000). The suspects, aged between 47 and 62, face charges of contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 and the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962. A pangolin is a solitary, nocturnal mammal easily recognised by the tough, overlapping keratin scales that cover its body. Pangolins are considered the world’s most heavily trafficked wild mammals. They are poached for their meat and scales, which are highly sought after on the black market for use in traditional medicine, pushing the species toward extinction. READ MORE: Airport police arrest man with over 2,000 live ants The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, said members of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team and Welkom’s Anti-Gang Unit reacted to intelligence about a group of suspects selling pangolins. Read more ”On June 4, 2026, the information was operationalised. Four suspects driving in a blue Toyota Quest were caught red-handed trying to sell one pangolin for R80,000. They were immediately placed under arrest, and the pangolin was handed over to authorities for safekeeping,” Mohobeleli said. Head of the Hawks in the Free State, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, commended the officers for the swift arrest of the poachers and ensuring that the endangered species do not face total extinction. Медиа: | ↑ |
MP Sujeet Kumar praised Russia’s approach and said the US has learned the hard way that New Delhi is no pushover Western capitals usually dominate geopolitics, but Russia made the Global South an equal partner at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), a prominent lawmaker from India’s ruling party has said. “This is a platform where you have far greater representation of the Global South, far greater participation... and their voice is heard,” Sujeet Kumar, a lawmaker from the upper house of the Indian Parliament, told RT on the sidelines of the forum, in which more than 130 countries attended. Kumar thanked Russia for giving the Global South the opportunity to take part as an equal partner. He noted that the Global South has almost no voice in global institutions such as the UN Security Council, IMF, and World Bank – and until India brought in the African Union as a member during its G20 presidency in 2023, Africa had no voice there either. The UN Security Council with its five permanent members with veto power was created 80 years ago in the immediate aftermath of World War II. Noting that the African continent and India, the world’s largest democracy and most populous nation, is not a permanent member of the council, Kumar called for “alternate platforms” such as BRICS and the G20. Moscow has supported the expansion of the Security Council to reflect the realities of the multipolar world. The Indian lawmaker added that America’s behavior has often been hegemonistic in the last 30-40 years, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Read more “I believe that you need more countries, more voices, to speak up, to find challenges, to find solutions to the challenges,” he said. He also stated that India did not buckle to threats and pressure from the US, saying: “We are a self-respecting nation.” India has resisted pressure from the US and Europe to stop buying oil from Russia and to scale back its ties with Moscow, saying its national interests will dictate its policies. “The India of today is not a pushover... you can’t dictate terms to India... and the US has learned it the hard way,” Kumar said. Kumar is the second politician from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP party in recent days to slam the West. On Wednesday, spokesman Jaiveer Shergill told RT: “The West has a single power dominance hangover,” adding that “The era of global hegemony... is over.” READ MORE: India pushes back against Western criticism Kumar noted that singling out Russia for sanctions was more about politics, adding that the US has violated the sovereignty of many countries through the years. In January, US troops kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and the Trump administration took control of the country’s oil sales, with the funds going into US-supervised accounts. Медиа: | ↑ |
The raid came after Vladimir Zelensky suggested that Ukrainian drones could ‘pay a visit’ to the International Economic Forum St. Petersburg has come under a major Ukrainian drone attack, according to the regional authorities, on the closing day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). More than 140 drones were downed in the early hours of Saturday morning, Leningrad Region Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said on social media. No casualties or major infrastructure damage were immediately reported. An air alert was declared overnight and residents were warned to stay indoors. Operations at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport were suspended, with dozens of flights delayed and aircraft diverted to other airports. Read more The strike follows another major drone raid on the region on June 3, the opening day of the forum, which attracted participants from more than 130 countries this year. The attack comes two days after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky published an open letter in which he said many Ukrainians would support having drones pay “a visit” to SPIEF. Responding on Friday, Putin said there is no sense in meeting at present, arguing that Zelensky’s actions have made meaningful negotiations impossible. He also criticized the tone of the message, describing it as inappropriate and insolent. READ MORE: Putin responds to Zelensky’s meeting proposal Putin reiterated that Russia is open to negotiations with Ukraine, but only if the root causes of the conflict are addressed. Russian officials have also questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy after his presidential term expired in May 2024 without a new election being held. Медиа: | ↑ |
Thousands who fled to avoid the draft are under the bloc’s protection program, which is set to expire in 2027 Ukraine has asked Brussels to exclude military-aged Ukrainian men from temporary protection measures, EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner has said, according to Deutsche Welle. Kiev has been seeking to replenish troop numbers amid mounting manpower shortages. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have fled abroad to avoid conscription since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022. As of spring 2026, 4.33 million Ukrainians were living under temporary protection in the EU, including up to 1 million men of fighting age, according to Eurostat data. The issue was raised as EU member states discussed extending temporary protection for Ukrainians beyond its current March 2027 expiry date. Most member states reportedly support prolonging the scheme until 2028. READ MORE: ‘Not logical’ to give protection to Ukrainian males – EU special envoy Brunner said one option under consideration is excluding Ukrainian military-aged men from the protection scheme. “This is also what the Ukrainians are asking us to do,” he stated. Read more The European Commission will present proposals “in the coming weeks.” Any changes would require approval from all EU member states. The Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly said they want individuals of military age to be returned from abroad. Ukraine announced a general mobilization shortly after the escalation of the conflict in 2022, barring men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. Last year, Kiev relaxed the restrictions, allowing men aged 18 to 22 to cross the border. Around a quarter of Ukrainians living under temporary protection in the EU are men aged 18 to 64, according to statistics. Read more Ukraine has had to rely on mandatory – and often forced – mobilization to replenish its military ranks amid chronic troop shortages, mass desertions, and draft dodging. The nationwide ‘bussification’ campaign, in which draft officers ambush military-aged men on the streets, at workplaces, and outside their homes, has often led to violent altercations and public outrage. In recent months, several member states, including Poland, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, have moved to curb social programs for Ukrainian migrants. Moscow has accused Kiev’s Western backers of waging a proxy war against Russia “to the last Ukrainian.” Медиа: | ↑ |
The rise of AI agents has pushed automated requests past human activity, according to the internet infrastructure firm Bots and AI agents now generate more web traffic than humans, according to data from internet infrastructure company Cloudflare. CEO Matthew Prince has described the development as a major turning point in the history of the web. Recent Cloudflare Radar data shows that automated bot requests account for roughly 57% of traffic to ordinary webpages across a selection of websites using the company’s services, compared with about 43% generated by humans. “Welp, that happened faster than I predicted,” Cloudflare co-founder and CEO Matthew Prince wrote on X on Wednesday. He stated that he had expected automated traffic to overtake human activity only in 2027, but that “agentic traffic” has grown rapidly enough for bots to pass humans “for the first time in the Internet’s history.” The shift is primarily being driven by AI agents – automated systems that browse, retrieve, and process web content on behalf of users. While a human might visit a handful of websites before making a purchase or researching a topic, an AI agent can scan thousands of pages in order to produce an answer or complete a task. Read more Cloudflare’s figures suggest that much of today’s web activity is no longer ordinary browsing by people clicking through pages, but machine-to-machine traffic with automated systems requesting data from websites, apps, services and databases. The data covers web traffic only and does not include activities such as streaming, messaging, gaming, or app usage. The trend has revived debate over the “dead internet theory,” the idea that much of online activity is increasingly generated by bots, automated accounts, and AI systems interacting with other machine-made content. The rise of bot traffic has also threatened the internet’s advertising-based business model. Since bots do not click on ads, concerns have been raised about whether websites may eventually charge AI agents for access to content. Meanwhile, researchers have also noted that large parts of the older web have been disappearing. A 2024 Pew Research Center study found that 38% of webpages that existed in 2013 were no longer accessible a decade later, fueling concerns that the open web is being transformed from a space built around human browsing into one increasingly dominated by automated systems. Медиа: | ↑ |
Roscosmos says the pressure loss poses no danger to the crew or station systems, with repairs already underway NASA temporarily moved its astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) into an evacuation spacecraft on Friday after an air leak was detected in one of the modules, while Russian cosmonauts worked to repair it. According to NASA spokeswoman Bethany Stevens, “out of an abundance of caution,” members of the agency’s Crew-12 mission were instructed to don their spacesuits and take shelter inside a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft – a vessel used for transport missions to and from the ISS – while repairs were carried out. Russian space corporation Roscosmos said that two potential leak sites had been identified during routine pressure checks inside the transfer chamber of the Zvezda service module, known as PrK, a key component of the station. One was quickly fixed using a special sealant, while preparations began to repair the second site in the conical section of the compartment. Stevens said that NASA and Roscosmos have long monitored cracks in the Zvezda module and have been working together to determine the cause of recurring pressure losses. She added that Roscosmos decided to undertake an extensive repair operation after the latest leak was detected. Reuters, citing a senior NASA official, reported that the leak rate had doubled from roughly half a kilogram of air per day to nearly a kilogram earlier this week.
Roscosmos stressed that the situation posed no threat to either the crew or the station’s onboard systems, adding that pressure aboard the ISS remained stable and within normal operating parameters. Read more In a follow-up post, Stevens said that Roscosmos had paused work on the remaining leak while specialists analyzed additional measurements and data. Following the decision, NASA instructed its astronauts to leave the Dragon spacecraft and resume normal operations aboard the station. Launched in 1998, the ISS is operated by five space agencies from Russia, the US, Europe, Japan, and Canada, with day-to-day operations coordinated by NASA and Roscosmos. Seven crew members are currently aboard the station, including Russian cosmonauts Sergey Mikaev, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Andrey Fedyaev; NASA astronauts Chris Williams, Jessica Meir, and Jack Hathaway; and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot. Медиа: | ↑ |
American forces targeted Qeshm Island for the second time this week to prevent an alleged “immediate” drone threat Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has said it targeted American military assets in the region, after the US Department of War carried out strikes against Iranian installations on Qeshm Island and in the coastal county of Sirik. US forces intercepted “four Iranian one-way attack drones” launched toward the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command said on X on Friday, claiming the drones posed “an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.” “US forces subsequently struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island to defend against further attacks,” CENTCOM said. It added that US forces remain “postured to respond to unjustified Iranian aggression in self-defense.” Iran retaliated hours later, targeting “two US air bases in Kuwait and the remaining important facilities in the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain” with ballistic missiles, according to the IRGC. Both countries reported that their air defenses engaged incoming threats, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The incident closely resembled the exchange of fire earlier this week, when the US targeted Qeshm in what CENTCOM described as “self-defense strikes on an Iranian military ground control station.” Read more At the time, the IRGC similarly retaliated with ballistic missile and drone strikes on US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. The US insisted all projectiles were either intercepted or fell short of their targets. However, one of the drones hit a terminal at Kuwait International Airport, killing one person. Qeshm Island lies in the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s southern coast, near the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Shipping through the crucial oil and gas maritime artery has effectively been blocked since the US-Israeli attack, with Iran threatening US-linked vessels and the US targeting Iranian-linked shipping. Read more The escalation has further strained the fragile ceasefire reached in April after more than a month of hostilities triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Washington and Tehran have been negotiating a memorandum of understanding intended to extend the truce and restart talks on Iran’s nuclear program. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the ceasefire with Iran remained in effect despite the latest exchanges. “It’s a different part of the world,” Trump told reporters. “I’d say in that part of the world, ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.” Медиа: | ↑ |
Anthropic similarly agreed to pay Elon Musk’s tech company $45 billion for compute capacity last month Google has agreed to pay SpaceX $920 million per month for AI compute capacity through June 2029, according to the space-tech company’s filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The arrangement is worth almost $30 billion over the full period and covers the rental of “approximately 110,000 NVIDIA GPUs, CPUs, memory, and other related components,” Business Insider reported on Friday. Google told the outlet that the contract is intended to meet demand for Gemini Enterprise, its agentic AI platform, and described SpaceX as a long-time Google Cloud partner. Read more The agreement follows a similar contract with Anthropic in May. The maker of Claude AI confirmed it would pay SpaceX $1.25 billion per month for access to its data centers. Data Center Dynamics reported that Anthropic’s contract runs until May 2029, putting the full value at around $45 billion over three years. SpaceX said in its filing that the contracts allow it to monetize unused compute capacity while keeping the option to reallocate capacity for internal use. The space company, which merged with Elon Musk’s X and xAI in January, generated nearly $4.7 billion in revenue and lost almost $4.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026. The AI agreements have become a major selling point ahead of the company’s highly anticipated $1.77 trillion public listing next week. Read more The new partnerships between AI rivals come as the Pentagon deepens ties with major tech suppliers after ostracizing Anthropic for publicly resisting its killer AI push. The US military reportedly used Anthropic’s Claude during the operation to kidnap Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. In Iran, Palantir software which relies heavily on Anthropic’s AI workflows reportedly selected a girls’ elementary school in Minab as a valid target, based on outdated, human-compiled maps. The US Department of War announced deals with SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Reflection, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Oracle on May 1 to deploy their AI systems for “lawful operational use.” The systems are to be integrated into the US Department of War’s classified Impact Level 6 and Impact Level 7 networks to “streamline data synthesis, elevate situational understanding, and augment warfighter decision-making in complex operational environments.” Медиа: | ↑ |
Existing reserves of spares are reportedly insufficient to maintain key military equipment as Berlin pursues a major defense buildup The German Armed Forces could see their operational capabilities severely limited by a growing repair backlog caused by a critical shortage of spare parts, according to media reports citing internal documents from a key military maintenance provider. The situation is particularly serious for heavy equipment, the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) and public broadcasters WDR and NDR reported this week, citing data from HIL, the state-owned company responsible for much of the military’s repairs. Only around half of Germany’s PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and Boxer armored personnel carriers were operational as of May, the outlets reported, citing HIL sources. The remaining equipment was reportedly stuck in lengthy maintenance and repair cycles. Read more According to its website, HIL is expected to ensure that at least 70% of the army’s heavy equipment is combat ready and operational. The company’s executives told SZ, WDR and NDR that this rate could drop to 30% for certain equipment types after military exercises. A HIL report cited by the media stated that the lack of long-term supply contracts makes obtaining enough spare parts almost impossible. The situation is so serious that some “essential weapon systems” could face permanent “limitations to their operational readiness.” The report further states that the Defense Ministry constantly prioritizes short-term repair demands that are “primarily aimed at quick, externally observable effects.” The ministry did not comment on the reports. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government is pursuing a major military buildup, citing the supposed Russian threat, which Moscow has dismissed as “nonsense.” Since taking office in May 2025, Merz has stepped up support for Ukraine and vowed to make the German military Europe’s strongest conventional army. Медиа: | ↑ |
The continent’s demographic surge will drive much of the globe’s workforce growth, Samia Suluhu Hassan has told SPIEF One quarter of the world’s population will be African by mid-century, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Friday. Speaking at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Hassan highlighted Africa’s growing demographic and economic weight. “By 2050, one in four human beings on this planet will be African,” she said in her opening remarks. “Africa will be the only continent still adding workers to the global labor force on a large scale. Africa will host nine of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies.” Hassan also pointed to the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area, saying that once fully implemented it would become the world’s largest market by population. The agreement, signed in 2018, seeks to create a continent-wide free trade zone by easing the movement of goods, services, and investment across all 55 African Union member states.
UN projections show the global population reaching 9.66 billion by 2050, with Africa accounting for roughly 2.5 billion people. Read more By contrast, populations in many other regions are expected to decline due to persistently low birth rates and aging societies. Europe’s population is projected to fall from around 744 million to 703 million in the same period. According to UN data, fertility rates across Europe averaged about 1.4 births per woman in 2023, well below the replacement level of 2.1. The trend has also become a major concern for Russia, where the fertility rate stood at 1.4 in 2024. In response, Moscow has introduced a range of measures aimed at boosting births, including direct payments to mothers, expanded maternity benefits, and additional financial support for families. Starting Monday, Russia will also launch new tax relief programs for families with two or more children. Медиа: | ↑ |
A peaceful protest over education spending cuts turned to chaos A demonstration in the Belgian capital against controversial cuts to education spending has descended into violence. It comes against the backdrop of mounting opposition to the government’s efforts to balance the budget. What began as a largely peaceful protest by thousands of students and teachers in central Brussels on Thursday later turned violent, with hooded individuals reportedly setting fires, damaging property and clashing with police. Some social media users posting videos on X claimed the unrest had been fueled by groups of migrant youths who infiltrated the demonstration. Protestors were opposed to a package of austerity measures put forward by Belgium’s French Community government, which oversees French-language education. The reforms would raise annual university tuition fees for most students from €835 ($964) to around €1,194 and require some secondary-school teachers to take on additional classroom hours without extra pay. Officials say the measures would save €300 million and help address a budget deficit projected to reach €1.9 billion. The roughly 35% increase would bring fees more closely into line with those at Flemish universities, according to the government.
The package has sparked months of opposition from students, teachers, and trade unions, who argue that the changes will make higher education less accessible and place additional pressure on already overstretched staff.  Despite the protests, the Parliament of the French Community approved the bill on Friday after more than 14 hours of debate, paving the way for the reforms to take effect. French Community government leader Elisabeth Degryse defended the measures as necessary to address the region’s financial challenges. Calls for new demonstrations circulated on social media ahead of the vote, while local media reported that police had been deployed to several locations across the Belgian capital.  The latest unrest follows months of anti-government protests in Brussels against austerity measures, as Belgium tries to rein in public spending while increasing military expenditure in line with NATO commitments.  The budget squeeze also comes amid an EU-wide energy crisis following the bloc’s reduction of Russian oil and gas imports, which has contributed to higher costs for consumers. Supply chain disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict have further exacerbated the situation. Медиа: | ↑ |
Politicians promise immigration control while the economic and demographic forces driving migration remain firmly in place The European Union’s new migration rules, agreed upon in principle by lawmakers and state representatives, will allow EU countries to transfer rejected asylum seekers to third countries if they cannot be returned to their countries of origin. They also introduce stricter rules for dealing with illegal migrants, especially those considered a security risk. The media has called it “historic,” “hardline,” and the “strictest-ever migration law” as politicians behind their lecterns spoke of control and the defense of borders. Yet in truth, the EU has once again promised to become tougher while preserving the structures that produced the migration crisis in the first place. New procedures, databases, and regulations have appeared, but the underlying incentives have remained largely intact. The result resembles many political spectacles of recent years: a performance designed to reassure anxious voters while preserving the economic and ideological foundations of the existing system. The gap between rhetoric and reality has become one of the defining characteristics of contemporary Western politics. The same pattern can be observed across the Atlantic. Donald Trump returned to office promising the strongest immigration enforcement campaign in American history. His supporters anticipated deportation operations on a scale never previously attempted. Yet the reality has proved considerably more modest. Immigration enforcement agencies continue to conduct highly publicized arrests that generate dramatic footage for television and social media. A worker removed from a restaurant kitchen, a raid on a warehouse or construction site – all good for cameras and for political supporters to receive confirmation that action is taking place. Yet the larger economic machinery that attracts millions of migrants continues operating. Businesses that employ illegal labor rarely face penalties severe enough to transform their calculations. The availability of employment remains the primary magnet drawing people across borders. A government genuinely committed to ending illegal immigration would focus relentlessly on employers, labor contractors, and industries dependent on cheap foreign labor. However, such measures would provoke opposition from powerful economic interests. Consequently, symbolic enforcement often proves more attractive than structural reform. Read more Politicians frequently present immigration as a humanitarian question, a cultural question, or a question of border security. The economic dimension often receives less scrutiny. Modern capitalism and mass immigration have become deeply intertwined. Employers gain access to larger labor pools, which increases competition among workers and places downward pressure on wages in many sectors. Agricultural businesses, logistics firms, construction companies, restaurants, delivery services, and countless other industries derive substantial advantages from a continuous supply of foreign labor. The benefits remain concentrated while many of the costs become dispersed throughout society. Housing demand rises, infrastructure faces greater pressure, schools require expansion, healthcare systems absorb additional burdens. Welfare programs support those who struggle to establish themselves economically. These expenses rarely appear on corporate balance sheets – instead, they get distributed across the broader population through taxation and public expenditure. This contradiction led the French thinker Alain de Benoist to formulate one of the most incisive observations in the entire debate: “One who criticizes capitalism while approving of immigration, of which the working class is its first victim, would do better to remain silent. One who criticizes immigration while remaining silent regarding capitalism should do the same.” The statement captures a reality that many ideological camps prefer to avoid. Immigration and capitalism frequently function as partners within the same economic system, and any serious analysis of one eventually encounters the other. Back in Western Europe, governments routinely announce crackdowns on illegal immigration while simultaneously preserving the economic and demographic model that depends on continuous inflows of foreign labor. Public discussion frequently centers on boats crossing the Mediterranean or migrants entering through other irregular routes – images that dominate news coverage because they are visually dramatic. Yet illegal immigration represents only one component of a much larger phenomenon. The overwhelming transformation of Western Europe has occurred through legal channels. Work permits, family reunification programs, student visas, humanitarian admissions, labor recruitment schemes, and various residency pathways have altered the demographic composition of entire societies. A politician can reduce small boat arrivals while expanding legal immigration quotas. Statistical reports may then suggest success even as overall migration continues at historic levels. Italy provides an instructive example. Giorgia Meloni rose to power promising a fundamental break with previous migration policies. Her electoral success depended heavily on public dissatisfaction with mass immigration. Yet her government subsequently approved hundreds of thousands of additional work permits for non-European migrants in response to labor shortages. Nearly half a million new non-EU work visas were authorized over a multi-year period even while the government continued presenting itself as a champion of immigration control. Supporters emphasized efforts against illegal arrivals, while employers welcomed access to additional labor, and the demographic trajectory remained largely unchanged. Read more This recurring pattern has created a phenomenon increasingly described by critics as the “Melonization effect,” where leaders campaign as insurgents against mass immigration and then govern as managers of the existing system. Similar tendencies have appeared across numerous Western countries. In Germany, for instance, the debate often focuses on deportations, especially concerning Syrian refugees. Political leaders have discussed large-scale returns now that Syria’s civil war has ended. Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that hundreds of thousands of Syrians could eventually return and suggested that most Syrian refugees would participate in rebuilding their homeland. Yet such declarations immediately encounter practical realities. Successful deportation requires cooperation from the receiving country, transportation infrastructure, administrative capacity, diplomatic agreements, legal proceedings, and substantial financial resources. Likewise with the EU’s new migration agreement, statistics reveal the scale of the challenge. European authorities acknowledge that only a fraction of individuals ordered to leave actually depart. New regulations attempt to improve this rate, but the administrative burden of removing vast populations would dwarf almost any peacetime governmental undertaking in modern European history. Still, many advocates of remigration speak as though a future government could simply issue an order and reverse decades of demographic change. The deeper issue extends beyond migration policy altogether. Mass immigration functions primarily as a symptom rather than a cause. Civilizations with strong confidence, coherent identities, stable institutions, and clear collective purposes rarely experience sustained demographic transformation against the wishes of their populations. Migration becomes politically decisive when governing elites lose faith in cultural continuity and begin treating populations primarily as economic units. Labor shortages, declining birthrates, fiscal pressures, aging societies, and ideological universalism combine to create a system that continuously demands replacement populations. The immigrant arrives after the transformation has already begun, and serves as visible evidence of deeper processes unfolding beneath the surface. Read more Historical parallels appear most clearly in the final centuries of the Western Roman Empire. Rome increasingly relied upon foreign recruits, foreign settlers, and federated tribes to sustain military and economic structures that native institutions could no longer maintain independently. Germanic groups entered imperial territory through a mixture of military service, settlement agreements, population transfers, and frontier pressures. Some arrived peacefully, others entered during periods of crisis. Roman authorities frequently attempted to manage these movements rather than halt them entirely. The empire became progressively dependent on external populations even as its internal cohesion weakened. Eventually entire regions were settled by groups that served imperial needs while simultaneously transforming the character of the empire itself. Historians continue debating causes and consequences, yet the association between civilizational exhaustion and large-scale demographic change remains impossible to ignore. Modern Europe differs profoundly from ancient Rome, yet it has developed certain key structural similarities. Economic systems require workers and welfare states need contributors, but birthrates remain low across much of the continent. Political elites emphasize economic growth and labor supply, while business organizations lobby for additional workers. Governments, in turn, expand legal migration channels, which then leads to public opposition. To quell that opposition, governments announce new enforcement measures without addressing the root causes of migration. Economic demand repeatedly overwhelms political promises, and systems adapt to maintain flows that leaders publicly criticize, but privately accommodate. Медиа: | ↑ |
Every action taken by the bloc in the East is designed to undermine Moscow, Emir Kusturica has told RT The EU is courting Armenia as part of its broader strategy in the Eastern Hemisphere aimed at weakening Russia, renowned Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica told RT on Friday. Under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the South Caucasus nation has launched the process of seeking EU membership. Moscow has warned that closer integration with the bloc would ultimately require Yerevan to scale back its economic ties with Russia, on which Armenia remains heavily dependent. “You have to understand that all actions that are taken by [the] European Union in the eastern part of the planet [are] always aimed to weaken Russia,” Kusturica said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “The episode with Armenia is alarming because the same man who had lost the Nagorno-Karabakh territory… is the one who is very close to Azerbaijan or to the third party that arranged this military defeat,” Kusturica said. READ MORE: EU pledges €50 million to Armenian leader ahead of key election After Pashinyan signed the EU-backed Prague Statement in 2022, under which Armenia effectively recognized Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh, Baku regained control of the region in a swift military operation the following year. Most of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population fled, fearing reprisals, in a development that severely damaged Pashinyan’s standing at home. According to Kusturica, American aid and the influence of NGOs funded by billionaire financier George Soros have also helped shape Yerevan’s current trajectory, which he warned “could be catastrophic” for Armenia.
Read more Russia remains Armenia’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade more than twice the country’s turnover with the EU. As a fellow member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Armenia also benefits from preferential rates on a range of key Russian exports. Armenia purchases Russian gas at $177.50 per thousand cubic meters, far below the European spot price of roughly $600, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Pashinyan in April. He warned that Yerevan would eventually have to choose between the EU and the EAEU, arguing that membership in both blocs is “impossible.” Медиа: | ↑ |
However, the legislation’s sponsors admit it faces near-certain defeat in the Senate and a likely Trump veto The US House of Representatives has passed a bill on imposing new sanctions on Russia and expanding Ukraine aid, with the move being largely driven by Democrats and 18 Republicans breaking party ranks. However, even the bill’s supporters conceded that the legislation was more of a symbolic gesture as it is facing an uphill battle in the Senate and a likely veto from US President Donald Trump. The so-called Ukraine Support Act, introduced by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) in April 2025, passed Thursday with 226 votes for and 195 against. If agreed by Congress, it would authorize over $1 billion in emergency security and reconstruction funding and $8 billion in direct loans to Ukraine, impose mandatory escalating sanctions on Russian financial institutions and energy companies, levy a 500% tariff on Russian imports, and establish a Ukraine Reconstruction Trust Fund. The bill made its way to a vote after its supporters pulled a rare legislative maneuver called a discharge petition, which allowed them to bypass the Republican leadership – including the speaker and committee chairs – who were opposed to the move. Read more While the bill’s sponsors painted it as a “historic” measure that would support Ukraine’s “fighting for its sovereignty and survival,” its opponents were not convinced, suggesting that it would dim any hopes for a peaceful Russia-Ukraine settlement. “If you support this bill, then clearly you are not interested in peace because the consequences would tie the hands of this president and could lead to future hostilities that would bleed over into Europe,” Republican congressman Keith Self said. Rep. Brian Mast, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was equally dismissive, calling it “a cudgel to fight against President Trump” and “an unserious bill that was crafted basically a year-and-a-half ago.” According to CNN, Speaker Mike Johnson privately urged members to vote against the bill, asking them to give Trump more time and space to negotiate with Russia. While the bill has cleared the House, its further prospects are dim. Republican congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, one of the legislation’s supporters, admitted that “it’s probably not going to get 60 votes in the Senate, but it’s going to hopefully force the Senate to address the issue.” Read more Even if it were to pass the Senate, Trump would likely veto it, as the president has repeatedly resisted legislation that constrains his ability to negotiate on foreign policy. Trump has been opposed to providing unconditional support to Ukraine, with most of the US military aid currently being paid for by Kiev’s backers in the West through the PURL mechanism. Moscow has dismissed all Western sanctions as “illegal,” noting that the US restrictions “are harmful for building ties.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also noted that Moscow has seen no progress toward a Ukraine settlement nearly a year after the Putin-Trump summit in Alaska. “The Russian leadership accepted [American] proposals [on Ukraine]. And since then, we have not seen any progress, no desire to convince Ukraine to accept these American proposals,” he added. Медиа: | ↑ |
Two foreign flagged vessels heading to Russian ports were attacked in the Sea of Azov, Moscow has said Five Azerbaijani nationals have been killed and three injured in drone strikes on grain vessels in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has said. The attacks were later confirmed to have been carried out by Ukrainian forces. The Beliz-flagged Natra and Palau-flagged Zirkon were sailing from Türkiye to the Russian port of Rostov-on-Don when they were attacked by Ukrainian drones early Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Attacks on the vessels resulted in “deaths and injuries,” including among Azerbaijani nationals, according to the ministry. Sailors aboard the ships were aided by a Russian vessel sailing nearby and a Russian FSB border guard patrol, the statement said. The incident “once again proves the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime that increasingly targets civilians and civilian infrastructure” in its attacks, the ministry stated. A video shared on social media purports to show the aftermath of the attack on one of the vessels. It shows the deck covered in debris and the command bridge virtually destroyed in the strike. Top Ukrainian drone commander Robert Brovdi later confirmed the attacks, claiming on Telegram that unmanned aerial vehicles targeted five vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight Thursday into Friday. He accused the ships of transporting military cargo and fuel and of preparing to “steal” Ukrainian grain. Read more Ukrainian forces previously targeted vessels carrying Russian grain. In April, a cargo ship sank in the Sea of Azov after a drone strike that killed one crew member. Kiev has intensified its long-range attacks on Russia since mid-March, launching hundreds of drones on an almost daily basis. Moscow has condemned the strikes, calling them terrorist attacks and accusing Ukraine of indiscriminately targeting civilian infrastructure and populated areas. Ukrainian raids have caused significant civilian casualties. In a recent incident, 21 people, most of them teenage girls, were killed and dozens more injured when a college dormitory in Starobelsk, Russia was attacked in a multi-wave Ukrainian drone attack on May 22. Медиа: | ↑ |
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wants a new term to steer the country towards the EU, whatever the cost Armenia, a small land-locked post-Soviet nation with extensive economic and humanitarian ties with Russia, is voting on its next parliament. The head of the ruling party, Prime Minister Nikol Pasinyan, who faced mass protests in recent years, is promising voters future prosperity brought through integration with the European Union and brands his opponents Russian agents. Doesn’t the playbook sound familiar? Why did Armenia become the focus of the West-Russia fight?Mostly for geopolitical reasons. Armenia has a remarkable ancient Christian history, but as of 2026 is smaller than Belgium, has fewer people living in the country (about 3 million) than the Armenian diaspora (the US and Russia have the biggest communities of 1.5 and 2.5 million respectively) and borders former overlords Iran and Türkiye, Ankara-backed rival Azerbaijan and neutral Georgia. Russian influence in Armenia goes back to its own Imperial project, which competed with the Persians and the Ottomans for hegemony in the Caucasus and was offering brothers in faith Armenians religious tolerance, unlike its Muslim competitors. Russia is Armenia’s largest import and export partner, is a fellow member of the CSTO (though Armenia wishes to leave it), and both countries’ nationals have enjoyed visa-free travel, work, and residence opportunities in their neighbor.  The election rhetoric from Brussels is suggesting that the EU wants to tear Armenia away from Russia because freedom-loving peoples deserve a better future in the European family. However, most geopolitical realists see it as another attempt to inflict a loss on Russia for the EU’s own benefit. Who is Nikol Pashinyan?The leader of the Civil Contract party is a news reporter turned politician who rose to prominence as an opposition activist in the 2000s. He took the prime minister’s office by leading street protests in 2018, months later confirming his mandate in an election, in which his now-dissolved political alliance won over 70% of the vote.  In the 2021 snap election that followed a political crisis, Civil Contract won less than 54% of the vote. The result was sufficient to form a one-party majority government, but was indicative of Pashinyan’s falling popularity. Read more Armenia has since then experienced a series of crises, including the loss of a proxy war with Azerbaijan, major protests against Pashinyan, and a government crackdown on the influential Armenian Apostolic Church, which the prime minister accused of plotting a coup against him. What was the war about?Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that historically had an ethnic Armenian majority. Ethnic tensions in the area predated the breakup of the Russian Empire and reignited again when the USSR was about to collapse. For over two decades, the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic existed with unofficial backing from Yerevan, fuelling recurring flare ups as well as direct border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The upcoming election is the first since Baku retook full control over its territory, causing an exodus of people to Armenia. How was Russia involved?Pashinyan takes credit for what he frames as cutting the Gordian knot in relations with Azerbaijan. But the loss of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is a highly emotional issue for many Armenians, not unlike how the NATO-enforced breakaway of Kosovo from Serbia is for many Serbs. Read more The prime minister, who in several speeches in 2023 recognized the disputed territory as part of Azerbaijan, has attempted to blame Moscow, implying that it was Russia’s job to protect Armenian interests from Azeri demands with military force. Russia had a peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh with a strictly limited mandate. Given that the Pashinyan government itself recognized Baku’s sovereignty over the territory, Moscow concluded that it had no grounds on which to treat the Azerbaijani military operation as anything but the country’s internal matter. Is Pashinyan’s rule coming to an end?By no means. His leadership is being contested by a heavily fractured opposition. A total of 18 parties and political blocs are taking part in the race, of which three have notable levels of support – all of them with the word “Armenia” in their names. Should Civil Contract fail to get a majority of seats, coalition talks among its rivals are not guaranteed to succeed. Who are the contenders?Strong Armenia  Launched last year by businessman Samvel Karapetyan who supported Church-backed mass anti-government protests in 2024-2025, primarily triggered by the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Pashinyan government charged him with plotting a coup and economic crimes. It also moved to nationalize his energy business. He is currently under house arrest. Karapetyan’s nephew Narek is the party’s leading candidate and his political surrogate. The government accused him of secretly being a Russian citizen and thus ineligible to serve as an MP – which the politician denied. Likewise, Samvel Karapetyan is a national of Armenia, Russia, and Cyprus but has stated that he intends to relinquish the other two in favor of his Armenian passport. Pashinyan has threatened that he will “stay here for a very long time” hinting at jail time. The Armenia Alliance  Founded by former President Robert Kocharyan in 2021, when it scored just over 21% of the vote in the snap election. Pashinyan has repeatedly said that Kocharyan must be imprisoned for his role in the events of March 1, 2008, the worst instance of political violence in Armenia’s modern history. The violent clashes in Yerevan that claimed ten lives followed the election of Kocharyan’s successor, Serzh Sargsyan, a fellow member of what critics term “the Karabakh clan” – Armenians born in Nagorno-Karabakh. The opposition, including Pashinyan, rejected the election outcome. Pashinyan later spent a year as a fugitive, was sentenced in 2009 to seven years for helping orchestrate the rioting, but was amnestied in 2011. Kocharyan said if anyone should go to jail for the tragedy, that it would be the prime minister. Prosperous Armenia  Launched in 2004 by Gagik Tsarukyan, believed by some to be Armenia’s richest person. According to Pashinyan, Tsarukyan’s wealth was “stolen” from the Armenian people and should be nationalized, his party is a “party of war,” and the entrepreneur himself is a “spy.” Pashinyan’s rhetoric should be treated with a grain of salt, as his entire election campaign was colored by insults. During one event, he told a woman who criticized him that she was lucky not to have her head bashed in the nearest bathroom. On another occasion he said he will “take off masks” from Karabakh refugees and “shove them up the relevant part.”
Does Moscow have a horse in the race?Definitely not the incumbent prime minister. Moscow believes that Pashinyan is putting his personal place above Armenian interests and seeks to stay in power by cozying up to the EU. Read more In May, Pashinyan hosted a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC), an intragovernmental organization that purports to further regional integration but in essence promotes anti-Russian sentiment on behalf of the EU and Britain. The meeting between Pashinyan and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, in which they spoke in broken English despite both being fluent in Russian, exposed the event’s PR purpose. Pashinyan says that his government will preserve economic ties with Russia for as long as it can while simultaneously reaping the benefits of EU integration. Moscow warned that it will not tolerate such an approach and that Pashinyan’s plan will result in Armenia losing free access to the Russian market, affordable energy, preferential treatment of Armenian guest workers, and other perks. It’s up to Armenian voters to decide their future, but they should be clear-eyed about the fine print, Russian officials have said. The EU is preparing a €50 million ($58 million) support package for Armenia to deal with what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described as “economic coercion” by Russia. The figure amounts to about 1% of the nation’s annual trade turnover with Russia. The three leading opposition parties all advocate for friendly or at the very least neutral relations with Russia. Who do the polls favor?Pashinyan’s party is leading. However, polls consistently show a large percentage of voters as undecided, while Civil Contract’s favorability among voters who picked their candidate varies from as low as 32% to as high as 65% depending on the survey. There are under 2.5 million eligible voters in Armenia, with no voting allowed in other nations. In a recent Gallup survey, 76.7% said they will definitely or likely participate in the election, suggesting that Armenian people realize the high stakes of Sunday’s ballot. Медиа: | ↑ |
India is “very interested” in the Northern Sea Route and joint development of capabilities is ongoing, says Russian minister India is considering increasing its use of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) running through the Arctic ocean in the future because of disruptions to seaborne trade in the Hormuz strait, Alexey Chekunkov, the Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, has said. Speaking to RT on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026) on Friday, Chekunkov said that the operational shipping line between Vladivostok and Chennai, called the Russia-India sea transport corridor, can be extended to link India to European markets via the NSR. Russia wants the NSR – which runs through the Arctic Ocean off the country’s northern coastline and is the shortest shipping route between East Asia and Europe – to become a major shipping lane, and is investing heavily in its infrastructure. It would provide India with alternative routes to ship commodities to markets in eastern and northern Europe, saving up to 40% in distance and about two weeks of travel time – compared to traditional routes through the Suez Canal. The disruption of shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz following the conflict in Iran has made this route more appealing for India. “The Indian side is very interested in it,” Chekunkov said.“We have dramatic common capabilities, common opportunities to jointly develop ice-level fleet to jointly develop container shipping, which is happening.” Indian shipyards are building four non-nuclear icebreaker ships to navigate the harsh waters of the Arctic route. Read more Russian energy major Gazprom delivered its first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) via the Northern Sea Route to China in 2023, saving 2 weeks in voyage time. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian business community are interested in developing trade ties with the Russian Far East, recognizing its major logistical and economic potential. READ MORE: Russia-India sea transport corridor operational – New Delhi The Russia-India sea transport corridor became operational in 2024. Also called the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC), this route originally opened in the 1960s and facilitated Soviet trade with India. Later, as the volume of goods being shipped decreased, it fell into disuse. Медиа: | ↑ |
The Russian president has given his take on an “open letter,” in which the Ukrainian leader reiterated Kiev’s demands while calling for one-on-one talks Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he sees “no sense” in meeting with Vladimir Zelensky, responding to an open letter from the Ukrainian leader. The “author of the letter” has done everything to make such talks impossible, Putin stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), adding that even his latest call for talks included “elements of insolence.” On Thursday, Zelensky published what was described as an “open letter” on his website, where he called on the Russian president to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict during a personal meeting. In the letter he described the conflict as Putin’s “personal choice” that would allegedly bring “negative consequences” for Russia. He appeared to issue some thinly veiled threats by saying that most Ukrainians would support Ukrainian drones paying “a visit” to the SPIEF. He also claimed that the Russian president “will have to fight much harder for [his] existence” while repeatedly vowing to make Ukraine “work” to bring the Russian government closer to its alleged demise while hinting that Putin’s “age is beginning to take its toll” after decades in power. The Russian president responded by saying that age is just a number and that it is a person’s competency and performance that really matter. Putin, 73, also said that world leaders who are older than him “demonstrate sufficient energy” while in office. Read more Speaking about his time as president, Putin noted that he has remained at the helm for so long because he was repeatedly re-elected. “One should not be afraid to run in the elections,” the president stated, adding that “keeping the power in breach of the constitution amounts to its usurpation.” Russia has repeatedly argued that Zelensky is an “illegitimate” leader since his five-year presidential term expired in May 2024. Zelensky postponed holding a new vote under various pretexts. In February, he claimed that Ukraine’s Western backers could be pressuring him to hold a vote only to oust him. Moscow has consistently said that it remains open to negotiations but insists that any lasting settlement must address the root causes of the conflict, including Ukrainian neutrality and recognition of the Donbass republics as part of Russia. Zelensky reiterated Kiev’s demands in his letter by calling for a “ceasefire” before the start of any peace talks and rejecting the idea of ceding territory to Russia. The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that Zelensky could always come to Moscow if he wants to talk to Putin – an offer the Ukrainian leader explicitly rejected in his letter. Медиа: | ↑ |
DNA testing has confirmed Lyhanna’s identity, but forensic experts have yet to determine the cause of death, prosecutors have said DNA testing has confirmed that a body found in southwestern France is that of Lyhanna, an 11-year-old girl who disappeared last week, prosecutors said. The case sparked a nationwide search and a growing political row over failures in the justice system. The confirmation came a day after search teams discovered the body in an abandoned grain silo near Fleurance in the Gers region, where Lyhanna was last seen on May 29. The suspect, Jerome B., 41, whose daughter went to the same school as Lyhanna, was arrested. He acknowledged that he gave the girl a ride but claimed he dropped her off near a local swimming pool – a version of events prosecutors described as inconsistent. Read more The case sparked outrage after prosecutors revealed that the suspect was the subject of several earlier complaints, including rape allegations that were either dropped or dismissed. Prosecutor Clemence Meyer said one case involving a teenager was dropped in 2018 after the girl said the relationship was consensual. Another complaint alleging the rape of a child under 15 was dismissed in 2024 due to lack of evidence. A separate complaint filed in August 2025 alleged the rape of a young girl in 2024-2025. President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he was shocked, acknowledging “a dysfunction” in the system. He said he asked the government to investigate what went wrong. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin is expected to convene all public prosecutors in Paris on Monday to review the handling of these cases. Anne-Cecile Mailfert of the Women’s Foundation said the case exposes deep failures in France’s response to sexual violence. “The system doesn’t work,” she said, calling for comprehensive reform. Read more According to the French Interior Ministry, around 58% of the victims of sexual violence recorded last year were minors. The UN Committee Against Torture, in a report on France from May 2025, highlighted the low number of reports, prosecutions, and convictions regarding child sexual abuse. Медиа: | ↑ |
Workforce participation has reached 61.5%, while unemployment remains at a historic low of 2.2%, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova has said Russia’s labor market remains strong, with unemployment holding at a historic low and workforce participation reaching a record high, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said during a session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Speaking on Friday at a panel titled ‘Labour Market 2.0: AI, Skills Transformation and New Professions’, Golikova said the share of Russians working had climbed to a record 61.5%, while the unemployment rate remains at just 2.2%. The deputy PM warned, however, of significant structural challenges facing the sector despite the strong headline figures. Golikova also noted that Russia ranks only 37th globally in labor productivity despite being among the world leaders in training skilled vocational workers. She added that the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic systems could raise labor productivity by 21% by 2032. Read more The deputy minister argued that AI should be seen as a means of improving efficiency rather than replacing people. She said equipping workers with the skills needed to use emerging technologies has become a major priority. “AI is, first and foremost, a tool for increasing productivity. That is why developing a workforce with the necessary competencies is becoming a key priority, particularly for our higher education system,” she said. Golikova said AI is reshaping the tasks people perform rather than eliminating entire professions. She added that labor demand could fall by around 10% if roughly 30% of the technology’s potential is realized. The shift could have the greatest impact on the retail, logistics, and warehousing sectors, the deputy PM said. The 29th annual SPIEF, often referred to as the ‘Russian Davos’, is taking place from June 3 to 6, welcoming around 20,000 businesspeople, politicians, and public figures from more than 100 nations. Медиа: | ↑ |
Opposition leaders have accused security forces of targeting political opponents Сlashes erupted in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu for a second consecutive day on Thursday, as security forces and opposition supporters exchanged fire ahead of a planned anti-government rally. Residents reported heavy gunfire, explosions, and civilians fleeing affected neighborhoods, while no official casualty figures were immediately released. Former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused government forces of attacking opposition representatives in Mogadishu on Wednesday. In a post on X, Khaire claimed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had ordered security forces to target opposition gatherings. “We are under attack. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has directed armed forces against our peaceful gatherings,” Khaire wrote. Read more The authorities rejected the allegations, insisting security forces were responding to coordinated armed attacks that threatened the city’s stability. “The incidents were not the organization of peaceful public demonstrations, but rather coordinated armed acts that directly threatened the security, order and stability of the capital,” AP reported the police as saying. Fighting eased later on Thursday after mediation efforts involving Somalia’s intelligence chief and Khaire reportedly produced an agreement to halt hostilities. The rally was intended to protest what opposition leaders describe as constitutional violations and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s alleged efforts to extend his grip on power. Tensions escalated after Mohamud announced in May that he would remain in office until May 2027, a move that critics say undermines Somalia’s political process. READ MORE: Somalia slams breakaway region’s push for embassy in Israel The UN expressed concern over the unrest. “The Secretary General is alarmed about the reports of violence in Mogadishu and underscores the urgent need for all stakeholders to resume talks to identify a way forward to avoid reversing the progress seen in Somalia to date, as well as ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure,” the UN secretary-general’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said on Thursday. Медиа: | ↑ |
The Pentagon believes that Moscow would interpret the deployment of long-range missiles as an escalation, the outlet says The Pentagon is set to cancel a Biden-era agreement to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany due to fears that it would provoke a Russian retaliation and concerns over depleted weapons stockpiles, Politico reported on Thursday, citing sources. According to two European officials and one US official interviewed by the outlet, the US believes that Russia would view plans to send the missiles, with a range of up to 1,600 km, as an escalation. Politico added that the cancellation could be interpreted as part of a broader trend of the US withdrawing from NATO defense commitments. Another reason cited by the outlet is dwindling supplies of Tomahawk and other high-tech missiles, which were used up by the hundreds during the Iran war. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told Congress last month that it will take “months and years” to replace them. Read more The original plan was announced in July 2024 by then-US President Joe Biden and then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and envisaged “episodic deployments” of long-range SM-6 missiles, Tomahawks, and developmental hypersonic weapons from 2026 onward. At the time, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov called the planned deployment “just a link in the chain of escalation” and “an intimidation tactic, which is pretty much the bedrock of the policy that NATO and the US pursue towards Russia these days.” He also warned that Moscow would respond accordingly, while not ruling out deploying nuclear missiles to Russia’s westernmost exclave of Kaliningrad. The decision to shelve the Tomahawk deployment plans was confirmed in early May by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said at the time that “the Americans themselves don’t currently have enough.” He also insisted that it was not linked to his feud with Trump over the Iran war. Merz called the US-Israeli strikes on Iran “completely unnecessary” and said the US was being “humiliated” by Tehran’s negotiating tactics. Trump fired back, saying the chancellor “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Following the war of words, the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops stationed in Germany within several months. Медиа: | ↑ |
The $1.6 billion high-end development has sparked anger over the planned location near a protected coastal area Thousands of Albanians took to the streets of the capital, Tirana on Thursday for the fourth consecutive day of protests against a controversial luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. The €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) development is being spearheaded by Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners, and includes projects on Sazan Island and an undeveloped stretch of coastline near the Vjosa-Narta protected area in the south of the country. The wetland is home to flamingos, seals, and sea turtle nesting sites. The Albanian government has defended the investment as a way to attract high-end tourism, support the economy, and achieve its long-standing goal of joining the EU. Environmental groups warn that the project threatens the fragile ecosystem and exposes broader governance issues. Speaking to RT, political analyst Nikola Vujinovic said the controversy goes beyond environmental concerns and reflects wider political tensions in Albania. He argued that the project has become tangled up in debates over Prime Minister Edi Rama’s ties to Washington and support for the Trump administration. READ MORE: Trump’s son-in-law to redevelop NATO-bombed buildings According to Vujinovic, the protests also stem from broader allegations against Rama’s government, including claims of corruption and authoritarianism. Here is the full report. Медиа: | ↑ |
Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger have launched a new phase of construction aimed at completing a section of the pipeline Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger have launched a new phase of construction aimed at completing the Algerian section of Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), a major energy project designed to carry Nigerian gas to international markets through North Africa, APS reported on Thursday. The ceremony took place in Algeria’s Adrar region and was attended by senior officials from the three countries. The event came a day after the project’s steering committee approved the final feasibility study and endorsed its recommendations, clearing the way for the next stage of implementation. First proposed more than 15 years ago, the 4,000-kilometer pipeline is designed to transport between 20 and 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria, where it would be linked to existing infrastructure for delivery. The project has been stalled primarily by security concerns across the Sahel region, compounded by financing challenges and shifting regional politics. Read more The three ministers pointed out that the TSGP “embodies the common political will” of Algeria, Niger, and Nigeria, as quoted by APS. “This project means a lot to the three countries in terms of industrialisation and job creation,” Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigerian minister of state for petroleum resources, said as quoted by The Sun. The move comes after Algeria and Niger agreed in February to restart work on the long-delayed project following talks in Algiers between Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Niger’s military leader Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani. Tebboune said at the time that construction would resume after Ramadan, with Algeria’s state energy company Sonatrach leading implementation. READ MORE: Neighbors agree to restart trans-Saharan gas pipeline The agreement marked a diplomatic thaw between Algiers and Niamey after relations deteriorated in April 2025, when Algeria shot down an armed drone near its southern border with Mali. The incident prompted Niger, alongside Mali, and Burkina Faso, to recall its ambassador.  Медиа: | ↑ |
The swap was carried out with UAE mediation, according to Moscow Russia and Ukraine have conducted a prisoner of war exchange involving nearly 200 servicemen from each side, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has announced. In a statement on Friday, the ministry said, “185 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In exchange, 185 Ukrainian Armed Forces prisoners of war were transferred.” The swap was carried out with humanitarian mediation from the United Arab Emirates, according to the Defense Ministry. The Russian servicemen are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving psychological and medical assistance. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova is working with them, the ministry added. After receiving the necessary care, the servicemen will be transported to Russia for further treatment and rehabilitation in medical facilities operated by the Defense Ministry. The latest exchange follows a series of prisoner swaps between Moscow and Kiev in recent months. On May 15, the two sides returned 205 POWs each, also with UAE mediation. In April, Russia and Ukraine carried out exchanges involving 193 and 175 servicemen on each side. In March, they conducted swaps under the formulas ‘200 for 200’ and ‘300 for 300’, with the US and UAE involved in mediation. READ MORE: Ukrainian drone attacks kill four in Crimea – governor Russia and Ukraine have continued to exchange prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers despite the ongoing conflict. The UAE has repeatedly acted as a mediator in humanitarian efforts. Медиа: | ↑ |
Finance has become a tool of external pressure, and Moscow should reduce reliance on foreign systems, Vladimir Chistyukhin has said Western sanctions must be “ignored,” the first deputy governor of the Bank of Russia, Vladimir Chistyukhin, said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday. He added that Russia should deepen its financial sovereignty and build payment infrastructure less exposed to external pressure. Speaking at the forum’s “Reassembling the Global Financial System” session, Chistyukhin joined government officials, economists, and bankers in discussing alternatives to the Western-dominated financial system. Russia has been promoting its own payment infrastructure since many of the country’s financial institutions were cut off from SWIFT following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Alongside its SPFS financial messaging network, Moscow has expanded the Mir payment system and developed digital-ruble and cryptocurrency initiatives for cross-border transactions. Read more According to Chistyukhin, finance has become a tool of external pressure and Russia needed diversified platforms, including more domestic payment and rating systems, to stay resilient under Western sanctions. “At some stage, these sanctions must be ignored and not recognized,” he said, adding that 88% of Russia’s settlements with partners from friendly countries were now conducted outside currencies of ‘unfriendly’ states, while 12% still used them. Olga Goncharova of the Association of Russian Banks said the reset has already begun, as regulators move digital currencies and cryptocurrencies into legal frameworks. Digital currencies have become a major workaround for Russian and non-Russian banks seeking to maintain trade flows despite Western efforts to isolate Moscow. Goncharova pointed to experimental cross-border use and an offshore ruble stablecoin as part of a shift toward national-currency settlements. READ MORE: Russian SMEs growing on stronger supply chains to giants Economic commentator Alexey Bobrovsky noted that financial weapons have been used historically, citing how the US “destroyed” the British pound sterling in the 20th century, and said countries must now treat such tools as a lasting feature of global finance. He added that cryptocurrencies cannot fully replace traditional ones due to high energy costs, predicting the world would evolve toward a mix of traditional currencies supported by digital assets. Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov said the world was already moving toward decentralized platforms and more national instruments, but the process would take years and would not be simple.
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Efforts should instead focus on rebuilding relations through dialogue and practical cooperation, American Chamber of Commerce head Robert Agee has said Imposing additional sanctions on Russia will not help resolve the Ukraine conflict, American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham Russia) President and CEO Robert Agee has said. Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026 (SPIEF 2026) on Thursday, he argued that sanctions have failed to produce results in the four years since the conflict escalated in February 2022, suggesting further sanctions would be equally ineffective. The remarks came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled that Washington could impose new sanctions on Russia and scrap waivers on its oil that were extended last month amid supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East. At a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing earlier this week, Rubio was pressed on why the Trump administration granted the waivers and has yet to back the Graham-Blumenthal bill. Championed by Russia hawk Lindsey Graham, the legislation would allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 500% on imports from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, or uranium. Rubio insisted that the waivers are “time limited,” adding that the sanctions on Russia will remain in place and that the White House is working closely with Graham’s office on new sanctions. Read more Agee said he had not heard Rubio’s latest remarks, but stressed that AmCham is “not in favor of sanctions.” “I don’t think sanctions are effective if the objective of the administration is to create a peaceful outcome to the current conflict,” he told reporters. “It hasn’t worked for four years, it is not going to work in five years… Throwing more sanctions at the situation is not going to help.” Agee argued that efforts should instead focus on rebuilding relations through dialogue and practical cooperation rather than “piling more sanctions on top of sanctions.” He also revealed that a number of US-Russia business and investment projects are being discussed, with strong interest from companies on both sides. However, he stressed that major economic cooperation depends on both a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict and the easing of sanctions. READ MORE: Why is Ukraine so eager to start a new war? Moscow has called the Western sanctions illegal and harmful to global economic stability. Russian officials also argue that ending the Ukraine conflict is merely the publicly stated justification for the sanctions, while the actual objective is to weaken Russia economically, technologically, and geopolitically – a goal that has been openly articulated by numerous Western politicians and officials over the years. Read more The Kremlin maintains that the sanctions have failed to achieve these aims, pointing to Russia’s trade reorientation toward Asia, expanding ties with non-Western partners, and the country’s growing “immunity” to external pressure. The US, Russia, and Ukraine have held three rounds of trilateral peace talks this year without a breakthrough. A fourth round scheduled for March was postponed after the US shifted its focus to the Iran war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently said the negotiations are in a “situational pause” until US diplomats can refocus on Ukraine. Speaking to the heads of international news agencies at SPIEF on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said Russia is committed to a peaceful settlement, provided it is based on compromises reached with Trump in Alaska last year. He argued that the main obstacle is persuading Kiev to accept the terms, including withdrawing from the Donbass regions – which voted to join Russia in 2022 – not joining NATO, and agreeing to demilitarization and denazification. Медиа: | ↑ |
New Delhi says Indian energy companies are ready to deepen their presence in the country and increase trade with Caracas Venezuela is seeking India’s participation in its oil sector, as it looks for reliable markets for its oil and foreign investment to rebuild its energy industry. Before 2019, India was a major buyer of the heavy, sulfur-rich Venezuelan crude oil until US sanctions restricted trade. Indian refineries are equipped to process heavy grade Venezuelan crude, making the country an ideal buyer. Puri told Rodriguez that Indian companies are ready to deepen their presence in Venezuela and expand energy trade. Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, emerged as one of India’s top suppliers in April and May, Puri said.
Read more Rodriguez became Venezuela’s acting president following the capture and removal of President Nicolas Maduro by US forces in January. The administration of US President Donald Trump took control of Venezuela’s oil sales, with the funds going into US-supervised accounts. READ MORE: Venezuela’s Rodriguez to push energy trade in talks with India Venezuela’s oil sector, long-crippled by US sanctions, is poised for private sector investment and cooperation after Rodriguez signed a law in January stripping state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA of its production and pricing monopolies. Медиа: | ↑ |
The president revealed that an unnamed Russian businessman was in Kiev for talks before Ukrainian forces killed 21 Russian students at a college dorm Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken part in a plenary session at this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he revealed that Kiev requested talks through a Russian businessman, only to kill dozens of Russian teenage girls the following day. During a 45-minute speech and a two-hour questions and answers panel, Putin discussed economic policy, the conflict in Ukraine, and Russia’s deepening relations with China, India, and their BRICS partners. Here’s what you need to know. Zelensky’s letterDuring the Q&A session, Putin publicly responded to a recent letter from Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, in which Zelensky insulted Putin, threatened Russia with more drone strikes, and then invited Putin to so-called peace talks. Read more Putin picked the letter apart, questioning Zelensky’s insistence that the EU – and not the US – should provide Ukraine with security guarantees, and pressing the Ukrainian leader on his refusal to hold elections and “usurpation” of power since his term expired in 2024. Russia is always ready for serious negotiations, he declared, adding that he would not meet Zelensky “just for the sake of meeting.” Putin noted that the last time Russia entered negotiations with Ukraine and its European backers in good faith, the resulting Minsk agreements “were about one thing: that is saving more time for the rearmament of Ukraine. Why would we need anything like this once again?” Secret talks in KievPutin revealed for the first time that an unnammed businessman called him last month and said that he had been invited to Kiev to meet with Zelensky's officials. Kiev used the meeting as a backchannel to request a sit-down with Putin, but Ukrainian forces struck a college dormitory in Lugansk with multiple waves of kamikaze drones a day later, killing 21 people, mainly teenage girls. ”I asked him, what does it mean? They are asking for a meeting, and they carry out such atrocious, blatant attacks as the killing of children,” Putin recalled his conversation with the businessman after the attack. “They said ‘I've got no explanation’.” Referring back to the letter, Putin determined that instead of trying “to create an environment for a personal meeting,” Zelensky’s letter was meant “to make sure that no personal meetings can take place at all.” Russian sovereigntyThroughout his speech and his comments afterwards, Putin repeatedly referred to the concept of sovereignty. Cut off from Western financial and trade institutions, Russia was forced to adapt, on the battlefield and in the economic arena. ”Sovereignty implies being smarter and being stronger,” and not just “the capability to oppose external pressure,” Putin said. “This is about the quality of the government, the economy, and society.” Putin also reminded Ukraine that sovereignty is essential for military victory. “You have to have your own industrial base for a defense industry. You have to have your own scientific base and your own resource base,” he said. “Russia has all of that. So the sooner those who are fighting us understand that, the better it's going to be for them.” China and India are ‘strategic partners’Sovereignty also involves partnerships with like-minded friends, Putin pointed out. Whereas trade between Eurasian nations like Russia and China was once based on “the settlements, logistics, insurance, [and] arbitration” mechanisms governed from “a handful of Western infrastructure hubs,” Moscow and its BRICS partners are building alternative mechanisms. Read more From now on, Russia will only cooperate with partners – like India and China – “that honor mutual reciprocal obligations and commitments,” he added, before calling on these countries to develop their own financial and technological sectors. “Russia has learned its lesson,” he said. “We saw that certain suppliers of software left the market. We saw payments blocked. We saw how politics interferes within commercial relations.” The balance of power is shifting toward the BRICS group, Putin noted, pointing out that BRICS nations account for 49% of global growth over the last five years, while “the contribution of the so-called Group of Seven (G7) is estimated at 18%.” Медиа: | ↑ |
The incident at Germany’s Frankfurt Airport has left several Lufthansa staff members injured, the airline says Several crew and staff members received injuries when the front landing gear of a Boeing 787 unexpectedly collapsed while the aircraft was parked at a gate at Frankfurt Airport, aviation news outlets report, citing the aircraft’s operator, Lufthansa. The incident on Thursday, which occurred before passengers boarded the LA-bound aircraft, adds to mounting concerns over Boeing’s safety and quality-control standards, following a series of similar cases in recent years. Dramatic footage apparently captured by the airport’s CCTV cameras and shared on social media shows the nose of the plane suddenly dropping onto the tarmac while parked at the gate. The video appears to show a panel coming loose as the plane settles onto the ground. “Passengers had not yet boarded, crew members and ground staff were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident,” Lufthansa said in a statement, as cited by Breaking Aviation News & Videos. The company said the circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated in cooperation with the authorities. The aircraft involved in the incident is a relatively new Boeing 787 which was built last year and entered service with Lufthansa in February, according to data from Flightradar24.
Boeing has come under increasing pressure over its manufacturing practices, with former employees alleging systemic production shortcuts, overlooked defects, and weak quality control across its aircraft programs. The incident in Frankfurt follows several high-profile events involving Boeing 787 Dreamliners in recent years. In March 2024, at least 50 people were injured when a Latam Airlines Boeing 787 flying from Australia to New Zealand suddenly nosedived. Last June, an Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed in Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and at least 19 people on the ground in the first fatal Dreamliner accident since the aircraft entered service in 2011.
Boeing has also faced scrutiny over other aircraft types. In January 2024, a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, forcing an emergency landing. The company is still grappling with the fallout from two fatal 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people and grounded the model worldwide for nearly two years. Медиа: | ↑ |
The uncrewed naval vessel detonated near Constanta’s oil terminal, with more drones exploding offshore A Ukrainian maritime drone exploded in the Romanian port of Constanta on Friday morning, and three more detonated offshore, prompting a major emergency response and an evacuation of the area. The unmanned boat, filled with explosives, was discovered stuck in an anti-pollution barrier several hundred meters from the oil terminal area, close to the headquarters of the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea. The vessel detonated at around 10:28am, causing no casualties, as the area had already been secured and the drone was being assessed by Romanian authorities. Around 30 minutes after the initial blast, three more drones exploded – one near the Port of Constanta and two more offshore, the government confirmed in a statement. Romania’s Defense Ministry immediately stated that the drones did not belong to the Romanian military and had not been involved in recent exercises in the Black Sea, describing them as being “of the type used in the war in Ukraine.” Kiev has since confirmed that the drones belonged to the Ukrainian navy, claiming that it had “lost control” of the devices and that they accidentally drifted toward the Romanian port. The first vessel resembled a Ukrainian MAGURA V5 maritime drone used by Kiev’s military intelligence, which can carry hundreds of kilograms of explosives, travel long distances, and often operate in swarms, Commander Sandu Mateiu told local news outlet Digi24.
Authorities in Constanta initially issued a Code Red warning due to the danger of further explosions along the coast, ordering people to evacuate and keep at least one kilometer away from the shoreline. The measure has since been lifted, but citizens have been urged to remain vigilant and alert authorities if they discover any suspicious objects. The Russian Embassy in Romania stressed that the drones in question are “Ukrainian unmanned maritime vehicles, used by the Kiev regime to commit terrorist acts against civilian ships and to create threats to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.” The diplomatic mission emphasized that “any attempts to directly or indirectly associate these drones with Russia and to attribute responsibility for the incident are without any basis.” Nevertheless, Romanian President Nicusor Dan has blamed the incident on Moscow, stating that it was a “direct consequence” of Russia’s military operation against Ukraine. Read more In recent months, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly veered into the airspace of nearby countries, including the Baltic states and Finland, triggering warnings and airport shutdowns, crashing into buildings, and damaging infrastructure. Moscow has accused Western states of consistently ignoring or downplaying the incidents, particularly after confirmation that a Ukrainian aircraft was responsible, or of trying to pin the blame on Russia. Russian officials have also repeatedly raised concerns that Kiev could be intentionally staging drone provocations outside its borders in an effort to trigger a direct confrontation between NATO and Moscow. Медиа: | ↑ |
The billionaire has criticized UK police for treating Henry Nowak “heinously” in his dying moments UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused Elon Musk of interfering in British politics and “whipping up division” over the murder of 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak. The X owner has made several posts about the case, which has triggered public outrage and protests in Britain, as well as a public apology from the prime minister. Nowak was fatally stabbed five times with a large blade in December by Vickrum Singh Digwa, a 23-year-old Sikh man, who falsely claimed to police that he had been the victim of a racist attack. Read more Video footage released after Digwa’s sentencing shows officers ignoring Nowak’s pleas, dragging and handcuffing him as he repeatedly said he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe. He later lost consciousness and died. Digwa was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 21 years. The footage has sparked public outrage and a political firestorm in Britain, with Musk among those accusing police of treating the teenager differently because of his ethnicity.
“Send the video to everyone you know showing how heinously Nowak was treated by the police in his dying moments and how the police cravenly kowtowed to his murderer,” Musk wrote on X on Tuesday. After meeting Nowak’s family at Downing Street on Thursday, Starmer said Musk was “again… interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division. That is not who we are in Britain.” The billionaire has posted repeatedly about the case, suggesting police were biased against white people and amplifying criticism of how officers handled the incident. Read more “The West has created an utterly evil state religion where an accusation of ‘racism’ is the gravest offense that can be committed, even worse than rape or murder!” Musk posted on Wednesday. Earlier this week, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the case showed Britain was living in a “two-tier culture,” where “a false accusation of racism counted higher at that moment than someone that was dying.” Musk has repeatedly targeted Starmer, including in January 2025 when he accused the UK prime minister of failing, as chief public prosecutor from 2008 to 2013, to prosecute grooming gangs largely made up of South Asian men who sexually abused girls. Медиа: | ↑ |
The continent can become one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions, Kitila Mkumbo has said Africa is seeking investment and equal partnerships, Tanzania’s minister for Planning and Investment in the President’s Office, Kitila Mkumbo, has said. Speaking at the Russia-Africa Business Dialogue at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026 on Thursday, Mkumbo argued that the continent has much to contribute to the global economy and can be a full-fledged partner. “We are tired of constant sanctions and repeated aid cuts, but we are not interested in aid alone. We want to build partnerships, we want investment,” he said. Mkumbo stressed that African countries are undergoing a transformation that could make them some of the world’s fastest-growing economies in the coming years. He also called for deeper economic cooperation with Russia, saying Moscow has an important role to play in Africa’s development. A recurring theme throughout the discussion was Africa’s drive for greater sovereignty across key sectors, including food security, logistics, finance, and digital infrastructure. Read more Uralchem CEO Dmitry Konyaev said the company plans to double its fertilizer supplies to Africa to 2 million tons annually. He argued that improving access to fertilizers is critical to unlocking the continent’s agricultural potential, adding that Africa could eventually not only meet its own food needs but also become a major agricultural exporter. PhosAgro CEO Alexander Gilgenberg pointed to a challenge facing African agriculture: Soil nutrient deficiencies. He said many African soils lack boron and zinc, adding that the company offers fertilizer solutions tailored to these needs. Gilgenberg stressed the importance of improving farmers’ knowledge of fertilizer use, noting that PhosAgro has been working with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to provide training and education programs for farmers across the continent. Addressing the continent’s energy needs, Nikita Gusakov, the senior vice president of the Russian Export Center, said Moscow is ready to support African countries through both major power infrastructure projects and smaller-scale generation solutions. “Overcoming the energy deficit is a fundamental condition for industrialization and improving quality of life. Russia is ready to help meet this need,” Gusakov said. READ MORE: Russia-Tanzania ties developing intensively – Putin Highlighting the growing economic dimension of Russia-Africa relations, Tatyana Dovgalenko, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Partnership with Africa, said bilateral trade has already reached a record $27 billion, although significant room for further growth remains. The 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is being held June 3-6. Медиа: | ↑ |
Admitting Kiev would wreck the economic bloc and its officials understand this, the Russian foreign minister has told RT The EU is fully aware that Ukrainian accession would be disastrous for the bloc, and would sooner see the country join NATO, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told RT. The US-led military bloc controversially declared its intention to admit Ukraine in 2008, setting in motion a political spiral that sparked a coup – after which Kiev declared NATO membership an official policy – a civil war, and eventually the conflict with Russia. The heads of NATO states have promised membership to Kiev on a number of occasions, with the caveat that the conflict with Russia must be concluded first, but nothing has been delivered, much to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s embarrassment. Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday, Lavrov said Western countries regard Ukraine as a proxy to be used against Russia – not as a genuine partner ”The reason Europe wants Ukraine in NATO is because they’d rather do that than make the fatal mistake of letting it into the EU, because then the EU would just fall apart,” he said. “They know it perfectly well. But NATO is fine in their eyes.” The continued support for Kiev shows that EU officials “want to preserve the current Nazi regime indefinitely without requiring it to comply with the UN Charter, with numerous international conventions, or even with its own constitution,” Lavrov argued. He also pointed to remarks by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who repeated that Ukraine will eventually become a member during his latest trip to Kiev. Rutte apparently “couldn’t care less” that US President Donald Trump has stated that Ukraine will not join NATO, the foreign minister said. READ MORE: US mulls placing nukes in more NATO countries – FT While the Trump administration has failed to carry out its own plan for ending the Ukraine conflict, the EU has not even been able to resume dialogue with Russia, Lavrov said. “In its current condition, under its present leadership and elites, I regard [Europe] as a lost cause for diplomacy.” Watch the interview. Медиа: | ↑ |
The US president could have ended the Ukraine conflict by following through on his own proposals, the Russian foreign minister has told RT America’s position on the Ukraine conflict has become almost indistinguishable from that of the EU, making US President Donald Trump’s stated ambition to mediate an end to the fighting hollow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told RT. Trump repeatedly blamed the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on his predecessor, Joe Biden, and claimed that he could bring it to a swift conclusion while campaigning in 2024. However, recent statements by members of his administration suggest a different course, Lavrov said on Thursday in an interview on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “Biden’s war has become Trump’s war,” the Russian foreign minister said. Speaking to Congress this week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said efforts to facilitate Russia-Ukraine talks were complicated “because, frankly, we’re not an impartial mediator.” He cited the continuation of the sanctions on Russia and sales of US weapons to Ukraine. “After we agreed to the United States proposal in Anchorage [in August 2025], Washington began to shift its position. Instead of advancing those same proposals in its dealings with Ukrainians, it is now pretending that the parties should sort things out themselves. This is not a very consistent position,” Lavrov said. “It is the West that cannot be trusted to keep its agreements. Its approach is: ‘I’ll promise something now, then stall for time.’ If the US had truly advanced its own initiative, I think… the fighting would already have stopped.” READ MORE: Can’t handle the truce: Trump has redefined ‘ceasefire’ in the Middle East According to Lavrov, the only major difference between Trump’s policy and that of Biden and the EU is that his administration resumed direct talks with Russia. Dialogue is important, he said, but it must be matched by action on commitments already made. Watch the entire interview. Медиа: | ↑ |
The Russian president said he has not seen any serious adverse effects on relations with India from Washington’s attempts at coercion Russian President Vladimir Putin has said US attempts to exert pressure on India over its ties with Moscow are “futile.” “To date, we have not observed any serious adverse effects. Russia and India continue to strengthen their partnership, and we regard India as a reliable partner.”
Putin also lauded the Indian prime minister, saying, “India is currently demonstrating the highest economic growth rates among the world’s major economies. This doesn’t fall out of the sky; it is the result of consistent and purposeful efforts, above all by the government led by... Modi.” Read more Washington pressured India over its purchases of Russian oil, imposing a 50% tariff on its exports to the US, half of which were punitive tariffs for oil purchases from Russia. READ MORE: Russia and India in talks for additional S-400 missiles – Moscow Putin expressed confidence in achieving the bilateral trade target of $100 billion set for 2030. “At present, trade turnover stands at approximately $58 to $60 billion. However, all the necessary conditions are in place to intensify our joint efforts and achieve even more ambitious goals.” Медиа: | ↑ |
The figure amounts to roughly 1% of the country’s annual trade turnover with Russia, which remains Yerevan’s key economic partner The EU is preparing a €50 million ($58 million) support package for Armenia as Brussels moves to shore up Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan days before a critical parliamentary election, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. The figure, however, accounts for roughly 1% of Armenia’s annual trade turnover with Russia, which remains Yerevan’s key economic partner. Von der Leyen made the announcement on Thursday following a call with Pashinyan, saying the package is also meant to ease trade for Armenian agricultural products hit by recent Russian restrictions. She accused Russia of “weaponizing economic relations for political pressure” and of “economic coercion.” The EU chief said a shipment of 10,000 Armenian flowers was due to arrive in Latvia, with further deliveries to follow. Read more Russia has recently imposed restrictions on some Armenian imports, a move which Moscow said was not political but rather linked to safety concerns sparked by seasonal harvest inspections. Read more Von der Leyen’s pledge comes as Armenians are set to vote in parliamentary elections on June 7. Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party – which has been pushing for closer integration with the EU while maintaining traditionally close relations with Russia – is polling at around 32%, while the Strong Armenia bloc, backed by Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, sits in second place at around 6%. The EU’s €50 million pledge, however, is dwarfed by Armenia’s reliance on trade with Russia. Trade turnover between the two countries stood at roughly $6-8 billion in 2025, with Armenian goods exports to Moscow alone reaching approximately $2.9 billion. Moscow also supplies Yerevan with natural gas at preferential terms, with Russian President Vladimir Putin noting that Armenia receives gas at $177.50 per thousand cubic meters, compared to a European spot price of around $600. In addition, Armenia’s trade turnover with the whole EU sits at approximately €2.5 billion, accounting for roughly 11% of the country’s total international trade. Putin has said Armenia has a sovereign right to choose its own direction, but warned Yerevan that it cannot simultaneously benefit from membership in the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has said Yerevan is “not interested in cutting political, economic, or any other ties with Russia,” and would “strive to maintain normal relations and deepen them.” Медиа: | ↑ |
Beijing’s support is reshaping Pakistan’s arsenal, pressuring Delhi to advance its defense programs and speed up procurements Pakistan signed a landmark defense deal with China last month to acquire 40 Shenyang J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter jets (export variant J-35AE) to modernize the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The agreement positions Pakistan as the first international operator of the advanced Chinese stealth aircraft. Pakistan is scheduled to receive its first batch of J-35s by late-2026, making it the first air force in South Asia to operate fifth-generation combat aircraft. In April, Pakistan launched the first of eight Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines, expanding its undersea fleet in deepening cooperation with Beijing. The Hangor-class submarines are advanced, diesel-electric attack submarines being manufactured by China for the Pakistan Navy. They feature Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) and are equipped with modern sensors and heavyweight torpedoes. Pakistan-China Strategic PartnershipIslamabad and Beijing maintain a deeply integrated “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership,” with China serving as Pakistan’s primary defense supplier. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China accounted for approximately 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports in 2020-2024. Imports included jets, submarines, and drones. This “threshold alliance” features extensive technology transfers, joint production (Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation are co-developing the fourth-generation, lightweight multirole combat aircraft JF-17), and deep interoperability to counter regional security challenges. Read more As of early 2026, Pakistan is the fifth-largest arms importer, with 60% of Chinese arms exports directed to Pakistan. Key acquisitions include J-10CE fighters, JF-17 jets, and eight Hangor-class submarines. The partnership extends beyond sales to co-production, including the JF-17s and unmanned combat aerial vehicles. The militaries conduct regular, high-level joint exercises across air, land, and sea, focusing on increasing operational interoperability. The cooperation is driven by a shared strategic goal of maintaining a regional balance of power against India. China is aiding the expansion of Pakistan’s naval power in the Arabian Sea, enhancing maritime surveillance and operational capabilities. During the 2025 India-Pakistan standoff, Islamabad deployed Chinese-origin aircraft, demonstrating the operational maturity of the systems. China also provided intelligence and satellite communication support, as well as live radar networking. Chinese aerospace engineers and state technicians provided on-site support to optimize Pakistani assets during the conflict. The recent commissioning of advanced Chinese-built submarines for the Pakistan Navy will be followed with local construction via technology transfer. The relationship is increasingly characterized as “brothers in arms,” focused on defending collective interests, including the security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Clearly Pakistan is beginning to pull ahead in some areas with Chinese support, thus creating an environment for a sub-continental arms race. Conventional Submarines and Advanced JetsPakistan’s most significant naval acquisition from China is a $5 billion contract for eight Hangor-class (AIP) conventional submarines. The first four submarines will be constructed by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation in Wuhan, and next four at the Karachi Shipyard under a technology transfer agreement, greatly boosting Pakistan’s maritime strike capabilities. Read more It is the largest arms export ever by China. The submarine is derived from the Chinese Type 039B/Yuan-class. AIP will allow extended underwater endurance without surfacing. The boats will be able to carry a crew of up to 38, and be capable of deploying advanced torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and the Babur-3 submarine-launched cruise missile. This deal inked in 2015 is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s sea-based deterrence. It strengthens naval interoperability with the PLA Navy and ensures a strategic foothold for Beijing along the Arabian Sea. Some Chinese media outlets say the Beijing-Islamabad submarine deal will “shake” the Indian Ocean. New Delhi has not commented, but its navy has previously said it is closely monitoring China’s supply of submarines to Pakistan, while stepping up efforts to expand its own undersea fleet, citing Beijing’s expanding naval presence in the Indian Ocean. India is also advancing its nuclear and conventional submarine programs in order to strengthen its maritime capabilities. Pakistan has been increasingly relying on Chinese advanced Chengdu J-10C multirole fighter jets. The initial agreement was finalized in late 2021 for 25 aircraft with an option to take it to a total of 36. Deliveries were completed across multiple phases, with the latest following the May 2025 aerial clashes with Indian Air Force. Procured as a direct counterbalance to India’s induction of French-made Rafale aircraft, the agreement with China for these jets established Pakistan as the platform’s first and largest foreign operator. Because of Pakistan’s economic constraints, defense ties with China are heavily subsidized, with much of the procurement financed through direct economic loans rolled over by Beijing. There fresh agreement for J-35 jets positions Pakistan as the first international operator of the advanced Chinese stealth aircraft. The aircraft are meant to replace the PAF’s aging fleet of American F-16s and French Mirage aircraft, countering regional aerial threats. Deliveries are being highly accelerated, with the first aircraft expected to arrive in Pakistan in late 2026 as part of a broader military modernization package. PAF pilots have undergone extensive training on the J-35 platform in China. The deal also includes the acquisition of KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and HQ-19 ballistic missile defense systems. India’s Strategic PrioritiesNew Delhi is closely watching these developments. The introduction of fifth-generation J-35 aircraft into the PAF could significantly alter the balance of air power in South Asia. It grants Pakistan a major technological edge, boasting advanced sensors, reduced radar cross-section, and network-centric combat, years before India expects to introduce its own indigenous fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Read more Feeling the pressure from nearby developments, India has been considering the Russian Su-57 as a potential interim fifth-generation stealth fighter and the only viable and available option for New Delhi at the moment. Last year, Russia offered a “golden deal” to India, including the supply of ready-made twin-engine stealth Su-57 multirole fighter aircraft, the production of it in India, and assistance with Indian’s own AMCA. Russia further sweetened the deal by offering fully licensed production, 100% technology transfer, and a “potential two-seat variant.” The twin-seat variant of the Su-57 could have entered testing amid an intensified export pitch to India. Images of the two-seater variant appeared on social media in May, accompanied by claims that the Russian military had begun taxi trials of this aircraft. India’s preference for a twin-seat jet was clear very clearly during the discontinued India-Russia joint-venture of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project, which was the predecessor to Russia’s Su-57 project. In 2023, the United Aircraft Corporation patented a “multifunctional two-seat low-observable tactical aircraft,” which was said to be a two-seat variant of the Su-57 at the time. It is pertinent to note that the new tail logo depicts the Su-57 alongside the S-70 Okhotnik drone, probably suggesting its intended role as a crewed fighter operating alongside loyal wingman drones in a manned-unmanned teaming configuration. The IAF views the procurement of two to three squadrons of the Su-57 as a temporary bridge fleet to counter regional stealth programs. While the Su-57 has received significant attention and technological sharing offers, India is conscious of over-dependence on a single foreign country. Geo-strategically, currently India has no other choice. While India is trying to hasten its own AMCA, the reality is that it is likely to enter IAF service only around 2038. With Pakistan acquiring the J-35, there will be pressure on India’s security establishment to acquire an interim fifth-generation aircraft. In the maritime defense domain, India’s first AIP-equipped submarine will be the INS Khanderi, a Kalvari-class (Scorpene) submarine, which is undergoing an upgrade with an indigenous fuel-cell system developed by the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Beyond the existing Kalvari-class, India is slowly pushing Project 75 (India), a mega $8.4 billion submarine program, to build six next-generation diesel-electric submarines. These new boats will feature factory-fitted, advanced AIP systems to offer even greater stealth, range, and firepower. For this project the Indian Navy and Ministry of Defense are partnering with the German defense conglomerate ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Action Plan IndiaThe deep tactical and strategic nexus between Islamabad and Beijing fundamentally alters India’s defense calculus and operational readiness. India’s military leadership has recognized that Pakistan is making use of advanced Chinese assets, treating engagements as a live combat laboratory for China to test its latest weaponry against Indian defenses. Read more Sino-Pakistan collaboration in the maritime domain threatens India’s western coast and Arabian Sea security, with discussions surrounding joint submarine and frigate production elevating the threat at sea. China needs Pakistan for access to the Arabian Sea. The debt-ridden CPEC was once a flagship program, but has since been put on the back burner due to severe financial constraints, low return on investment, and security reasons. Yet Pakistan is a great testing ground for Chinese weapons while also keeping Beijing’s adversary India engaged. Meanwhile, as part of its evolving counter-strategy and offensive-defense posture, India has lowered its threshold for retaliation, treating major terror incidents as acts of war, and has been responding with calibrated, targeted counter-strikes. India needs military power, and luckily its growing economy can support it. On the diplomatic front, New Delhi continues to drive strategic autonomy through greater engagement with BRICS while at the same time deepening interoperability through the Quad (albeit, this format has slowed down in the second Trump administration). To counter the technological parity China ensures for Pakistan, India is prioritizing indigenous defense R&D and production. It is acquiring or negotiating for top defense systems from Russia (S-400, Su-57, R-37M), France (Rafale), Germany (submarines), and Israel (radars, air defense). India is also looking for a partner to co-develop jet engines (Safran/Rolls Royce/GE). India needs to accelerate decision making and contract signing on all of the above deals to maintain its superiority in the subcontinent. While India and China are also working to mend their relationship, India must learn to live with the close ties between Pakistan and China, and accordingly reassess and redraw its own security capabilities and architecture. Медиа: | ↑ |
Berlin has only itself to blame for failing to get a seat on the Security Council, experts and journalists have said Losing what had been a quasi-guaranteed seat on the UN Security Council has caused considerable embarrassment across the German diplomatic establishment, which had openly talked of securing a permanent seat in New York. Berlin had won unopposed or as the favorite in all previous cases, is the second-largest contributor to the UN, and the latest vote was presided over by its former foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock – now the president of the UN General Assembly. The gaffe-prone, staunchly pro-Israel Baerbock, however, may have proven more of a hindrance than a help, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. “Over the past year, countries had the misfortune of watching a representative of the German political elite, Annalena Baerbock, serve as president of the UN General Assembly. They decided not to take any more chances,” she said on Telegram. In the wake of the vote, the Russian media ran headlines stating that Germany “failed” to secure a UNSC seat and was “left empty-handed,” while describing statements by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul – who had suggested that Russia was to blame for Berlin’s failed bid – as “startling.” If Berlin is so determined to find someone to blame for its failure, it might as well look in the mirror, experts and journalists said. ‘Predictable result of overconfidence’Germany’s “special responsibility” for Israel has long turned into “unconditional support, including the military one” for all of West Jerusalem’s actions, Russian news outlet RG wrote in a lengthy piece on the issue. Read more Over the past several months alone, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s party has urged Berlin to stop financing the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and called for tougher criteria Palestinians must meet to get aid, it noted. “During the UN vote in May on assistance to Palestinians, German representatives chose to abstain, whereas Austria – which will now join the UN Security Council – voted in favor of the initiative,” the outlet wrote. It noted that “Israel’s neighbors, as well as other countries of the Global South, see this ‘subservient’ position of Germany quite clearly.” The debacle at the UN vote was a “predictable outcome” of Berlin’s “overconfidence,” it added. ‘Distorted’ diplomacyGuided by the West’s “values-based” unipolar world order dream rather than its own national interest, Germany has lost all the qualities that once made it an influential actor on the world stage, Artyom Sokolov, a senior fellow at the MGIMO Institute for International Studies, told the Izvestia news media outlet. Read more Modern Germany no longer has “empathy, moderation, and the desire to resolve international crises by understanding their root causes,” Sokolov said, adding that the “erosion of Germany’s diplomatic approach has manifested itself” in the Ukraine conflict and the wars in the Middle East. “Today, these strengths that once made Germany an influential player on the international stage have been significantly distorted, and this is what led to the failure of Germany’s bid.” Izvestia also wrote that the development would deal a serious blow to Merz and Wadephul’s plans to expand Germany’s global influence and push forward Berlin’s bid for a permanent UNSC seat. No need to blame RussiaWadephul makes it sound as if Russia somehow “instigated” other nations to “punish” Germany for its “uncompromising stance on Ukraine and Israel,” analyst Sergey Poletaev, a member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy think tank, told RT, adding that Berlin could just be trying to shift the blame for its own policy mistakes. “Most countries dislike Germany’s uncompromising stance on Ukraine and Israel, and so they want to see more reasonable European representatives on the Security Council, like Portugal and Austria, which they voted for,” he said, maintaining there was “no need to drag Russia into this.” “This is what international isolation looks like, Mr. Wadephul.” Looming isolation?The UN debacle might be the first sign of Berlin’s continued rejection of true multipolarity backfiring, well-known German author, journalist, and political commentator Alexander Rahr told Russia’s VZ newspaper. Read more “Germany remains skeptical of the concept of a multipolar world order,” he said, adding that Berlin still prefers to rely on institutions and concepts associated with the “unipolar” one. “In many countries of the Global South, this stance is increasingly viewed with frustration,” he added. Berlin’s lack of criticism of Israel as well as its attempts to portray its support of Ukraine as some sort of a higher moral calling make its claims of being the defenders of international law and universal values sound “inconsistent” in the eyes of many nations outside Europe, Rahr believes. “Germany… continues to strongly emphasize its support for Ukraine and Israel and remains committed to its values-based foreign policy. This could further deepen the divide between Germany and much of the international community,” he warned. “It remains to be seen whether this trend points to Germany’s growing international isolation or merely reflects broader shifts in the global balance of power and the ongoing formation of a new world order.” Медиа: | ↑ |
This comes weeks after the Chinese leader hosted the Russian and US presidents in Beijing Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next week at the invitation of the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, Chinese and North Korean state media reported on Friday. The state visit will take place June 8-9, Xinhua said. KCNA carried a similar announcement, saying Xi will visit at the invitation of Kim. Neither outlet provided details on the agenda of the visit. Xi last visited Pyongyang in 2019, while Kim was in Beijing last September – joining Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s defeat in World War II. Read more The trip comes weeks after Xi hosted Putin and US President Donald Trump in Beijing in separate high-level meetings. Trump visited China May 14-15, while Putin was received in Beijing May 19-20. Both meetings featured similar formal welcomes in Beijing, but reflected different political relationships with Washington and Moscow. During Putin’s visit, Moscow and Beijing signed more than 40 cooperation agreements in areas including trade, technology and media exchanges. Xi said China-Russia ties have reached “the highest level in history.” The two sides also agreed to extend a friendship treaty first signed in 2001. Read more The Trump summit lacked any formal, high-profile document-signing events. China reportedly agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft and verbally pledged to buy billions of dollars in American soybeans and agricultural goods, but Chinese state media remained relatively quiet on formalizing major deals. China and North Korea have maintained close party and state ties since the Korean War. Beijing remains Pyongyang’s main economic partner and has repeatedly called for dialogue on the Korean Peninsula, while opposing unilateral sanctions and military pressure. Медиа: | ↑ |
Naim Qassem has accused Washington of seeking to force Beirut to accept a humiliating Israeli occupation Israeli strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon have injured and killed dozens of civilians, less than 24 hours after West Jerusalem and Beirut agreed to a US-mediated ceasefire proposal. At least eight people were killed and 15 others wounded on Thursday in a series of strikes targeting the towns of Sohmor, Masaken, and Arab Al-Jalil, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Meanwhile, the IDF said an anti-tank missile fired by Hezbollah killed an Israeli soldier in southern Lebanon. Israel also blamed Hezbollah for the death of a UN peacekeeper wounded in a mortar shell attack the night before. Read more The US State Department said on Wednesday that Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire contingent on “a complete cessation” of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of its fighters from the South Litani Sector. The statement said the two sides also agreed to advance “pilot zones” where the Lebanese Armed Forces would eventually take exclusive control, “to the exclusion of all non-state actors.” Hezbollah was not a party to the Washington talks and has said any arrangement that demands its withdrawal while Israel keeps troops in southern Lebanon would reward occupation rather than end the conflict. Read more Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem called the Washington-backed arrangement a “shameless” attempt to force Lebanon into surrender, saying it amounts to a “roadmap to annihilate part of the Lebanese people.” Qassem said Hezbollah would not leave southern Lebanon while Israeli forces remain in the country, and warned that northern Israel would also remain under threat as long as Lebanon is bombed. US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “actually spoke to Hezbollah about it,” dismissing the notion that the group rejects the initiative. “They wouldn’t reject me, they didn’t reject,” he said, insisting that progress is being made between Israel and Lebanon. “It would be really nice if Lebanon could have some peace. Lebanon’s been under attack for so many years.” READ MORE: Can’t handle the truce: Trump has redefined ‘ceasefire’ in the Middle East The latest fighting followed weeks of Israeli strikes and ground operations in Lebanon, including the capture of Beaufort Castle, also known as Qalaat al-Chakif. The medieval fortress, located on a strategic hilltop in southern Lebanon, was previously used by Israel during its two-decade occupation of the region, which ended in 2000. Медиа: | ↑ |
Kiev has removed a memorial to Mikhail Bulgakov as part of its campaign against Russian-linked heritage A monument to Kiev-born Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov has been dismantled in the Ukrainian capital as Kiev continues to remove, rename, and erase cultural sites and memorials associated with its common Russian and Soviet history. The statue, located near the Bulgakov Museum in one of Kiev’s best-known historic districts, became a target of Ukraine’s broader campaign to remove symbols deemed connected to “Russian imperial culture.” The Kiev City Council voted in December to remove 15 objects from public spaces, including monuments to Bulgakov, poet Anna Akhmatova, and composer Mikhail Glinka. “A historic moment! Bulgakov is already gone,” Ukrainian journalist Ekaterina Nekrecha said in a video posted on Facebook on Thursday, showing the monument being taken away by workers. Bulgakov, born in Kiev in 1891, wrote primarily in Russian and became one of the 20th century’s most influential authors. He is best known for ‘The Master and Margarita’ and ‘The White Guard’. Read more Ukraine’s Institute of National Memory previously classified Bulgakov as a symbol of “Russian imperial policy,” arguing that the continued public commemoration of his name amounted to propaganda of Russian narratives. The institute’s expert commission described him as “an imperialist by worldview” and “an ardent Ukrainophobe.” The dismantling has reignited debate over how Ukraine should treat cultural figures whose identities cut across Russian and Ukrainian history. Critics of the campaign argue that erasing writers such as Bulgakov risks flattening Ukraine’s complex past and whitewashing uncomfortable chapters of its own history. Read more Bulgakov’s ‘The White Guard’, set during the turmoil of the Russian Civil War in Kiev, depicts the collapse of the old order and the violence of competing forces in the city, including the nationalist troops of Symon Petliura, whose forces have long been associated by historians with anti-Jewish pogroms. The removal comes as Ukraine continues to rename streets, dismantle Soviet-era symbols, and cancel historical figures under its ‘decommunization’ laws. The process, launched after 2014 and accelerated after 2022, has expanded from Soviet political monuments to writers, composers, and other cultural figures linked to Russia. READ MORE: Here’s how Russians react to being addressed in Ukrainian (VIDEO) Moscow has condemned the destruction of cultural heritage and attacks on historical memory, accusing Kiev of violating international norms and infringing on the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians. Russian officials have described the campaign as an attempt to rewrite history and sever Ukraine from its cultural roots. Медиа: | ↑ |
The case is just one of dozens of proceedings over online insults against the chancellor A German court has ruled that calling Chancellor Friedrich Merz “lying Fritz” should be criminally prosecuted out of “public interest,” slapping the offender with a fine amounting to an average monthly salary, or more than €2,000 ($2,322). The case is just one of dozens of similar investigations launched by German police over critical comments posted on Facebook last year, the public prosecutor’s office in the southwestern city of Heilbronn told Die Welt. The prosecution dates back to October 25, when a local police department issued a drone no-fly zone warning ahead of Merz’s visit to the area. What followed was a string of angry comments in which Merz was called a “lying clown,” a “loose talker,” and a “lackey,” according to reports. Read more The authorities opened 39 initial proceedings under Article 188 of the German Criminal Code, which bans insults against people “engaged in public political life” if they are “likely to significantly impede” their public activities. Fifteen cases were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence, the prosecutor’s office said. People who called Merz “Pinocchio” and a “lying clown” can rest assured that no law enforcement officials will be knocking on their doors any time soon, according to Tagesspiegel. However, in the case of “lying Fritz,” the court decided in March that the words are “likely to incite further negative prejudices or aggression among like-minded individuals.” Asked about the cases at this week’s press conference, a government spokesman said he would not comment on the matter “out of respect for the judiciary,” adding that Merz himself did not file any charges. Pressed further, the official said these were “normal legal procedures” that “must be protected.” Read more Merz, who has said the welfare state is obsolete and has told Germans to work more instead of taking sick leave, was recently named the world’s most unpopular leader in an opinion poll. Last month, German media reported that his own party was considering dumping him due to his record-low approval ratings. Further fueling concerns about free speech, German regulators are reportedly planning to force social media platforms to boost government-approved outlets in their algorithms, according to media reports, citing leaked government documents. The EU stated in April that the German government misused hate-speech laws to restrict freedom of expression. Медиа: | ↑ |
A growing number of people are leaving the US – and they’re not just scared of Trump For the first time in at least 50 years more people have moved out of the United States then moved in. Is politics and Donald Trump mostly to blame or is some other dynamic at play? Last year, the US witnessed something that hasn’t occurred since before the Second World War – more people have left the country than moved in. And the bulk of the departures are not merely illegal migrants being politely shown the exit. Despite the high cost and emotional toll of digging up roots and leaving the country, an increasing number of homegrown Americans – for a wide variety of reasons – are making such a radical decision. An estimated four to nine million Americans live abroad, with recent data showing a surge in voluntary emigration and an estimated 180,000+ US citizens relocating overseas in 2025 – a trend that is continuing to rise. For the first time in decades, the US experienced net negative migration. This recent wave of outward migration is driven by a mix of economic pressures, the rise of remote work, and shifting social and political climates. Some of the popular destinations include: Mexico, Spain, Germany and Thailand. According to an interview with Expatsi co-founder Jen Barnett by CNBC Make It, “[A] majority of Americans, 89%, said they want to leave the US for political reasons. Others point to an opportunity for adventure and growth (73%), as well as a chance to save money (57%). Roughly two-thirds of respondents hope to move within two years, they have an average monthly budget of $3,856 to work with, and hopeful movers are split among 44% individuals, 39% couples and 17% families with kids.” Read more Some expatriates took their cue to leave from the high number of celebrities who have said their goodbyes to life in the US, or have at least received dual citizenship and an address abroad. Here is a short list of those celebrities. Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi: The former talk show host and her wife relocated to a farmhouse in the Cotswolds, England, stating on Deadline that Trump’s re-election cemented their permanent move out of the country. Rosie O’Donnell: A longtime critic of Trump, O’Donnell relocated her family to Ireland, citing the need to prioritize her children’s safety and her own mental health. Sophie Turner: The Game of Thrones actress returned to West London from Miami, citing rising gun violence and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “America is a s-show,” she told Deadline, without delving into specifics about president Donald Trump. James Cameron: The Avatar director, who has long been based in New Zealand, actively pursued New Zealand citizenship, citing political shifts that have “hollowed out” the US. Meanwhile, many Americans have opted not only to live abroad, but to surrender their American citizenship altogether. The State Department cut the renunciation fee significantly from $2,350 to $450, prompting thousands of expatriates to queue at US consulates globally to finalize their exit plans. Read more Nearly 5,000 American citizens took that option in 2024, according to data from Boundless, a travel company that provides immigration services to individuals and families. Newsweek quoted the agency, reporting that the number “was up from 2,426 in 2021, and from the roughly 200-400 reported each year before 2009.” I spoke with Mark Riley, an American from North Carolina who recently moved to Moscow together with his four children and wife, for his reasons in making the big jump abroad. “I am a graphic designer and I can do my job practically anywhere,” Riley told me over drinks in the heart of Moscow. “One day I was watching a television program about the rise of transgender lifestyles in the United States and that’s when the idea first popped into my head. I asked my wife why we were staying in a country that no longer shares our political and religious views. Six months later my family and I were boarding a one-way airplane to Russia.” When I asked him if he ever regrets his decision Riley laughed and said yes, but “only in the wintertime.” In the end, what has Americans on the run is not just the current president and his politics – that’s basically just a bad news cycle at this point. They are fleeing a deeper sense of national exhaustion – rising costs, social fragmentation, cultural alienation, and yes, all the political hysteria. All of these combine into a feeling that the country no longer offers either stability or a shared moral center. For some, the move abroad is an economic decision; for others, it is ideological or spiritual. But taken together, this outward flow is a clear message: millions of Americans are no longer asking how to fix their country, but how to escape it. That may be the clearest sign yet that the American crisis has moved beyond politics – it has grown to be civilizational. Медиа: | ↑ |
The Russian president answered questions on domestic and foreign policy at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum Russian President Vladimir Putin fielded questions from the heads of international news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday. The agencies included Chinese, Belarusian, German, French, Spanish, and Iranian state news outlets, as well as representatives of Reuters and AP. The mammoth Q&A session lasted just over two hours and touched on a variety of subjects, including Russian domestic and foreign policy, the Ukraine conflict, and potential routes to rapprochement with Europe. Here are the main topics discussed. Медиа: | ↑ |
The UN assembly has turned its back on Germany, for the first time in the country’s modern history German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has blamed Berlin’s failure to secure a seat at the UN Security Council on his country’s superior moral positions. If only there were a German word for that… Read more Germany failed to win a temporary seat on the UN Security Council for the first time in history on Wednesday, losing out to Portugal and Austria in the ‘Western Europe and Others’ group. Germany easily won all six contests that it entered since 1977, usually with the support of its European and NATO allies. Having won every round it has entered since the mid-twentieth century, this time around, Germany could only manage to secure 104 votes, while Portugal won 134 and Austria – a non-NATO member – took 131. Despite Berlin’s long-held insistence that it deserves a permanent seat on the UNSC, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was forced to listen as the results were read out by none other than Annalena Baerbock. Schadenfreude: The feeling of joy in an opponent’s misfortuneAs president of the UN assembly, the notoriously gaffe-prone former German foreign minister Baerbock’s smile cracked into a grimace as she read the result of the secret ballot.  While the room roundly applauded Austria, Portugal, and the other successful countries, the pushback began. Free Democratic Party MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann described the result as a repudiation of Baerbock’s nagging “politics of the raised index finger,” while human rights lawyer Craig Mokhiber gloated over how neither Baerbock nor Wadephul could could “save Germany from this well-deserved humiliation.”
“[German Chancellor Friedrich] Merz wanted to bring our country ‘back onto the international stage’ at the start of his chancellorship, but now Germany is left without a seat on the UN Security Council,” Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Alice Weidel wrote on X, adding that Merz has led Germany from “one embarrassment to the next.” The governments of Christian Democrat Friedrich Merz and Social Democrat Olaf Scholz (the latter of whom Baerbock served under) shared identical foreign policies. Both professed slavish devotion to the American-led “rules-based international order” when it came to Ukraine, and a moral relativism when it came to Israel’s wars in the Middle East. Baerbock declared the EU to be “fighting a war against Russia” in 2023, called Xi Jinping a “dictator,” and scolded the Chinese president for “taking the side of the aggressor” by refusing to join the West’s proxy war in Ukraine. The following year, she referred to Israeli strikes on Palestinian schools as “self-defense,” and argued that civilian sites lose their protection when “terrorists” operate in their vicinity.
“When it comes to Russia, international law counts, but when it comes to the USA and Israel, it doesn’t,” left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht told the Berliner Zeitung. “This double standard was voted out by the international community yesterday.” The German dictionary has another take to offer. Schuldverschiebung: Blame shiftingHaving overseen Germany’s lowest diplomatic moment in 70 years, Wadephul told reporters that he “did not personally blame himself” for the loss. Russia, he insisted, saw Germany’s “rock-solid support for Ukraine” and “campaigned against us.” He rejected any idea of a double standard on Israel, claiming that “Germany must always assume a special responsibility for Israel with regard to the Middle East conflict.”
There is no evidence that Russia orchestrated a backroom campaign against Germany’s candidacy. Instead, analysts in Germany and abroad have pointed to Berlin’s support for Israel as the key factor behind its loss. “Let’s be clear: Germany’s support for Ukraine had nothing to do with it. Portugal and Austria – who beat Germany – are no less supportive of Ukraine,” Trita Parsi, of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft wrote on X. “It has everything to do with Germany’s support for Israel’s genocide and the manner in which the German government has been willing to undermine international law and the UN Charter on behalf of Israel.” Germany, Wadephul argued, essentially fell victim to its own superior moral obligations, which require the country to take seemingly contradictory – but ultimately correct – positions on world affairs. There does not seem to be a compound German word for this mindset, so we plugged the above sentence into a generator and marveled at the Teutonic masterpiece it spat out: Read more Moralüberlegenheitsopfermentalität: ‘Victim mentality based on moral superiority’Moralüberlegenheitsopfermentalität is the impulse that drives the foreign policy of Baerbock and Wadephul, and the domestic policies that have dragged Europe’s former economic powerhouse into recession and de-industrialization. Germany’s iron-clad support for Israel may have alienated many at the UN, but according to Wadephul, the sacrifice was worth it because Germany lived up to “our historical responsibility” to atone for the Holocaust. And, while Germany’s ongoing rearmament and aid to Ukraine may be pushing the country’s budget deficit far above the 3% limit set in place by the EU, the economic pain is worth it to, in the words of Merz, “protect our free democratic order.” At home, Germany’s decision to cut itself off from Russian energy was economically ruinous, but justified by the country’s leaders as morally correct. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to throw open Germany’s borders to a million Middle-Eastern migrants in 2015 may have facilitated a rise in crime, social unrest, and unemployment, but Germany was declared a “moral superpower” by liberal journalists and Merkel was crowned Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. EndpunktGermany may attempt to deflect blame and portray its contradictory positions as moral duties, but to the rest of the world, its preaching smacks of hypocrisy. The UN vote was a repudiation of Berlin’s double standards, but also an acknowledgement of its declining influence on the global stage. Медиа: | ↑ |
Europe is facing a deepening ideological crisis after years of promoting its so called values abroad, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said The West’s ultraliberal model has reached a “civilizational dead end” and is increasingly restricting the rights of its own citizens, journalists, and political movements, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. Speaking at a panel on Europe’s future on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Zakharova argued that a system which once promoted “freedom, democracy, and human rights” is now facing an ideological crisis as it struggles to uphold those principles at home. ”We are witnessing the civilizational dead end of an ultraliberal model that only yesterday claimed to literally teach and reprogram the entire world,” she said. “Today, this model cannot even guarantee the declared rights of its own citizens.” According to Zakharova, political parties, journalists, and public organizations in Western Europe increasingly face pressure if they challenge the dominant narrative. “Either you keep quiet, or you go to jail,” she said. Read more She argued that the rise of the internet ended the West’s monopoly over information, prompting authorities to rely on major technology companies to suppress dissenting views. Artificial intelligence, she warned, could become the next stage in what she described as a growing “digital dictatorship.” Most Western nations imposed sweeping restrictions on RT and other Russian media outlets following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. RT content was subsequently removed or limited on major digital platforms, including YouTube, where the network had amassed around 30 million subscribers before the restrictions were introduced. Concerns over censorship and restrictions on public debate have helped fuel support for conservative movements across much of the West. Parties such as Germany’s AfD, France’s National Rally, Italy’s Brothers of Italy, and the Netherlands’ Party for Freedom have gained ground by criticizing political elites, mainstream media, and policies on issues including immigration and national sovereignty. Медиа: | ↑ |
The Russian bank PSB has built out banking across Russia’s new regions, expanded cross-border payments and is eyeing Africa next Russia's PSB bank plays a significant role in the new regions of the country, and the organization has been actively developing infrastructure in these territories since June 2022, PSB Deputy Chairman Mikhail Dorofeev said in an interview with RT on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “We now have 456 offices... Our clients include almost 3 million individuals and more than 110,000 legal entities. Over this period, we have built a Russian banking system there,” Dorofeev said. The bank is now present in 147 localities across all four new regions, including dangerous areas. “In such dangerous areas as Kakhovka and Novaya Kakhovka, offices are open,” he said. Speaking about the bank’s international operations, Dorofeev mentioned the work of the A7 platform, which provides services for international cross-border transfers. According to the PSB deputy chairman, this is an example of successful public-private partnership. “The main currencies in our payments are the yuan, the dirham, and the ruble. By the end of 2025, the turnover of the Russian ruble and the currencies of friendly states exceeded 85%,” he added. At the same time, Africa is a strategic direction for PSB: over the next two years, the bank plans to open offices in 20 countries on the continent. Responding to a question about the use of artificial intelligence in PSB’s operations, Dorofeev emphasized that in banking, AI is viewed as a tool, not a replacement for people. In its current understanding, artificial intelligence is above all the processing of large volumes of data, though it is also used for routine operations such as preparing simple documents and working in call centers. Медиа: | ↑ |
Netanyahu’s new offensive has undermined talks, strained European patience and raised the risk of another long occupation The situation in Lebanon has pushed Iran out of the negotiating process with the US and has once again shown that Middle Eastern diplomacy today depends less on formal negotiations than on what is happening on the ground. Tehran has suspended its indirect exchange of messages with Washington through intermediaries against the backdrop of Israel’s expanding operation against Lebanon and Hezbollah. This decision was a reaction to a broader crisis in which the Lebanese front has become intertwined with US-Iranian negotiations, Israel’s security calculations, Lebanon’s domestic politics, Hezbollah’s position, Tehran’s regional strategy, and the Trump administration’s attempt to impose at least a temporary formula for de-escalation. The offensiveAt first glance, the crisis appears to follow the familiar pattern of Israeli-Lebanese confrontation. Israel says it is acting to protect the country’s northern areas, from which residents were evacuated after Hezbollah attacks. Hezbollah presents its actions as resistance to Israeli strikes and links the Lebanese front to the broader struggle against Israel. The Lebanese state calls for an end to the attacks and for respect for its sovereignty, yet it lacks the power either to control Hezbollah’s decisions or to stop the Israeli military. The US is trying to keep negotiations alive because a wider regional war would threaten its interests, energy markets, and the positions of its allies. Iran, meanwhile, sees the developments in Lebanon not as a local episode, but as a blow to the entire architecture of its regional influence. As long as the war remained limited to exchanges of fire along the border, it could still be presented as a controlled conflict. Yet the expansion of Israel’s ground operation, its advance deeper into southern Lebanon, its strikes on areas linked to Hezbollah, and its attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs have changed the politics around the conflict. Rather than simply responding to threats, as Israel claims to be, it is trying to forcefully alter the security landscape of the region. Israel’s advance in the area of Beaufort Castle has been especially symbolic. For military planners, it is an important height and a point of control. For the Lebanese, however, it is a place associated with the memory of earlier wars and resistance against Israeli presence. The seizure or occupation of such an area would be a signal that Israel’s goal is deep intervention in southern Lebanon. This is why France requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. For Paris, which has historical ties to Lebanon and a strong interest in preserving Lebanese statehood, Israel’s advance represents a threat not only to security, but also to the very principle of Lebanese sovereignty. Read more The Europeans’ patience is wearing thinIsrael’s traditional partners in Europe have criticized particular Israeli actions before, but they have usually tried to maintain a balance between recognizing Israel’s right to security and calling for restraint. However, Israel’s actions on the ground have not helped maintain that balance. After the war in Gaza, European public opinion had already become far more critical of Israel. With the new operation in Lebanon, the risk of a long-term occupation of the south, and the collapse of talks with Iran, even Israel’s customary allies begin to distance themselves. They may not be taking the side of Iran or Hezbollah, but they are increasingly unwilling to offer unconditional political cover for the policies of the Israeli cabinet. Israel’s strength has always rested not only on its military capabilities and its alliance with the US, but also on its ability to remain part of the Western political system. If France, Germany, the UK, and other European partners increasingly come to see Israel’s actions as a source of further escalation, international support will begin to shrink. This does not mean an immediate rupture in relations, but it does mean a gradual erosion of political patience. We may see colder official statements, followed by pressure at the United Nations, and eventually debates will emerge over arms supplies, trade agreements, legal accountability, and recognition of new political realities on the Palestinian and Lebanese tracks. Why is Israel doing this?Why does Israel need this escalation? Military necessity is only part of the answer. Israel’s leadership wants to bring residents of the north back home, restore deterrence after Hezbollah’s attacks, and show Israeli society that the state is capable of defending its borders. Since October 7, 2023, security has become a test of public trust in the state itself. For Netanyahu and his cabinet, the northern front has become a measure of whether the government can restore control in places where citizens have felt abandoned. There is, however, a second layer. Israel views Hezbollah not merely as a key component of Iran’s military system on Israel’s borders. Striking Hezbollah means striking Iran. Israel wants to dismantle the infrastructure that allows Tehran to maintain pressure on Israel through Lebanon. The operation against Hezbollah is therefore directed simultaneously at Beirut, Tehran, and Washington. Israel is making clear that it does not intend to wait for the outcome of US-Iranian negotiations if those talks might preserve a situation in which Hezbollah retains an armed presence in southern Lebanon. A third layer has to do with Israeli domestic politics. Netanyahu’s government depends on right-wing and religious-nationalist forces for which security means territorial control rather than compromise. In this political environment, temporary security zones can easily turn into demands for long-term military presence. In Gaza, this has manifested itself in discussions about displacement, military administration, and the possible return of settlements. In relation to Lebanon, this means to control the south of the country, push Hezbollah back toward the Litani River, and create a reality in which Israel itself defines the perimeter of its security. Read more ‘Greater Israel’ and permanent occupationThis is where one must speak carefully about the idea of ‘Greater Israel.’ It is not the official doctrine of the Israeli state toward Lebanon, yet it does exist within the worldview of certain radical right-wing and settler circles. These groups see neighboring territories as part of a broader historical and biblical map. Even when this ideology does not translate into an explicit decision to annex southern Lebanon, it still creates a political atmosphere in which the occupation of other people’s territory can be justified as a historical right as well as a strategic necessity. The danger lies in the fact that temporary military solutions in the Middle East often become long-term facts on the ground. Military action, initially aimed at eliminating a threat, morphs into observation posts, supply routes, exclusion zones, and special access regimes. Then the argument is made that withdrawal is impossible because the enemy will return, and you end up with an occupation, even if it is not formally called one. Lebanon has already lived through such a scenario. Israel’s earlier presence in the south was also justified by the security needs of the northern Israeli communities, yet for the Lebanese it became a symbol of occupation and one of the factors that strengthened Hezbollah. The Hezbollah paradox and the Lebanese stateIsrael wants to weaken Hezbollah, but it may end up giving it a new political resource. Inside Lebanon, attitudes toward Hezbollah are far from uniform. Part of society believes that the movement, because of its ties to Iran, drags the country into war without the consent of all Lebanese. For many Christians, Sunnis, and segments of the secular public, Hezbollah is a state within a state, one that limits Lebanese sovereignty and subordinates the country to Tehran’s external strategy. Yet when Israel attacks, criticizing Hezbollah becomes politically more difficult – because it is defending the country against external aggression. The Lebanese state is in the weakest position of all. It cannot disarm Hezbollah, because doing so would risk an internal confrontation – but neither can it stop Israel without Hezbollah’s military strength. It depends on international assistance, but international mechanisms cannot quickly change the situation on the ground. As a result, Lebanon once again becomes the arena for other actors’ strategies. Israel is trying to solve the problem of its northern security, Iran is defending its regional network of allies, the US is trying to preserve the negotiations, Europe fears a new destabilization on the Mediterranean, and Lebanese civilians pay the price. For Hezbollah, the current crisis is also a test. On the one hand, it is suffering military and infrastructural losses, but on the other, the Israeli offensive itself helps its political narrative. Before this escalation, internal Lebanese voices had been asking why the country should remain hostage to Iran’s strategy, Hezbollah can now legitimately ask “Would you rather Israel dictate its terms?” Read more Trump’s stakesFor Iran, Hezbollah is one of the most important elements of its deterrence system against Israel. If Israel can destroy Hezbollah’s positions in Lebanon without paying a serious price, Iran’s entire regional strategy is put under pressure. Tehran’s withdrawal from the negotiating process with Washington was an attempt to restore leverage as much as it was a gesture of solidarity towards an ally. Iran will not discuss de-escalation with Washington while Israel expands its operation on the Lebanese front. This is especially important because the Trump administration has been trying to negotiate on several fronts at once, seeking to maintain a channel with Iran, secure an extension of the ceasefire, reduce risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and at the same time support a process of settlement between Israel and Lebanon. American officials described contacts on the Lebanese track as productive and positive. Netanyahu, for his part, spoke of the need for negotiations that would address Hezbollah’s disarmament and the establishment of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon. On paper, this looked like an opportunity to tie together Israel’s security, Lebanon’s stabilization, and dialogue with Iran. In reality, while the US was trying to persuade the parties of the need for a deal, Israel intensified its offensive, and Tehran saw this as proof that Washington was either unable or unwilling to restrain its ally. As a result, the talks that were supposed to reduce tensions became hostage to military action. The US now finds itself in a contradictory position. It wants to support its key ally Israel, but also prevent a wider war that would threaten American bases and trade routes, and avoid a dangerous direct war with Iran. It also wants to stabilize Lebanon because another war there could destroy what remains of state governance and trigger a regional explosion. Yet these objectives do not fit together well if Israel continues to act as though the diplomatic process does not constrain it. Netanyahu’s gambitHas Israel once again undermined an attempt at negotiations between Iran and the US? Formally, it can argue that its actions are driven solely by security considerations. Formally, Tehran can say that it is suspending exchanges with Washington because of violations and mistrust. Formally, the US can insist that negotiations remain possible. But the political sequence of events is clear enough. Read more Whether Israel intentionally set out to sabotage the talks or not, that is exactly what happened. For Israel’s right-wing cabinet, any US-Iranian agreement that does not eliminate Hezbollah and dismantle Iran’s regional network is unacceptable. Israel’s escalation in Lebanon pushes Iran out of the process, strengthens the hawks in Tehran, and gives the Israeli right an argument that Iran cannot be negotiated with. At the same time, Israeli policy itself has become hostage to domestic dynamics. Netanyahu, under pressure from right-wing allies and amid distrust from a significant part of society, feels the constant need to demonstrate strength. Any halt to the operation in Lebanon without a visible result would be seen as weakness, and any pressure from the US could be used as evidence that only a hardline cabinet can protect the country from external diktat. The long termIsrael’s decision to turn up the heat and jettison diplomacy comes at a strategic cost. It can win battles against Hezbollah, destroy its command centers and infrastructure, and push it away from the border. But if the end result is another occupation, it not solve any of Israel’s problems in the long term. On the contrary, it could again turn Hezbollah into a symbol of resistance, weaken the Lebanese critics of the movement, and return the region to a cycle it has already experienced. All the while Israel’s European partners will continue to lose patience and see ever more reasons to restrain Israel. The main conclusion is that Israel may achieve a tactical advantage in Lebanon while losing the strategic environment around it. The bigger question arising from Israel’s actions in Lebanon is whether diplomacy can survive in a region where every military operation immediately becomes part of a larger bargain. The situation in Lebanon has already pushed Iran out of the negotiating process with the US. It may now determine whether Washington retains any room for mediation, whether Trump can impose even a temporary deal on the parties, whether Lebanon can avoid another collapse, and whether Israel will turn yet another security operation into a new cycle of occupation, resistance, and international isolation. Медиа: | ↑ |
The bloc’s ‘Operation Aspides’ already operates in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the north-west Indian Ocean The EU may expand its existing Red Sea naval mission to the Strait of Hormuz, taking the lead role in mine-clearing operations in the strategic shipping route, according to media reports citing an internal document. The bloc’s ‘Operation Aspides,’ launched in February 2024, patrols the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and northwest Indian Ocean, escorting commercial vessels and helping to protect shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants. The proposal would see Aspides assume the “primary role” in mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, complementing efforts by an ad hoc French-British coalition, according to a document circulated by the EU’s diplomatic service under foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Any expansion of the mission would require unanimous backing from all 27 member states. The Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast – a key route for global oil and LNG supplies – has been central to Middle East tensions since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February. Maritime traffic through the waterway has been heavily disrupted, with Washington and Tehran accusing each other of violating a fragile ceasefire reached in April. Read more Brussels has previously rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand to help secure the strait. Kallas said the EU had “no appetite” to expand Operation Aspides and insisted that “this is not Europe’s war.” Trump has for weeks slammed his European NATO allies for not joining the war and hinted that the US could leave the military bloc as a result. The UK and France later announced that they would launch a “multi-national mission to protect freedom of navigation as soon as conditions allow.” The US and Iran exchanged missile strikes again this week after threatening to undermine the ceasefire. Negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and the status of Hormuz remain stalled. READ MORE: Trump tells ‘useless’ NATO to ‘stay away’ from Hormuz The Middle East conflict has further exacerbated a critical energy situation in European states, which had already drastically cut Russian imports since the 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Gas markets have experienced significant volatility amid uncertainty surrounding shipping through Hormuz. Several officials across the EU have already called for restoring energy ties with Russia to tackle the crisis. Медиа: | ↑ |
The Russian president fielded questions on Ukraine, strategic partnerships, new weapons systems, the Middle East, and Moscow’s relations with the West Russian President Vladimir Putin has wrapped up a wide-ranging Q&A with the heads of major global news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, taking more than 20 questions on the Ukraine conflict and new weapons systems, as well as strategic partnerships, the Middle East, and relations with the West. Here are the key points from what Putin said. Медиа: | ↑ |
On Western criticism of India-Russia friendship, Jaiveer Shergill says the ties are “not hostage to weather patterns” Western nations have not come to grips with the demise of old notions of global hegemony, a spokesperson for India’s ruling party has told RT India. “The era of global hegemony, dominance is over,” Jaiveer Shergill said, adding, “That ship has sailed. I think the West needs to be woken up from a deep slumber.” Appearing on the latest episode of the ‘India, Russia and the World’ weekly podcast, Shergill did not hold back in his criticism of the collective West. “The West has a single power dominance hangover,” he said. “India is not in the business of giving sermons of governance to the world. And neither India is in the business of receiving certification, especially from the West,” said Shergill, who also practices law in India’s Supreme Court. Read more Quoting a line from the evergreen Bollywood classic ‘Sholay’ to make his point, Shergill added: “India-Russia friendship is not hostage to weather patterns. India-Russia friendship is an all-weather friendship.” He said India was importing 2.3 million barrels per day of oil from Russia even when the West was “sermonizing” India not to buy oil from Moscow. The US and EU have slapped sanctions on Russian oil. In August last year, the United States imposed 50% reciprocal tariffs on Indian imports, half of which was punishment for New Delhi’s oil purchases from Moscow. The levies were scaled down to 18% after a trade deal with the US was agreed upon in February. Shergill slammed the double standards of the West. “The same people who were questioning [the] import of Russian oil were indirectly sourcing the same oil from India into their countries.” India’s sole objective is to reduce dependence on any one energy source, he said, adding that New Delhi is now importing oil from 40 different sources. READ MORE: Here is India’s answer to a broken world order He also said “pragmatism, diversification, a nation-first approach” were the key drivers of India’s foreign policy. India-US ties, he said, should be viewed through the lens of defense partnerships, technology exchange, geography, and human resources. He underscored New Delhi’s sovereign choice of global alliances, saying, “If India is part of Quad, India is equally a partner in BRICS.” Медиа: | ↑ |
Traditionalists backed by the Trump administration are pushing to restore memorials taken down following the protests, the outlet has said US traditionalists are suing and lobbying with the support of the Donald Trump administration to resurrect memorials which were removed during the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Dozens of monuments to European and American historical figures were taken down after the nationwide protests and riots which followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, in what WSJ dubbed the “statue wars.” Ohio’s capital Columbus, named after the famed Italian explorer, took down a 22-foot-high statue of him from City Hall in 2020. At the time, the city’s Democrat Mayor Andrew Ginther called it a representation of the country’s “ugly past.” Read more In April, a coalition of Italian-American organizations filed a federal lawsuit to have the monument restored, calling its removal “unlawful and discriminatory.” They argue the statue is a symbol of Italian-American heritage, civic history and a longstanding cultural bond between Columbus, Ohio, and Genoa, Italy, where it was made. “The silent majority is becoming vocal,” WSJ cited the lawsuit’s organizer Jack Conte as saying. “You reach a point where this stuff is shoved down your throat, and you can only take so much of it.” The Trump administration has supported the effort. Just over two months after taking office in 2025, the US president signed an executive order to reinstate monuments removed since 2020, if they were taken down as part of what he called an effort to “perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history.” Read more In March, the administration erected a Columbus statue near the White House, a replica of one that protesters sank in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor during the nationwide protests. Ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, the Interior Department returned a statue of Delaware Founding Father Caesar Rodney to Washington’s Freedom Plaza. The monument was removed in 2020 amid criticism that Rodney, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also a slaveholder. A total of 261 US historical monuments were removed, vandalized or toppled during the BLM protests, according to World Heritage USA data. More than half were related to Confederate figures. Медиа: | ↑ |
Imad Ishtayeh risked everything to find employment amid economic hardship in the West Bank, and died aged 26 The family of a young Palestinian man who was shot dead by Israeli forces near the concrete barrier separating the occupied West Bank from Jerusalem, has told RT that his determination to find work drove him to his death. Imad Ishtayeh’s death was confirmed by the Palestinian Health Ministry on Sunday. His father told RT that he had been trying to cross into Israel in search of work amid deepening economic hardship in the Palestinian territory. Israeli police have said that Imad was attempting to enter Israel illegally by crossing the barrier. ”My son went out looking for a livelihood,” Haroun Ishtayeh said. “He had opened a chicken slaughterhouse business here, but people could not afford to buy chicken, they could barely afford to buy water […] And he closed down his business here.” “I told him, my son, the situation is dangerous; he told me, father, if I am destined to die, I will die here or I will die there,” he added. RT correspondent Charlotte Dubenskij reports. Медиа: | ↑ |
A reservation rejection from a Bavarian-based facility has triggered a wave of public backlash and calls for a criminal investigation A family from Israel was told, “sorry, there are no Jews allowed in our hotel” when attempting to book a room in a town in southern Germany. The incendiary rejection triggered uproar, with the hotel offering an apology and citing a wave of fake reservations. The message sent by Hotel Zum Hirschen, Bavaria, was shared by Talya Lador, Israel’s Consul General in southern Germany, who wondered on X on Tuesday, “Are we back in the 1930s?” The diplomat was referring to the infamous Nazi party’s policies that had stripped Jews of civil rights and property before later resorting to genocide. The family also filed a complaint with Booking.com, which removed the property from its platform, and lodged a formal petition with the Bavarian Justice Ministry’s commissioner for combating antisemitism, according to several media reports.
Hotel Zum Hirschen – an establishment with more than 100 years of history – issued an apology, writing on its front page that it “would like to make it unequivocally clear that we condemn all forms of discrimination,” stressing that “the claim that certain groups are not welcome here is incorrect and does not reflect the facts.” Read more In a separate apology letter sent to the office of the Bavarian state premier, the hotel said it had been struggling with fraudulent bookings and phishing attempts, and had wrongly assumed the Israeli family’s request was fake. “It is extremely important to us that you understand that this remark was not directed at people of the Jewish faith, but was made out of frustration at the numerous fake bookings,” the letter stated. It also offered the Israeli family a free one-week stay to “prove” it does not discriminate. Read more Dr. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, took note of the apology, but said that “it remains shocking that someone would not only think this way, but also put it in writing and send it.” He added that he expects that this “dehumanizing” incident will be “examined for possible criminal consequences.” According to several media reports, local prosecutors are investigating the case on suspicion of incitement to hatred. Germany’s criminal code bans incitement against people based on their religious or ethnic background and carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. It is not yet clear whether the matter will go to trial. Antisemitic incidents have been on the rise in Europe and elsewhere in recent years amid Israel’s war in Gaza. While Berlin has remained highly supportive of Israel, a 2025 YouGov poll indicated that 62% of German voters believe that Israeli actions in the Palestinian enclave constituted genocide. Germany’s stance on Israel and the Middle East contributed to a diplomatic setback this week when Berlin failed to win a rotating seat on the UN Security Council in a secret ballot. Медиа: | ↑ |
Nara Lokesh, IT minister of Andhra Pradesh state, wants Russia to partner in his state’s journey to a $2.4 trillion economy A minister from India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state has cited “speed of doing business” as a unique factor in his pitch for increased investment from Russia. Andhra’s IT and human resources minister, Nara Lokesh, told the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Thursday that large industrial projects are being executed at a rapid pace. “What we are most proud of is not policy on paper, it is our prowess, it is our execution, it is our record of delivery on ground,” Lokesh, who is an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said. “We are known for moving with speed when an investor makes a commitment. That speed matters. We call it speed of doing business,” he said, declaring that he is “available to the investors of Russia.” Lokesh said Andhra, which is a $215 billion economy, is aspiring to become a $2.4 trillion economy by 2047. In April, Google held the groundbreaking ceremony for a $15 billion artificial intelligence hub in Andhra Pradesh. The project includes India’s first gigawatt-scale AI hub comprising three data center campuses. It will enable Google to deploy advanced AI capabilities and scale digital services across the South Asian nation.
On Thursday, Lokesh held talks with Anton Zakharov, head of international commercial projects at Element Group, a leading Russian producer of semiconductor components; and Julia Suhoroslova, CEO of Nanotronica, on business opportunities in Andhra. READ MORE: Indian envoy reveals ‘special’ opportunity for doing business in Russia Referring to the $100 billion trade target set by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 2030, Lokesh said, “It is a template for what more we can do together.” Медиа: | ↑ |
FIFA must take action to stop violations of the athletes’ rights by West Jerusalem, the Palestinian Football Association has said The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has slammed Israel over the “unjust arrest” of two players from its women’s national team and called on the sport’s governing body, FIFA, to intervene. Israeli authorities on Wednesday extended the detention of Rand Halawani, 20, who was arrested a day earlier on suspicion of “throwing objects” at people in Jerusalem. Another national team player, Natalie Abu Diyeh, 21, a student at Birzeit University, was detained along with three other young Palestinian women in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. The four are suspected of “promoting terrorist activities and additional terrorist-related activities,” Israeli police said. The PFA issued a statement demanding the release of Halawani and Abu Diyeh, whom it described as “young international players who have proudly represented Palestine at both youth and senior levels.” “Their arrest is not an isolated incident, it is part of a well-documented pattern of systematic targeting of Palestinian athletes, which continues without accountability,” the statement read. Read more Palestinian sports people “are routinely denied freedom of movement, safety, and the basic right to participate” in violation of the international law, FIFA statutes and the Olympic Charter, it stressed. The Palestinian Football Association said that it “calls on FIFA… and the wider international sporting community to move beyond statements and take concrete action” against Israel. FIFA banned the Russian national football team and clubs from international events following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Moscow described the move as illegal. However, FIFA has refrained from applying similar restrictions against Israel, despite repeated calls by the Palestinian Authority and some legal experts to do so over the aggressive military campaign launched by West Jerusalem in the Gaza Strip in response to a deadly incursion by Palestinian armed group Hamas on October 7, 2023. READ MORE: Israel furious over inclusion on UN sexual violence list The PFA said last year that the Israeli forces killed 785 Palestinian athletes and sports officials since then, with 762 deaths happening in Gaza and 23 in the West Bank. There were 437 football players among them, it added. Медиа: | ↑ |
In an exclusive interview with RT the US commentator joked that she would only run herself if voters accepted her as “dictator” Conservative US commentator Candace Owens would back journalist Tucker Carlson if he ran for US president, but would only run herself if voters accepted her as “dictator.” Speaking exclusively to RT’s Rick Sanchez at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Owens was asked about speculation in the US that she could one day run for the White House. “I always tell my listeners I’d never run for president. I’d only run for dictator,” Owens said. “I’m not dealing with Congress, I’m not dealing with lobbying, I’m not dealing with Lindsey Graham calling for another war.” She joked that if voters wanted her, they would have to accept the terms that she will be “dictator of the United States,” adding that she has no short-term interest in political office because of the “inauthenticity” of Washington. The former Daily Wire host said she would instead be willing to campaign for someone like Tucker Carlson if he chose to run. She added that she would be ready to travel the country on Carlson’s behalf, comparing the idea to her previous political partnership with Charlie Kirk. Read more She said Carlson had also been one of the few prominent conservative voices willing to speak honestly about Charlie Kirk’s changing views toward the end of his life, alongside Megyn Kelly. Owens initially rose to prominence in the late 2010s by urging black voters to stop supporting the Democrats. She later became one of the most prominent voices in conservative media before splitting with the Daily Wire following a public dispute over Israel’s war in Gaza. Catch the full interview with Owens when it airs exclusively on RT later today. Медиа: | ↑ |
Christopher Helali says he wrote the president a four-page letter and expects an answer within months US journalist Christopher Helali has asked President Vladimir Putin for Russian citizenship and says he expects to receive it within months. Helali, an investigative reporter and international secretary of the American Communist Party, told reporters at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday that he had sent Putin a four-page letter making his case for citizenship. “Yes, I expressed my wish to receive Russian citizenship,” Helali said, adding that the letter described his “desire to become a citizen of the Russian Federation.” He cited his work in Donbas, support for Russian-American friendship and interest in the country’s history, culture, language, and traditions. Helali said he hoped to receive a positive reply “in the next few months,” stressing “I greatly appreciate everything Russia has done for me.” Read more Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that the Kremlin had not yet seen Helali’s letter, when asked whether the journalist should expect a positive response. The request comes after Helali joined a group of more than 50 foreign journalists who visited the town of Starobelsk in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic where 21 people, mostly teenage girls, were killed and dozens more injured in a multi-wave Ukrainian drone attack on a college dorm on May 22. In March, Helali signed a contract to serve in Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. Russia has opened its doors to foreigners who share its traditional values. In 2024, Putin signed a decree granting such individuals the right to apply for temporary residence. READ MORE: Russian envoy blasts BBC ‘hypocrisy’ on Starobelsk massacre The move follows other high-profile citizenship requests by Americans. Former Joe Biden Senate staffer Tara Reade relocated to Russia after saying she faced arrest threats in the US and was granted a Russian passport by presidential decree in September 2025. Italian opera director Giancarlo Del Monaco, known for staging Verdi’s Rigoletto at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, received Russian citizenship under a December 2024 decree. Others include Italian activist Ennio Bordato and Sofia Lyskun, a former Ukrainian diving champion, who renounced her Ukrainian citizenship to become a Russian citizen. Медиа: | ↑ |
The group included undocumented travelers and individuals whose immigration status needed further verification, officials said South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) says it has successfully processed the repatriation of 933 Mozambican nationals through the port of Lebombo on Wednesday. BMA spokesperson Mmemme Mogotsi said 349 of those processed originated from the Lindela Holding Facility and were transported by the Department of Home Affairs through its deportation programme, while the remaining 584 travelled from Mossel Bay through arrangements facilitated by the Mozambican High Commission. Mogotsi said the operation was coordinated through an integrated approach involving BMA Immigration Services, Port Health Services, Law Enforcement and Border Guard functions, working in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development, the South African Police Service and Mozambican authorities. “All travellers underwent the required immigration processing, including identity verification, biometric checks and immigration status assessments, in accordance with South African immigration legislation and border management procedures,” she said. Read more According to Mogotsi, the group included individuals who did not possess valid travel documentation and others whose immigration status required further verification. She said 17 individuals who had previously entered South Africa legally were found to have overstayed their authorised period of stay and were processed in accordance with the Immigration Act and applicable regulations. Mogotsi said 38 minors formed part of the group and were processed with the assistance of the Department of Social Development to ensure compliance with all applicable child protection and cross-border movement requirements. “As part of the BMA’s mandate, all persons were screened and processed in accordance with health, security and immigration protocols before being permitted to proceed through the Port of Entry,” she said. Mogotsi said 926 individuals successfully departed South Africa for Mozambique at the conclusion of the operation. However, seven individuals were not permitted to depart following immigration processing and verification. “These cases included individuals who did not meet the prescribed requirements for cross-border movement, individuals whose nationality or immigration status required further verification, and cases involving minors where the required supporting documentation was not available,” she said. Read more BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said the operation highlighted the importance of managing migration in a lawful and orderly manner. “The management of cross-border movement must be conducted in a manner that is lawful, orderly and consistent with South Africa’s immigration framework”. He said the BMA remains committed to facilitating legitimate travel while ensuring compliance with immigration legislation and safeguarding the integrity of our ports of entry. ‘‘We will continue to work closely with our regional counterparts to promote safe, orderly and regular migration, while protecting the security interests of South Africa and the region,” he said. Meanwhile, the Government of Malawi said it was preparing a voluntary repatriation programme for Malawian nationals affected by recent attacks and demonstrations targeting African migrants in parts of South Africa. Read more The Malawian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it was monitoring the situation through its diplomatic missions and engaging South African authorities on the matter. “The Government will soon commence a voluntary repatriation exercise for Malawian nationals that have requested Government support for their return home,” the ministry said, stressing that the programme would be voluntary and only available to citizens who had requested assistance. Медиа: | ↑ |
Despite close ties with Beijing, Moscow wants technological sovereignty in rare earth minerals, Denis Manturov has said at SPIEF Russia is making steady progress in developing its domestic rare earths industry, even though Moscow does not consider reliance on Chinese supplies to be a critical weakness, Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026 (SPIEF). Unlike many other minerals, rare earth elements are usually not found in large concentrations and require a costly, multi-stage process to extract and refine. China currently dominates the global market and has developed extensive value-added supply chains, making it a key supplier for numerous high-tech industries. Beijing’s leverage in the sector played an important role in the trade war with Washington, launched by US President Donald Trump. Speaking during a panel discussion on Thursday, Manturov said the recovery of Russia’s rare earth minerals industry after the collapse of the USSR, which had disrupted old supply chains, was impacted by competition from China. Read more “We have a close, strategic, cooperative relationship with China. And we buy their products,” he said. “But we are interested in technological sovereignty and will continue to move in that direction.” Russia already possesses an almost complete set of skills and technologies needed to produce heavier rare earth elements independently, and aims to achieve the same capability for lighter elements by 2028, Manturov said. The panel also included several senior Russian officials and industrial executives, as well as ministers responsible for mining and industrial policy from Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Sierra Leone. SPIEF is a major annual business forum, sometimes referred to as “the Russian Davos.” This year’s event is taking place from June 3 to June 6 and focuses on industrial development and international cooperation, particularly among Global South nations. Медиа: | ↑ |
“Moderate” exchanges of fire are within normal parameters in the region, according to the US president A ceasefire in the Middle East does not always mean that shooting stops entirely, US President Donald Trump has said, after reporters pressed him on the latest military exchanges involving Iran. US forces this week reportedly targeted a tanker destined for Iran’s Kharg Island, triggering an Iranian missile and drone barrage targeting US bases in Kuwait. One projectile devastated the Gulf state’s international airport terminal. Additionally, over the weekend, the US carried out what it described as “self-defense” airstrikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island. Speaking at a White House press conference on Wednesday, Trump downplayed the latest Iranian attacks, arguing that Tehran was simply responding to previous US military action. He maintained that the armistice between the US and Iran remains in force. “It’s a different part of the world,” Trump said. “I’d say in that part of the world, ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.”
Before an initial truce was announced on April 7, more than 3,400 people had been reported killed in Iran by American and Israeli strikes. The US said 13 military service members died, with more than 300 others injured in the line of duty. Military personnel and civilians were also killed in Arab states hosting US bases, which Tehran targeted during the conflict. Read more On April 21, Trump extended the conditional ceasefire framework indefinitely, agreeing a 60-day extension with Iran on May 8, and announcing a truce in Lebanon on June 3. Lebanon and “ceasefire”Lebanon’s Health Ministry has said that Israeli attacks on the country have killed at least 3,516 civilians since March 2, and over 1,100 since April 7. Israel has also injured over 10,000 others while ordering the expulsion of the Muslim population from southern Lebanon. Hostilities were meant to be halted under a separate ceasefire, which the US, Israel, and the government in Beirut reaffirmed this week, demanding that Hezbollah stop attacks on Israeli-occupied southern Lebanon and withdraw its forces. Hezbollah, however, the active combatant against Israel, was neither party to the talks nor answers to Lebanon’s national government and cites multiple previous truce violations by Israel. “It is clear that Israel will not stop, that this is a one-sided ceasefire,” Beirut-based reporter Mohammed Shamsedeen told RT. “If it was a two-sided ceasefire this war would be over right now.” While the reality across the Middle East is stretching the definition of “truce” and “ceasefire” – where hundreds are being killed and warring parties are not even at the table – Trump’s quip, like all gallows humor, carries in it a grain of truth. Медиа: | ↑ |
As the battle for the country intensifies, the mineral-rich mountains of Syunik are emerging as a strategic prize in Eurasia’s new great power competition A geopolitical storm of global proportions is swirling around tiny Armenia. At stake are its relationships with Russia, Europe, and the United States, not to mention its immediate neighbors: Iran, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye. At the center of attention today are the recently signed memorandums between Armenia and the United States. These are far from routine documents. After all, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally traveled to Armenia for the signing ceremony – a level of involvement that would be highly unusual for agreements of secondary importance. The depth and complexity of both historical and contemporary developments across the South Caucasus, Central Asia, the Persian Gulf, and the Eastern Mediterranean – regions where the European Union, Israel, and Türkiye wield significant influence – are beginning to come into focus like long-forgotten photographs finally emerging in a darkroom. Suddenly, attention is returning to a network of strategically important mining and transportation enclaves scattered across this vast macro-region. One of the most critical among them is Armenia’s Syunik Province, home to substantial deposits of valuable minerals ranging from molybdenum and uranium to gold. None of this is new. Everyone has known it for decades. Read more In today’s era of heightened military competition and defense industry expansion, countries are racing to secure access to anything tied to semiconductors, rare-earth elements, and defense-critical raw materials. Governments are increasingly seeking to establish influence over the resources that will power the next generation of strategic industries. Add the ongoing transformation of global energy systems, and Armenia suddenly emerges as a source of many of the critical materials underpinning these technological shifts. Syunik has been known for these resources since Soviet times. The region is dotted with mines, open-pit operations, mineral deposits, and processing facilities. Historically, these assets were connected to the wider Soviet transportation network by a railway running along the Iranian border, which follow the Aras River. This is precisely why the Zangezur Corridor has become so strategically significant. Located nearby is the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine, which has been in operation since 1952, as well as the Agarak Copper-Molybdenum Combine further north. Both remain fully operational and have continued to expand in the post-Soviet era, with copper-molybdenum ore production doubling between 2003 and 2011. From the standpoint of geopolitics and strategic logistics, the 43 kilometers of railway track that were dismantled decades ago and are now being rebuilt represent a pathway to roughly seven percent of global molybdenum reserves. Molybdenum is indispensable for missile production, nuclear energy, and semiconductor manufacturing. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why Washington is devoting so much attention to a short stretch of rail line that was removed more than 35 years ago. For perspective, the section in question is shorter than Moscow’s Arbatsko–Pokrovskaya (dark blue) metro line. Read more As a transportation route linking the Caspian region to Türkiye, this railway had limited strategic significance for the United States and only tenuously qualified as a major international corridor. What changed is not the route itself but the cargo it could potentially carry. The nature of those commodities has elevated its importance dramatically. The risk of losing influence over this mining enclave has become sufficiently apparent that US President Trump has moved to secure a stake in the broader spectrum of industrial output generated by the region. Hence the emergence of the so-called “Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity.” After all, in today’s increasingly turbulent world, what do peace and prosperity mean without access to uranium and molybdenum? One phrase appears repeatedly throughout the US-Armenia memorandum: “export controls.” Whenever export controls are discussed alongside semiconductors, the conversation inevitably turns toward dual-use technologies and strategically sensitive materials. For years, tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan served as a destabilizing factor that complicated the development of a broader US security strategy in the region. Now, however, Armenia and Azerbaijan increasingly find themselves having to view the situation along the Iranian border through a shared lens. They are, in effect, in the same boat – bound by a common framework of agreements involving the United States. So where do Armenia’s European ambitions fit into all of this? Ironically, the primary criterion that could support Armenia’s eventual integration into the European Union is much the same as the factor that once underpinned its participation in the Eurasian Economic Union: geography. Read more Ownership of mining assets may ultimately involve American or European interests alike, but Europe’s stake in South Caucasus logistics is no less significant than America’s interest in uranium and molybdenum. The processing and manufacturing facilities that handle Armenia’s raw materials can be relocated as logistics evolve. Control over the resource base itself, however, is likely to remain closely tied to US involvement. The same applies to energy infrastructure and large-scale data systems. Consider a series of seemingly disconnected developments that, taken together, point toward a much broader strategic picture:
Viewed through the lens of a potential Washington-Tehran understanding, these factors suggest that Iran fully recognizes the strategic importance of Armenia’s uranium and molybdenum resources to both the United States and the European Union, as well as the importance of securing the broader mining assets that support Western defense industry capabilities. If that assessment is correct, there may be grounds for optimism regarding the eventual de-escalation of conflict in the Persian Gulf region. Should hostilities continue, it becomes difficult to imagine the establishment of a major US military-economic foothold in Syunik and the surrounding territories – let alone the emergence of one of Washington’s key centers of influence across Eurasia. That is, assuming a negotiated outcome remains possible. The stakes could hardly be higher. This article was first published by Russia in Global Affairs, translated and edited by the RT team Медиа: | ↑ |
The country has maintained its economic independence despite adverse external conditions, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has told SPIEF Russia has achieved economic sovereignty, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has announced at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). The minister warned of risks to the country’s finances “amid global lawlessness.” Financial sovereignty and autonomy over economic policy has been secured, he said, adding that Russia operates without external sources of investment and relies only on itself. “For several years, Russia has been living in conditions of global lawlessness, so it is important to pay close attention to the country’s finances, as this will reduce the negative impact of such shocks,” Siluanov told a SPIEF panel on Thursday. The minister vowed that Moscow will soon fully repay its external debt, adding that real incomes in Russia have increased by more than 24% over the past three years. Read more Siluanov also called for protecting this sovereignty, highlighting that the country’s financial and economic independence must be preserved despite unfavorable external conditions. The 29th SPIEF 2026, often referred to as the ‘Russian Davos’, is taking place from June 3 to 6, welcoming around 20,000 businesspeople, politicians, and public figures from more than 100 nations. Apart from Siluanov, the panel ‘Regions in the Face of Global Challenges: How to Maintain Financial Stability and Stimulate Development’ was attended by top speakers including Russian Construction and Housing Minister Irek Fayzullin, Accounts Chamber auditor Natalia Trunova, and the head of Moscow’s Complex of Urban Development Policy and Construction, Vladimir Efimov. The opening day of the forum featured the official ceremony of SPIEF 2026, where key speakers included Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Daniyar Amangeldiev, and Eduardo Pedrosa, executive director of the APEC Secretariat. Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to address the gathering on Friday. Медиа: | ↑ |
More than 2,000 shell companies carried out shady export and import operations worth of $4.7 billion before disappearing, officials have said Ukrainian tax authorities have uncovered a suspected large-scale fraud scheme in which more than 2,000 shell companies funneled around $4.7 billion abroad through fictitious foreign trade operations. Meanwhile, Western nations continue to provide Ukraine with billions in aid financed by ordinary taxpayers, which Moscow says is then embezzled and shared with Kiev’s patrons through various corruption schemes. Ukraine – often referred to as the “breadbasket of Europe” – has also for years struggled to tackle “black grain” export schemes, with many shipments until recently flowing to the EU under a preferential regime. In a statement on Tuesday, the State Tax Service of Ukraine announced that it had uncovered a network of more than 2,300 shell companies that had withdrawn over 198 billion hryvnia (around $4.7 billion) from the country between 2024 and the first quarter of 2026. Read more It said that the vast majority of dubious operations were exports: 1,243 companies carried out goods shipments worth over 176 billion hryvnia, while a further 555 companies handled imports totaling over 18 billion hryvnia. Lesia Karnaukh, the acting head of the Tax Service, noted that hundreds of companies had been re-registered under the same individuals, adding that in some cases the scheme reached stunning proportions. “We identified seven individuals, each of whom is simultaneously the manager or founder of more than 500 companies. In total, more than 7,000 business entities are under their control,” she said. Read more According to the officials, many of the suspected companies used the same IP addresses, submitted reports from the same computer networks, and were registered at the same addresses, which is atypical for normal businesses. The tax service said it had prepared analytical conclusions for 557 business entities, indicating violations and signs of money laundering, with the materials transferred to the Prosecutor General’s Office for further investigation. While the tax service did not disclose specifically what categories of goods were involved in the scheme, Ukraine is known as a farming giant, with agricultural exports reaching $24.5 billion in 2024, accounting for almost 60% of total exports. Read more The sector has been plagued by the so-called “black grain” scheme under which culprits buy agricultural products with cash and route them through chains of fictitious legal entities to obscure their origin and avoid taxes. While being moved, the products are sometimes resold several times to make the shipment look legally sound. In some cases, the grain is listed as agricultural waste, leading to a much lower taxation value. The illicit profits often never make it back to Ukraine, residing in foreign banks. Read more Such schemes have only benefited from EU policies. In 2022, the bloc suspended tariffs and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural goods to prop up Kiev’s struggling economy. The arrangement, however, triggered waves of farmer protests across Europe, with countries such as Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary demanding reimposition of import duties over what they described as unfair market competition. The EU obliged, rolling back the regime in June 2025. Ukraine has for years struggled with inadequate financial oversight and chronic corruption, which only exacerbated after the escalation of Kiev’s conflict with Moscow in 2022. Last year, Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities uncovered a $100 million kickback scheme at the state nuclear company Energoatom, with several of Ukraine’s top officials involved in the controversy, including former Energy Minister German Galushchenko, who was arrested in February as he tried to flee the country. Moscow has long accused Ukraine and the EU of being linked by “unified corruption chains,” claiming that a significant portion of the Western aid to Kiev – financed by taxpayers – gets embezzled and kicked back to Ukraine’s supporters. Медиа: | ↑ |
The US conservative commentator told RT that she has been stunned by the city of Moscow during her first visit to the city US conservative commentator Candace Owens says she has been stunned after visiting Moscow for the first time and has laughed off mainstream media “fiction” about her visit to Russia. Speaking to RT’s Rick Sanchez in an upcoming interview on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Owens said she was struck by how “clean, safe, beautiful, and historic” Moscow is, adding that the city has defied the assumptions Americans are encouraged to hold. Owens described the hostility toward Russia in the US as a “Cold War hangover,” saying Americans are simply told that Russia is “a no-no, and a no-go.” The former Daily Wire host also said the reaction to her trip in the US had been “laughable,” pointing to a stream of media claims and online rumors about her motives, funding, and alleged links to foreign actors. Owens initially rose to prominence in the late 2010s by using her platform to urge black voters to stop supporting the Democrats. She joined Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire in 2020, where her self-titled podcast reached millions of viewers. However, she was fired four years later following a public dispute with Shapiro over Israel’s war in Gaza. Owens later broke with US President Donald Trump over his support for Israel. Following the launch of her own show on YouTube, the popular podcaster drew criticism for controversial statements, including suggestions that Israel could have been involved in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, filed a defamation lawsuit against Owens after she suggested that France’s first lady was born a man. READ MORE: Candace Owens posts from ‘unbelievably beautiful’ Moscow (PHOTOS) Catch the full interview with Owens when it airs exclusively on RT later on Thursday. Медиа: | ↑ |
Relations between the two states date back far beyond Soviet times On June 3-6, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan is paying a state visit to Russia and taking part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. In recent years, Tanzania has been a growing priority for Russia, which is unsurprising: it is a politically stable country with access to the Indian Ocean, a rapidly growing economy, and significant resource potential. Moreover, Russia has a long history of contacts with this part of East Africa, which began long before the current rapprochement. A Zanzibar native’s journey through the Russian EmpireOne of the first official documents establishing contacts between Russia and the territories of modern-day Tanzania was the 1896 agreement on trade relations between the Russian Empire and the Sultanate of Zanzibar – the center of the Swahili civilization and Indian Ocean trade networks. The document defined privileges in trade and the possibility of appointing consuls. However, the Russian Empire’s interest in Zanzibar became apparent even earlier: in 1892, after the Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs discussed the Russian Empire’s participation in the work of the International Bureau in Zanzibar and the possibility of establishing a permanent diplomatic agency there. Read more But perhaps a more vivid and rare episode is the journey of Selim bin Abakari through the Russian Empire in 1896. A native of Zanzibar, Selim bin Abakari accompanied the German physician Theodor Bumiller and, over the course of several months, visited St. Petersburg, Moscow, the Volga region, Siberia, the Altai Mountains, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia. His travelogue, written in Swahili, gives us a rare glimpse of Russia through the eyes of an African in the late 19th century. Selim described the people, trade, climate, and everyday life in Russia in detail. In Selim’s notes, Moscow is depicted as a major trade center, with goods from Syria, Persia, and Bukhara. He was interested in markets, merchants, prices, carpets, karakul fur, skins, silver, tea, roads, hunting, climate, and Muslim communities. He was amazed by the white nights in St. Petersburg, the Volga River, the Siberian banya (steam sauna), the sudden changes in weather, and the presence of Muslims in the distant land of the ‘wazungu’ (Swahili for ‘whites’). In Samara, Barnaul, and other places, he recorded the locals’ reactions to seeing a black man for the first time. “In Altai, the peasants greeted my bwana (Swahili for ‘master’) who rode in front, but not in the same way as me; they greeted me as if I were the sultan himself... I am black, they had never seen anyone like me, so they thought I was the master.” Relations with the USSR: Socialism, education, and geologyThe political history of relations began in the era of decolonization. In December 1961, Tanganyika gained independence, and diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union were established almost immediately. Events unfolded even more dynamically in Zanzibar. In January 1964, a Marxist revolution took place there, leading to the fall of the sultanate and the establishment of the People’s Republic of Zanzibar. Revolutionary Zanzibar quickly came to the attention of Moscow. Contacts existed even before the revolution. Soviet publications, including those in Swahili language, were distributed in the archipelago, and young Zanzibaris were sent to the USSR to study – among them was the future prime minister of Zanzibar, Abdullah Kassim Hanga. After the revolution, a group of Soviet military specialists and translators were sent to train Zanzibari troops at the Chukwani camp. Read more On April 26, 1964, the People’s Republic of Zanzibar and the Republic of Tanganyika united to form the United Republic of Tanzania. The Soviet Embassy in Zanzibar became a consulate, and relations with the new state were formalized as unified Soviet-Tanzanian relations. The country’s first president was Julius Nyerere (previously president of Tanganyika) – one of the most prominent African leaders of the decolonization era, an intellectual, publicist, and the author of the concept of ‘Ujamaa’ (Swahili for ‘brotherhood, unity’). In 1967, this policy was enshrined in the Arusha Declaration that outlined the principles of African Socialism and Self-Reliance. Nyerere’s socialism was deeply rooted in the notions of communality characteristic of many African societies. Moscow viewed Nyerere’s ideas with caution. In the 1960s, the Soviet Union saw ‘Ujamaa’ as an independent African model of socialism that was markedly different from the Marxist-Leninist ideas familiar to Moscow and partly consonant with the Chinese socialist experience.  Under Nyerere, Tanzania pursued an independent foreign policy and was not perceived by the USSR as a direct ally. On several occasions, the positions of Dar es Salaam and Moscow diverged considerably: for example, Nyerere supported Biafra in the Nigerian conflict and condemned the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. However, the differences did not lead to a rupture of relations. On the contrary, Nyerere’s proactive foreign policy, aimed at supporting anti-colonial movements throughout Africa resonated with Moscow. By the early 1970s, Dar es Salaam became one of the largest centers of African liberation movements, with representatives of Mozambique’s FRELIMO, Namibia’s SWAPO, South Africa’s ANC, and other organizations operating there. Tanzania’s stance in the struggle against colonialism and racist regimes was met with respect in Moscow. It became an important partner of the USSR in East and Southern Africa. In the following decades, the two countries developed ties in the fields of education, technology, medicine, geology, and military cooperation. Education became one of the most notable areas of cooperation. By the time the USSR collapsed, at least 1,599 Tanzanian citizens had graduated from Soviet universities and technical institutes. Some of the graduates went on to become well-known political figures and renowned specialists in the social and humanitarian fields. Esther Daniel Mwaikambo, Tanzania’s first female doctor, received her medical degree from the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship (RUDN) University in Moscow. She later became one of Tanzania’s leading pediatricians, a professor, and the organizer of several major medical initiatives.  Another important initiative was the training of technical personnel. In 1969, the USSR and Tanzania signed an agreement to send Soviet teachers to Tanzanian schools and colleges. Soviet specialists worked in the secondary education system, helping equip educational institutions and train local personnel. In 1986, with Soviet assistance, Mbeya Technical College, which still operates today, was opened in the city of Mbeya in the south of the country. In 1969, Tanzania signed an agreement with the Soviet association Technoexport to conduct large-scale geological exploration. Soviet specialists mapped territories in the central and western parts of the country, as well as prospected for gold and non-ferrous metals in the Lupa and Mpanda districts. The 1975 World Bank Mining Sector Review called this contract the largest project of its kind undertaken by Tanzania at that time. Technoexport’s estimate for the Lupa region was 33,988 kg of ore gold, approximately 1.1 million ounces.  Modern-day ties: From wheat to uraniumAfter the collapse of the USSR, bilateral relations saw a significant decline. However, the human and professional ties built over the previous decades did not disappear. Specialists educated at Soviet universities continued to work in Tanzania, and contacts between graduates remained. Russia has also maintained the long-standing tradition of teaching the Swahili language. The Russian Center for Science and Culture (Russian House) has operated in Tanzania since 1990. In the late 2010s, Russia’s general engagement in Africa grew, and Tanzania – a large and politically stable country with a rapidly growing population, access to the Indian Ocean, reserves of gas, gold, coal, and uranium, and the potential to develop transport corridors deep into the continent – was seen as a natural partner. Trade flowing through the Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mtwara ports that link the coast with Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other countries in the region makes Tanzania an important part of East Africa’s economic connectivity and explains interest in it as a potential logistics hub for the re-export of Russian goods.  Political contacts have also intensified. Tanzania participated in both Russia-Africa summits (in 2019 and 2023). Russian and Tanzanian representatives hold regular talks on energy, agriculture, geology, healthcare, and personnel training. In February 2026, Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo visited Moscow and held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, conveying a message from Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to the Russian leadership. In May 2026, the third meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation was held in Arusha. Direct flights between Moscow and Zanzibar will be launched this year. Read more However, there is still a large gap between political and economic cooperation. Trade turnover remains relatively modest: in 2024, it amounted to approximately $304 million, of which $295 million came from Russian exports to Tanzania and approximately $9 million from Tanzanian exports to Russia. Trade structure also remains narrow: grain and fertilizers constitute the bulk of Russian exports. In 2024, Russian wheat exports to Tanzania reached $252 million, accounting for approximately 67% of Tanzania’s imports in this category, while fertilizer exports totaled $37 million, or approximately 10% of Tanzania’s total fertilizer imports. However, there are also long-term economic projects, primarily in the field of mineral extraction. The largest Russian project in modern Tanzania is the Mkuju River uranium project in the Ruvuma region. It is being carried out by Mantra Tanzania, a subsidiary of Uranium One Group and its parent shareholder, the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The project has a long history: a mining license was obtained back in 2013, and in July 2025, Rosatom announced the launch of a pilot uranium ore processing facility which is expected to reach full capacity by 2029. In Tanzania, it is considered one of the most promising mining projects. It is developing in a fairly competitive environment: Tanzania traditionally works with a wide range of external partners – from China and Western countries to regional and international financial institutions. Such is the foundation of Tanzania’s approach to external relations: encouraging cooperation without sacrificing independence. This approach, expressed in a desire to develop relations with various external partners while maintaining room for individual choice, was established under Julius Nyerere and has been maintained throughout the country’s relations with the USSR, China, Western countries, and nations in the region. Nyerere himself formulated this approach in a clear way: “No nation has the right to make decisions for another nation; no people for another people.” This concept remains important for Russia-Tanzania relations to this day. Historical memory, the Soviet educational legacy, and political sympathy create favorable conditions for cooperation, but do not replace its practical aspects.  Медиа: | ↑ |
New Delhi and Moscow have pledged to deliver on commitments to reach $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 There is a “special opportunity” for doing business between India and Russia, New Delhi’s ambassador to Moscow said at the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026). Invoking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make-in-India initiative, Vinay Kumar suggested that the model can be a bellwether for expanding business ties between New Delhi and Moscow. “There is a new and very special opportunity between our two countries, that is, making in Russia for India,” Kumar said. He cited sectors including mineral resources, critical materials, and fertilizers as areas where these new opportunities could be explored and “in which Indian and Russian companies can set up joint ventures in Russia.” Such an approach would facilitate “a captive export market for India,” he added. Kumar also said natural resources, manpower and mobility should be tapped as the countries work toward achieving the $100 billion trade target set by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Modi at their New Delhi summit in December. The envoy pointed out that over the last couple of years, the number of Indian workers in Russia has risen to 100,000. Read more A framework for boosting trade between Moscow and New Delhi, which is already in place, needs to be implemented “with a view to de-risking the supply chain and making it more resilient.” He said companies need to develop new manufacturing sites and create new supply chains, which would enable them to meet “the demand scale, demand in India and also in third countries.” The envoy also cited India’s transformation in the digital landscape, including the unified payment interface (UPI), which processes over 18 billion transactions monthly, making it one of the largest real-time payment systems on the planet. The economic cooperation program initiated by Putin and Modi is a “shared commitment, a roadmap that spans energy, transport, technology, science, and people-to-people ties,” Kumar said. READ MORE: India expresses interest in buying up to 200 Russian aircraft From oil and gas cooperation to civil nuclear energy, energy ties have been the bedrock of India-Russia ties for decades, he noted. Медиа: | ↑ |
The French president is currently suing the conservative US commentator over her allegations that his wife was born a man Conservative US commentator and podcaster Candace Owens has posed for photos next to a face sculpture depicting an angry French President Emmanuel Macron at RT’s stand at the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). The 3-D likeness which attracted Owens’s attention is part of an exhibit called ‘12 Angry Viewers of RT.’ It features the heads of the most prominent Western politicians and public figures to have criticized the broadcaster or attempted to cancel it over the years, including former US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the current leaders of Germany and the UK, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, tech entrepreneurs Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, and others. Last July, Macron and his wife, Brigitte, filed a defamation lawsuit against Owens after her repeated suggestions that France’s first lady was born a man. The blogger, who has 6 million subscribers on YouTube, also claimed later that Macron had ordered her assassination.  During her interview with RT’s Rick Sanchez on Thursday, Owens doubled down on her accusations, saying that she was “1,010%” convinced that Brigitte Macron is transgender, especially after the Macrons took her to court. “I don’t know who was advising them - a sitting president of a foreign country suing a podcaster in another country. This shows that there is something very true about the claims that are being made, not the opposite,” she argued.  Owens arrived at SPIEF to participate in a panel on family values, titled “A Big Family, a Big Reach: New Demographics and Narratives for Media Leaders,” which was held earlier in the day.  She made the trip to Russia with her husband and four kids, describing it as “a family vacation.”
Before traveling to St. Petersburg, Owens toured Moscow, noting “it is genuinely shocking how clean, beautiful and orderly this city is. It is so far removed from media depictions.” READ MORE: Candace Owens posts from ‘unbelievably beautiful’ Moscow (PHOTOS) “I’m starting to understand why the talking heads panic and shout and lie about ‘Russian collusion’ when they learn an American with a platform is traveling here,” she wrote on X. Медиа: | ↑ |
The broadcaster falsely claimed the Reform UK leader called for “white cold rage” over the student’s killing The BBC has been forced to issue an apology after one of its presenters sparked an uproar by misquoting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as calling for “white cold rage” in response to the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak. Nowak was stabbed to death in Southampton in December by Vickrum Singh Digwa, a 23-year-old Sikh man. When police arrived at the scene, Digwa falsely claimed that he had been the victim of a racist attack. Bodycam footage from the incident showed that officers believed Digwa’s account, treated the dying student as the suspect, dragged him across gravel and handcuffed him as he repeatedly told officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe. Nowak later lost consciousness and drowned in his own blood. Digwa was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years. Read more The release of the bodycam video has sparked mass outrage and protests, with violence breaking out during a rally in Southampton on Tuesday. Farage responded to the footage by saying the case showed Britain was living in a “two-tier culture,” where “a false accusation of racism counted higher at that moment than someone that was dying.” The Reform UK leader urged the British public to respond to the case with “pure, cold rage.” However, during Tuesday’s edition of Newsnight, BBC presenter Matt Chorley repeatedly claimed Farage had called for “white cold rage,” using the phrase a total of three times during the broadcast. In a legal letter cited by British media, Reform UK argued that the misquote was “seriously defamatory” and completely changed the meaning of Farage’s remarks, suggesting he was “invoking race as a basis for public anger” rather than condemning racially skewed treatment by authorities. Chorley apologized directly to Farage on X on Wednesday, claiming he had “misremembered” the quote. Read more The BBC also issued an apology, published a correction, and removed the episode from BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. The broadcaster said an apology would be aired on Wednesday’s edition of Newsnight. The misquote comes amid growing anger over government and media attempts to frame outrage over Nowak’s treatment as far-right agitation rather than as criticism of police and government failures. Critics have accused British authorities of repeatedly dismissing anger over immigration, crime, and two-tier policing as extremism, while using those labels to justify arrests, prosecutions and prison sentences for protesters and online commentators. Медиа: | ↑ |
The facility should treat local patients as well if outbreaks occur in the region, Oyewale Tomori has said A planned Ebola treatment center in Kenya should be available to all patients in need rather than exclusively serving US citizens, Nigerian professor of virology Oyewale Tomori has told RT. Addressing reports that Americans infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) could be treated in Kenya, the chairman of the West Africa National Academy of Sciences said he had no concerns about the facility’s ability to safely contain the virus. However, he argued that access to treatment should also extend to Kenyans and others in the region. “If that center is open, it should be open to everybody, not just Americans,” Tomori said. “If any Kenyan gets any infection, it should be treated in that place.” Tomori suggested that treating Ebola patients in Kenya rather than the US could be justified by shorter transportation times, allowing patients to receive care more quickly. Read more Meanwhile, human rights defender Boniface Ogutu Akach told RT that many Kenyans fear the facility would primarily serve foreign interests. He argued that Americans exposed to Ebola should instead be treated in the US, which has greater resources to manage potential outbreaks. The comments come amid protests over the proposed US Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base near the central Kenyan town of Nanyuki. Despite a Kenyan High Court order halting the project, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous US official, that around 20 flights carrying medical equipment and specialist personnel landed at the base between May 23 and May 31. READ MORE: Kenyans protest US Ebola facility plan (PHOTOS/VIDEO) The debate comes as DR Congo battles its 17th Ebola outbreak. On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported 1,077 suspected cases and 246 probable deaths since May 15. The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments. Медиа: | ↑ |
The bloc’s lawmakers have reportedly selected Qwant, formerly owned by Axel Springer, to reduce digital dependence on the US The European Parliament is set to replace Google with a Franco-German-backed search engine as the default tool on in-house computers, Politico reported Tuesday citing an internal memo. The rollout of Qwant, previously owned by German media giant Axel Springer, comes as the European Union reportedly seeks to reduce its dependence on US tech. Amazon, Microsoft and Google account for more than two-thirds of the global cloud computing market, while American companies are dominating the so-called AI race. Google is being replaced with “privacy-focused European search engine” Qwant, launched by a French developer in 2013, starting June 4, the document seen by Politico reads. Affecting some 720 lawmakers and thousands of administrative staff, the switch is reportedly being conducted “in line with the Parliament’s commitment to digital sovereignty and the protection of users’ personal data.” Read more The tool, privately owned by Qwant SAS, a subsidiary of French cloud technology group Synfonium, is reportedly designed to avoid tracking users or collecting personal data. Searches conducted through the address bar in Firefox and Edge browsers are automatically routed through Qwant, the news outlet noted, adding that lawmakers will remain free to use competing search engines or change their default settings. The search-engine switch comes as the European Commission unveiled a tech sovereignty package on Wednesday aimed at reducing reliance on foreign technology providers and strengthening European alternatives. While dependence on American digital infrastructure remains a legitimate global concern, critics argue that Brussels’ response increasingly resembles digital protectionism. Supporters describe it as technological sovereignty, while opponents warn it could fragment the global internet, weaken competition by favoring local providers, and create a digital ecosystem governed by Brussels’ own standards for content moderation, AI governance, and disinformation. Read more Critics cite the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into force in late 2022, as evidence of Brussels’ growing influence over online discourse, arguing that measures aimed at combating disinformation have also expanded its ability to shape political debate within member states. They warn that such policies, alongside efforts to promote European digital alternatives, risk concentrating control over information flows. Broader efforts to develop EU alternatives to major US social media platforms include Eurosky and W. Eurosky, a Netherlands-based initiative designed as a European alternative to platforms such as X and Meta, was officially launched earlier this year. W, a Europe-focused social network that reportedly emphasizes verified identities and compliance with EU data protection rules, was developed by Swedish company W Social and unveiled in early 2026. Following a limited beta launch in February, the platform is expected to roll out to the public in the Netherlands and across the EU by the end of the year. Earlier this year, France announced plans to replace US videoconferencing platforms such as Teams and Zoom with the homegrown Visio app by 2027. Meanwhile, the European Payments Initiative is urging EU authorities to reduce the bloc’s reliance on Visa and Mastercard. Медиа: | ↑ |
More bodies have been found after militants raided Mbau, abducting civilians and torching property The death toll from an attack by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist militant group that originated in Uganda, has risen to 21 in the town of Mbau, located in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). The increase in casualties follows the discovery of additional bodies on the outskirts of the town in the aftermath of the assault, a local news agency reported on Thursday. Mbau came under a deadly attack overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. According to preliminary accounts collected by local outlet Actualite from survivors, ADF fighters operated in three separate groups during the raid. The militants reportedly targeted the neighborhoods of Matete, Kithoho, and Mamuli, where they also set fire to homes and motorcycles. Read more “We want to see the army pursue the attackers to their last stronghold, because we will be exterminated if nothing is done,” Louis Kisaki, head of the Batangi-Mbau civil society organization, told the news agency. According to the publication, ADF militants have killed more than 40 people in attacks across the town of Mbau and the wider territory of Beni over the past three days. Several civilians were also abducted during the assaults and remain in captivity. The latest violence comes as the DR Congo continues to face a worsening security crisis. The M23 rebel group remains in control of parts of the country, contributing to ongoing armed clashes and deepening humanitarian challenges. READ MORE: Islamic State-backed militants kill dozens in central Africa – rights group The security situation in the DR Congo is further complicated by a growing public health emergency. During its latest briefing, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported that 1,077 suspected Ebola cases and 246 probable deaths had been recorded since May 15, when the country officially declared its 17th Ebola outbreak. READ MORE: Why is the current Ebola outbreak worrying health officials? Медиа: | ↑ |
The German filmmaker has withdrawn ‘Wrong Move’ after years of objections from Nastassja Kinski over a scene showing her half-naked German film director Wim Wenders has withdrawn his 1975 film ‘Wrong Move’ from circulation and issued an “unreserved” apology to actress Nastassja Kinski over a scene showing her topless at age 13. The road movie marked the film debut of the daughter of actor Klaus Kinski. It also stars Rudiger Vogler as an aspiring writer wandering through Germany. His encounters include an apparently mute teen acrobat played by Kinski. In a brief scene, Vogler, then over 30, visits the 13-year-old in her bedroom, where she is lying on a bed in only her panties. He strips to his underwear and lies on top of her, slapping her before stroking her face. Read more In a statement released on Wednesday, Wenders, 80, apologized to Kinski and said the non-profit Wim Wenders Foundation, which owns the film, would withdraw it from distribution. He also instructed streaming platforms, television broadcasters and distributors to stop making the film publicly available. “As the only person responsible at the time for ‘Wrong Move’ who is still here, I recognize that Nastassja Kinski should have been better protected back then,” said Wenders, who is one of Germany’s most influential postwar filmmakers and later also worked with Kinski as the star of his acclaimed films ‘Paris, Texas’ (1984) and ‘Faraway, So Close!’ (1993). “For that, I apologize to you, Nastassja, unreservedly, no ifs or buts,” he added. The film will remain unavailable, Wenders said, until a mutually agreeable solution is found. Read more The decision comes after Kinski, now 65, told Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper last month that she has spent 15 years unsuccessfully trying to get Wenders to remove the scene from the movie. “Although I didn’t know much at the age of 13, I could already tell that it wasn’t right,” she told the outlet, adding: “That was my first film, he was my first director and he didn’t protect me.” Wenders first responded publicly to Kinski’s demands in 2024, saying that he understood her “current perceptions and feelings” and adding that he would not film the scene that way today. Kinski has previously campaigned successfully against a TV film by Das Boot director Wolfgang Petersen, in which she was shown naked at age 15. Her lawyer told Spiegel that they had reached an agreement with broadcaster NDR over the film’s distribution. Медиа: | ↑ |
Four Republican lawmakers have supported the motion put forward by Democrats The US House of Representatives has passed a resolution aimed at making it impossible for US President Donald Trump to take further military action against Iran without the approval of Congress. The Trump administration did not consult with lawmakers when it launched ‘Operation Epic Fury’ and attacked Iran together with Israel in late February. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the president is required to withdraw American forces from a war after two months if it has not been approved by Congress. The 60-day deadline passed on May 1, but US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth argued that the announcement of a ceasefire with Tehran in early April had reset the clock. House Democrats, who have made several attempts to pass a resolution to limit Trump’s war powers since the start of the conflict, succeeded in doing so on Wednesday. However, it still requires backing from the Senate, which remains under Republican control. Read more The vote in the House was 215 to 208, with support coming from all Democrats and four members of the Republican Party: Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Tom Barrett of Michigan, and Warren Davidson of Ohio. New York Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks, who introduced the resolution, said that he was thrilled “that we’ve had the opportunity to have some members from the Republican side stand up.” The House will remain “a check and a balance when the administration doesn’t follow the Constitution,” he stressed. Barrett explained that he voted together with the Democrats because the American people are “tired of this war… they’re tired of $5 gallon gas and $6 gallon diesel, and fertilizer we can’t afford to put on our fields.” Before the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned his colleagues against passing the resolution, arguing that it could have a “very negative” impact on the talks with Iran. “It weakens us, our position, and our leverage in negotiation on the peace in that situation. ‘Operation Epic Fury’ is concluded,” Johnson told CNN. READ MORE: WATCH drone strike on Kuwait airport caught on security footage Washington and Tehran exchanged fire earlier this week amid stalled negotiations. The US Central Command announced carrying out “self-defense strikes” on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Wednesday, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted US-linked assets in the Gulf in response. Медиа: | ↑ |
Over 40 patients have entered the program, with the first cases showing a 50- to 100-fold rise in key antibodies, ex-Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova told RT More than 40 patients have now been selected for Russia’s personalized cancer vaccine program, with the first treatments already producing a strong immune response, Russian Federal Medical-Biological Agency head and former Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova told RT’s Rick Sanchez on Wednesday. Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026, Skvortsova said the treatment uses artificial intelligence as a key weapon against cancer. The vaccine is custom-made for each patient in a process that takes around 42 days. Scientists take material from the person’s tumor and blood, sequence the RNA, and use AI-driven predictive algorithms to compare the patient’s genome with that of the tumor in order to identify unique mutations. Once those targets are found, the vaccine introduces peptides that teach the immune system to recognize the same markers on malignant cells and selectively kill them, while leaving healthy tissue intact. “We use the immune system to kill malignant tumor cells,” Skvortsova said. “It’s one of the most powerful weapons.” Skvortsova stressed that AI does not work alone. Even after the most advanced artificial intelligence completes its analysis, bioinformaticians and geneticists manually validate the results. This is followed by another week of quality and accuracy testing. Read more The program is part of Russia’s broader push into personalized immunotherapies, including the domestic cancer vaccines Neooncovac and Oncopept. Permission to begin clinical use was granted in March, and since then more than 40 patients have been selected, though they are at different stages of the process, from biopsy to vaccination. The first two colorectal cancer patients began treatment around two months ago and have already received five injections. According to Skvortsova, the vaccine appears safe and well tolerated so far, and the concentration of G immunoglobulins in their tumors rose by 50 to 100 times. Doctors have also observed a decrease in lymph node size after the fourth injection, she said. However, Skvortsova cautioned that it is too early to claim clinical effectiveness. The first major checkpoint will come after three months, when MRI scans will measure changes in lymph nodes and other metastatic sites. Медиа: | ↑ |
Several cities on the peninsula were subject to the attack overnight, according to local officials At least four people have been killed and ten others wounded in Ukrainian drone attacks on Crimea, local governor Sergey Aksyonov has said. One person was killed and three others were wounded during a drone attack on a suburban train traveling from Azovskoye to Kerch, Aksyonov wrote in a post on Telegram on Thursday morning. The strikes damaged several “nonresidential facilities” in the city of Simferopol, killing at least three people and injuring seven others, the governor added. The Crimean port city of Sevastopol, home to the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, was also attacked overnight, according to its governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev. At least 20 incoming Ukrainian drones were shot down by air defenses, and there were two incidents of drone debris falling in residential areas. No injuries were reported. The Russian Defense Ministry has reported that 272 drones were intercepted and destroyed over several regions of the country on Thursday morning. Apart from Crimea and the waters of the Azov and Black seas, the UAVs were downed over Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod, Orel, Rostov, Ryazan, and Tambov regions. Read more The attack on Crimea came less than a day after a Ukrainian strike on a passenger bus en route from Moscow to Simferopol while it was traveling through the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). Eight civilians were killed and 11 others injured in what the Russian authorities are investigating as an act of “terrorism.” Russia was hit by another major Ukrainian drone attack overnight, with 272 UAVs shot down across the country, according to the Defense Ministry. The interceptions took place over Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kursk, Novgorod, Orel, Rostov, Ryazan and Tambov Regions as well as over Crimea and the Sea of Azov, the ministry said. Moscow previously warned that it would carry out “systematic and consistent strikes” on Ukraine’s military infrastructure, such as drone production facilities, command posts, and “decision-making centers,” in response to Kiev’s terrorist attacks, including one in the Lugansk People’s Republic on May 22. On that occasion, Ukrainian forces struck a college dormitory in the town of Starobelsk in several waves of drone attacks late at night while students were asleep, killing 21 people, mostly teenage girls, and injuring dozens of others. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the Ukrainian leadership had opened “a new chapter in its crime spree” with the attack on Starobelsk, adding that those responsible would face “well-deserved and inevitable punishment.” READ MORE: Zakharova slams Western media for ignoring Starobelsk massacre On May 24, Moscow launched a large-scale missile and drone attack against military-related targets in Ukraine, among other things deploying intermediate-range hypersonic Oreshnik systems. Another major Russian raid took place on Tuesday, targeting defense industry facilities in Kiev, parts of Zaporozhye and Kherson regions still under Kiev’s control, as well as Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Khmelnitsky, and Sumy regions. Медиа: | ↑ |
A host allegedly canceled a booking in a “peaceful white neighborhood” of Atlanta after learning the visitor was black A woman has sued Airbnb and an Atlanta-area host after allegedly being denied a rental booking when the host learned she was black, The Independent has reported. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Georgia last week, the outlet said on Wednesday. Plaintiff Sharona Stewart alleges that Airbnb host George Yu Shihfang and unnamed property managers discriminated against her during the booking process and that the service had failed to act after she reported the incident. According to the complaint, Stewart exchanged what were described as “cordial” messages with Shihfang after requesting to rent the six-bedroom property. The lawsuit says that after the host asked “racially based questions” and determined Stewart was a black woman, he stopped responding to her inquiries and the reservation request was ultimately rejected. Stewart later reviewed the listing and found language describing the area as a “peaceful white neighborhood” under the property’s neighborhood highlights section. According to the lawsuit, she reported the wording and the rejected booking to Airbnb but the company closed her complaint and allowed the advertisement to remain on the platform. Read more “We have to call it out when we see it” Stewart’s attorney Bataski Bailey told The Independent. Bailey said the case was intended to challenge what he described as racial discrimination on the platform. Stewart's complaint argues that Airbnb had failed to stop discriminatory conduct on its platform and allowed minority applicants to face unequal treatment. Questions about racial discrimination on Airbnb have surfaced repeatedly over the past decade. A 2015 Harvard Business School study found that guests with African-American-sounding names were nearly 10% more likely to have booking requests rejected than otherwise identical guests, findings that contributed to calls for stronger safeguards. Медиа: | ↑ |
Countries neighboring Russia, including the Baltic states, have already shown interest The US is mulling the deployment of its nuclear weapons to more NATO states in Europe, the Financial Times has reported, citing sources familiar with the discussions. Russia has already said that any NATO nuclear moves toward its borders would not go unanswered. The potential move comes as Washington seeks to reassure allies unsettled by plans to reduce US troop numbers and critical weapons systems in Europe and redirect some resources to Asia and other regions, the FT said on Tuesday. The US is broadly scaling back its military presence in Europe, where more than 80,000 US troops were stationed in 2025 under a system of combined territorial defense and deterrence dating back to the end of World War II. Read more Last month, the Pentagon canceled the planned rotation of 4,000 troops into Poland, shortly after announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany. The FT paper described the talks as “highly confidential” and said they may not lead to any changes in existing nuclear-sharing arrangements. Currently six NATO countries host US nuclear weapons and dual-capable aircraft (DCA) certified to deliver them – Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Türkiye, and the UK. Several NATO members on the bloc’s eastern flank, including Poland and some Baltic states, have expressed interest in hosting US nuclear weapons and DCA, people familiar with the matter told the FT. Read more European NATO members remain heavily dependent on the US for key capabilities, though they have drastically increased their military budgets in recent years on the pretext of a supposed Russian threat. Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern over NATO’s buildup in Europe, condemning the region’s militarization and the bloc’s intensified military activity near its western borders. Russia argues that Western governments are using “ostentatious Russophobia” to justify turning the EU into a military bloc and to divert attention away from domestic issues. The Kremlin has stated that it has no intention of attacking any NATO nation, but has warned that it would aim its nuclear arsenal at countries hosting weapons directed at Russia. Медиа: | ↑ |
West Jerusalem and Beirut have agreed to implement a renewed ceasefire after US-mediated talks in Washington Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a renewed ceasefire that requires the militant group Hezbollah to stop firing and withdraw from southern Lebanon, according to a joint statement released after US-mediated talks at the State Department on Wednesday. The talks followed weeks of Israeli strikes and ground operations in Lebanon, as well as Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel. Washington has said previous ceasefire efforts were undermined by Hezbollah attacks carried out without the approval of the Lebanese government. “The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of Hizbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hizbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector,” the joint statement read. “The two sides agreed with the guidance of the United States to swiftly advance the creation of pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors.” Read more The latest arrangement is not a completely new ceasefire but an effort to implement and reinforce previous understandings, with the prospective pilot zones as the main new element. Lebanon previously demanded that Israel withdraw from its territory as part of any lasting arrangement, while Israel has insisted that Hezbollah must be removed from the border area before it ends its operations. Israel sent troops across the border after Hezbollah supported Iran in the face of the US-Israeli attack in February, and renewed its ground push in recent weeks, including the capture of Beaufort Castle, also known as Qalaat al-Chakif.  The 900-year-old Crusader fortress, located on a strategic hilltop, was previously used by Israel as a base during its two-decade occupation of the region, which ended in 2000. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the move a “dramatic shift” and said he had ordered the military “to expand its ground maneuver in Lebanon.” Read more The occupation and mounting civilian casualties have complicated US peace negotiations with Iran, as Tehran has demanded that the deal include an end to hostilities in Lebanon. Lebanese health authorities said on Wednesday that more than 3,500 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since early March. US President Donald Trump called Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” during a heated phone conversation after the Israeli leader threatened to bomb Beirut again, Axios reported. Медиа: | ↑ |
The clip disputes Iran’s previous claim that the damage was likely caused by a US air-defense missile that veered off course Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has released a video it says shows the moment an alleged Iranian drone hit a terminal at Kuwait International Airport on June 3. The agency described the incident as a “brutal Iranian drone attack,” saying it caused loss of life, serious injuries, and extensive material damage. Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry previously said at least one person had been killed when a projectile struck Terminal 1 at the airport and other “vital facilities,” including diplomatic missions. Several other people were injured, the ministry added, without giving a number.
Tehran has denied deliberately targeting the passenger terminal. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed earlier that the damage was likely caused by a US Patriot missile launched to defend an American base in Kuwait from Iranian strikes. Read more “Our investigation and research into the Kuwaiti passenger terminal attack shows that the IRGC’s air force did not fire at this target,” an IRGC spokesman said. He claimed the destruction was caused by “an error in the American Patriot systems” after an interceptor failed to hit Iranian missiles and landed on the terminal. The incident followed an exchange of US and Iranian strikes. The IRGC said it had launched attacks on US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, including the US Fifth Fleet headquarters, after American strikes on Qeshm Island. The US Department of War claimed that Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait failed to hit their targets, saying two projectiles fell short or broke apart en route. Kuwait said its air defenses were responding to missile and drone attacks during the incident. Медиа: | ↑ |
The US president says he confronted the Israeli prime minister over Israel’s attack on Lebanon US President Donald Trump has confirmed reports that he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” during a heated phone conversation over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon. Axios reported earlier this week that Trump had angrily urged Netanyahu to cancel planned strikes on Beirut, warning that further escalation could jeopardize ongoing US-Iran negotiations and a fragile regional ceasefire. Speaking on the New York Post’s ‘Pod Force One’ podcast on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged using the language attributed to him. “I did,” Trump said when asked whether he had called Netanyahu “f***ing crazy.” “I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon. At some point I said, ‘We gotta stop this. We gotta stop it.’” Trump added that he still had a “very good relationship” with the Israeli leader. The US president also dismissed claims that Netanyahu had pushed him into the conflict with Iran, saying anyone making such accusations was “the enemy.” Read more Israel has intensified its campaign in Lebanon in recent days, carrying out strikes it says are aimed at Hezbollah commanders and infrastructure. Israeli troops have also advanced further into southern Lebanon, including the capture of Beaufort Castle, a medieval fortress overlooking the Litani River. Lebanese health authorities said on Wednesday that more than 3,500 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since early March. The escalation has drawn criticism from Tehran, which insists that the US-Iran ceasefire framework also covers Lebanon. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on Tuesday that continued Israeli operations could derail diplomacy. “If the Israeli aggression against Lebanon continues, we will not only halt the path of negotiations, but we will also be in direct confrontation with the enemy,” he wrote on X. The tensions come as the eight-week-old ceasefire between Iran and the US faces renewed strain. US Central Command said it carried out “self-defense strikes” on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Wednesday, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted US-linked assets in the Gulf in retaliation for recent American attacks. Kuwait International Airport was reportedly struck during the exchange. Медиа: | ↑ |
Berlin has failed to win a rotating seat on the UNSC for the first time ever and has claimed Moscow is behind it Germany has failed to win a temporary seat on the UN Security Council for the first time in modern history, losing a General Assembly vote to Austria and Portugal. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called the outcome “a real disappointment” and blamed Russia for the loss. “There is our firm support for Ukraine; the fact that Russia does not want such a voice at ?the Security Council,” he told reporters after the news broke. Portugal won 134 votes and Austria 131 in the contest for two seats allocated to the Western Europe and Others group, while Germany received only 104 votes in a secret ballot on Wednesday. Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago were elected unopposed to seats reserved for Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, respectively. Kyrgyzstan secured the Asia-Pacific seat after defeating the Philippines. The five incoming elected members will replace Pakistan, Somalia, Greece, Denmark, and Panama for a two-year term beginning on January 1, 2027. The vote was presided over by former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is serving as president of the UN General Assembly.
Germany’s failed bid marked a break from its previous Security Council campaigns, which were traditionally preceded by years of coordination within the Western group. In earlier races for the 1977–1978, 1987–1988, 1995–1996, 2003–2004, 2011–2012, and 2019–2020 terms, Berlin either ran unopposed or entered as a clear favorite, and chose to stay on the sidelines when facing serious competitors. Germany has also long sought a permanent seat on the Security Council, arguing that the body must be expanded to better reflect today’s political and economic realities, while also promoting itself as a major UN donor and supporter of multilateralism. Wadephul said last year that the council should include additional permanent and non-permanent seats, especially for underrepresented regions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Read more Germany has framed its push for a permanent seat as part of a wider Global South demand for reform of a body still dominated by Western powers. African leaders have called for at least two permanent seats for the continent, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership as “indefensible.” India has also pushed for permanent membership, saying it is “eminently suited” for the role and citing its population, economy, democratic system, and UN peacekeeping record. New Delhi is also using its Voice of Global South initiative to cast itself as a representative of developing nations in debates over global governance. The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent veto-holders – Russia, China, the US, the UK, and France – and ten elected members, half of which are replaced each year for staggered two-year terms. Медиа: | ↑ |
Police treatment of stabbing victim Henry Nowak, who was falsely accused of racism by his killer, has sparked public outcry Clashes have broken out in the UK city of Southampton after hundreds of people gathered to protest the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak and his treatment at the hands of police in his final minutes. The rally on Tuesday followed the release of police bodycam footage from last year showing officers handcuffing Nowak, who had been stabbed. Police ignored Nowak’s pleas for help after his murderer, Vickrum Singh Digwa, falsely accused the student of carrying out a racist attack. The footage revived debate over claims of unequal police treatment of different ethnic groups, known as “two-tier policing,” and sparked nationwide outrage. The protesters initially gathered outside the city center police station on Tuesday before moving closer to the home of Nowak’s killer, Digwa.
Rally participants chanted Nowak’s name and “I can’t breathe” – the words he had repeated while being arrested. Activist Tommy Robinson joined the protest, telling the crowd that the case was “about race.” Violence broke out, with videos on social media showing the crowd pelting riot police with various objects. Chairs, cans, flares, bricks, bins, and an e-scooter were reportedly thrown at officers, forcing them to retreat from some areas.
Police responded by pushing back, including by hitting the protesters with riot shields. Eleven officers as well as a police dog were injured in the clashes, according to reports. Two people were arrested over the incidents, with police indicating that the number of arrests will increase as they review footage from the scene.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the violence at the protest as “disgraceful and completely unacceptable.” He also criticized Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for what he called an “unforgivable” response to Nowak’s murder. Farage had earlier called on the British public to respond to the incident with “pure, cold rage” and called it a proof of “two-tier culture” in the UK. READ MORE: Anger in the UK: Henry Nowak’s murder and the protests that followed (VIDEO, PHOTOS) Hampshire police chief Alexis Boon told the BBC that “we, as a society, cannot accept… the violent scenes” seen at the protests. He accused some of the protesters of seeking to cause “disorder and trouble” while denying allegations of two-tier policing. Медиа: | ↑ |
An Iranian strike on an American base in Kuwait triggered air defenses which hit the country’s international hub, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp has claimed The damage to Kuwait International Airport’s Terminal 1 was likely caused by a US Patriot missile launched to defend a regional American military base from an Iranian attack, Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed. However, footage later released by Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation appears to dispute this claim. The incident took place during a US-Iranian missile exchange on Wednesday, triggered by an American attack on a tanker en route to Kharg Island and what CENTCOM called “ self-defense strikes” on Qeshm Island. “Our investigation and research into the Kuwaiti passenger terminal attack shows that the IRGC’s air force did not fire at this target, and the destruction of the Kuwaiti airport passenger terminal was caused by an error in the American Patriot systems, which landed on this terminal after failing to intercept Iranian missiles,” an IRGC spokesman announced on Wednesday. Read more At least one person died as a missile struck the terminal and other “vital facilities,” according to Kuwait's foreign ministry, including diplomatic missions. Several people were also injured in the attacks, it added, without specifying the number. A video obtained by RT purports to show the aftermath of the strike. A short clip appears to show the inside of a terminal building filled with smoke and dust. Pieces of debris can be seen lying on the floor with several fires visible, including on the roof. The Foreign Ministry did not comment on the extent of the damage inflicted on the airport. It condemned what it called Iran’s “aggressive attacks” and blamed it for “increased escalation” and “heightened tension” in the Middle East. It also warned that Kuwait “reserves its full and inherent right” to respond. Read more Iran’s IRGC stated that it launched strikes on US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, including the US Fifth Fleet HQ, in response to attacks on its telecom tower on Qeshm Island. The US Department of War claimed that all Iranian missiles failed to hit their targets. The escalation comes almost 100 days into the conflict and nearly two months after the US and Iran reached a fragile ceasefire after over a month of active hostilities. Tehran halted negotiations with Washington earlier this week over the ongoing Israeli offensive in Lebanon. Iran also restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy chokepoint, after the US-Israeli attack in February, while Washington began a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Медиа: | ↑ |
How the OUN-UPA embraced ethnic violence, collaborated with Nazi Germany, and became one of the most controversial movements of World War II Burned villages. Families slaughtered in their homes. Women, children, and the elderly hacked to death with axes and pitchforks. Thousands of Jews beaten, tortured, and murdered during pogroms that accompanied the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. These are some of the atrocities associated with the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its military wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) – movements whose legacy remains one of the most divisive issues in Eastern Europe more than eighty years after World War II. For decades, supporters of the OUN-UPA have portrayed its members as freedom fighters who resisted both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in pursuit of Ukrainian independence. Opponents, however, point to a different record: collaboration with the Third Reich, participation in anti-Jewish violence, and the mass killing of Polish civilians during the Volhynia massacres of 1943-1944, which Poland today officially recognizes as genocide. Read more Far from being settled history, this debate has recently returned to the center of international politics. In 2026, a new diplomatic dispute erupted after Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky honored the UPA tradition at the state level, prompting outrage in Poland and reigniting long-standing accusations that modern Ukraine is rehabilitating organizations linked to fascism, ethnic cleansing, and wartime crimes. At the very moment when Polish and Ukrainian officials are working together to exhume the victims of Volhynia, disagreements over the legacy of Bandera, Shukhevich, and the OUN-UPA continue to poison relations between the two countries. Below, we’ll talk about the origins of modern Ukrainian nationalism, the motives behind the mass killings of Poles and Jews by underground nationalist forces, and the reasons why OUN-UIA leaders collaborated with Nazi Germany. The ideology behind Ukrainian ‘heroes’Ukrainian integral nationalism, which became the foundation of OUN-UIA ideology, owes much to the writings of Dmitry Dontsov. In the mid-1920s, he articulated a doctrine of Ukrainian nationalism that was heavily influenced by the fascist ideology of the time.  In his 1926 work ‘Nationalism’, he proclaimed the principle of Social Darwinism in relations between nations: he stated that various peoples exist in a state of perpetual and merciless conflict, and the strong ones “expand” at the expense of the weak. He dismissed morality as a constraint, arguing that “the end justifies the means” – i.e., any form of violence could be justified in the name of national success, including the physical extermination of anyone not belonging to one’s “own” nation. According to this doctrine, the Ukrainian nation was seen as an absolute value, superior to the lives of the individuals who inhabit the country. Dontsov’s ideal was a totalitarian movement where individual interests were entirely subordinate to the greatness of the nation. He envisioned the future Ukrainian state as monoethnic and imperial, encompassing all “ethnographic Ukrainian lands” and purged of outsiders, including Russians (seen as Ukraine’s eternal strategic and mystical enemies), Jews, and Poles. Such a state would be governed by an order, a special “ruling caste” – an elite composed of the “best people” who would manifest maximum ruthlessness for the sake of the national idea. Dontsov explicitly stated that members of this elite “know neither mercy nor humanity... they are driven solely by a burning desire to maintain the integrity of the nation,” not tolerating anything foreign and dealing with enemies in a decisive manner. He envisioned a strong national leadership capable of implementing the Ukrainian liberation policy in order to address urgent challenges. From this perspective, Dontsov believed that the leaders of fascist, totalitarian, and anti-communist states – most notably Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler – could serve as role models for Ukrainians.  Dontsov extolled fanaticism and amorality, asserting that the driving forces of nationalism should be will, strength, expansion, and violence, along with racism, fanaticism, mercilessness, and hatred. It’s no surprise that such an ideology inherently permitted and justified political terror. Dontsov established close ties with the Ukrainian Military Organization and urged his comrades to abandon discussions with opponents and resort to radical actions for the sake of the nation.
proclaims the precept from Dontsov’s ‘Decalogue of the Ukrainian Nationalist’. In this manifesto, a “true patriot” is instructed to avenge fallen comrades and harbor hatred for the enemies of his nation. In essence, Dontsov proclaimed violence a virtue. By the early 1920s, many of his followers, including members of the Ukrainian Military Organization, resorted to individual acts of terror against those they deemed agents of “anti-Ukrainian policies.” The rise of the OUNThe Ukrainian Military Organization was a clandestine military group founded in 1920 by Colonel Evgeny Konovalets who spent over 10 years in exile and hoped to one day return and seize power in Ukraine. The organization’s mission was to fight against Polish and Soviet authorities for Ukraine’s independence, employing tactics of terror and inciting a “revolutionary explosion among the Ukrainian people.”  In 1921, Stepan Fedak attempted to assassinate Polish Prime Minister Jozef Pilsudski by shooting the “dictator” of the Polish Republic. The operation failed (Pilsudski emerged unscathed) but it underscored the radicals’ willingness to take extreme measures. Over the following years, Ukrainian nationalists continued their underground activities, including political assassinations and sabotage. In 1926, in Lviv, 19-year-old Roman Shukhevich, who would later lead the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, shot and killed Polish school supervisor Jan Sobinski. He was accused of persecuting Ukrainian students, and thus the nationalists believed he deserved death. Each year the number of victims of such violence grew by the dozens. Read more That same year, the organization found its ideological “compass” in Dontsov’s published work titled ‘Nationalism’. This solidified its stance as an ultra-nationalist and fascist organization. The organization founded by Konovalets was the largest and most radical of its time, but it wasn’t the only one. In 1929, the First Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists took place in Vienna, where various factions – including the Ukrainian Military Organization – came together to form a new entity: the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). Led by Konovalets, the movement’s ideology was rooted in the principles set forth by Dontsov, elevating the cult of strength, blood, and national superiority to an absolute value. During the 1930s, the OUN engaged in underground activities, particularly in Galicia. It was also during this period that Stepan Bandera emerged as a prominent figure among the nationalists. Young, ruthless, and determined, he quickly established himself as one of the recognized leaders of the OUN, gaining notoriety through violent acts against high-ranking Soviet and Polish officials. In 1933, Bandera organized the high-profile assassination of Soviet diplomat Andrey Mailov, who worked at the Soviet consulate in Lviv. The assassin, Nikolay Lemik, shot the diplomat inside the consulate building. However, the OUN considered its real “triumph” the assassination of Polish Interior Minister Bronislaw Pieracki in June 1934. Pieracki was the mastermind behind a campaign known as “pacification” which aimed to suppress the Ukrainian nationalist movement in Galicia. Bandera personally selected Grigory Matseiko to carry out the assassination. Matseiko fatally wounded Pieracki right on the street in Warsaw.  A Polish court sentenced Stepan Bandera to death for organizing the murder, but the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. During his trial, Bandera showed no remorse, and stated: “We know how to value our lives and those of others, but our idea is worth making millions of sacrifices for.” Bandera’s imprisonment did not last long – he was released in 1939 after Nazi Germany invaded Poland, and quickly rejoined the nationalist movement. By the late 1930s, after Konovalets was assassinated by Soviet intelligence agent Pavel Sudoplatov, the OUN splintered into factions of “moderates” and “radicals.” This division became apparent by 1940, as the organization split into the Melnik faction (led by Andrey Melnik) and the Bandera faction (led by Stepan Bandera). Despite their differences, both factions remained committed to the ideas of integral nationalism and sought allies to combat their common enemies in Ukraine. Soon, they found such an ally in Nazi Germany.  Terror against JewsUkrainian nationalists placed their main hope in Adolf Hitler, with whom Konovalets met several times in the 1930s. They believed that with the support of the Nazis, they could finally build an independent state. As Dmitry Dontsov wrote at the time, “For us, the most important aspect of Hitlerism is its commitment to a decisive struggle against Marxism.” The connections between the nationalists and the Nazis were so significant that in 1939, just a few weeks before WWII broke out, Andrey Melnik personally met with Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the chief of the Abwehr. As a result of these negotiations, the OUN received specific directives from the German command on gathering intelligence about the USSR and conducting subversive activities in Poland. However, the collaboration with the Nazis did not distract the Ukrainian nationalists from what they considered more pressing tasks: eliminating ethnically foreign elements. In a May 1941 directive, the OUN explicitly stated that Russians, Poles, and Jews were enemies of the Ukrainian nation and must be annihilated. In the early days of Nazi Germany’s war with the USSR in June 1941, nationalists called on people to take up arms and “destroy the enemy,” declaring:
And words soon turned to actions. After German forces captured Lviv on June 30, 1941, Ukrainian nationalists unleashed a brutal pogrom against the city’s Jewish population. OUN militants, operating as part of the so-called Ukrainian People’s Militia and the Nachtigall Battalion, organized raids on Jewish residents. People were publicly beaten, tortured, and many were murdered right in the streets or executed after being tortured. Over the course of a few days, thousands of Jews were brutally killed. Similar atrocities occurred throughout the region; the occupying authorities encouraged anti-Semitic violence, which local nationalists eagerly participated in.  The OUN viewed Jews as “supporters of the Moscow-Bolshevik regime” and welcomed their extermination. Many members of the OUN later served in auxiliary police forces for the Nazis, actively participating in the Holocaust by herding Jewish people into ghettos and camps, escorting death marches to Babi Yar in Kiev, and personally executing prisoners. Although later the UIA declared a fight against Germany, by early 1943 almost all Jews in Volynia and Galicia had been killed, with the active help of Ukrainian nationalists. Few managed to escape, and only a handful of people survived the war within the ranks of the UIA – these were mostly doctors or specialists who were tolerated for practical reasons. Hunting for PolesHowever, the primary targets of the ethnic cleansing efforts of the OUN-UIA were the Poles of Galicia and Volynia, whom the nationalists regarded as historical enemies and “occupiers” of Ukrainian lands that needed to be expelled or eliminated. Plans for these atrocities were devised long before the Volynian massacre: as early as 1938, the OUN’s internal doctrine outlined a project for an uprising aimed at “sweeping away every last Polish element” from Western Ukrainian territory. This document cynically stated that
The OUN demanded that no Poles remain on Ukrainian territory, seeking complete “national purity.” Moreover, the doctrine explicitly stated that “no methods should be considered too harsh... Poles, Russians, and Jews must be exterminated.” These sinister plans began to be implemented in the spring of 1943 when the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (the military wing of the OUN) carried out the massive slaughter of the Polish population in Volynia. The Volynian massacre of 1943 became one of the bloodiest crimes of WWII in Eastern Europe. UIA units and armed nationalist peasants attacked hundreds of Polish villages with the intent of physically annihilating all Poles living on “Ukrainian” land. Terror reached its peak in July 1943 during ‘Bloody Sunday’ on July 11, when dozens of settlements were simultaneously attacked by militants.  The methods of execution were unbelievably cruel. People were killed indiscriminately: women, the elderly, children, and infants; many were not just shot but hacked with axes, stabbed with pitchforks, or bludgeoned to death. The homes of Poles were burned to the ground, their property looted; entire villages vanished in flames and were reduced to charred ruins. Historians estimate that 60,000-100,000 Poles were barbarically killed by the OUN-UIA in Volynia and the surrounding areas. Polish partisan groups later responded with retaliatory terror against Ukrainian villages; however, the initiative for the large-scale extermination of civilians belonged squarely to the Ukrainian nationalists. The modern Polish Sejm and historians classify the Volynian massacre as an act of genocide. Numerous accounts indicate that the slaughter was premeditated by the leadership of the OUN, which sought to realize Dontsov’s vision of a “monoethnic” state at any cost. As a result of the actions of the OUN and UIA, Poles in Volynia and Eastern Galicia were virtually annihilated. Waves of refugees fled their homes to escape the violence. The ethnic landscape of the region was radically reshaped through mass terror tactics. Repression was not limited to Poles and Jews: UIA militants also targeted Ukrainians who refused to support them or were suspected of “disloyalty,” labeling them as traitors.  Nazi collaboratorsThe activities of Ukrainian nationalists extended beyond the extermination of Jews and Poles. Under the command of Roman Shukhevich, the head of the OUN military branch, two diversionary Abwehr battalions were formed – the Nachtigall Battalion and the Roland Battalion. These Ukrainian units became part of the Wehrmacht and, in June 1941, crossed the Soviet border dressed in German uniforms and under German command, invading the territory of the Ukrainian SSR alongside the Nazis. Subsequently, the Germans formed the Schutzmannschaft Battalion 201 from the Nachtigall and Roland battalions. It was dispatched to Belarus to combat partisans. This battalion was also commanded by Roman Shukhevich, who would later become the supreme commander of the UIA. In 1942, the soldiers under his command participated in punitive expeditions aimed at “pacifying” Belarusian villages suspected of aiding partisans (in other words, burning down entire settlements along with their inhabitants). Throughout this period, the OUN hoped to reap political benefits from its alliance with the Nazis. On June 30, 1941, immediately after capturing Lviv, Bandera’s followers, led by Yaroslav Stetsko, proclaimed the establishment of the Ukrainian State and formed a pro-German “government.” In its declaration of statehood, the OUN openly expressed the intention to collaborate with Nazi Germany, which “under the leadership of its Führer Adolf Hitler is creating a new order in Europe and assisting the Ukrainian people in liberating themselves from Moscow’s occupation.”  However, these expectations were soon dashed. Adolf Hitler had no intention of granting independence to Ukrainians or creating the proposed ethnocratic Ukrainian state stretching from the Carpathians to the Volga. By July 1941, the German authorities had arrested Stepan Bandera, Yaroslav Stetsko, and several other OUN leaders for overstepping their authority. Despite this, at the grassroots level, the OUN continued to serve the Third Reich. Hundreds of Ukrainian nationalists worked for the Nazi authorities, police forces, and auxiliary SS units. The Ukrainian police, which included OUN members, participated in guarding ghettos and conducting mass executions of Jews, as well as carrying out punitive operations against partisans and the civilian population. Read more In fact, until the end of 1942, the OUN acted as an ally of the Nazis in their fight against the USSR and “racially alien” peoples. Only when the tide of war turned against Germany did the Ukrainian nationalists try to position themselves as a “third force” fighting both the Nazis and the Bolsheviks. Even after this shift, however, the UIA continued to unofficially collaborate with the German command – documents show instances of local ceasefires and agreements between the insurgents and the Wehrmacht during 1943-1944. Apparently, the common enemy – Soviet power – brought them closer together than any ideological differences. *** None of this helped save the Bandera and Melnik movements, however. After defeating Nazi Germany, the USSR turned its attention to the Ukrainian nationalists, effectively blockading western Ukrainian regions. State security agents cleared area after area. By 1950, most of the rebel leaders had been either killed or captured (Roman Shukhevich was killed in 1950, and Vasily Kuk, the last leader of the Ukrainian nationalist underground, was arrested in 1954). All centers of resistance had been suppressed by 1956. The few OUN figures who survived ended up in exile in the West. Stepan Bandera settled in Munich under the protection of Western intelligence services after the war; however, he was assassinated in 1959 by Soviet agent Bogdan Stashinsky using cyanide gas. Other prominent OUN members – Yaroslav Stetsko, Nikolai Lebed, and Stepan Lenkavsky – settled in Europe and North America, continuing their ideological work by publishing journals and books and lobbying for the “Ukrainian cause” during the Cold War between the USSR and the USA. Within the émigré community, the OUN and UIA gradually became symbols of anti-Soviet resistance, while their dark past was hushed up. Медиа: | ↑ |
The fatal stabbing of the 18-year-old student has sparked outrage over race, policing, and knife crime in Britain The murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak has sparked national outrage in the UK after police bodycam footage submitted to court showed officers arresting and handcuffing him as he lay dying, while his killer remained uncuffed after falsely claiming to be the victim of a racist attack. The case has triggered protests, renewed accusations of two-tier policing, and an investigation into how British authorities handled the incident. Who was Henry Nowak?Nowak was an 18-year-old University of Southampton student from Chafford Hundred, east of London in Essex. He was walking back to his student accommodation on December 3, 2025, when he was attacked in Belmont Road.  Who killed Henry Nowak?Vickrum Singh Digwa is a 23-year-old Sikh from Southampton who had no previous convictions before the murder. He lived with his family on St. Denys Road in Southampton and had been helping his brother with Deliveroo deliveries on the night of the attack. Prosecutors, however, have described him as a man with a “weapons obsession.” A British court heard that he had trained with weapons since the age of 12, slept in a bedroom surrounded by weapons, and had frequently searched for weapons on his phone.  Police reportedly also found a cache of more than 20 weapons at Digwa’s family home, including flick knives, knuckledusters, swords, a machete, an extendable baton, an axe, and an air rifle. The murderOn December 3, 2025, while en route to his accommodation in Southampton, Nowak encountered Digwa in Belmont Road. Shortly before the attack, Nowak recorded Digwa openly wearing a large blade hitched on his belt. In the video, Nowak can be heard saying: “You’re a bad man, say you’re a bad man,” to which Digwa replies: “I am a bad man.” The video cut off after that. Digwa then stabbed Nowak five times, including wounds to the backs of his legs and a fatal wound to the heart. Police later found Nowak’s phone hidden in Digwa’s pocket. The police responsePolice were called to the scene by Digwa’s brother Gurpreet, who told officers that they had “just been attacked racially by some white person.” This was a lie. When officers arrived, Digwa told police that Nowak had racially abused him, punched him, grabbed his hair, and torn off his turban. Police believed Digwa’s account and treated Nowak as the suspect. Bodycam footage showed officers handcuffing Nowak, who was lying on the ground and repeatedly telling them he had been stabbed and could not breathe. One officer responded: “Don’t think you have, mate.” Nowak was dragged across gravel, placed under arrest for assault, and left in handcuffs as he lost consciousness and drowned in his own blood. Digwa, who still had the murder weapon on him, was not handcuffed. The trialDigwa was arrested after officers eventually realized Nowak had been stabbed, and was later charged with murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place. He denied murder and claimed he had acted in self-defense. His defense argued that Digwa was attacked first and feared that Nowak could use his blade against him. Digwa also claimed he had not realized he had inflicted the fatal chest wound. Has Digwa been sentenced for the murder of Nowak?The jury convicted Digwa on May 28 and on Monday, he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years. Digwa’s mother, Kiran Kaur, was also found guilty of assisting an offender after hiding the murder weapon and will be sentenced on July 17. Less than a day after Digwa was sentenced, he appeared again at Southampton Magistrates’ Court alongside his father Moga Singh, 52, and brother Gurpreet, 27, on separate weapons charges linked to the cache found at the family home. The religious weapon argumentDigwa attempted to justify carrying a blade by citing his Sikh faith. Practising Sikhs are legally allowed to carry a small ceremonial knife known as a kirpan.
The court heard, however, that Digwa was carrying both a small traditional kirpan concealed under his clothing and a much larger 21 cm knife worn openly on his belt, with which he stabbed Nowak five times. Judge William Mousley KC rejected Digwa’s attempt to link the killing weapon to Sikh religious practice, telling him that he had brought shame upon his family, his community and his religion. ‘Inhumane and degrading’The case has prompted outrage and condemnation across Britain, with much of the anger focused not only on the killing itself but on the way police treated Nowak after accepting Digwa’s false racism allegation. Nowak’s father, Mark, said his son “did not die with dignity” and described the police treatment as “inhumane and degrading.”  “Henry told officers that he could not breathe nine times. He told them that he had been stabbed four times,” he said. He contrasted this with Digwa’s treatment, saying the killer was believed, initially left uncuffed, and later taken inside the family home, where police “even took him to the kitchen so he could choose his food.” How have UK politicians reacted to Nowak’s death?Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called on the British public to respond with “pure, cold rage.” In a statement on Tuesday, Farage described the case as “proof, if ever there was any, that we’re living in a two-tier culture in this country where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities.” Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the footage “awful,” said there had been “multiple failures,” and urged the government to treat the case as seriously as it had treated the killing of George Floyd in the US.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the bodycam footage was “really harrowing” and that there were “serious questions for police,” including how accusations of racism shaped their decision-making. However, he rejected claims that Britain has a problem with “two-tier policing.” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also warned MPs against politicizing the case, insisting it was about murder, not about Sikhism or race. Public outrage and protestsPublic anger escalated after Digwa’s sentencing and the release of the police bodycam footage. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Southampton, outside the city’s police station and later near the Digwa family home chanting Nowak’s name and “I can’t breathe.”
Activist Tommy Robinson addressed the crowd outside the police station, telling demonstrators the case was “about race.” Violence erupted. Chairs, cans, flares, bricks, bins and an e-scooter were reportedly thrown at riot police, forcing officers to retreat in some areas. Eleven officers and a police dog were injured, according to reports. Two people have been arrested so far while police said they are reviewing footage and could make additional arrests. Read more A history of differential treatmentThe Nowak case has renewed the broader debate over “two-tier policing” and whether the British authorities hesitate to act against minority suspects, even in cases of serious violence, while responding harshly to public anger over immigration and crime. Some examples include the 2023 Nottingham murders, when a paranoid schizophrenic migrant killed three people after mental health workers released him out of fear of being perceived as racist, and the 2024 Southport murders, where police appeared to grant leniency and refused to disclose the identity of a Rwandan teenager who killed three young girls and injured ten others at a dance class. The protests that erupted in response have been met with rapid arrests and prison sentences while the British government has faced accusations of cracking down on free speech and arresting citizens for any form of criticism of immigration, crime, and policing failures. Read more The latest incident has also tied into the UK’s long-running knife-crime crisis, with critics arguing that police and politicians prioritize policing speech, protests, and “hate incidents” while failing to get dangerous blades and violent offenders off the streets. How is the British establishment reacting to public anger over Nowak’s death?In parliament, Starmer commended Nowak’s family for showing “extraordinary dignity” after his life was “stolen in appalling circumstances.” He said there were “serious questions to answer,” but condemned the Southampton clashes as “disgraceful and completely unacceptable.” “This is a time for serious work, not rage,” the prime minister said. Policing minister Sarah Jones has also appealed for calm. The National Police Chiefs’ Council is reviewing its anti-racism commitments after MPs raised concerns that the guidance could encourage officers to treat people differently based on ethnicity. Read more What happens next?The Independent Office for Police Conduct is reviewing bodycam footage and trial material and is expected to report within three months. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has apologized for how Nowak was treated. One of the four officers involved has resigned, while the other three continue to serve and are being treated as witnesses. The Attorney General’s Office is also considering requests to review Digwa’s sentence under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Медиа: | ↑ |
Large companies are increasingly sourcing components from smaller home-grown suppliers, a SPIEF panel has heard Large Russian companies are increasingly turning to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for software, technology products, and industrial components – a trend officials and business leaders say could help raise the sector’s relatively modest share of the national economy. The strengthening of the SME sector’s role was discussed on Wednesday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026 (SPIEF), where government officials, entrepreneurs, and business associations examined ways to accelerate growth amid high borrowing costs and tax changes. Maria Glukhova, executive vice president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), said demand from corporate giants is creating new opportunities for smaller firms. “Software procurement from SMEs has increased for a third of the surveyed companies,” Glukhova said, citing an RSPP survey of large Russian businesses. Read more According to the survey, around a quarter of respondents reported increasing purchases of technological solutions from SMEs, while a similar share said they were buying more components and equipment from smaller suppliers. Glukhova attributed the trend to the greater flexibility of smaller companies. “Large companies are not always as agile as small and medium-sized businesses,” she said, noting that SMEs are often better able to adapt products and services to customer needs. Officials view stronger ties between large corporations and smaller suppliers as an important mechanism for expanding the SME sector’s economic footprint. Russia has around seven million SMEs and individual entrepreneurs employing roughly 19 million people, or nearly one-third of the workforce, Deputy Economic Development Minister Tatyana Ilyushnikova told the panel. Despite their significant role in employment, SMEs account for only about a fifth of Russia’s GDP, according to Economic Development Ministry estimates. By comparison, small and medium-sized businesses generate roughly 43.5% of US GDP. Read more At the same time, Glukhova warned that many SMEs remain cautious about expanding operations despite growing demand from large customers. Smaller businesses are more sensitive than larger firms to rising prices, higher taxes, and financing costs, she said. Participants at the forum argued that increasing procurement from SMEs, particularly in high-tech sectors, could help narrow the gap between the sector’s share of employment and its contribution to economic output. This year’s SPIEF, being held from June 3 to June 6, is focused on economic growth, industrial development, technological sovereignty, and international cooperation, including with BRICS and Global South countries. Медиа: | ↑ |
A cluster in the Russian capital will participate in the industrial development of drugs in collaboration with Hetero Labs Indian pharma major Hetero Labs has agreed with the city of Moscow to build a new plant and expand pharmaceutical collaboration in a special economic zone in the Russian capital. A memorandum of cooperation was signed by Anatoly Garbuzov, minister of the Moscow government, and Murali Krishna Reddy, director of Emerging Markets at Hetero Labs Limited, on the sidelines of the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026). “We believe that such a synergy between the city and foreign partners will help create the most promising, the most high-tech pharmaceutical drugs,” Garbuzov told RT. He added that Moscow is one of the largest centers of pharmaceuticals and medical instrumentation in the country and that more than 300 industry enterprises operate in the capital.
Garbuzov, who is also the head of investment and industrial policy in Moscow, said the pharma industry in Russia’s capital is looking for international expertise. “India is really the world leader in the production of various pharmaceuticals.” Sanjay Nayak, CEO of Makiz Pharma, a wholly owned unit of Hetero Labs, said his firm would set up a factory for producing oncological and other products. The Moscow government has provided the land for the facility and offered incentives such as tax rebates and assured buy-back of some pharma products, he said. Hetero Labs produces active pharmaceutical substances and ready-made dosage forms for the treatment of HIV, hepatitis, cancer, and tuberculosis. Makiz already has a manufacturing facility in Moscow. Read more India plans to increase pharma exports to Russia, the Netherlands, and Brazil as New Delhi aims to expand its presence beyond the US, its largest market, due to tariff-related concerns, Reuters reported last September. The Technopolis Moscow SEZ has 14 companies, ten of which have already started production of drugs for the treatment of oncological, autoimmune, cardiological, and other diseases. Garbuzov also said the city is open to investment from the Indian electric car industry, and that a delegation of 18 Russian companies had visited India to explore market opportunities. Медиа: | ↑ |
Peter Magyar has lifted a longstanding veto on possible bloc membership for Ukraine, while claiming he has the interest of Hungarian speakers in the country at heart Hungary has lifted its veto on Ukraine beginning formal accession talks with the EU, following days of hints from Prime Minister Peter Magyar and strategic leaks from Brussels, whose reporters announced the news with much fanfare on Wednesday. Will Magyar compromise on Hungarian rights?In the hours following the announcement Magyar claimed that a "comprehensive agreement on the linguistic, educational, cultural and political rights of the 100,000-strong Hungarian minority,” has been reached with Kiev, but no confirmation has come from the Ukrainian capital. Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday, Magyar said that he was “very optimistic” that a deal could be done to guarantee the rights of Ukraine’s Hungarian minority, in exchange for his government lifting the veto.
“The negotiations are progressing encouragingly,” he said, adding “I am ready to meet with Ukraine’s president at the beginning of next week, if we manage to agree on these fundamental human rights.” Within an hour of Magyar’s statement, Politico published an article claiming that Budapest had privately “signaled it will drop its long-standing opposition to Ukraine’s bid for EU membership,” citing four unnamed diplomats. How did Politico try to influence EU members on Ukraine? Politico, the Axel Springer-owned Brussels insider, reported that Magyar’s government had “privately signaled openness to lifting its veto following a meeting on Monday between Ukrainian and Hungarian experts.” The Ukrainian side, the outlet claimed, provided verbal assurances that they would resolve most of Hungary’s concerns – including the Hungarian minority’s right to use their native language in schools – and formal accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova will be opened at an EU leaders’ summit on June 15. Why was Politico’s article important?That this story first appeared on Politico was likely no coincidence. Politico’s neoliberal, Atlantacist worldview is literally written into the constitution of its owner, Axel Springer, and its journalists’ proximity to power in Brussels has made it the outlet of choice for all kinds of strategic communications from within the EU machine – from telegraphed policy moves like Tuesday’s report, to outsourced smear campaigns. Read more For example, when Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever shot down the European Commission’s plan to use €185 billion ($218 billion) in frozen Russian assets to finance a massive aid package for Ukraine in December 2025, Politico responded with a hit piece portraying his country as “Russia’s most valuable asset” in Europe. Further hit pieces – all of them citing EU diplomats and officials – followed, claiming that “Europe is failing Ukraine,” de Wever “fears retaliation from [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” and “Europe still doesn’t want to pay to save Ukraine.” Magyar’s predecessor, Viktor Orban, derided Politico as “the Brusselian elite’s official publication” after it named him 2025’s “disruptor of the year.” How are Hungarians treated in Ukraine?After the collapse of the Soviet Union, around 156,000 ethnic Hungarians found themselves trapped within Ukraine’s borders, after Kiev refused to recognize a successful self-rule referendum in the region of Transcarpathia. Relations between Budapest and Kiev rapidly declined from 2017 onwards, when Ukraine passed a series of laws mandating the sole use of the Ukrainian language in schools and local government.
Ukraine’s language laws have been criticized by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission for failing to safeguard minorities’ linguistic rights, and condemned by human rights organizations. Why lift the veto now?Orban maintained that Ukraine joining the EU would drag the bloc into open war with Russia, undercut Hungary’s agricultural sector, and effectively give a free pass to the corruption and criminality of the Ukrainian government. However, the Transcarpathia issue was the brightest of red lines for Orban, with the then-prime minister declaring in 2023 that Hungary “will not support Ukraine in any issue in international life until the previous laws that guaranteed the rights of Transcarpathian Hungarians are returned.”
Anita Orban, Magyar’s foreign minister (and no relation of Viktor), has maintained this policy, telling an interviewer last month that “until the situation of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine is resolved, we cannot make progress in any other area.” Hungary’s concerns are laid out in an 11-point plan. Anita Orban has refused to say whether her government would compromise on these demands, but Politico noted that Ukraine would address “most” – but not all – of the points, and added that this would be done without “passing new legislation in Ukraine.” All of this suggests that the Ukraine's language laws have not been repealed or replaced, but that Magyar has been forced to abandon some of the document’s points, which have not been made public. It is unclear, but likely, that Magyar and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed Ukrainian membership of the EU when they met to discuss frozen funding for Hungary last week. Read more Although Magyar said afterwards that the funding issue is “not connected in any way with the issue of Ukraine,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said beforehand that she expected Hungary to lift the veto ahead of the June summit. With accession a pet project of von der Leyen, and with Vladimir Zelensky set to attend the summit, it is highly likely that Magyar came under significant pressure to resolve the dispute before next week. Could anyone else block Ukrainian attempts to join the EU?With Viktor Orban out of office, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is now considered the EU’s most Ukraine-skeptic head of state. However, while Fico maintains cordial relations with Russia and opposes all military aid to Ukraine, Zelensky claimed that the Slovak prime minister would support Ukraine’s EU membership bid after the two met in Armenia last month. Has Zelensky’s veneration of Nazi collaborators harmed Ukraine’s EU bid?Polish President Karol Nawrocki said last week that Ukraine “is not ready to be part of the European family,” after Zelensky granted the title ‘Heroes of the UPA’ to a Ukrainian commando unit. The UPA, or Ukrainian Insurgent Army, was the armed wing of Stepan Bandera’s Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), and collaborated with Nazi forces to murder around 100,000 Polish civilians in what is now western Ukraine between 1943 and 1945.
However, Nawrocki added that supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia remains Poland’s “strategic goal.” Even if Nawrocki wanted to block Ukrainian accession, the decision would not be his to make. Poland’s government is run by Nawrocki’s pro-Brussels rivals, and Nawrocki would be unable to veto any accession treaty without finding a majority of MPs or senators to support him. What comes next for Ukraine?Euronews’ report suggests a win for von der Leyen and her expansionist plans for the EU, and barring the emergence of some last-minute obstacle, formal talks will likely be confirmed on June 15. However, with the accession process in motion, all of the old issues between Kiev and its European counterparts will return to the forefront: corruption, agricultural market disruption, and the prospect of a permanent welfare recipient joining the European bloc. These long-term issues could be far more challenging for Zelensky and his officials to solve than the Transcarpathia impasse ever was. Медиа: | ↑ |
Brussels has made severing religious ties with Moscow a condition for integration with the West, according to the SVR The European Union is pressuring Armenia to expel the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) from the country as a prerequisite to EU integration, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has alleged. In a statement on Wednesday, the SVR said that EU officials had made severing religious ties with Moscow a condition for closer ties with the West, a policy it said is being pursued by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The landlocked nation maintains close economic ties with Russia and hosts one of Moscow’s few military bases abroad. It is set to elect a new parliament on Sunday. Critics of Pashinyan have warned that he is steering Armenia down a path similar to Ukraine’s after the 2014 Western-backed coup. One of Kiev’s hallmark policies has been a crackdown on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which authorities accuse of promoting Russian interests. Armenia’s religious landscape differs from Ukraine’s. The country’s dominant religious institution is the Armenian Apostolic Church, an ancient denomination that broke with mainstream Christianity in the 5th century, centuries before the Great Schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Read more The ROC does not recognize the Armenian Church as canonical, but regards it as a close Christian ally with shared traditions and common goals. The ROC maintains its own diocese in Armenia, encompassing five parish churches, a monastery, and two military chapels. In its report, the SVR referenced a May statement by two Armenia-based NGOs that accused an ROC priest of influencing the upcoming election through his sermons, including those delivered at a church on the Russian military base in Gyumri. The agency said the allegations are part of a campaign orchestrated by Brussels and that EU operatives “are currently fabricating compromising evidence” to smear other Russian clergy. Pashinyan’s government was rocked by mass protests in 2024 and 2025, as critics, including senior figures in the Armenian Apostolic Church, accused him of betraying national interests in his handling of the conflict settlement with neighboring Azerbaijan. The prime minister, in turn, accused his opponents of plotting a coup and launched prosecutions against the alleged organizers, including several members of the clergy. Медиа: | ↑ |
The head of the United Aircraft Corporation has said the first “Superjet” could be made in the South Asian country in 3 years India has expressed an interest in buying up to 200 Russian regional aircraft, the head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has said. Read more
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