Boar’s Head, a renowned food company, has initiated a recall of its ready-to-eat liverwurst and certain deli meat products due to potential listeria contamination. The recall, which was announced on Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), involves approximately 207,528 pounds of products. The FSIS is currently conducting further tests to ascertain if these products are linked to a multistate listeria outbreak that has already claimed two lives and ... Read more

A 15-year-old boy tragically lost his life on Friday in Queens, New York, in what authorities believe to be a subway surfing incident. The teenager was discovered shortly before 5:30 p.m. on the train bed of the elevated tracks at the Beach 90th Street Station in the Rockaways, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD). The young boy, who had sustained severe head injuries, was declared dead at the scene. The NYPD is currently ... Read more

FRESNO, CA – In a startling event in California, a canine led to the unearthing of a human body in a state of decomposition. The Fresno Police Department was notified of the incident by a local citizen who saw the dog drop a human skull on a sidewalk in the vicinity of Nicholas and Florence Avenues. Upon receiving the report, Fresno Police Department officers promptly arrived at the location. The dog, which had retrieved the ... Read more

Aware that the window of opportunity for destabilizing their country might soon close, the Georgian Legion might desperately try to carry out a high-profile assassination attempt in the near future, even if it isn’t against the ruling party’s founder but … The post Georgia Is the Next Country That Might Face a High-Profile Assassination Attempt appeared first on Global Research.

Vielleicht erinnern Sie sich an die alternative Friedenskonferenz am 12. Juni 2024 in Flühli, Schweiz, die von einer Gruppe für „Gegenseitiges Friedensengagement“ (“Mutual Peace Engagement”) organisiert wurde, mit wahren Vertretern der USA / NATO, Russlands, Deutschlands und der Schweiz – … The post Offener Brief an Ungarischer Präsident Viktor Orbán appeared first on Global Research.

You may recall the Alternative Peace Conference on 12 June 2024, in Flühli, Switzerland organized by a Group for “Mutual Peace Engagement”, with real representatives from the United States / NATO, Russia, Germany and Switzerland – and alternative to the … The post Open Letter to Hungarian President Viktor Orbán appeared first on Global Research.

Ao contrário do que afirma a propaganda estatal ucraniana, as pessoas estão realmente cansadas da guerra e prontas para qualquer tipo de concessões para pôr fim às hostilidades o mais rapidamente possível. De acordo com um inquérito recente, o número … The post Povo ucraniano aberto a reconhecer os Novos Territórios Russos. appeared first on Global Research.

As the BRICS ministers of foreign affairs/international relations met in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, on June 10, 2024, the triple challenges of unprecedented wars threatening to implode into global conflict, climate change and the structural systemic economic challenges emanating from historical marginalisation and hegemonic domination of the Global South weighed heavily on their thinking

Russia is facing an acute shortage of essential medicines, a crisis worsened by international sanctions imposed in response to its geopolitical actions

Russia is seeking China's help in developing an Arctic sea route that could almost halve the journey time between Europe and Asia, although the heightened geopolitical risk and Moscow's suspicion about Beijing's intentions in the region may limit their scope for cooperation

Stevie Nicks, the renowned 76-year-old singer, recently faced a serious health scare. Earlier this month, she had to cancel a solo performance in Glasgow, Scotland, due to a reported leg injury that necessitated surgery. However, during the rescheduled concert on July 24, Nicks disclosed that her health issue was far more severe than initially reported. Nicks, during the concert, shared with her fans that she had contracted a severe infection. “I don’t know what happened. ... Read more

According to Aleksandr Syrsky, there will be no change on the battlefield with the arrival of the new Western-supplied warplanes.

Germany is even setting up a "crisis group" if Trump wins, clearly implying that it wants to go ahead with the plan to attack Russia with or without the US. This will leave Moscow with no choice but to demonstrate the destructiveness of its military might for the umpteenth time.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the tenth prime minister of independent India (1999–2004), died on August 16, 2018, at the age of ninety-three. What followed was a range of obituaries from India and across the globe, eulogizing his worldliness, his moderate temperament, and his commitment to India’s secular spirit. All of this, despite his lifelong allegiance to

For some time now, Anne Applebaum, a journalist, public historian, and devoted anti-communist, has felt uncomfortable among her fellow right-wingers. In her last book, Twilight of Democracy: The Failure of Politics and the Parting of Friends, she gave voice to a newfound discomfort around her erstwhile friends. Former heroes of liberal democracy, such as Hungary’s

War Criminal Benjamin Netanyahu Addresses the US Congress By Philip Giraldi, July 26, 2024 Polls have shown for months that more Americans disapprove than approve of the Israeli onslaught in Gaza, but Congress and the White House are not … The post Selected Articles: War Criminal Benjamin Netanyahu Addresses the US Congress appeared first on Global Research.

Around the time I turned 21, Sen. J. William Fulbright described what was taking place across the country as a “spiritual rebellion” of the young against a betrayal of national values. Almost half the US population was under 25 at … The post Bringing War Back Home: Vietnam and Siege Mentality. “Managing Chaos, Adventures in Alternative Media.” Greg Guma appeared first on Global Research.

All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the Translate Website button below the author’s name (only available in desktop version). To receive Global Research’s Daily Newsletter (selected articles), click here. Click the share button … The post Canada’s Long Fight Against Democracy: Presentation by Owen Schalk and Yves Engler appeared first on Global Research.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church was the scene of an extended press conference held by the Detroit Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (DCPTA) on July 24. The DCPTA was founded in July 2020 amid the mass demonstrations and rebellions around … The post Detroit Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (DCPTA) Holds Press Conference on Continuing Law Enforcement Misconduct appeared first on Global Research.

As all military brass who have ascended to the highest ranks — which are political appointments, not meritocratic ones — tend to do, the pudgy careerist hack who cosplays as soldier, Gen. Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint … The post Gen. Mark Milley: Robots to Imminently Replace Human Soldiers in U.S. Military appeared first on Global Research.

On July 23 the UN Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg informed the Security Council that recent developments in the Red Sea, Israel and inside Yemen “show the real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation.” This statement was made in the … The post Can the Already Very Serious Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen Worsen Further? appeared first on Global Research.

Contrary to what Ukrainian state propaganda claims, people are really tired of war and ready for any kind of concessions to end hostilities as soon as possible. According to a recent survey, the number of Ukrainians willing to recognize the … The post Ukrainian People Open to Recognize Russian New Territories appeared first on Global Research.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before Congress was everything you’d expect: packed full of lies and propaganda spin, yet simultaneously very illuminating and revealing. The Israeli prime minister received no fewer than 58 standing ovations while speaking before both houses of Congress … The post Netanyahu’s Speech Was As American As It Gets appeared first on Global Research.

To my surprise, last Thursday morning there was relatively little coverage of the address to the US Congress delivered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Wednesday afternoon apart from a critical opinion piece that appeared in the New York … The post War Criminal Benjamin Netanyahu Addresses the US Congress appeared first on Global Research.

There’s no mention of their duty to the people in the oath of office that members of Congress take. It says they will support and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Maybe, in some regard defending the … The post Netanyahu: A Standing Ovation appeared first on Global Research.

Genocide takes so many forms. It is the destruction of water treatment plants and the ensuing diseases which incubate and spread disease thanks to the Zionist-imposed filth. . . . . It is the destruction of hospitals and the on-going … The post Western-Supported Zionists and the Genocide Toolkit appeared first on Global Research.

“We are progressively moving forward in the disruption of food systems to be able to grow anything anywhere regardless of climate and environment.” – UAE government, 2023[1] “Logistics is where the Emirates’ commercial and strategic ambitions overlap.” – Financial Times, … The post From Land to Logistics: UAE’s Growing Power in the Global Food System appeared first on Global Research.

Kamala Harris told reporters, 'What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating.' The post Harris: ‘I will not be silent about Palestinian suffering’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Kamala Harris told reporters, 'What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating.' The post Harris: ‘I will not be silent about Palestinian suffering’ appeared first on World Israel News.

25-year-old woman loses unborn baby and dies days later after suffering headaches, visiting hospital multiple times By New York Post, 18 days ago The family of a young Queensland woman are searching for answers after she lost her unborn … The post COVID mRNA Vaccine Injury: 25 Years Old Suffers Stillbirth at 34 Weeks, Collapses at Home, Found to Have Brain Tumors and Is Declared Brain Dead Hours Within Turbo Cancer Diagnosis appeared first on Global Research.

“My position on vaccines has always been that I’m not anti-vaccine, I’ve said that for 20 years.  The term “anti-vaxx” applied to me is a pejorative — to discredit me, to silence me, to make people not listen. I’ve got … The post Video: RFK Jr. and His Position on Vaccines appeared first on Global Research.

Kamala Harris is reportedly considering Josh Shapiro, governor of key swing state Pennsylvania, as her running mate. The post Harris may pick Jewish governor as running mate appeared first on World Israel News.

Kamala Harris is reportedly considering Josh Shapiro, governor of key swing state Pennsylvania, as her running mate. The post Harris may pick Jewish governor as running mate appeared first on World Israel News.

Thurston Moore is best known as a founding member of Sonic Youth — the canonical New York band that bridged the downtown punk rock scene of the 1970s and the alt-rock revolution of the 1990s and beyond. Along with Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo, and Steve Shelley, guitarist Moore was crucial to changing the musical landscape

The Right Take, host and Shillman Fellow Mark Tapson talks with author and educator Richard Cravatts about the worldwide surge of Jew-hatred, especially on college campuses. The post The Right Take: Campus Jew-hatred rising appeared first on World Israel News.

The Right Take, host and Shillman Fellow Mark Tapson talks with author and educator Richard Cravatts about the worldwide surge of Jew-hatred, especially on college campuses. The post The Right Take: Campus Jew-hatred rising appeared first on World Israel News.

Other guests included a hostage, families of hostages, injured IDF soldiers, and others. The post Elon Musk attended Netanyahu’s speech to Congress as his guest appeared first on World Israel News.

Other guests included a hostage, families of hostages, injured IDF soldiers, and others. The post Elon Musk attended Netanyahu’s speech to Congress as his guest appeared first on World Israel News.

Donald Trump blasted Harris for skipping on Benjamin Netanyahu's speech and asked how can Jews vote for Democrats who treats them so disrespectfully and badly. The post WATCH: Donald Trump – ‘Kamala is totally against the Jewish people’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Donald Trump blasted Harris for skipping on Benjamin Netanyahu's speech and asked how can Jews vote for Democrats who treats them so disrespectfully and badly. The post WATCH: Donald Trump – ‘Kamala is totally against the Jewish people’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Philip Gordon and Ilan Goldenberg are two anti-Israel figures from the Obama administration whose fingerprints are all over the policies that empowered Iran. The post Kamala’s anti-Israel advisers helped bring on Oct 7 appeared first on World Israel News.

Philip Gordon and Ilan Goldenberg are two anti-Israel figures from the Obama administration whose fingerprints are all over the policies that empowered Iran. The post Kamala’s anti-Israel advisers helped bring on Oct 7 appeared first on World Israel News.

With nearly forty thousand Palestinians killed by Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas assault, the war in Gaza has proven Joseph Stalin’s old adage that one death is a tragedy and a thousand mere statistics. The fates of individual Gazans are rarely discussed, certainly at the beginning of the war and in the Israeli

'F—k Israel' was also spray-painted at various spots in the US capital city. The post ‘Hamas is coming’: Anti-Israel, anti-US protests erupt in Washington, DC with Netanyahu in town appeared first on World Israel News.

'F—k Israel' was also spray-painted at various spots in the US capital city. The post ‘Hamas is coming’: Anti-Israel, anti-US protests erupt in Washington, DC with Netanyahu in town appeared first on World Israel News.

Kamala Harris seemingly accused Israel for causing the already debunked famine in Gaza, and spoke in favor of rewarding Hamas for the Oct. 7th massacre in the form of a state. The post WATCH: Harris touts Hamas casualty numbers, backs two-state solution in faux pro-Israel speech appeared first on World Israel News.

Kamala Harris seemingly accused Israel for causing the already debunked famine in Gaza, and spoke in favor of rewarding Hamas for the Oct. 7th massacre in the form of a state. The post WATCH: Harris touts Hamas casualty numbers, backs two-state solution in faux pro-Israel speech appeared first on World Israel News.

Belzer Rebbe: 'How can I travel for rest and vacation when we are fighting a battle on all fronts and soldiers are sacrificing their lives?' The post Ultra-orthodox leader forgoes vacation in honor of IDF soldiers appeared first on World Israel News.

Belzer Rebbe: 'How can I travel for rest and vacation when we are fighting a battle on all fronts and soldiers are sacrificing their lives?' The post Ultra-orthodox leader forgoes vacation in honor of IDF soldiers appeared first on World Israel News.

The shocking development likely erased the goodwill Harvard regained by disciplining the unruly and antisemitic behavior. The post Harvard University grants degrees to pro-Hamas protesters, says students ‘restored to good standing’ appeared first on World Israel News.

The shocking development likely erased the goodwill Harvard regained by disciplining the unruly and antisemitic behavior. The post Harvard University grants degrees to pro-Hamas protesters, says students ‘restored to good standing’ appeared first on World Israel News.

The U.S. director of national intelligence released an assessment earlier this month that said Iran is trying to gain influence over the anti-Israel protest movement and is even funding them. The post ‘Not a phrase we’d use,’ Kirby says of Netanyahu calling protesters ‘useful idiots’ appeared first on World Israel News.

The U.S. director of national intelligence released an assessment earlier this month that said Iran is trying to gain influence over the anti-Israel protest movement and is even funding them. The post ‘Not a phrase we’d use,’ Kirby says of Netanyahu calling protesters ‘useful idiots’ appeared first on World Israel News.

The IDF is extending its firm control over all areas of the Strip, as this week IDF infantry redeployed to parts of Khan Yunis to quell growing threats. The post WATCH: IDF drone eliminates armed terrorists in Rafah appeared first on World Israel News.

The IDF is extending its firm control over all areas of the Strip, as this week IDF infantry redeployed to parts of Khan Yunis to quell growing threats. The post WATCH: IDF drone eliminates armed terrorists in Rafah appeared first on World Israel News.

As Microsoft faces intensifying federal scrutiny, one of the company’s billionaire Democratic donors is now pressuring the party’s presumptive presidential nominee Kamala Harris to fire the government’s top antitrust regulator. The consumer watchdog has been actively scrutinizing Big Tech and fighting mergers — including one between Microsoft and an AI giant the donor cofounded. If Harris follows through with

China pushes Ukraine towards the negotiation table with Russia.

The Iranian government is reportedly 'enraged' by Israeli prime minister's address to Congress and is rushing to 'discredit' him and his claims. The post Tehran ‘desperately trying to discredit’ Netanyahu speech – report appeared first on World Israel News.

The Iranian government is reportedly 'enraged' by Israeli prime minister's address to Congress and is rushing to 'discredit' him and his claims. The post Tehran ‘desperately trying to discredit’ Netanyahu speech – report appeared first on World Israel News.

Roughly half of House and Senate Democrats skipped the speech. The post Democrats, Republicans divided on Netanyahu congressional speech as US lawmakers give mixed response appeared first on World Israel News.

Roughly half of House and Senate Democrats skipped the speech. The post Democrats, Republicans divided on Netanyahu congressional speech as US lawmakers give mixed response appeared first on World Israel News.

The Arkansas Republican said if any of the protesters are in the United States on visas or illegally entered the country, they should immediately be deported. The post Biden-Harris admin denied resources to police during pro-Hamas protest where agitators burned American flag, committee chairman says appeared first on World Israel News.

The Arkansas Republican said if any of the protesters are in the United States on visas or illegally entered the country, they should immediately be deported. The post Biden-Harris admin denied resources to police during pro-Hamas protest where agitators burned American flag, committee chairman says appeared first on World Israel News.

Four years after my book The Racket was first published, I started my own media outlet with historian and journalist Mark Curtis. It was a departure from what I had focused on before — the consequences of US imperialism around the world — because this new publication, Declassified UK, would cover British foreign policy. Britain

The scene is iconic, embedded indelibly in cinematic history. Everyone knows it: the runners’ feet slapping against the sand and surf, the noise of their splashing strides slowly giving way to the full tilt of Vangelis’ rousing theme. The camera itself now ascends, taking in the pack of runners, young men with hope in their hearts and wings on their heels, training against the windswept Scottish coast, their white shorts and shirts muddying with the sand and spray kicked up by the runners ahead. One by one the camera singles out the film’s main players. For each, the camera’s momentary gaze becomes a study in character, each man’s personality is played out in their respective countenance and manner of their run: eager competitiveness, unbound joy, mature confidence, and grim, near-mirthless, determination, respectively. I remember first seeing the scene when I was young. It made me want to strive for great things worth striving for. When I see it now, it makes me want to be young again. I’m describing—I hope I needn’t tell you—Chariots of Fire, 1981, which centers on British runners Harold Abrahams, a Jew, and Eric Liddle, a devout Christian, as they and their teammates prepare for and compete at the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics. With the Olympic games returning to Paris tonight, it is an opportune time to see the film again. Do it! A few years ago, following the death of actor Ben Cross, who played Abrahams, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik wrote an excellent reflection on the film. Soloveichik confesses to being obsessed with Chariots and he writes movingly of the “terrible Jewish irony that lies at its heart.” The irony is found in the contrast, first, between Liddle and Abrahams and the ways they live—or refuse to—their respective religious lives. Soloveichik laments that Abrahams’ response to his own Jewishness—and the varying degrees of antisemitism around him—is not one of “Jewish pride but assimilation.” On this point, the film was true to life. Soloveichik cites an anecdote from the real-life Abrahams, who wrote in the 1920s—the time the film is set—encouraging English Jewish athletes to ignore Sabbath restrictions in order to compete. Quoting from the letter, Soloveichik writes: “One must make it clear,” Abrahams wrote, “that a strict adherence to Judaism would prevent one from participating in Saturday competitions and, as a result, the ‘strict’ Jews could never hope to attain international recognition, since at a conservative estimate ninety per cent of important competitions are held on a Saturday afternoon. A religion (qua such) that is one’s philosophy of life (or theistic views) has little if anything to do with the qualities which characterize an athlete.” Abrahams’ sentiment is in stark contrast to Eric Liddell, for whom faith had everything to do with his athleticism and his character as an athlete. Soloveichik quotes approvingly from one of Chariots’ central moments in which Liddell declares, “I believe God made me for a purpose…But he also made me fast; and when I run, I feel his pleasure.” Liddell believed his primary purpose was to follow God’s call to ministry in China. Indeed, after the Paris games Liddell would return to China—he was bred there—where he would remain for the rest of his, tragically short, life. Following the Japanese invasion at the advent of the Asia-Pacific War, Liddell would be interned with other enemy civilian nationals—Westerners such as the Dutch, British, and Americans—in the Weihsien Internment camp. A wonderful, if rather damning, book, Langdon Gilkey’s Shantung Compound, tells the larger story to which Liddell is a part. The book is an outstanding reflection on human behavior under pressure. Gilkey, who was interned with Liddell and, not incidentally, was a great scholar of Reinhold Niebuhr, the theologically imperfect patron saint of this magazine, insists that life in a civilian internment camp in North China presented a novel situation not found in other more notorious concentration camp systems—such as those in Japanese prisoner of war camps, the Soviet gulag, or the Nazi lagers. “We in the Weihsien camp,” he writes, “suffered no extreme hardships of limb, stomach, or spirit.” This allowed the creation and maintenance of a small civilization. “Had we been continually tortured and starved,” he notes, “no representative communal existence would have been possible.” At the same time, he asserts, the conditions were nevertheless “sufficiently close to the margin of survival” that “basic problems of the human lot” were able to manifest themselves rather clearly. Shantung Compound is a fascinating—and disturbing—window into the human soul and human society when experiencing duress. Liddell would not survive his time in the internment camp. While it was an undiagnosed brain tumor—and not direct action by the Japanese—that killed him, the conditions of the  camp rendered Liddell’s hope of surviving such a condition essentially nil. But all this runs well ahead of where Chariots of Fire ends. Yes, Liddell was made for China, but he has some running to do first. His intention was to “run in God’s name let the world stand back in wonder.” Of the contrast between Abrahams and Liddell Soloveichik rues, “A rabbi watchingthe tale of Liddell and Abrahams cannot help but wish for the latter to be more like the former.” What Soloveichik has foremost in mind is each runner’s willingness—or refusal—to make particular kinds of accommodations. Liddell, of course, will famously refuse to race the qualifying heats of the 100-meters in Paris—an event in which he was favored to win gold—because they were to be held on a Sunday. A small portion of Chariots depicts Liddell’s stubbornly faithful to acquiesce to the demands of his own political and sporting federation authorities who entreat, cajole, and otherwise pressure him to run. Instead, on the Sunday in which he was meant to compete, Liddell gives a sermon on text drawn from Isaiah: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings, as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” This textual selection adds to what Soloveichik sees as Chariots’ primary—and most terrible—irony. Those verses in Isaiah comprise the haftara, the prophetic passage, read in synagogue as an accompaniment to the Pentateuchal portion known as Lech Lecha, or “go forth.” God orders Abraham to leave for Canaan; it is the beginning of Israel’s story. For Jews, Isaiah’s words reference the Jewish journey of generations and speak to finding the courage to continue what Abraham started. Isaiah is indeed comparing faith to running a race; the passage reminds Jews that history is a marathon, not a dash, and we Jews ought to ponder the source of our ancestors’ endurance. The rabbi sums it up this way: “Chariots of Fire unintentionally creates a contrast between our forefather Abraham and Harold Abrahams; it is a tale not only of one Jewish runner but of Jews throughout our age who ran away from who they were.” Abrahams’ story is a perfect example, Soloveichik laments, of a observation made by the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: Nothing could be more striking than the fact that a people whose very reason for being in the past was to be different, chosen, particular, should today define itself in purely universalist terms, forgetting—surely not accidentally—that it is precisely in our particularity that we enter and express the universal human condition. A lot has happened in the century between the Paris games but, in many ways, nothing much has changed. To be sure, I’m not in entire agreement with Rabbi Sacks’ phrasing—which is probably little more than a quibble with semantics. But, pace Sacks’ wording—I hold that religious particularity is an accident, not the goal, of a life of faith. We are called to be faithful, not different. It may well be that difference is the inevitable consequence of faithfulness and that this difference has been and will be leveraged by the Divine to call unbelieving peoples to Himself, but integrity—not distinctiveness—is the point. This seems essential to make clear. I think much of what has gone astray in contemporary social wisdom has erred in over valuing particularity as a good in and of itself. Nevertheless, Sacks is right in the main and the themes of particularity and universalism—seen in the tension of religion and religion’s place in public life—has reared its head again—and again and again and again—in this Olympic year. Consider, for instance, the recent declaration by French sporting officials that French Olympians will be prohibited from overt displays of religious particularity. French Olympic Committee President David Lappartient has said his country’s athletes are required to follow principles that apply to public sector workers in observance of France’s secular laws, which includes bans on such things as—let’s call them—“open-carry” crosses and hijabs. One of the many resulting tensions concerns French Sprinter Sounkamba Syllav, a member of the 400-meter French Olympic women’s and mixed team relay who has been barred from the Opening Ceremonies if she continues, as has been her custom throughout her sporting career, to insist on wearing a hijab. If things continue without resolution, she won’t be alone in being banned. Whatever opinion I might have of hijabs—which, frankly, is near-zero (if anything—I sometimes find them rather alluring—which I realize is missing the point entirely) this is all really a bit silly—and more than a bit insulting arrogant—of the French authorities. But it’s also just the latest new news iteration of old news. Over time, France has famously—sometimes infamously—built up a political philosophy around the principle of laïcité—secularism. While freedom of religion and conscience are constitutionally recognized and guaranteed, they must coexist with the principle of neutrality enshrined in the French constitution and 1905 Law on the Separation of the Churches and State. Laïcité is intended to not interfere religious matters and vice versa. You’ll be forgiven for thinking recent events—including the war on the burkinis—suggest the idea has faltered. To my mind, the idea of laïcité has always been something of a myth. Pace the French—and John Rawls and however many millions of others—I am doubtful there is anything like a truly secular—that’s to say somehow religiously neutral—culture. Or way of life, language, ethic, etc. Human beings are irredeemably religious—whether the faith in question is theistic or atheistic of something other is beside the point. But leaving aside French political philosophy, the French authorities’ ban on the hijab—and whatever other religious paraphernalia comes into their iron sites—would seem to compromise the very Olympic principles the Paris games are supposed to represent. Per links on the Paris Olympic website, these principles are still “excellence, respect, friendship.” One might think forcing a particular group of women to choose between their sporting passion and devotion to the pursuit of excellence on the one hand and their religious commitments on the other would be rather disrespectful. To say nothing about being unfriendly. But the French aren’t the first to make a hash of the Olympic values—described on the International Olympic Committee’s webpage as, goofily, Olympism. The IOC introduces the principles of excellence, respect, and friendship as contemporary upgrades to the original principles outlined in the founding Olympic charter. The old values were: “encourage effort,” “preserve human dignity,” and “develop harmony.” While I think “excellence” is something of an upgrade to the more anemic “encourage effort,” I’m less confident about the latter two changes. Regardless, in the definition that accompanies “excellence” the IOC reverts back to the anemic: excellence is “encouraging people to be the best they can be.” Of course, this is fine as far as it goes and it marks the universal appeal and value of sport. Through doing hard things, including athletically hard things, people can, at their own individual levels, pursue the best they can be. There are incredible benefits to this. The pursuit of individual limits builds grit and is an extraordinary means toward enhancing character and even moral formation. But most of us will never be particularly excellent at the sports we do for play, health, and personal enhancement. Here is where the Olympics move away from the universal and to the particular few human beings who can truly be said to be excellent—to be able to do the thing they are striving to do in the manner that the thing was meant to be done. The Olympics ought to be about celebrating true athletic excellence. We stand and applaud those who can move, throw, pin to the ground, or lift better, higher, faster, and stronger than any of the rest of us. Obviously, even the IOC still celebrates the champions—not every participant receives a gold medal (yet). But it’s important that our rhetoric is accurate, because eventually behavior will follow it. Speaking of higher, faster, and stronger. I note with disdain that the IOC also recently changed the Olympic motto of “Citius, Altius, Fortius” to “Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter” That is: “Highter, Faster, Stronger—Together!” Again, why the seeming diminishment of individual excellence? Perhaps this is where Rabbi Sacks was right to fear the loss of the value of particularity. At the risk of splitting hairs, the IOC appears to me to be falling into that flaccid and tiring contemporary habit of shying away from celebrating particularity—in the form of individual greatness—in favor of the merely universal. This is a loss. While I quibble with where he precisely located particularity,  I do not quibble with his assertion that human beings are, every one of us, particular human beings who belong to particular tribes both national (in the big and little sense) as well as religious—and others as well. And all of this is essential to being human. CS Lewis reminded us somewhere that, as Christians, we have been called to be sheep in a fold and not drips in a bucket. Even in heaven, we will not lose our particularity. This is a lesson that Abrahams and the contemporary IOC—and their Parisian representatives—ought to have better understood. But I will not let any of this too-overly dampen neither my rewatching of Chariots of Fire nor my enjoyment of the Olympic drama ahead of us. Olympians have never needed saccharine aphorisms or contemporary innovations to age-old principles to celebrate international friendship while trying to beat the socks off each other. There are universal principles—such as the pursuit of athletic excellence—to which particular human beings will more greatly excel than others—and far more greatly than the vast majority of us who will be perfectly content to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. The Olympics have always been an important inspiration to all of us, a means of discovering what human beings can be and do. In sport, as in few other places in life, there is nothing wrong in getting to the finish line alone. Higher! Stronger! Faster! And let the rest of us watch in wonder. Curtains! And let the games begin! USA! USA! USA!

Co-chair of Biden's presidential campaign blames Democratic megadonors for president's departure from 2024 race, demands they now 'step the f*ck up' to support Kamala Harris. The post ‘Pissed off’ Biden campaign chief says donors forced Biden out of election appeared first on World Israel News.

Co-chair of Biden's presidential campaign blames Democratic megadonors for president's departure from 2024 race, demands they now 'step the f*ck up' to support Kamala Harris. The post ‘Pissed off’ Biden campaign chief says donors forced Biden out of election appeared first on World Israel News.

A North Carolina woman has been sentenced to a prison term ranging from nearly eight to about ten and a half years for leaving her two young daughters in a hot car, resulting in their deaths. Launice Shanique Battle was handed down the sentence by Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca W. Holt after she pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in connection with the 2022 deaths of her children, 3-year-old Amora Milbourne ... Read more

HOUSTON, TX – A newborn boy was found in a dumpster behind an apartment complex in southwest Houston on Sunday. The discovery was made by a man who heard the baby’s cries and alerted the police around 2 p.m. The infant, whose skin was pink and hair wet, was seen being rescued by emergency services and swaddled in a blanket in a video obtained by a local news outlet. Upon arrival, the police found the ... Read more

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN – In a shocking turn of events in Minnesota, a father returned from vacation to discover his home in chaos, leading to the arrest of his daughter, Josephine Ann Powers, for the alleged murder of 70-year-old Michael Robert Riccio. According to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, Powers is accused of shooting Riccio in the head after an argument, an act she reportedly confessed to police following a delayed report of the incident. ... Read more

… The post India Supplies Ammunition to Ukraine: What Moscow’s Response Will be appeared first on Global Research.

Largest Study of Its Kind Finds Excess Deaths During Pandemic Caused by Public Health Response, Not Virus Dr. Brenda Baletti, July 22, 2024 Finally, the Search Engine Better Than Google Dr. Joseph Mercola, July 21, 2024 German Government … The post This Week’s Most Popular Articles appeared first on Global Research.

The “Justified Vengeance” doctrine propounds that Palestine is “the Aggressor” and that “Israel has the right to defend itself” which since October 7, 2023 consists in the conduct of a carefully planned genocide against the People of Palestine. The post False Flag Operation, The Lie becomes the Truth: “Israel is the Victim of Palestinian Aggression”. According to the ICC, “There Never Was A Genocide”. appeared first on Global Research.

– Se quisermos antecipar as escolhas estratégicas da América devemos abandonar o axioma da racionalidade. Já não existem estadistas no Ocidente. É preciso procurar no passado remoto para encontrar homens como Bismarck, Pombal, De Gaulle ou Kemal Ataturk. Hoje, na … The post A derrota do ocidente appeared first on Global Research.

O presidente ucraniano, Vladimir Zelensky, parece estar cada vez mais desacreditado entre os políticos do próprio país. Numa declaração recente, o presidente da Câmara de Kiev, Vitaly Klitschko, descreveu as ações do presidente como “suicídio político” e enfatizou o elevado … The post Zelensky perto do “suicídio político” –  político de Kiev. appeared first on Global Research.

There is enormous appreciation among Iranian intellectuals, diplomats and politicians regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stellar support for their country’s membership of the BRICS grouping. Modi played a key role to navigate Iran’s membership purposively at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg last August

This year, Russia will be hosting the BRICS summit in October in Kazan. Our governmental circles, our ministries and our NGOs are all preparing for the summit. It is considered the key foreign policy event in Russia this year

Entry of Malaysia and Thailand will, raise a further impediment to domination by a handful of bloc members

With lack of clarity as to who has actually been governing, and a mysterious assassination attempt at a presidential candidate bringing doubts about the Secret Service itself, it has come to be the case that the nuclear superpower is a banana republic - one that seems to have come straight out of a cartoonish Cold War era regime.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE, UK – An 11-year-old British girl, Poppie Morgan-Roller, is left without a family after a tragic accident claimed the lives of her parents and two younger sisters. Poppie had opted to spend the day at a friend’s house while her parents, Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller, and sisters Rubie, 9, and Lillie, 4, embarked on a family outing. The family’s Ford Focus was involved in a fatal collision with a motorbike on their ... Read more

In a bipartisan nod to genocide, US lawmakers welcomed Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a genocidal war criminal, into Congress yesterday, making him the first foreign leader to address Congress four times. It was the most shameful and dystopian congressional address in US history. Speaking through unending applause, Netanyahu asked Congress for more funds and

[This article was originally published in 2014.] A 12-year-old Wisconsin girl died just hours after she went to the doctor for a sore throat, and while there, received the HPV vaccine. Meredith Prohaska died unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 … The post Childhood Vaccine Injury: 12 Years Old Died Hours After HPV Vaccine appeared first on Global Research.

There is competent analysis on the Internet of acoustic evidence indicating more than one shooter involved in the attempt on Trump’s life. Obviously, what is needed is a credible, brave, credentialed acoustic expert to analyze the acoustic evidence. This should … The post US Representatives Jim Jordan and James Comer Must Undertake a Congressional Investigation of the Assassination Attempt on Trump appeared first on Global Research.

In 1933, union density in the United States stood at a dismal 10 percent, similar to what it is today. From that low starting point, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) cohered and organized formidable swaths of the American labor force, raising standards for millions and making unions a central part of US life and

The Deep State is showing no signs of stepping back. On the contrary, it's going full afterburner on using the corrupt federal institutions to quash any dissent and opposition to their deranged policies. Precisely these patently barbaric tendencies in the already atrocious American politics are increasing the chances of a civil war in the US. The Deep State will do anything to stay in power and it's difficult to say what's worse – a civil war in a country with 5000 thermonuclear warheads or a direct confrontation with Russia that has nearly 6000 of them.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) sought a preliminary injunction in a Texas federal district court against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and its officers, including the NLRB’s administrative law judges (ALJs). The core issue was the constitutionality of the removal protections for NLRB members and ALJs. SpaceX argued that these protections violate the president’s

Ukrainians are tired of war and willing to do anything to establish peace.

The trend toward gig work has increased in recent years, and it’s easy to see why the business class has encouraged this. Gig work is often transitory and isolating, which keeps workers from forming bonds and acting collectively. Gig work obviates the need for companies to pay for benefits like health care. Gig work, essentially,

Warsaw warns Ukraine cannot join the EU without resolving the Volhynian massacre issue.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial speech to Congress Wednesday came just days after President Joe Biden announced he would no longer seek reelection and as the death toll — now reaching more than forty thousand — of Palestinians in Gaza continues to climb. Shortly after the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israelis on October 7, Biden traveled to Israel

Ahead of the general election, figures close to Keir Starmer had briefed journalists on the importance of Labour’s first hundred days in government. There was a small window, they argued, to demonstrate the new government’s priorities to the country. This week, Keir Starmer did just that. After seven Labour MPs voted for an amendment to

The Labour Party and Keir Starmer’s landslide election victory on July 4th simply confirmed the inevitable. Starmer’s rebranded moderate Labour Party had been on course for a historic victory against a Conservative Party that had been living on borrowed time. There has been commentary aplenty on the short to midterm implications of this electoral victory. Many speculate that the Conservatives will now shift even further to the nationalist-right, in an attempt to win back the thousands of votes they lost to the ultra-right-wing spin-off party Reform, led by the ubiquitous demagogue Nigel Farage. As for the Labour Party, they have restored themselves as a credible and moderate governing party, moving on from the naïve socialist agenda of Jeremy Corbyn, Britain’s most prominent socialist.   In this sense, comparisons have been made with the last Labour leader to displace the Conservatives in a general election, Tony Blair. Both are Oxford-educated former barristers. Both joined the parliamentary Labour Party under the leadership of an unelectable, far-left leader. Both came to power by shifting Labour right and quelling the influence of the socialist wing. Both courted business and the private sector, promising that the Labour Party is not an anti-capitalist organization. And in their first elections, both won sweeping majorities of over 400 Members of the 650-seat British Parliament. Both are regarded as ‘centrists’ who declare their politics to be ‘progressive’. Yet beyond these obvious similarities lies a more complex reality. While both are rightly associated with ‘centrism’, their interpretations and expressions of centrism are remarkably different. While that of Blair and the broader ‘Third Way’ movement was palpably ideological, it appears that Starmer’s expression of centrism is self-consciously post-ideological. One need look no further than Starmer’s recent keynote speeches and the Labour Party pre-election manifesto to find a clear expression of his post-ideological, technocratic agenda for Britain. Starmer defines his strategy as one driven by five ‘missions’; to ‘kickstart’ economic growth; to make Britain a clean energy superpower; to ‘take back’ our streets; to break down barriers to opportunity; and finally to build a national health system ‘fit for the future’. While these policies undoubtedly address Britain’s key socio-economic problems, particularly in the aftermath of Brexit and the pandemic, there is still a sense that Starmer’s five missions fail to provide a clear ideological identity, a position on the political spectrum, and a clearly defined vision of politics from which his policies will derive from.  The root of this technocratic approach to politics is part of Starmer’s personal story. Starmer arguably had the most successful pre-political career of any former Prime Minister in the post-war era. After graduating from the University of Leeds and the University of Oxford with law degrees, he was called to the bar in in 1987. Starmer joined Doughty Street Chambers, a world-leading human rights law chambers and became one of the country’s star barristers. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2002 and in 2008 was appointed as Director of Public Prosecutions, making him head of the Crown Prosecution Service. In this high-profile role, Starmer oversaw the state’s most consequential trials in the country, such as the parliamentary expenses scandal of 2010; the unsolved 1993 Stephen Lawrence murder; and the protagonists in the 2011 London riots. Even before his political career, he was at the forefront of the most pressing public policy debates. Upon retirement from his post, Starmer was knighted and duly became ‘Sir Keir’, six years before Tony became ‘Sir Tony’. While Atlee, Thatcher and Blair were all barristers, none stuck with the job anywhere near as long as Starmer. Success in the law requires a certain mode of thinking, a detail-orientated, non-ideological approach to problem-solving as well as an unspectacular and somewhat anti-rhetorical approach to oratory. In 2015, when Starmer was elected a Member of Parliament at the age of 52, it was this very disposition he brought with successfully into the political arena.  This has been Starmer’s approach to leadership in his four years as opposition leader in the United Kingdom. The first two years of his leadership were dominated by perhaps the most disastrous years of Conservative government in British history, the Tories ravaged by scandal after scandal. In light of this, Starmer’s approach was still cautious, focusing on anti-Conservative attack lines rather than any broader ambition to sketch a positive vision of Britain under more competent leadership. There was little sense of an ideological vision beyond the negative consensus. Admirably, Starmer pledged to take a tougher line on anti-Semitism within the Labour party and this was achieved by the expulsion of a handful of hard-left MPs, most notably former leader Jeremy Corbyn. But beyond this, there was little radical action in the political sphere. Even in the weeks running up to the election, voters found it very difficult to define what Starmer really stands for, beyond the necessary cliches and tropes about providing ‘security at home and abroad’, ‘economic growth’ and ‘sensible, stable government’ (which political party, on the left or the right, would beg to differ?). This should be the bare minimum of government, not the high water mark of their ambitions.  This all stems from Starmer’s lack of conceptual clarity. One must wonder if he has any really substantive views on how the world works at all. He certainly lacks a theory of history and Britain’s place therein. Perhaps this stems from a lack of courage and reluctance to stir up division based on a set of personal convictions. His new ‘centrist’ Labour Party lacks an intellectual identity beyond the plethora of individual policies they have promised (not to mention the dozens they have backtracked on). While this may be a self-conscious attempt to move beyond the ideological factionalism that has been a staple of the Labour Party ever since its formation in the 1920s, it is naïve to assume that one can govern as a statesman without being propelled by a clear ideological vision. Incremental solutions to policy problems are of course essential, but they are not enough to bring Britain out of her post-Brexit malaise. An entirely new governing approach is needed for a modern Britain that has reduced its status to a second-rate power with a unique convening position. This is a task equivalent to the restructuring, both institutional and intellectual, under Clement Atlee in 1945, who ushered Britain into the post-war consensus-based social democracy, and Margaret Thatcher, who reformed our institutions (at times with great human cost) to embrace the inevitable neoliberal revolution sweeping across the Western hemisphere.  The post-ideological technocratic incrementalism of Starmer is a world away from the political style of Blair’s Labour Party of the late 1990s to the early 2000s. While Blair may claim that he too is a problem solver, putting sound policy over lofty ideas, even his greatest critics would argue that his policies fit within a broader philosophy, a coherent worldview, and a vision of politics both at home and abroad. Blair’s reinvention of Labour was part of the broader ‘Third Way’ ideological movement that swept across Western Europe after the fall of the iron curtain. In 1999, Blair’s Chicago speech paved the way for an entirely new mode of interpreting military intervention in the post-Cold War world. Likewise, Blair was a passionate defender of the European project (Starmer, on the other hand, appears to be the only post-war Prime Minister without a coherent set of convictions on Britain’s relationship to Europe). In the domestic sphere, Blair’s economic philosophy was clear as a proponent of the social market economy approach, where external investment and state intervention were regarded as two sides of the same coin. The government’s immigration policy was underpinned by the philosophy of multiculturalism. While in hindsight this vision of politics was short-sighted, placing far too great a faith in the power of integrated capital markets to transcend the baser realities of global politics, at least it represented a clear vision of the world and Britain’s place within it. Ideas matter in politics, beyond the mere procurement of technical solutions, as they provide the context within which future policy problems can be anticipated and solved. They also provide citizens with a sense of selfhood and identity that technocratic expertise, no matter how efficient, cannot account for.  While both Blair and Starmer brand themselves as ‘centrists’, their expression of centrism is markedly different. Blair’s capital-C Centrism was the product of a set of clear political principles, a worldview that was a genuine expression of a middle way between democratic socialism on the left and laissez-faire economic liberalism on the right. It was a positive vision of politics, a clearly defined identity. Starmer’s centrism, which we can call small ‘c’ centrism, is synthetic in contrast. Starmer appears to be a reluctant centrist, one still unsure whether his shift away from the hard-left is a betrayal of his ‘working class’ values (it certainly betrays the tone and emphasis of his 2019 party leadership campaign, where he heavily appealed to the Corbyn voters).  Starmer’s centrism is less intellectually authoritative than its Blairist counterpart. Instead of sketching out a positive ‘middle’ way between left and right, Starmer has merely aligned his own positions between the prevailing populistic left and right positions. If this continues and Starmer does not use his historic majority to outline a bolder vision for Britain, the 2024 election will be remembered as a missed opportunity. The Labour Party has always been a party of ideas. Something which set them apart from the more managerial establishmentarian Conservative Party. One need look no further than the rich correspondence between the patron of this magazine, Reinhold Niebuhr, with 1960s Labour grandees Denis Healey and Tony Benn, today nestled in the Library of Congress Archives. Indeed, it has been reported by Michael Ignatieff that Blair, upon taking office, appealed to an elderly Isaiah Berlin to discuss the nature of modern liberalism. Unfortunately, there is no written record of their encounter.  One of the most important tasks for Western political leaders in 2024 is providing intellectual leadership. This is not to say we need a Europe led by philosopher kings. But it is to say that both our political language and practical policies must undergo a reinvention not seen since the end of WWII. While some problems may be solvable via technocratic expertise, the mass disillusionment with the post-Cold War neoliberal consensus requires new new ideas. The very paradigms we operate from have too often been based on assumptions that no longer correspond to reality. Centrist politics must reconcile ideas that are no longer irreconcilable – nationalism and supranationalism, foreign policy realism and foreign policy idealism, and maybe even the delineation between left and right itself (Emmanuel Macron famously described himself as neither left nor right). This requires a greater degree of intellectualism than is currently on offer in modern Western political discourse. Yet a new world requires new paradigms. This is as much an issue in British politics as in Europe broadly. A healthy dose of Centrism is the necessary antidote to the jingoistic right-wing English nationalism propagated by the Conservative Party for half a decade. Starmer now has the leverage to participate in fostering this intellectual shift, but the jury is still out on whether he has the ambition (and the willingness to be unpopular) to do so.  

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – A tragic incident unfolded over the weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when a 3-year-old boy was fatally shot during a drive-by shooting at a birthday party. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at Riverland Park, located near the 900 block of Southwest 27th Avenue. The chilling aftermath of the shooting was captured in 911 calls released on Monday, with callers expressing panic and desperation. One woman’s plea for an ... Read more

HARRISON, ME – A 30-year-old man in Maine is facing multiple charges after allegedly firing 14 rounds from a handgun at a group of teenagers who were playing a prank on him, according to local law enforcement. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday in Harrison, following numerous reports of gunshots and screams. The police investigation revealed that the man, identified as Vincent Martin, responded to the teenagers’ “ding-dong-ditch” prank by firing his ... Read more

Expectations of a speedy accession of new emerging economies into the BRICS core will have to be postponed, at least until next year. This appears to be the sum total of the discussions and declarations made by officials from the BRICS+ economies over the past weeks

There are benefits and drawbacks to Türkiye potentially joining the bloc of emerging economies

Many nations across Asia, Africa and Latin America have either become full-fledged members or desire to join the BRICS, which makes the group more representative with a bigger responsibility in global affairs

Biden's resignation has sent shock waves through German media and made them scramble for damage control, while also promoting future candidate and VP Kamala Harris.

In mid-June, tens of thousands of predominately young people took to the streets across Kenya. The focus of what commentators have dubbed the Gen Z–led revolt — which has now entered its sixth week and spanned at least twenty-three of Kenya’s forty-seven counties including the capital Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Mombasa — was a controversial

Budapest issued an ultimatum to Ukraine regarding sabotage against Russian oil.

On Sunday July 21, workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) ratified a new three-year contract, ending a two-week strike fought to protect jobs at Ontario’s publicly owned alcohol seller. Their union — the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) — struck the LCBO on July 5 to win job security improvements and

In mid-January 1992 — as the USSR lay in ruins and Pat Buchanan’s primary challenge to the incumbent president George H. W. Bush was gaining steam — the economist and Cato Institute cofounder Murray Rothbard addressed the second annual meeting of the paleoconservative John Randolph Club. In his remarks, Rothbard touted the growing alliance between

In the last two years, Moscow drastically expanded the production of these missiles, while there are indicators that it's also procuring more affordable North Korean copies. The "Iskander-M" itself is a more cost-effective alternative to newer missiles and is regularly augmented by the "Tornado-S" MLRS. The Kiev regime has been unable to locate (let alone reach) the areas from which these systems are used, making them the most effective widely-deployed long-range strike platforms in the Russian military.

Israel prefers a Trump administration to a Democrat one.

The voice on the line is warm and reassuring. He knows your name and gives his name, too. After establishing a rapport, perhaps with a joke, he tugs at your heartstrings — and purse strings — for causes like veterans funds, help for families of slain police officers, and first-responder support associations. Can you donate?

A coalition of unions representing nearly half of all union members in the United States sent a letter this week urging President Joe Biden to halt all US military aid to Israel. The letter, sent ahead of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US today, urges Biden to stop arming Israel “as part

Vice President Kamala Harris has reminded us all of a key insight into social and political analysis. In what has become a signature catchphrase, none of us just “fell out of a coconut tree.” We “exist in the context of everything that has come before us.” Karl Marx himself couldn’t have said it better. In

This year marks a decade since the creation of Podemos, the party that emerged three years after the 15M movement challenged austerity in the squares of Spain’s major cities. In its early days, anything seemed possible. Podemos was soon leading national polls on over 20 percent support, suggesting that it could overtake the Socialist Party

On 19th June, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un in the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, to sign a comprehensive partnership agreement between the two states. Such a treaty marks a significant escalation in the ongoing Russian-DPRK relationship and for Cold War 2.0 generally. The alignment between two states that share in opposition to NATO and the USA poses a significant threat, with a further formalization of relations only exacerbating the possibility of a future conflict.  The signed agreement, while vague, has stated that the two nations will provide “mutual assistance in the event of aggression’’ against each other, causing significant security risks for both Ukraine and the Asia Pacific region.  President Putin’s visit to Pyongyang followed the United States allowing Ukraine to attack military targets in Russia with American-supplied weapons. The grand meeting was an orchestrated display of the measures Putin is willing to take to win in Ukraine. The meeting also demonstrated Russia’s ability to leverage relationships with rogue states to pressure Western leaders. The meeting between President Putin and Kim Jong Un will also benefit China, which has seized the opportunity to begin negotiations with both Russia and North Korea to allow Chinese ships to move freely on the river Tumen into the Sea of Japan, which Russia previously opposed. Now, however, Putin’s quest for allies in the Asia-Pacific region has led to increased co-operation with China. While the meeting in Pyongyang is a significant geopolitical moment, the DPRK-Russian relationship has been developing since 2022. Sources from the White House stated in February that North Korea had provided Russia with artillery shells, rockets and ballistic missiles. Commenting further, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik suggested that North Korea has supplied 7,000 containers of 152mm/122mm artillery rounds and other military equipment to Russia over the last year. Declassified information was also revealed, noting that Russia was using North Korean short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) to attack Ukrainian targets.  In addition to supplying Russia with weapons, the Russia-DPRK relationship has begun to flourish on a deeper cultural and economic level. In late March of 2024, Russia displayed this on-going relationship on the international stage by vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have extended the 14 year long North Korea UN Panel of Experts mandate.  In addition to international political maneuvering, the two countries had already been trading goods such as oil. They also made further steps to boost cultural adjournment; for example, in February of 2024, North Korea opened its borders for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19 to a group of 100 Russian nationals. Observers expect that, following the Pyongyang summit, this cultural and economic relationship will continue to deepen. In the wake of the visit, Russian senator and First Deputy Head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Vladimir Dzhabarov, called for Central Asian migrants in the far east region of the country to be replaced by more ‘’disciplined’ North Korean ‘’guest workers.’’ He went on to praise the improved cultural and economic relationship with the DPRK, poetically concluding that “life has shown that sometimes you look for friends somewhere else, but all this time they were next to us.” First and foremost, Russia needs arms and ammunition for the conflict in Ukraine, which North Korea can supply on short notice. But, more broadly, the increased formality of the Russo-Korean relationship also signifies a further attempt by Russia to reshape the post-1991 global order. Essentially, North Korea and Russia perceive themselves as sharing a common enemy in America and NATO. Commenting on the coalitions involved in Ukraine, Professor Niall Ferguson describes the Russo-Korean alliance as part of “Cold War 2.0”. Just as America and the EU are supporting Ukraine, Russia also needs friends and so unofficial arms dealing and closer ties with North Korea are necessary. In addition, by warming its relationship with the DPRK, Russia is signaling to the West that any attempt to counter Russian foreign policy will be met with a united axis of resistance against American dominance. The alignment between Russia and North Korea is also beneficial for Pyongyang. In warming the relationship, North Korea has two clear diplomatic objectives; the first entails branching out from its over-reliance on China, and the second is disrupting American hegemony. In the eyes of General Secretary Kim Jong Un, the latter of these points is vital to the security of North Korea, which views the threat of American influence on the Korean peninsula as mirroring Russia’s perceived threat of NATO on the Ukraine-Russia border.  In addition, by supplying weapons to Russia, Pyongyang is obtaining real-world data on the efficacy of its armaments. Ukraine therefore serves as a testing ground for North Korea to boost its own military intelligence in preparation for future conflicts. Furthermore, as noted by National Security Council spokesperson John Kirkby, North Korea may also be using the relationship as an opportunity to obtain fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, and other war materials from Russia. Alongside the DPRK’s international objectives, Russian has also aided Kim’s domestic agenda. Prolonged COVID-19 restrictions and sanctions have hampered North Korea’s economy. While North Korea does not release economic data, predictions from international observers outline that 60% of the country is believed to be living under the poverty line – with the economy hitting a contracting low of 4.5% in 2020. Anwita Basu, Head of Europe at Country Risk at Fitch Solutions, described the arms transfer as a ‘’mega deal’’ for Pyongyang, which will see the North Korean economy grow by 1% in 2024. Alongside economic growth, the agreement has seen North Korea receiving food and advanced technology to aid the state with its own domestic agenda.  In March 2024, it was reported that Russia has began supplying oil to the DPRK, with an initial five tankers arriving from Vostochny port. In the grand scheme of things, Putin’s outreach to North Korea came as no surprise to the international community. But, by embracing the Kim regime so publicly, Putin is both displaying his ability to operate unilaterally outside America’s sphere of influence and pressuring Western leaders into ending to the war in Ukraine on Russia’s terms. The Pyongyang meeting came after Putin had publicly outlined his requirements for a cease-fire; we can thus infer that Putin is signaling that continued fighting in Ukraine will only lead to a further globalized conflict. The relationship between the two countries continues to pose a serious security risk to Ukraine. North Korean missiles have already been used to kill Ukrainians and more such munitions are sure to follow. The vagueness of the relationship is also concerning due to its minimal clarity on what constitutes mutual self-defense. The open-to-interpretation nature of the agreement has led to concerns that North Korean soldiers could soon be deployed to Russian occupied territory in Ukraine.   Confirming the significance of the the Putin-Kim summit, officials from Seoul noted that the new Russian-North Korean agreement was a direct threat to national security. Commenting on the agreement, national security adviser Chang-Ho-Jin said that South Korea would now reconsider the issue of arms support to Ukraine, bringing South Korea more directly into Cold War 2.0. The comments from South Korean officials have, in turn, sparked a fierce reaction from President Putin, who told reporters in Vietnam that Russia would be willing to arm North Korea if necessary. Additionally, the agreement in Pyongyang has also been publicly condemned by the Japanese government; Spokesman Yoshmasa Hayashi described the agreement as “unacceptable.” Russian-DPRK collaboration may now advance from arms trading towards the sharing of cyber intelligence and other sensitive technologies. Following the agreement made in North Korea, it is now apparent that Russia is uninterested in the global political consensus around its relationship with North Korea. More agreements are therefore likely. Despite this, the two countries may still have to pay homage to Beijing, which may push to shore-up or weaken Russian-DPRK relations according to Chinese priorities.

The BRICS group of countries have supported an initiative to set up a grain exchange, Russian Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut have said

More than 30 BRICS countries, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the CIS will participate

The best way of looking at Malaysia’s application to join BRICS is to see it as an additional platform to gain a larger international voice, says Asian Studies professor James Chin

Not very long ago, the Canadian New Democratic Party (NDP) was on the doorstep of power in Ottawa. However, over the past decade, their seats have dwindled from 103 to 24. If an election was held today, they could lose even more seats. It’s difficult to see how the party will be able to reverse

The mainstream propaganda machine is claiming that around 60% of Russian missiles allegedly "fail". However, the Pentagon is giving starkly different assessments. Namely, the US military privately gives completely opposite numbers, stressing that the Russian military's air defenses have a staggering success rate of 97%.

Trump’s shooter was seen on the roof 20 minutes before opening fire and nothing was done. Calling attention to “Iranian threats” (something that is nothing new) certainly serves the interests of the Secret Service by deflecting attention. The media is biting it - but it will not be enough, of course. The whole affair is too suspicious and there will be a lot of explaining to be done by Secret Service officials.

Zelensky is about to face a serious crisis of legitimacy in the coming months.

EU not enthused by Joe Biden stepping down and vice-president Harris coming to the fore.

From the ancient Romans to the present, leaders of polities have been the decisive force behind much of history. Now, amid the most turbulent period of global politics since the Cold War, we must recognize that it is the leaders we need, but not necessarily those we want, that must be charged with stewarding our nation.  There is perhaps no better articulation of this theme than in the film A Few Good Men. After a military hazing incident leads to the death of a young Marine (named Santiago), the responsible commander, Col. Jessup (played by Jack Nicholson) is forced to testify in court. Attorney Lt. Daniel Kaffee (played by Tom Cruise) presses Col. Jessup for answers, especially who ordered the hazing incident. What follows is one of the most famous movie monologues: LTJG Kaffee: I want the truth! Col Jessup: You can’t handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know — that Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives; and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall — you need me on that wall. We use words like “honor,” “code,” “loyalty.” We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it.[1] I would rather that you just said “thank you” and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand the post. Either way, I don’t give a DAMN what you think you’re entitled to! If we take an honest stock of those who have secured our freedom, are we so sure that Col. Jessup was wrong? If there was anyone who understood the role that necessity played in political life, it was the Florentine philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli is known as the paradigmatic political realist. Much of his work can be summarized as an attempt to demonstrate what political life is, rather than what it ought to be. Machiavelli acknowledges his intention in Chapter 15 of The Prince: It remains now to be seen what the methods and procedures should be for a prince in dealing with his subjects and allies…But since I intend to write something useful for anyone who understands it, it seemed to me more suitable to go after the effectual truth of the matter than what people have imagined about it (emphasis added). What does Machiavelli have in mind with “effectual truth?” As Wayne Rebhorn notes: From antiquity to the Renaissance countless writers produced books of advice for princes, constituting a genre called the Speculum principis (The Mirror for Princes). In those works the prince was primarily taught that he must learn both religious and secular virtues and then practice them as a ruler. Machiavelli turns that advice on its head. Here he says he will write of the “effectual truth” (verità effetuale) because he is interested in a truth that has an effect—in other words, one that leads to action in the world— rather than turning the prince into a model of morality. Machiavelli then proceeds with his most infamous advice: For there is such a distance between the way we really live and the way we ought to live that the man who abandons what is done for what ought to be done ensures his ruin rather than his preservation. For a man who wants to make a profession of goodness in everything is bound to come to ruin among so many who are not good. Hence, a prince who wants to preserve himself must learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge and not use it as a necessity requires (emphasis added) When necessary—and that is key—the Prince, or in the modern application, the democratically-elected sovereign, must understand that self-preservation could call for dirtying one’s hands because the continued existence of a “moral community”, to use Michael Walzer’s phrase, is the supreme motive of the state. And despite his reputation to the contrary, Machiavelli never argues that the ends justify the means in political life. He never loses sight of evil as evil, writing that” [the Prince] should not depart from the good, if that is possible, but he should know how to enter into evil when necessity demands it.” Notice his awareness of evil as distinct from goodness. We should never support leaders of any type who forget that distinction. But the Florentine does excuse those tragic but necessary actions forced upon the leader by circumstance. According to Giovanni Giorgini, Machiavelli understands politics as being “the realm of tragic dilemmas because the statesman is often forced to abdicate moral duties in order to follow the political imperative of saving the state.” With an eye towards history, Machiavelli notes how so many of the world’s most influential and important leaders—the men we keep on our walls—recognized this drama of political life: men such as Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, Romulus, Agesilaus, Brutus and Cato. A careful analysis of these men reveals that all these rulers at some point were forced to dirty their hands for the sake of national self-preservation. Of course, compromising one’s moral integrity is no small task. But that is why, as Giorgini notes, the Florentine characterizes his ideal statesman as “a heroic figure, capable not only of sacrificing his body for the homeland but also of surrendering his soul.” Far from lamenting the reality of politics and statecraft, Machiavelli hoped to redeem these arenas by calling upon men of virtù to utilize all options on the table if the fate of their people depends on it. The Florentine understood the fact that in the anarchic, imperfect world we occupy, even democratic politicians will sometimes have to face tragic dilemmas and confront the problem of dirty hands. This approach to statecraft undoubtedly shocks the modern mind’s moral consciousness, where leaders like Churchill who save the world will still ultimately be condemned for past wrongs; their faults always outweighing their merits. But it is Machiavelli’s vision of a leader, not our modern view of leadership that allows for no impurities, that is so desperately needed today.  [1] Col. Jessup’s sentiment was similarly expressed in a line (wrongly) attributed to George Orwell, that “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”

India-Russia Relation: During and after Covid, India bought very cheap oil from Russia. Which benefited the Indian economy a lot. While the whole world was suffering losses due to oil, Russia helped India cross the hurdle by providing oil at a very low price

Fifteen years since its founding on 16 June 2009, what started as a loose and informal grouping has been expanding gradually into a collective platform and networking, placing the BRICS+ bloc comprising 10 countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates or UAE – as an economic and political force

The 7th China-Russia Border River Cultural Tourism Festival and the 24th China-Russia International Water Carnival Month event opened in Mingshan township in Luobei county, Hegang city, Heilongjiang province, attracting tourists from both sides

With Trump or Biden, it would be possible to predict the moves Washington would take in the conflict, but with a new candidate, the risks of escalation intensify.

Namely, speaking at the annual Aspen Security Forum on July 18, the Chief of NATO’s European Command, General Christopher G. Cavoli, warned that things are "not going to be easy" (to put it mildly), adding that the political West "can't be under any illusions, as ultimately Russia will reconstitute its force" and that the Kremlin will be "very, very angry at the US and NATO".

The Russia-India trade deficit massively rose due to the favourable trade terms.

It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,  To puff and look important and to say: –  “Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.  We will therefore pay you cash to go away.” And that is called paying the Dane-geld;  But we’ve proved it again and again,  That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld  You never get rid of the Dane. The above stanzas come from British poet Rudyard Kipling’s 1911 poem, “Dane-geld, A.D. 980-1016” and was part of a compilation of poetry relating to English history. The poem describes the period in which foreign raiders, the Danes, ransacked Britain and threatened to destroy the fledgling kingdom of England if it would not pay them a ransom to depart. The Danegeld was a tax levied on English citizens to pay these recurring blackmail demands – and they were indeed recurring. The Danes would be paid off, temporarily leave the kingdom in peace, then invariably return relatively soon thereafter, strengthened by the previous payment, to ransack further villages and demand even more money – and so the cycle repeated. Kipling’s poem, although facially about the Viking raids on Anglo-Saxon England, was actually arguing for the contemporary British Empire to avoid succumbing to the diplomatic blackmail leveled at it by Imperial Germany. German bluster, threats of naval action, and militaristic rhetoric were meant to force Britain to concede the legitimacy of German colonial aspirations. Britain’s failure to do so and its principled stance against German aggression were some of the key factors in the outbreak of the Great War just three years after ‘Dane-geld’ was published. Kipling’s stand against German intimidation was later embraced by the critics of Britain’s appeasement towards Nazi Germany in the 1930s. It seems, however, that modern policymakers in the United States and Israel have failed to heed Kipling’s warning. Over the past few decades, both governments have adopted a policy of paying ransoms to their inveterate foes, only emboldening those enemies to engage in further malign acts. The Biden Administration has chosen to repeatedly pay off their geopolitical blackmailers, both in Europe and the Middle East. After the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow jailed various American citizens in an attempt to mitigate the US response. One such case involved the WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nearly a decade in a Russian prison for the possession of a cannabis product. This was a high-profile case that the Biden Administration chose to prioritize, so the Danegeld was paid: the infamous Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, serving 25 years in prison for conspiring to kill Americans, was released in a prisoner swap. Since then, Putin’s regime has jailed several other Americans, including the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, so as to engage in further extortion. Iran has been a target for conciliation under both the Obama and Biden Administrations. While the Trump Administration took a maximum pressure approach to Iran, the Biden Administration changed course by trying to revive the fatally flawed JCPOA nuclear deal, among other conciliatory gestures. Despite the current administration’s overtures towards peace, hostage-taking continues to be a tried-and-true tactic of the Islamic Republic. Americans, Brits, and other allied nationals continue to be held hostage by the regime for years, with Iran seeking monetary gain or policy concessions for their release and the Biden team seeming happy to pay up. In August 2023, the current administration paid Iran a whopping $6 billion for the return of 5 American prisoners – money which has been used to fund Iranian terror proxies including the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah. That increased funding, provided partially by the United States, has led directly to the recent assaults on American interests and allies in the region. The primary target of those increased terrorist attacks has been Israel. It suffered the worst atrocity in its history on October 7th when the Iran-affiliated terror group Hamas killed over 1,000 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more. One major reason behind the strategy of hostage-taking is the historic Israeli policy of ransoming its captives. Partly driven by Biblical interpretation and partly by domestic pressure, this paying of the Danegeld has been expected of all Israeli governments for several decades. The most prominent such case was the ransoming of the IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas in June of 2006. Five years later, Shalit was exchanged for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences. One of the released inmates was none other than Yahya Sinwar, the military commander of Hamas in Gaza and architect of October 7th. Now, there is talk of yet another swap, gaining the release of Israelis held by Hamas for the past 9 months in exchange for an even greater number of Palestinian terrorists and a total withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza. Stunningly, the Netanyahu government is considering this. History shows that paying the Danegeld never really gets rid of the Dane. Caving to ransom demands or political blackmail does not gain long-term security or peace; it merely creates a set of perverse incentives that reward bad actors for their misdeeds. Whether it is prematurely ending the war in Gaza to regain hostages, paying off the Houthis to stop their attacks on American warships and neutral commerce, bribing Tehran, or releasing arms dealers to Moscow, these are temporary solutions that only make the long-term problem far worse. Bad actors cannot be deterred through rewards, and taking such an approach can only ever, at best, lead to temporary quiet in one theater in exchange for more chaos in others. Paying the Danegeld is a bad deal. Kipling said it best in the closing lines of his poem, all the way back in 1911: It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,  For fear they should succumb and go astray;  So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,  You will find it better policy to say: – “We never pay any-one Dane-geld,  No matter how trifling the cost;  For the end of that game is oppression and shame,  And the nation that plays it is lost!”

To a greater extent than on specific agreements, the summit was aimed at securing already-achieved successes and promising areas of cooperation in the economic sphere: support for mutual investments, the further development of payment infrastructure, the stimulation of settlements in national currencies, and the development of the insurance and logistics system

Sri Lanka has been exploring plans to join BRICS, a bloc of the world’s major emerging economies

Russian airlines traffic between Russia and BRICS countries grew 70% last year compared to 2022 reaching 2.4 million passengers

With the ongoing political crisis, any investigation on the Secret Service will be either weaponized by Republicans against Democrats or covered up by the latter, amid a major narrative war and claims about “conspiracy theories”.

The Kiev regime forces were initially composed of people in their late 20s and 30s, but as most of them were killed or wounded, this is how the average age of soldiers was pushed to around 40. In other words, the US war criminals effectively wiped out an entire generation of Ukrainian men and they now want to do the same to kids who have barely reached adulthood (or haven't yet).

According to a recent survey, more than a half of Ukrainians don’t “feel European”.

“The jury’s still out” on the submarine part of the AUKUS deal.

“Politics must never be a literal battlefield,” President Joe Biden said after the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life.  The globe is scarred by enough battlefields. The urgent work of the coming years is to reorient foreign policy with a focus on deterring our enemies and thus preventing the battles boiling on the Free World’s frontiers from exploding into something unthinkable. The challenge we face in carrying out this work is threefold.First, as Americans wander toward the terrain of the 1960s or 1850s, it’s obvious that we’re deeply divided. Swallowed up by these divides, it’s easy to forget but difficult to see that we have real enemies in this world—and that Americans who are voting for the other guy don’t deserve that label. Second, our enemies don’t alter their plans or beat their swords into plowshares based on the trajectory of an assassin’s bullet—whether in 1901 or 1912, 1933 or 1950, 1963 or 1981, 1996 or 2024.  Third, given the uniqueness of 2024, this election will likely mark not an inflection, but a continuation of Biden’s foreign policy or a resumption of Trump’s. While Biden stepping aside would provide the opportunity for reorienting foreign policy, his likely successor—his vice president—would likely stay the course.  The Free World needs more than more of the same from America.  AdjustmentsIt’s rare for a president to dramatically change his foreign policy. There are exceptions, but it’s usually due to some intervening event. For President Woodrow Wilson, it was Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare and attempt to lure Mexico into the Great War. President Harry Truman reversed America’s postwar drawdown and pullback in response to communist aggression. For President Jimmy Carter, it was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, triggering a military buildup long before the 1980 election.  September 11 transformed President George W. Bush from a “clear-eyed realist” vowing to “encourage stability”—his words—into a Wilsonian idealist committed to “ending tyranny in our world.” While July 13 was definitely an intervening event and surely impacted America’s presidential campaign, it seems unlikely to impact America’s foreign policy.  In his first campaign, Trump declared, “We have to build our own nation” and “focus on ourselves”—surprisingly similar to what President Barack Obama had said: “It is time to focus on nation-building here at home.” Trump slapped tariffs on imports from allies, ordered a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria and negotiated the Afghanistan pullout (without the involvement of Afghanistan’s democratically-elected government). He demanded that Japan and South Korea “pay up” and hinted his administration wouldn’t defend them; suggested he’d defend NATO members under attack only if they had “fulfilled their obligations to us”; and raised the possibility of withdrawing from NATO—a foundation stone of the post-World War II order.  Trump recently doubled-down on his NATO-skepticism, recalling that when NATO allies asked how he would respond if Russia attacked alliance laggards, he answered, “I would not protect you…I would encourage them (the Russians) to do whatever the hell they want.”  Trump’s plans for a second term include: across-the-board tariffs, “downsizing America’s security role,” “radical reorientation” of the U.S.-led alliance system and devolution of NATO into “a two-tier…system.” For Ukraine, Politico reports, he’s “mulling a deal whereby NATO commits to no further eastward expansion…and negotiates with Russian President Vladimir Putin over how much Ukrainian territory Moscow can keep.” This would upend the principle that borders cannot be changed by force—another foundation stone of the postwar order.Speaking of order, throughout his presidency, Trump left chaos in his wake. Chaos doesn’t serve U.S. interests, which is why the U.S. has promoted a liberal international order since 1945. God is deeply interested in order. Jeremiah says God “made the earth…and gave it order.” Paul reminds us that governing authorities exist to promote order.  Escaping death can transform a person. “This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together,” Trump said after he survived the assassin’s bullets. May all people of goodwill pray for that.  Recognizing that, for America, national security is intertwined with international security, Biden has stood up to Moscow, assisted Ukraine, vowed that “the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory,” and declared that “our allies are looking for U.S. leadership.” The problem is he hasn’t always provided it.  Recall that Biden served as vice president during the Obama administration. The Obama-Biden team pulled out of Iraq and opened the door to ISIS, pulled back from NATO, exasperated allies by “leading from behind,” answered Putin’s first invasion of Ukraine with nonlethal aid, and slashed defense spending. While vice presidents don’t craft foreign policy—there’s no Barkley or Cheney doctrine, after all—Biden never distanced himself from those policies. Once in charge of foreign policy, he tended to revert to those old ways.  Biden’s chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal left a frail democracy to the tender mercies of the Taliban and undermined NATO unity. “It is the biggest debacle that NATO has suffered since its founding,” a German official concluded.Before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Biden froze and delayed military assistance earmarked for Ukraine. After the invasion, when the Ukrainians asked for fighter-bombers, missile defenses, tanks and rocket artillery, Biden’s response was “no,” then “maybe,” then belatedly “yes with an asterisk” on where to use the weapons.  Similarly, Biden withheld weapons from Israel as it prepared to strike Hamas’s Rafah redoubt.  NeedsThat brings us to what’s needed on the world stage. America must stand by Free World allies and defend the Free World’s frontlines. Regrettably, the Obama-Biden administration failed at the former during NATO’s Libya intervention and at the latter in Iraq. Trump put allies on edge, disregarded Afghanistan’s democracy and appears willing to abandon Ukraine. The Biden-Harris administration abandoned Afghanistan’s democracy, beta-tested a no-yes-maybe doctrine on Ukraine and fell short in Israel. America must reengage the battle of ideas. “A little less détente,” Reagan argued, “and more encouragement to the dissenters might be worth a lot of armored divisions.” America’s president should offer high-profile platforms to victims of Putin, Xi and Khamenei; draw attention to Xi’s laogai prisons, genocidal campaign against Uighur Muslims, and brutal treatment of Christians and Tibetans; wield China’s willful mishandling of COVID-19 to counter Xi’s claim that business-suit autocracy is the future; provide tools to help Russians, Chinese, Iranians and North Koreans break the information blockades their governments have erected; and point neutral countries to Donetsk, Gaza, Xinjiang,Hong Kong and Aleppo as evidence of what Xi, Putin and Khamenei envision for their vassals. Regrettably, Biden lacks the energy to play that role; Trump lacks the conviction.  America must rebuild deterrent strength. “Freedom must be armed better than tyranny,” President Volodymyr Zelensky observes. When it’s not, the result is Ukraine 2022, Korea 1950, Poland 1939. To ensure Taiwan, the Baltics and the Philippines aren’t added to that list—to prevent Cold War II from metastasizing into something worse—America must restore deterrent capabilities. The rationale for this smolders all around us. Russia has dismembered Ukraine and threatened NATO allies. China has absorbed Hong Kong, threatened Taiwan, constructed illegal islands and supersized its nuclear arsenal. North Korea is arming Russia and testing missiles that threaten Indo-Pacific allies. Iran ships kamikaze-drones to Russia, bombs Israel, edges toward nuclear breakout and has unleashed its Hezbollah-Hamas-Houthi hydra.Regrettably, the Air Force has only 19 bombers capable of penetrating and surviving peer-adversary defenses. The Army is scrambling to deter Moscow with one-third the soldiers it deployed during Cold War I. The Navy needs 500 ships; it has 296. The reason for these shortfalls: U.S. defense spending hovers in the 3-percent-of-GDP range—less than half the Cold War average. Trump’s claims notwithstanding, he didn’t “rebuild” the military; defense spending topped out at 3.4 percent of GDP under Trump. Biden-Harris defense-budget proposals haven’t even kept pace with inflation.  The good news is that senators, congressmen, diplomats, DOD officials and think tanks have presented thoughtful blueprints for restoring deterrence. The bad news is that senators, congressmen, diplomats, DOD officials and think-tankers don’t stand behind the bully pulpit, serve as commander-in-chief, or steer the ship of state. Only the president plays those roles. Only the president can wield the political, rhetorical, and institutional tools needed to restore deterrence and reorient foreign policy.That’s what the president must do. That will require the president to make a dramatic change in how he (or she) acts on the world stage.

After the recent declarations made by Thailand about its intention to join BRICS, a similar move was unveiled recently by Malaysia, another key ASEAN economy. According to the statements of Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, “we have made a decision, we will be placing the formal procedures soon… we are just waiting for the final results from the government in South Africa”

The capitals of Kazakhstan, Russia, and China are gearing up to launch a Unified Digital Platform (UDP) along the historic China-Kazakhstan-Russia route. This digital initiative, reminiscent of the ancient Silk Road’s transformative impact, is scheduled to be formalized in July 2024

As BRICS looks to challenge the Western-dominated global financial and trade order by expanding its membership, Türkiye’s geopolitical strength and robust industry are seen as potential mutual assets for the bloc of major developing economies that Ankara has expressed a desire to join

The ban on the most important opposition media in Germany has sparked a discussion about press freedom and the issue of censorship.

Zelensky certainly never dreamed that his comments on Vance could actually make the Kiev regime's relations with Trump all the more sour, so he soon resorted to damage control after his closest henchmen panicked that tens of billions in US "aid" could soon dry out.

Zelensky cannot deter Modi from serving India’s interests first.

The situation shows very clearly how Kiev’s policy of ethnic and cultural genocide is failing, despite all violent efforts to impose Ukrainian langue.

The Biden Administration’s March 29 announcement that Transgender Visibility Day would be officially recognized on Easter Sunday this year is one more example of the shrinking presence of Christianity in American society. The celebration of Christianity’s most fundamental belief, the resurrection of Christ, competed with one that openly defies traditional Christian precepts. The announcement epitomized the overt, aggressive secularized thinking and policies of an administration that increasingly compartmentalizes and marginalizes Christianity. President Biden is beginning to inject this secularizing spirit into U.S. foreign policy in the developing world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The administration is working to advance LGBTQI+ rights in Africa through measures that would weaken and eventually subvert the role of traditional religion (i.e., Christianity) in its societies. The difference between these overseas measures and the announcement on March 29 is that the former are not a product of democratic processes. The measures represent external unsolicited pressures reminiscent of Western imperial practices from previous centuries. Like past manifestations of imperialism, these measures would inflict irreparable harm on African societies and their Christian identities.   Though many crises plague Sub-Saharan Africa, administration officials are convinced that the absence of progressive views on sex and sexuality is a major priority. Vice President Harris lectured Africans about the issue during her 2023 trip to the continent. Secretary of State Blinken punished Ugandan officials who oppose his department’s machinations. Jessica Stern (Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI)+ Persons) addressed the matter during a trip to Mauritius and South Africa in 2023.  Despite these measures, discussions persist in the administration about how to more effectively transmit, impose, and empower LGBTQI+ beliefs and lifestyles. Evidence of the methods under consideration emerged during a June 2023 talk and Q&A at the Atlantic Council given by the Biden appointee to administer the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power. USAID is a creation of the Kennedy Administration, initially formed to combat communism by provisioning clean drinking water and providing other services to the underdeveloped world. More recently, the Biden Administration has used the agency as an instrument for social engineering in the developing world. For example, USAID published guidelines for teachers on how to instill progressive beliefs about sexuality among unsuspecting children.    During her talk and the Q&A, Power advertised work USAID is conducting in the developing world to advance LGBTQI+ beliefs and lifestyles. The majority of time centered on the issue of tactics. She mentioned the consideration of two provocative measures. One entailed the pressuring, guilting, or shaming countries into acquiescence. The second measure would seek to help weaken or marginalize indigenous opposition to the normalizing the LGBTQI+ beliefs and lifestyles. The first tactic is a “get with the times” attitude. The failure to “get with the times” would impose costs on the country. In the underdeveloped world, costs entail compounding economic stagnation and thus human suffering. The USAID Administrator alluded to the forthcoming issues and the challenges of providing assistance in the developing world because of their unwillingness to promote LGBTQI+ beliefs and lifestyles. “Well, what does it mean if the multinational companies that we and the Commerce Department and the State Department have been working with to try to encourage them to invest in these countries?” she said. “Their own anti-discrimination policies and values are not going to make that an attractive place for investment.” Power insinuates that future international investment and assistance in the developing world will increasingly be contingent on shared values and beliefs. Multinational companies based out of the West will shun countries that contradict their self-proclaimed progressive principles and precepts.  The measure under consideration recalls 19th century gunboat diplomacy; where imperialists of yesteryear sent cannon-laden ships to bombard a city unless it capitulated to their demands, today multinational corporations lie offshore wielding dollars to leverage specific outcomes. In the 19th century, African societies suffered when Europeans attempted to impose their visions. Europe created fractured and turbulent societies. The results would be no different for the African societies of the 21st century.  The second measure emerged during the Q&A session. An attendee asked whether the Biden administration is considering how to hold accountable American Christians who encourage legislation in Sub-Saharan African countries affirming of Christian sexual ethics. These Christians are accused of promoting legislation in Uganda, Ghana, and Kenya that challenges the administration’s objectives. Administrator Power responded by stating “there are others in our government, I think, who are working on the kind of conversation that was asked about.” She added that these American Christian communities are guilty of hypocrisy: While these religious communities accuse USAID of interfering in the affairs of African countries, they are complicit in similar action.  So, first, clearly, the administration is open to punishing American Christians who challenge President Biden’s cultural imperialism. Secondly, it’s clear Power thinks the developing world would be more welcoming of USAID’s progressive endeavors were it not for the external incitement: interference by some American Christians. European powers of the 19th and 20th centuries operated in a similar fashion. A colony was off-limits to the outside world. It was the colonizer who decided who could trade, interact, or enter the colony. Isolation achieved several objectives. It solidified a colonizer’s control. The colonizer could reap the benefits (i.e., economic) of its monopoly over the territory. It also helped to minimizing domestic confrontations to their control. Domestic opposition was challenged to receive external assistance against the colonizer since the area was effectively “cut off.” Emulating historically problematic behaviors is not wise policy. The Biden Administration is considering forceful measures against African governments that would also offend an overwhelming majority of their populations. The discussed mechanisms become weapons for an assault on African cultures. A culture may be secular at the surface level but underpinning it is often traditional religious beliefs and values (i.e., Christianity). Tampering with the glue of culture which holds together already fragile states in Sub-Saharan Africa is a recipe for disaster. Societies would further fracture. Governance would worsen. Any semblance of order would unravel. The measures under consideration by the Biden administration would work to compartmentalize, restrict, and marginalize Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike in the U.S. where elections have consequences, areas in Africa, eerily similar to their 19th and 20th-century experiences, are being increasingly targeted, pressured, and isolated to conform with the administration’s international LGBTQI+ crusade. The Biden administration’s Easter announcement is an omen for the developing world of where U.S. foreign policy is headed.

Africa gains assertiveness as a unified bloc in global geopolitics, expert observes

The catch in BRICS is that it is not a bloc formation of the Global South as style vintage monopoly used to be, so Europe is welcome to join provided it is ready to be treated equally because BRICS is a high-speed train on route to create a polycentric, multimodal harmonic world

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Russia for a bilateral summit with President Vladimir Putin has underscored the depth and resilience of India-Russia relations

Malaysia aims to regain lost international influence by adjusting strategies and forming new alliances to challenge Western dominance

The US-led political West is essentially turning back the clock to a time when the world was on the edge of an abyss virtually every single day for nearly half a century. Worse yet, it can be argued that the current situation is even more dangerous, as the balance of power in Europe was destroyed by American expansionism.

Indonesia continues developing deep economic ties with China.

Ukrainian MP has been added to Kiev’s public kill-list after commenting about military failure.

Now is a bad time for the US Army to be facing a decade-long recruitment problem. Wars are underway in Ukraine and Gaza following Russia’s invasion of the former and Hamas’s attack on Israel from the latter. Rumors of wars are brewing around Venezuela and Taiwan. Nevertheless, from 2013 to 2023, male enlistments in the US Army have dropped by more than a third while female enlistments have held steady. Despite steadily reducing the number of new troops it aims to bring in annually, the Army has fallen far short of its enlistment goals for several years in a row.    The Army’s current issues with recruitment connect to longstanding tensions in American military culture. Since World War II, US citizens have tended to think of military victory as a product of resources and technology; give our armed forces enough funding and they will produce dominant machines and digital systems that will guarantee battlefield success and ensure national security. Historian Adrian Lewis in his book The American Culture of War has demonstrated that this belief dovetails with consumer culture to drastically limit the pool for recruitment. US citizens focus on wealth and consumption as the measure of quality of life, leading the nation’s “best and brightest” to pursue careers as businessmen, lawyers, and engineers. At the same time, lives of excessive consumption make many American men physically unfit for service. Lewis’s authoritative survey of American military history from World War II to the present concludes that our high-tech, low-manpower approach to armed conflict has undercut our conduct of war, repeatedly failing to produce victory. The Army’s current recruitment problems suggest that future US martial deployments will be similarly plagued.  The Army’s responses to the challenge of enlistment decline tend to treat surface-level symptoms rather than the deeper disease. The recent “What’s Your Warrior” marketing campaign and mentions of financial benefits, such free college tuition and support for home loans failed to halt troubling recruitment trends. A new marketing effort restored the old slogan “Be All You Can Be,” but this pitch preserves the previous campaign’s focus on personal, selfish advantages to military service. In his book Making Patriots, political scientist Walter Berns concluded that “reasoning on the basis of self-interest alone would not lead anyone to put his life at risk for another, or for his country.” Berns argued that a person must be educated into the self-sacrificial love for one’s country to be motivated to choose defending the nation over private-sector wages. What sociologists have labeled an “amotivational syndrome” among young men that makes them wait apathetically instead of pursuing opportunities would therefore be a matter of schooling, according to Berns. Our education system no longer trains young men in patriotism, so they find themselves passive, unable to see the benefits of an enlistment that requires virtues they do not possess.   Christian citizens might make a difference in resolving the Army’s male recruitment problem if they draw on certain theological insights. Baptist theologian Denny Burk has proposed that God calls men to a “protector vocation.” They fulfill this role when safeguarding the people and creatures in their lives, including but not limited to their families and communities. Scripture likewise establishes that government is responsible for the protective work of preventing and punishing wrongdoing. One way that men could live in accordance with their divine design, therefore, would be to take up positions created by government for safeguarding the community. Such roles would include careers in the military, among others. That argument does not imply that women have no protective role according to the Bible. In the context of responding to the US Army’s male recruitment problem though, this reasoning does suggest that Christian citizens – parents, teachers, pastors, and others – could encourage young men in their lives, especially those struggling with passivity, to consider enlisting in the military. The justification for doing so would not be that young man’s private gain, but the opportunity to take up a career that aligns well with a protective goal established by God.  The history of American martial institutions reveals that a sacrificial, protective emphasis once characterized military service. In his book The Naval Aristocracy, Peter Karsten argued that the Gilded Age US Navy, for example, stressed that its members’ commitment to military duty meant abandoning material gain in the name of patriotism. When writing my PhD dissertation, I found a similar set of ideas that influenced militia units. After the Civil War, many veterans entered political office. Those who became state governors often sought to strengthen their state militias, which would guard the local community from mob violence and support the national military during time of war.  Governor John W. Geary of Pennsylvania, a former Union brigadier general, argued that the militia should “educate the mass” of young men in his state, teaching them “loyalty to the whole country, without which there can be no permanent safety for our liberty.”  North Carolina’s Governor Elias Carr, once a Confederate volunteer, argued that militia service would spread “the germ of patriotism” and set an example that would undercut the appeal of a life devoted to “disorder and lawlessness.” Personal, financial advantages did not motivate their willingness to give up time at work and with their families. They embraced a martial, protective role as a proper sacrifice for the wellbeing of their communities. Civil War veterans learned to consider military service as something rooted in virtue, not private gain. Though much has changed in the United States since the Gilded Age, perhaps men and women who have survived our recent deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan could teach young Americans a similar perspective on enlistment in the Army today.  War persists because of the destructive hold of sin on the human heart. To handle that reality well, the United States needs to overcome the manpower recruitment problem currently facing the Army. Citizens, especially Christians, should promote a reframing of military enlistment as based on sacrificial protective service rather than individual self-interest. Soldiers endure hardships and shoulder the responsibility for the just application of force in wartime. When seeking men for the US armed forces, encouraging them to think in terms of virtue rather than private gain as early as their recruitment will prepare them for hard choices ahead.   

Since 1959, Congress has designated the third week of July as Captive Nations Week.  This commemoration, marked annually by a presidential proclamation, is a remembrance that too few Americans are aware of. Indeed, at first hearing, the expression “captive nations” may seem melodramatic.  But, when one considers the tens of millions of human beings who are literally in captivity under brutal governments – Cubans, Chinese Uyghurs, Venezuelans, Belarussians, and others – the term captive is clear and apt. Captive Nations Week calls us to take action on behalf of the rights of citizens around the world.  When Congress originated the idea in 1953, Communism was marching forward to enslave more people, from the deaths of four million people due to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea (1950-1953), to Soviet gulags and Chinese concentration camps, to the vicious crackdown on East Germans in June 1953.   A joint action of Congress (Public Law 86-90, July 17, 1959) asserted the natural sympathy that freedom-loving Americans had for those enslaved by Communist imperialism: The Act called upon the president to issue an annual proclamation championing the rights of the oppressed. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and each of his successors have obliged.  The first such proclamation in 1959 rightly asserted that Soviet communism was “imperialistic and aggressive,” depriving many of their “national independence and their civil liberties.”  Eisenhower went on to declare solidarity with the captives:  Whereas the greatness of the United States is in large part attributable to its having been able, through the democratic process, to achieve a harmonious national unity of its people…  Whereas this harmonious unification of the diverse elements of our free society has led the people of the United States to possess a warm understanding and sympathy for the aspirations of peoples everywhere and to recognize the natural interdependency of the peoples and nations of the world;  Whereas the enslavement of a substantial part of the world’s population by Communist imperialism makes a mockery of the idea of peaceful coexistence between nations and constitutes a detriment to the natural bonds of understanding between the people of the United States and other peoples… President Biden’s 2023 proclamation recognized that despite the fall of the Soviet Union a generation ago, we still live in an era of captive nations. But the battle against oppression did not end with the Cold War.  The forces of autocracy continue to reassert themselves.  In Iran, Belarus, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the People’s Republic of China, and elsewhere, we are seeing an all too familiar contempt for the rule of law, for democracy, for human rights, and even for the truth itself.  This is all too evident in Russia’s brutal aggression against its neighbor Ukraine and in the Ukrainian people’s courageous defense of their sovereignty, freedom, land, and lives.  In 2024, the annual Captive Nations Summit in Washington, DC followed on the heels of the NATO Summit, both of which are focused on Russia’s brutal aggression in Ukraine. What is to be done?  Although it is easy to feel powerless when considering those suffering in China’s Uyghur detention camps, the plight of religious people in Nicaragua, Vietnam, and Cuba, the women abused by their captors in Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea, and other captive peoples, nonetheless, there are reasons for vigilance and for hope. First, we have many more tools at our disposal today.  The international community, and especially the United States, have developed creative tools for careful reporting of human rights abuses and punching back at authoritarians.  The U.S. has developed broad international reporting mechanisms such as the International Religious Freedom Act and Trafficking Victims Protection Act as well as single-country tools such as the North Korea Human Rights Act.  Congress routinely holds public hearings on these issues and has a number of long-standing committees and bipartisan caucuses, such as the Victims of Communism Congressional Caucus, that focus attention on the issues. Moreover, the U.S. uses a variety of sanctions, penalties, and other restrictions to punish human rights abusers. One of the most creative is the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Act, named for Russian tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in prison due to beatings, maltreatment, and lack of medical attention.  The Magnitsky Act targets the wealth of specific individuals, such as corrupt business people and government officials complicit in human rights violations. Despite the truly horrific news emanating from prisons in Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and elsewhere, we know what it looks like for captive nations to achieve liberty.  We witnessed a revolution in 1989: The dismantling of the Berlin Wall.  The fall of Ceaușescu and the liberation of thousands of precious children locked in Romanian cages.  The return of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to the community of independent states.  We watched Poles, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and others tear off the shackles of Communism. They are captive nations no more. In 2024 we must resolve to protect free societies from the aggression of their neighbors, whether it is outright violence (i.e. Ukraine) or the aggressive bullying by China in its region.  Moreover, the U.S. must continue to be a leader in solidarity with captive peoples, using every tool at our disposal as we, in President Eisenhower’s words, “recommit [ourselves] to the support of the just aspirations of the peoples of those captive nations…until such time as freedom and independence shall have been achieved for all the captive nations of the world.”

Saudi Arabia has not yet made a final decision on whether or not to become a full member of BRICS, though the kingdom is now fully participating in the work of the association, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said at a press conference

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, congratulated Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on his reappointment as External Affairs Minister of India

This is the first time in well over two years that the Neo-Nazi junta hinted that it's ready for direct "peace talks". Previously, Zelensky was vehemently opposed to even basic contact with the Kremlin as long as President Vladimir Putin is in power. Thus, the previous "peace summits" were not much more than glorified fairs aimed at creating the narrative that "the world supports Ukraine".

China accused by NATO of being a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.

Kiev regime keeps trying to blame specific individuals for the Ukrainian army’s fiasco.

Europe’s largest defense expo has now concluded without Israeli representation. The hurried decision of the French Defense Ministry to ban Israeli companies from participating in the biennial Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris following President Emmanuel Macron’s call for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza—since overturned by a French court on grounds of discrimination—was rightfully met with criticism on moral grounds from some high-profile figures.  Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted on X: “The French decision to ban Israel from a defense forum—while welcoming the Chinese Communist Party—is reprehensible. It’s morally bankrupt to target the one Jewish state as it fights a defensive war against terrorism.”  Secretary Pompeo is correct. A search for “China” on the list of Eurosatory exhibitors yields 61 results. Not only is it a moral failing to host companies like Norinco, one of China’s largest state-owned defense manufacturers, which just last month was one of six PRC companies named by the House Select Committee on China as potentially critical to helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions on its military and energy sector. (The Committee called for Secretary of the Treasury Yellen to investigate whether the companies have violated U.S. sanctions or otherwise warrant sanctions.) It’s hard to tell which blunder is worse: declining to host members of the Israeli national security community or extending an invitation to the Chinese as they menace Taiwan and prop up authoritarianism in Russia and Iran. Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken conceded that China was“overwhelmingly the No. 1 supplier” of Russia’s military-industrial base. This is all in addition to the PRC’s persistent diplomatic, economic, and political support for Moscow.  The strategic implications of this decision go beyond France and Europe. This hasty decision has resulted in the absence of a key defense industry from Europe’s largest defense show—a defense industry and industrial base that European nations have often relied upon throughout the last two years as the continent rearms and accelerates defense spending following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as I surmised last summer. Israeli arms exports have surged in recent years, tracking with the return of Europe to increased defense spending. While Eurosatory proceeded sans Israel last week, the Israeli Ministry of Defense released data on Israeli arms sales for 2023. For the third straight year, and despite Israel’s engagement in a major war following Hamas’s terror attacks of October 7, Israeli arms exports reached a record high. Israeli arms exports are now nearly double that of five years ago—just over $13 billion in 2023 compared to around $7.5 billion in 2018. Indo-Pacific nations accounted for 48 percent of Israel’s 2023 defense exports, largely driven by India, the greatest importer of Israeli arms. But Europe’s portion was not insignificant, accounting for 35 percent of all Israeli defense exports in 2023.  Air defense systems, an area in which Israel excels, made up 36 percent of the country’s defense exports last year. It’s also a striking vulnerability for Europe—especially for Ukraine. As Boaz Levy, the CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) recently bluntly put it to POLITICO: like it or not, Europeans need Israeli air defenses and technology.  Numerous European nations have been the beneficiaries of Israel’s surging arms exports. Last November, amidst full-scale Israeli operations in the Gaza strip, Israel and Germany finalized a nearly $3.6 billion deal for the Arrow 3 air defense system, jointly produced by IAI and Boeing. It’s the largest defense deal in Israel’s history. In the same month, the Arrow 3 was put to the test and successfully intercepted it’s first ever missile—fired by Houthi terrorists towards the city of Eilat in southern Israel. Then in April, Arrow 3 was instrumental in intercepting the ballistic missiles that were part of the 300 ballistic, cruise missiles, and drones Iran launched at Israel. The cooperative effort of Israel, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Jordan, and more, yielded an interception rate of 99 percent. A number of countries globally have approached IAI with interest in Arrow 3 following the display.  Meanwhile, David’s Sling, co-developed by Raytheon and Israel’s Rafael, is on track to be received by Finland in the system’s first international sale. David’s Sling also had its first successful interception in 2023, thwarting a rocket that was part of a barrage sent by Hamas toward Tel Aviv last May. And the list goes on. Last spring, Estonia signed a major deal with IAI for loitering munitions. Just last month, Israel’s Elbit Systems won a contract to produce $53 million worth of mortar systems for an unnamed European customer. Nevertheless, America’s European allies were deprived of surveying these proven systems at Europe’s largest defense exhibition.  A representative from IAI, one of the 74 Israeli companies originally on the Eurosatory’s exhibitor list before the French government’s ban, recently told Breaking Defense: “It was a surprise, it was unpleasant, I don’t like it, but as a company that has such a big scale of choice with other Israeli industries… We have 30 exhibitions around the world every year, so one exhibition that we won’t participate in won’t do anything to effect [sic] the business.” For the sake of freedom and Western values currently under attack in Israel and Europe, one hopes the official is correct. Maybe France’s spur-of-the-moment decision comes down solely to incompetence. Or perhaps the moral outrage at Jerusalem is genuine. Which again brings into question why the French government did not see dozens of PRC representatives, or say, the handful of Pakistani representatives, as offensive to their sensibilities and morality.  It all reeks of the triple standard against Israel. There’s one set of rules for the West, another for the rest, and a third for the Jewish state. It is a shame that in this case, it could result in a missed opportunity to bolster European defense and security at a time when this should be the number one priority for all NATO allies. 

Joining the BRICS could bring economic prosperity to Thailand, said a Thai scholar

The latest batch of US sanctions against Russia will promote further use of the yuan, a think tank said

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh has sought support from India to become a member of BRICS, a group of emerging-market nations - the acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

There are many social reasons beyond the phenomenon of newcomer Edmundo González leading the polls - if the group behind takes over, however, Venezuelans could expect to face problems similar to the ones one can see today in Argentina, with Javier Milei. And this could have serious impacts on the continent.

A current joint maneuver with Chinese soldiers in Belarus on the border with Poland shows the West that there is another security alliance.

Aviation expert warns F-16s “will not offer a magic bullet for Zelensky”.

At some point, Trump might actually say that the Neo-Nazi junta was involved in his assassination attempt. Agencies such as the infamous CIA-ized SBU and GUR certainly have the capacity to aid in planning and executing such operations. Not to mention they have a clear motive, as they depend entirely on the "aid" he wants to cut.

American politics is becoming increasingly chaotic and dangerous, showing that the country is close to absolute social collapse.

The cultural cooperation between Russia and India holds immense promise, with significant potential for enriching both nations. Through vibrant cultural exchanges, both countries can celebrate and share their rich traditions in art, literature, music, and dance

Seeking a formal membership to join BRICS is certainly the right thing for Malaysia to do as the global landscape changes

India-Russia relations go beyond just arms, oil, and China: New Delhi and Moscow are also engaging in South Asia

Kiev regime, with possible US help, continue to produce and use banned weapons near Russian-liberated areas.

Polish Army Chief of Staff General Wieslaw Kukula openly called for Warsaw to prepare its troops for an all-out war, insisting that it shouldn't focus on asymmetric warfare, but a full-scale one. Although he didn't really mention any specific country, it's only logical to presume he was talking about war with Russia. Such provocative statements accomplish nothing, and yet, here we are.

Orbán shuns Biden to meet with Trump.

Over 200 people participated in the International Workshop on High Energy and Special Materials (HEMs-2023) held at the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) in India. Scientists exchanged their experience in the field of high-energy and specialty metallic and composite materials

With more ASEAN states expressing interest in and considering joining the group of emerging economies BRICS, analysts have also raised concerns that this may lead to an overdependence on China

The BRICS emerging-market nations — the acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — has gone from a slogan dreamed up at an investment bank two decades ago to a real-world club that controls a multilateral lender

NATO pledged further comprehensive support to Ukraine at the meeting in Washington. The NATO center in the city of Wiesbaden in Germany will play an important role in the future.

Today one can see an increasingly divided NATO, which does not possess a clear view on the challenges of dual containment. With Ukraine’s fatigue lingering on, and the specter of Biden’s senility and a new Trump presidency, the idea of pivoting east is gaining traction - however important allies within the Alliance will challenge that notion.

The bloc's meeting failed to reach any consensus on actual changes, with the only decision by members being to continue the proxy war with Russia.

The new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer fully supports the use of UK-sourced "Storm Shadow" air-launched cruise missiles against targets within Russia's undisputed territory, with no apparent limitations. Starmer's Labour Party won the general election on July 4, with him confirmed as the new PM on July 5. Just four days later, he reiterated that the British government supports the unrestricted use of its long-range weapons against Moscow.

Biden pushing delusional that “Ukraine will prevail” over Russia at NATO Summit.

In the previous decade and a half, Russian and Indian political and expert circles have shaped consistent narratives describing the present and future of bilateral relations

Moscow should try to make it easier for people from BRICS countries to get visas to visit Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with TASS

Pakistan’s bid to join the BRICS economic bloc marks the country’s significant strategic intent to position itself alongside the world’s burgeoning and influential economies, besides underscoring its aspiration to be an integral player in the ascendant collective of the Global South

In the last two days alone, reports surfaced about the destruction of seven more HIMARS/M270 systems, including those armed with ATACMS missiles.

Paranoid atmosphere generated by the alliance's summit leads parliamentarians to approve irresponsible measures of nuclear escalation.

Zelensky outraged by Modi’s discussion of peace with Putin.

Malaysia’s ambition of joining the intergovernmental organisation BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – is a strategic move that will benefit the Southeast Asian nation, says Associate Professor Dr Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk

Though the Dollar-Wall Street regime remains significantly powerful, de-dollarisation and possibilities of a shifting global order are being driven by US economic weakness, the aggressive use of illegal sanctions by the US and its Global North allies, and the growing political and economic strength of the Global South through platforms such as BRICS

It aspires to reduce reliance on Western institutions like the World Bank and IMF, potentially replacing them with the BRICS Bank

With regards to foreign policy, misconceptions and myths about Trump and Biden also pile up, amid NATO warmongering hysteria on one side and anti-imperialist illusions on the other side.

Most Americans believe they are in recession and blame Biden.

The reports about deaths and injuries among civilians are true, as the footage is certainly undeniable. However, there's a "slight problem" with the narrative. Namely, the video that Reuters referenced is also indisputable evidence that Russia didn't conduct the aforementioned strike on the children's hospital in Kiev.

According to a recent defense pact, Poland could attack Russian targets inside Ukrainian territory.

Malaysia wants to join the BRICS grouping of emerging economies, the Southeast Asian country’s leader has said

Africa could benefit from the expansion of the BRICS to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, experts told a roundtable in Nairobi

An Indian delegation led by Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty was accompanied on a visit to the Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC) in Seversk in Russia’s Tomsk region by Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev

Due to heavy casualties, the ratio of forces is now much closer to 1:1, although the Kiev regime still maintains a slight advantage in numbers. However, the casualty ratio tells a different story. Standing at approximately 10:1, it explains the massive reduction in the Neo-Nazi junta's numerical advantage. This indicates that any offensive potential of the Neo-Nazi junta forces is being chipped away, meaning that it will only get worse in the long run. Thus, the Kiev regime's best time for a counteroffensive is now.

This measure could generate serious consequences for the Ukrainian regime itself.

More Americans approve of Trump’s job performance as president than Biden.

Viktor Orban's visit to Vladimir Putin is a milestone in European history and marks a new stage in Hungarian history.

The current paradigm of BRICS expansion focused on the expansion of the core and the creation of a “partnership belt” presents clear short-term opportunities (in the form of an enlarged platform with a greater weight on the international arena), but is fraught with longer term challenges (need for clear selection criteria, mounting difficulty of arriving at a consensus)

China's customs office will allow the immediate import of beef and beef by-products from Russia, including frozen tendons, hoofs, stomach, and cartilage, from cattle under 30 months old

In April 2024, Russia announced its proposals for the BRICS Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. The priorities for the year of Russia’s chairmanship included: issues of a just transition, adaptation to climate change, natural solutions, carbon markets and carbon pricing

Corruption in Ukraine is becoming more and more of a topic in the Western media. Especially in connection with possible accession to the EU or NATO, the problem of corruption becomes an endless story.

Who in their right mind would go to war so that so-called "transsexuals" can dance naked in front of their kids (including preschool children and even toddlers)? In fact, it can easily be argued that the vast majority of normal people would take up arms or at least turn their guns away from the "evil Russians and Chinese" who aren't actually forcing them to do anything and point them at those who do – the US government composed of deeply corrupt warmongers, war criminals, plutocrats and child traffickers (among many other things).

US military assistance to Ukraine could end in case of Trump election.

Leaders of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan hold historic first trilateral meeting.

China's President Xi Jinping said he supports Kazakhstan joining the BRICS bloc, Chinese state media reported, as the group of developing nations mulls further expansion to rival a Western-dominated world order it sees as outdated

There is a big pipeline of space related collaboration projects that South Africa is involved with

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is keen to invest in Brazil across multiple sectors such as technology, renewables, and mining, said a top official

Trump may not be the insane warmonger he’s made out to be by some commentators. However he is no “anti-imperialist” hero as the fantasies of some of the more naïve analysts would have it. Trump is, by all indications, more of an unconditional backer of Israel than his opponent Biden is. And this could be bad news to the world.

Finland is going out of its way to please the US and NATO, just like it did with Nazi Germany (their geopolitical predecessor) over 80 years ago. This was in the making for quite some time, even predating the special military operation (SMO), as Helsinki wanted to acquire the troubled F-35 fighter jets back in 2021.

Kiev neo-Nazi regime plans to generate panic and spread fear among ordinary people about a possible radioactive leak.

Ukraine will not be invited to join NATO as it is "too corrupt".

The Russian capital will host the major municipal event in August

Russia urged India to deepen its investments in the sanction-hit country's oil and gas sector, and is keen on expanding the sales networks of Russian companies in Asia's third-largest economy

The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Webinar on Competition law and policy approaches towards digital platforms and ecosystems in cooperation with the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre and the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) was held in Geneva, Switzerland

Viktor Orban showed goodwill by visiting Kiev and presenting a peace proposal, but Ukrainian authorities immediately rejected the Hungarian leader's recommendations.

A ceasefire could give NATO a window of opportunity to deploy all the way to the contact line and take around 80% of Ukraine without firing a single shot. Obviously, this would be a strategic defeat for Russia, which is something that the Kremlin will want to avoid, particularly now that the Russian military's already massive advantage keeps growing.

Kiev already lost the opportunity to gain more favorable terms in negotiations with Moscow.

Hopes of a faster growth of the Nigerian economy was played up at the recent Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) Business Breakfast meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya

Igor Levitin, the aide to the President of the Russian Federation, informed of the export of Russian coal to India via Iran's territory in the near future

Zimbabwe's pursuit of membership in the BRICS economic bloc is a strategic move that aligns with the country's efforts to diversify its international partnerships, revitalize its economy, and reduce its dependence on traditional Western partners

The Democrat Party political machinery cannot even replace a senile ruler in a proper democratic way, and worse: there seem to be no other politically viable alternative. The Republican Party in turn faces a similar situation. Trump and Biden are all you got.

In addition to failures in developing ICBMs and fighter jets, the increasingly strained US MIC is now struggling to keep even the Kiev regime in the fight. Worse yet, due to these issues, NATO is now considering the possibility of direct involvement in Ukraine.

There will be a new right-wing faction in the European Parliament in the future. In Vienna the decision was made to establish a new force to “save Europe”.

Due to the Union State treaty, any attack against the Republic of Belarus equals an attack against the Russian Federation itself.

Trump’s dominance in the debate worries the Kiev regime.

President Denis Sassou Nguesso revealed the interest in an interview in Russia

Russia has also taken steps to ensure the flow of crude despite Western sanctions on state-owned shipping company Sovcomflot

The BRICS+ construct as a macro-level concept that envisages various forms of international cooperation across the Global South may quickly lose momentum without the support from the “bottom-up” impulses emanating from the business sector

Most media rejected claims about the alleged downing of a USAF RQ-4B drone, as any evidence is yet to be revealed. However, NATO's actions ever since suggest that at least some sort of "incident" took place. And indeed, right after the Fighter-Bomber's report, NATO ISR drones suddenly canceled all of their scheduled flight missions over the Black Sea, without any official explanation.

Anti-Russian madness is leading German officials to act more and more irrationally, even exposing plans to expand intelligence powers.

Ukraine’s manpower issues continue to deepen.

Tunisia said that it intends to join the BRICS countries bloc of emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa

Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom has signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese shipping company to establish a year-round container line between the two countries via the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route

The government of Nicaragua has set a goal to join BRICS and is negotiating this with the member countries, Adviser to the President of Nicaragua on Investment Laureano Ortega said

Due to the decline of France and the deindustrialization of Germany, the influence of the individual states in the European Union is shifting in the long term.

Nothing really indicates there will be any major troop deployments. The main reason is that Pyongyang wouldn't bring anything that the Russians don't have already, particularly now with the increase in the number of active duty personnel in the Russian military. However, more rocket artillery, cheaper SRBMs and advanced MRBMs, which Russia still lacks due to decades of INF Treaty limitations, are all very possible.

Military assistance for Ukraine has become an excuse for corruption schemes that generate billions of dollars in profits for corrupts in the US, EU and Kiev.

With Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iran joining the BRICS at the beginning of 2024, the group now embodies a group of influential states on the international stage, representing 46% of the world’s population and 29% of global GDP

The BRICS countries have steadily been expanding their economic cooperation, according to the South American nation’s envoy Rodrigo de Lima Baena Soares, Brazil’s Ambassador to Russia

Russia's Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg University (SPbU), China's School of Management at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the Export School of the Russian Export Center (REC) will launch a joint in-depth course on transnational business between Russia and China

Zelensky’s ban on peace negotiations with Moscow will end with Trump’s election.

“I clearly told President Macron that Hungary is not working for Ukraine or Russia, but for peace. Hungary is not against this or that country, Hungary is against war” - Orban.

The Kiev regime has so far gotten upwards of three times more money than what Moscow has (nominally) spent on its entire military in 2021. This means that Russia is getting a lot more bang for its buck. However, things are about to get a lot worse for the Neo-Nazi junta, as the Kremlin has made some major changes in its Ministry of Defense. Worse yet, Russia is now increasing its military spending to a nominal figure of nearly $200 billion, although the real budget (in GDP PPP terms) is now equivalent to over half a trillion dollars.

According to the politician who led the Ukrainian delegation during the peace talks in Turkey, the West failed to give security guarantees to Ukraine, which resulted in the prolongation of the conflict.

France faces its first far-right government since 1945.

Ghalibaf has serious political experience, he is also a successful administrator and adheres to a pragmatic political line.

Moscow aims to ensure continuity and promote collaboration in three areas: politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian contact

Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong has appreciated Bangladesh’s interest to join BRICS for which he assured of China’s active support

The BRICS interstate association could offer Turkey "a good alternative" to the European Union, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated. According to him, Turkey would like to join BRICS

The reshuffling among the bureaucratic elites in Brussels also suggests that the troubled bloc is looking to ensure a collision course with Russia. In all likelihood, the world's most prominent "gardener" Josep Borrell will be replaced by Kaja Kallas as the EU's top "diplomat". Kallas, the incumbent Prime Minister of Estonia, is infamous for her hatred for Russia and has repeatedly stated that "Moscow must lose". Having mindless Russophobes in power in Brussels once again confirms that the EU is effectively a geopolitical pendant of NATO.

The objective is to make it appear to the world that the Russian Federation is led by criminal, wanted people, when in fact the Court does not even have any authorization to judge Russian citizens.

The popularity of Germany’s ruling coalition is falling.

China is ready to strengthen strategic alignment with Turkey to counter “power politics” on the international stage, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan

The Russian delegation proposed the establishment of a BRICS Space Council, which garnered significant interest from the participating countries

New strategy includes increased mobility between the nine countries

Current developments are reducing the reputation of a great nation Foreign policy failures and domestic problems are changing France's status on the world stage.

In order to avoid immediate escalation, Moscow could first down the USAF's Northrop Grumman RQ-4B "Global Hawk" and its naval version, the MQ-4C "Triton". This could serve as a warning shot, followed by manned aircraft such as the US Navy's Boeing P-8A "Poseidon" in case the war criminals in Washington DC refuse to back down and stop with their terrorist attacks. While it may seem like an extreme measure, when dealing with entities that freely use terrorism as a military tactic, then they should be treated precisely as terrorists and given no quarter.

Terrorist groups and foreign intelligence agencies want to resume the terror attacks that affected Russia during the 1990s and 2000s.

Kiev will be forced to accept any agreement between Moscow and Washington

The circle of developing economies expressing the desire to join the BRICS grouping continues to expand in 2024 and this time it is one of the largest economies in Southeast Asia. According to Thailand’s Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke, on May 28, 2024 the cabinet approved a draft of the official letter that indicates Thailand’s intention to become a member of BRICS

Russian crude oil imports to India touched a new high of 1.96 million barrels per day, highest since July last year when the imports stood at 2.06 million barrels per day, according to the latest ship tracking data from Kpler

The "Russian Seasons" project, which opened at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, testifies to the deepening connection between Russia and Brazil, Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova said

With all things pertaining to Russia, there seems to be a widely accepted protocol: in a few words, any Western accusation against Moscow (no matter how incredible) must always be deemed completely reliable and never doubted (or else “conspiracy theory!”), whereas any Russian criticism or accusation against the West must be automatically disregarded.

The populace in Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, is extremely worried about this prospect (and understandably so). The consequences of Russian retaliation will be felt all across the increasingly volatile region, regardless of whether the affected country houses the Kiev regime's jets. The disruption to normal economic activity alone would be a disaster for them, let alone a direct confrontation between military superpowers.

Vučić will gain no favors from an EU which wants total recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

American arms are making neo-Nazi incursions against Russian demilitarized regions even more dangerous, generating many civilian victims.

Former Executive Vice President of Unilever, Yaw Nsarkoh has shared his insights on whether the next Ghanaian government should join BRICS -the geopolitical, intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates

Prominent Russian Academician Alexander Dynkin believes that the BRICS group of countries have the required political and economic capacity to bring conceptual changes to the United Nations development goals after 2030 through altering the “failed policy” of sustainable development to what he calls “responsible development”

Bangkok is hedging its bets, and fully seizing all the opportunities that multilateralism presents

US/NATO aggression against the world is finally starting to yield positive results, as numerous countries are starting to push back. Joint efforts of Russia and North Korea will serve as an example to many others that only a united world can ensure the end of the political West's (neo)colonialist system that's not only deeply exploitative, but is now entering its most repugnant stage of all-encompassing moral degeneracy and societal decay, destroying everything it touches.

Instead of criticizing the dictatorial policies of Emmanuel Macron, who dissolved parliament to prevent the opposition from being elected, the French Prime Minister warns about completely unrealistic "risks".

Manpower shortages ensure Russia’s inevitable victory.

Thailand eyes bigger role in intl arena, with BRICS membership bid approved

At a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that as far as membership in BRICS is concerned, it is for the grouping to decide, and the grouping decides based on certain criteria that they have laid down. So if the group decides on a particular membership of expansion or to consider a particular country, the group will do so as per the guidelines of the BRICS grouping, he added

The BRICS economic union, in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), plans a significant investment of $13.5 billion in the oil sector

Much is talked about the economic and geopolitical decline of the American superpower. The erosion of its supposed moral authority, however, is also a very concrete phenomenon, with implications for soft power, and credibility - and may have weighed as a factor in the rising Global South trend towards non-alignment.

Belousov has been at the helm of the country's most prominent ministry for over a month and his appointment also coincides with a massive increase in Russian defense spending, now slated to exceed half a trillion dollars in real (GDP PPP) terms. The new Defense Minister immediately decided to streamline his department's leadership, reshuffling positions to accomplish maximum efficiency.

The measure could lead to a serious escalation in relations between Moscow and NATO.

Ukraine corruption so out of control EU establishes special commission.

The future of Eurasia hinges significantly on the roles of China and India, two nations demonstrating remarkable resilience and growth across economic, technological, political, cultural, and spiritual domains

Increased lithium extraction in Bolivia is capturing international attention, as the government seeks to attract foreign investment to build processing plants. Yet experts point to the lack of transparency in the agreements with Chinese and Russian companies and their real impact on the country

BRICS Games 2024 are set to be the most exciting when they are held in the Russian city of Kazan from June 20-23

Ryabkov also said that he was "confident that both Russia's partners and opponents understand well the significance that we attach to the nuclear deterrence factor". In other words, Moscow certainly doesn't want any sort of escalation and is ready to engage in dialogue to keep the world safe. However, it will not do so to the point of making moves that are entirely self-defeating.

Having no capacity to keep producing new military equipment, Germany is developing “Frankenstein tanks” to continue its policy of systematic arms supply for Ukraine.

Brussels clearly has not learnt its lesson from the failed sanctions imposed on Russia

On May 28, 2024, Thailand announced its intention to join the BRICS economic bloc. Now, a question naturally arises for other developing nations. Should Bangladesh also consider membership in BRICS?

"ICMR along with NIV and a network of other partner Institutes is embarking on phase-3 clinical trials of recombinant dengue vaccine", Union Health Sec said. In a statement issued after the meeting, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra said that the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre, established during India’s BRICS presidency, was dedicated to strengthening the health systems of BRICS member states

India supports Bolivia's accession to BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), as assured by Indian Ambassador Vhisvas Vidu Sapkal in a meeting with the Vice President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia David Choquehuanca

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, used her "stellar" approval rating of -10% to threaten Russia, stating that if it refuses to submit, it will be "forced" to do so. Olaf Scholz has a public approval rating of a "whopping" -51%. However, he's not even the worst, as British PM Rishi Sunak "bested" him with -54%. US President Joe Biden allegedly has -18.5%, while Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida stand at -38% and -40%, respectively. French President Emmanuel Macron is a bit "better" (or, once again, a bit less of a disaster), with a public approval rating of -31%. In other words, not a single G7 "leader" has a positive ranking among their own electorate.

A special committee has been set up in Brussels to monitor Ukraine's use of 50 billion euros that will be sent to Kiev by 2027.

Kiev regime turns to violent criminals amid manpower shortages.

Since support for Ukraine depends on decisions in Brussels, we must see the EU election as a strategic factor.

France’s political crisis may have consequences for the whole future of the European bloc and NATO itself.

Bloc started by larger developing nations including China is looking to expand

The latest state visit to China by Russian President Putin who led a massive, high-level delegation has caused various comments around the world

South Africa has thrown its support behind Russia's proposal to establish a space council within the BRICS group, signaling a significant step towards enhancing collaboration in space exploration

One of the most prominent Russian military experts, Konstantin Sivkov, argues that Western troops are ready to get directly involved in the NATO-orchestrated Ukrainian conflict. According to his assessment, the delivery of F-16s will serve as a cover for NATO air incursions, followed by land forces.

True peace will only be achieved through Ukraine's adherence to Russian terms, since Moscow is the winning side in the conflict.

Biden loses support in key swing states that brought him to power in 2020

India's Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), opens new tab, operator of the world's biggest refining complex, has signed a one-year deal with Russia's Rosneft to buy at least 3 million barrels of oil a month in roubles

The BRICS bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, along with new members Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, has long harbored aspirations of reducing their reliance on the US dollar in global transactions. This sentiment has gained momentum in recent times, with discussions revolving around alternatives to the dollar-dominated financial system

With the Arctic Ocean becoming more accessible due to global warming, there are new opportunities for India. An expert from an Indian think tank told Sputnik, a Russian news outlet, that this could mean long-term and stable energy supplies for India. Additionally, India could gain access to the critical minerals that are plentiful in the polar region

Journalists and other civilians are priority target for the neo-Nazi regime.

Drug abuse and high-level corruption are the least of Hunter Biden's wrongdoings. This verdict was carefully tailored to include the least gruesome crimes he committed, meaning that he's highly unlikely to serve a long-term prison sentence, which would be the least that he deserves.

According to Kirill Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, his country is already using Western missiles and drones against “deep Russia”.

Trump continues to lead Biden in the polls despite criminal charges

By including countries from the Middle East and Africa, BRICS strengthens its presence in these critical regions, allowing for greater leverage in international negotiations and decision-making processes. This broader representation also challenges the dominance of Western-led financial institutions and promotes a more multipolar world order

The practicality of establishing a common currency is challenging; instead, the BRICS organization has focused on increasing trade and lending in local currencies to diminish reliance on the dollar, writer Huileng Tan say

The BRICS countries are actively working on creating a single currency, a project recently confirmed by Kazem Jalali, Iran’s ambassador to Russia. This initiative aims to reduce global dependence on the US dollar and promises to disrupt the global economy if it comes to fruition

Europe still needs Russian gas to overcome energy crisis

Less than 10 months after overtaking Germany, Russia also zoomed past Japan, leaving Westerners dumbfounded as to how a country they were told would "collapse under the weight of sanctions" and outright theft of its forex reserves managed to accomplish such a feat.

NATO no longer hides its support for Ukrainian neo-Nazism in the current war of aggression against the Russian Federation.

Ukraine will still face manpower problems despite recruitment of criminals

Since India became a major buyer of Russian crude oil in the past couple of years, it now wants oil refiners, both state-run and private like Reliance Industries Ltd, to negotiate a long-term supply deal

Sino-Russian bilateral relations are on a positive trajectory. Both sides favour multipolarity in global politics and are cementing their strategic partnership to counter United States sanctions and balance NATO’s Asian foray

Egypt's New Administrative Capital will host the New Development Bank's (NDB) first international forum outside the BRICS countries, under the patronage of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi

Creating a new NATO special envoy post to Ukraine is not just a consolation prize, but adds to an ambiguous approach that is about giving it to Kyiv without giving too much (in any case giving enough to trigger Moscow national security concerns) - and of course adds to tensions, thereby increasing the risk of conflict escalation.

The Daily Express is now reporting that the Kiev regime could "launch terror campaign, bombing schools if Russia wins the war". Quoting an "expert", the British tabloid says that "Ukraine's plan is more terrifying for Vladimir Putin than a conventional war because he could lose power very quickly in Russia".

Analysts talking about “fascist wave” ignore that it is the EU itself, not the opposition parties, that is fomenting neo-Nazism against Russia in Ukraine.

Most corruption is committed by high-ranking officials but Ukrainian media focuses elsewhere.

Taking over the chairmanship for BRICS 2024, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced in his inaugural address stated that with the expansion of the global bloc from five countries to 10, more are looking forward to join

Ethiopia’s entry into the BRICS is great evidence of the growing role of the country on the international arena, Russia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeny Terekhin said

Structural reforms, fiscal prudence and inflation targeting by central banks pays off

According to a German newspaper, Berlin will not support Paris’ plan to intervene directly in the conflict.

The image quality (or the lack thereof) indicates that this could easily be a rather simple fake. The timing is just perfect, in every sense of the word. Firstly, what are the chances of a satellite taking photos of the airbase at such a "perfect" moment? And if it was simply damaged, why haven't the Russians removed the jet from the area and prevented further damage? In other words, there are way too many holes in this story.

Western sanctions have failed to hurt Russia’s defence capability.

Small states and nations within the framework of BRICS could become more significant players in international economic cooperation.

Imports from Saudi Arabia, which was last China's biggest supplier in April 2023, were 6.34 million tonnes, or 1.54 million bpd, down 25 per cent from a year earlier

Since the beginning of 2024, Russia has actively targeted the Indian travel market to boost its tourism sector

Russia is seeking Chinese support in the development of its Northern Sea route

The Caucasian state makes a unique decision to protect itself from infiltration.

After rumors about "authorizing" attacks against deep Russian territory, Joe Biden says American weapons should only be used in conflict zone and border cities.

The Kiev regime believes that Bridget Brink supposedly "created unnecessary tensions and lost sight of the overarching priority — winning on the battlefield". The troubled Biden administration supported its top-ranking envoy in the former Soviet republic and called for "further reform, transparency and accountability as necessary steps for Ukraine to undertake for joining the European Union, as well as NATO".

Western media attacks on Modi will only escalate as he prioritises Indian interests.

The expo's activities are being held in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang. Over 5,000 overseas buyers registered at the expo and representatives from 44 countries and regions participated in the expo. The exhibition area spans 388,000 square meters, showcasing more than 5,000 products in over 20 major categories from 10 sectors

Russia views India’s burgeoning role in Eurasia with optimism, both politically and economically and recognises its potential to fortify its trade and economic foothold in this region

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 15th International Economic Forum "Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2024" in Kazan, the Republic of Tatarstan. He said the BRICS members are seriously determined to reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar but they need to develop the necessary infrastructures in various fields to make that happen

For Mahnken, Washington is “currently involved in two wars—Ukraine’s in Europe and Israel’s in the Middle East”, while also “facing the prospect of a third over Taiwan or South Korea in East Asia.” He adds that “all three theaters are vital to US interests, and they are all intertwined”.

The aim is to allow men to fight only on the battlefield, without working in non-combat military positions.

As urbanization and climate change impacts converge, local governments need a range of innovations to mitigate suffering, especially in the cities of South Asia. Rajshahi city in Bangladesh has taken promising steps.  By Mohammad Tarikul Islam... Read more about Cities in Bangladesh Must Refocus to Combat Climate Change

"If they consider it possible to deliver such weapons to the combat zone to launch strikes on our territory and create problems for us, why don’t we have the right to supply weapons of the same type to some regions of the world where they can be used to launch strikes on sensitive facilities of the countries that do it to Russia?" Putin said, adding: "We will think about it."

Spain supplies Ukraine with military equipment despite the negative impact on domestic security.

India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar underlines the enduring nature of increasing trade ties between India and Russia, emphasizing that they signify a significant shift in economic opportunities

Some initiatives and global goals of the Russian Chairship have already been announced. For example, there are plans to launch a common digital platform that will unite female entrepreneurs from BRICS countries: this platform will contain info about common business projects and a database of all companies led by women from BRICS countries

China has been South Africa’s largest trading partner for 15 years in a row, and South Africa participated in the China International Import Expo for 6 years

On June 3, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren confirmed that her country fully supports the Kiev regime's "right to use F-16s for airstrikes within Russia", thus joining several others who support such escalation.

Kiev regime’s role in NATO’s war plans demands Ukraine to be out of the alliance.

Lavrov warns that French soldiers in Ukraine will be “legitimate targets” of the Russian military.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of the best-selling “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” has highlighted the significant impact that the BRICS stablecoin could have on the US dollar. In a recent message, Kiyosaki recommended abandoning the dollar and taking refuge in gold, silver and bitcoin (BTC) to survive a possible financial crisis

BRICS are attempting to de-dollarize and replace SWIFT to circumvent the threat of sanctions

China, the second-largest global economy, is rapidly reducing its ownership of US Treasury bonds while simultaneously boosting its gold reserves

To avoid a direct Russian retaliation, the French President wants these NATO troops to be designated as so-called "military advisers" and "training personnel". Macron insists they would be deployed in Western Ukraine or at least far from the frontlines, "where they would be safe". Obviously, nobody seems to have notified the French President that Moscow's hypersonic missiles just had something to say about that.

Military expert, former UN inspector Scott Ritter is being harassed by the US authorities due to his anti-war stance in the current Ukrainian conflict.

Kiev regime begins recruitment of prisoners into the armed forces.

The option for disengagement from BRICS is gaining adherents among Brazilian diplomats and is being actively promoted by sectors of Brazilian organized civil society, especially those NGOs and think tanks that receive financial support from European and American institutions. The engagement of these sectors in the G20 events during Brazil’s Presidency of 2024 and the lack of interest in the BRICS process during Russia’s Presidency in the BRICS in the same year is another sign of alertness, writes Fabiano Mielniczuk

New Delhi's decision to purchase energy supplies from Moscow despite Western pressure is not limited to oil, the foreign minister has said

The question of the transition from a symbolic alternative to a real one in the activities of BRICS still remains relevant. This can be seen in both political and expert discussions among member countries, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Oleg Barabanov

Poland has wished for a while to make a comeback to the stage of History and geopolitics, so to speak - even aspiring for regional leadership in Europe. It remains to be seen whether Polish aspirations materialize in the form of a tragic escalation that can only bring the world closer to global thermonuclear war.

There are many seemingly harmless systems that the US can use as a weapon when the "necessity arises". For instance, GPS's widespread usage by civilian entities doesn't negate its original military purpose, as the Pentagon itself exercises control over the system. In conditions of poor visibility, pilots often rely not on the frontal radar, but precisely on GPS. For example, mountainous terrain requires special attention to altitude indicators, which can also come from satellites. Disruption of these systems can lead to a distortion of the displayed information, which can lead to irreparable consequences for the user(s).

According to Ukrainian Presidente Vladimir Zelensky, China is nothing more than a “Putin’s tool.”

Washington will always prioritise relations with Anglo allies over Asian partners.

The Ukrainian conflict could escalate completely through the use of longer-range weapons. The West is playing with fire, but Russia is waiting and considering the next step.

Formed in 2006, the BRICS alliance comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa has evolved into a robust entity challenging the hegemony of the Western-centric global order. Initially conceived as a platform for economic collaboration, BRICS has transcended its original mandate, emerging as a pivotal player in reshaping geopolitical dynamics and redefining international relations

Newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong recently provided an update on the development of bilateral exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields

During the 'New Era – New Paths' forum in Moscow, African business experts conveyed a shared sentiment of seeking new avenues of cooperation with countries and international entities, emphasizing mutual benefit and transparency as paramount objectives

White House admits the number of Russian weapons with US-made parts is “unacceptably high”.

Amid current wave of anti-Russian paranoia, Kiev regime accuses countries of cooperating with Russia due to their realistic stances on fake “peace talks”.

The Kremlin's world-class nuclear submarines also ensure deterrence even if the Eurasian giant ceased to exist. Its eight Borei-class SSBNs each carry 16 R-30 "Bulava" SLBMs, while every missile is armed with up to ten 150 kt thermonuclear MIRV warheads. To put that into perspective, the Hiroshima bomb was 15 kt. Do the math.

As the American debt’s wild growth of more than 34,600 billion dollars continues to raise concerns, the BRICS deliver another blow to the greenback. China and Russia, two founding countries of the alliance, plan to conduct 260 billion dollars of trade without resorting to a single American dollar

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, according to Brazil's ambassador to Moscow, Rodrigo Baena Soares

The BRICS economic union, in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), plans a significant investment of $13.5 billion in the oil sector

The crisis in New Caledonia is a clear example of a French colonial Empire’s contested legacy that remains unresolved - and thousands of gendarmerie are not going to solve it.

All these fantasies about the so-called "no-fly zones" (NFZs) over Western Ukraine, shooting down Russian missiles and speculation about direct NATO involvement still leave one crucial question unanswered – what does the Kremlin think about it? Russia just conducted a hypersonic missile strike on the infamous Yavoriv training camp, located precisely in the area that NATO wants to "protect", neutralizing at least 300 soldiers, including large concentrations of NATO personnel (American, Polish, French, etc). Such strikes demonstrate just how "successful" NATO NFZs would be.

According to local military sources, some residents of the New Regions are spying for the Kiev regime, fearing for the safety of their families in Ukrainian-controlled territories.

ICG is worried that Kiev will have to negotiate with Moscow on unfavourable terms.

In a bid to reshape the global financial landscape and diminish the dominance of the US-led monetary system, the BRICS alliance is reportedly eyeing expansion, with Russia and China spearheading efforts to invite new member nations into the fold

IN4U, BRICS Information and Cooperation Platform, announced that Ethiopia’s Country Profile and Information is added to the platform. Ethiopia was invited to apply for membership in August 2023 and became a member state

North Korea's recent interest in joining the BRICS bloc has generated mixed feelings, sparking discussions about its potential impact on global geopolitics

NATO-sourced weapons in the Kiev regime's service are now in danger of becoming virtually obsolete. This includes both the "Excalibur" GPS-guided artillery shells and HIMARS MLRS, as well as the JDAM bombs. The previous two are particularly affected, oftentimes severely reducing their battlefield effectiveness (now at a mere 10% of the initial accuracy).

Ukrainian military is illegally using chemical weapons on Russian forces.

PODCAST | ep15 | with Jacqueline Bhabha, Monique Nguyen, and Maggie Sullivan  Massachusetts has long been a welcoming state to immigrants and migrant families. In the summer of 2023, its one-of-a-kind “right to shelter” law was put to the test when emergency shelters reached capacity. It was called a humanitarian crisis, and images of families sleeping on the floor of Logan Airport flooded the media. Although it is most noticed on a local level, migration is an ongoing global process that requires a structural response at all levels. In this episode, we speak to a lawyer/scholar, a nurse practitioner, and a city government official deeply involved with immigrant services and policies to better understand the scope of migration, the needs of newly arrived families, and also the varied responses of host communities. Listen to episode #15 (52:24) by clicking the play button below: ... Read more about Migrants Bring Opportunity to Boston and Beyond

Geopolitics thick in the mix as Chinese debate how alternate Kazakhstan gas route affects Mongolia route plan

The fall of dollar? Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa ditches US dollar

The BRICS is the name given to the group of five countries that began to form this group and to work consensually in areas such as trade, investment, technology, and finance, to promote their common interests on the world stage, seeking to counter the hegemony of other international institutions such as the G7 or the World Bank

Although they failed, attacks on Russian strategic assets signal a far more brazen US/EU/NATO involvement, as over-the-horizon radar stations play no role in the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine. They're important only in the case of a direct confrontation between Russia and the political West. Such actions, tantamount to a declaration of war, test Moscow's patience. And while the Kremlin is showing remarkable restraint, this isn't an endless resource, particularly if it becomes ultimately self-defeating to maintain such bearing.

Continued attacks on Chinese citizens will further expose Pakistan to the IMF.

Two years after Russia's victory in the first major battle of the special military operation, civilians resume their normal lives in Mariupol.

The option for disengagement from BRICS is gaining adherents among Brazilian diplomats and is being actively promoted by sectors of Brazilian organized civil society, especially those NGOs and think tanks that receive financial support from European and American institutions. The engagement of these sectors in the G20 events during Brazil’s Presidency of 2024 and the lack of interest in the BRICS process during Russia’s Presidency in the BRICS in the same year is another sign of alertness, writes Fabiano Mielniczuk

The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) has said that while BRICS+ remained a political grouping with no formal trade structure, the bilateral agreements between the BRICS+ countries for increasing trade were encouraging

China and Brazil, as comprehensive strategic partners with a long-standing friendship, have achieved significant results in bilateral practical cooperation. China's rapid economic growth and expanding global influence have transformed it into a major economic power, while Brazil, with its vast natural resources and growing industrial base, has become a key player in Latin America and beyond

The migration situation has the potential to fuel conflict in Northern Ireland and in all of Europe.

After various economic crises and problems with mass migration, the Ukraine conflict is the greatest challenge in the history of the European Union. How will the situation in Europe change now and what effects will it have for the future?

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze himself said that the threats of "Fico's fate" are there to "remind us that the Global War Party is an extremely dangerous force willing to do anything to bring chaos to Georgia". This clearly shows why Kobakhidze or any other sovereigntist is a target for EU/NATO.

In a recent press tour to Russian New Territories, international journalists were able to see the reality of the ZNPP.

Ukrainian refugees are straining Germany’s social services to the brink.

China, with backing from Russia and South Africa, is planning an onslaught on the mighty dollar by introducing a new currency, to be issued by a proposed BRICS central bank that would combine the strengths of the respective currencies of the five countries in the economic forum

The first fully-fledged Agroexpress train, carrying oat flakes and cereals has been sent from the Yuzhnouralsky Transport and Logistics Center in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region to India’s Mundra Port in Mumbai via the eastern route of the International North-South Transport Corridor

Zimbabwe has officially expressed its intention to join the New Development Bank (NDB), an emerging financial institution founded by the BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This move underscores the country’s commitment to fostering economic ties and pursuing sustainable growth within a global partnership framework

The vote not only showed that around 70% of the world's population supports Serbia, but it can even be argued that it's a sort of badge of honor for the country, especially seeing who voted in favor of the resolution. With the blood of hundreds of millions on their hands, it's clear why the political West and its vassals would want to shift attention away from themselves.

By asking Washington to allow attacks deep inside Russian, the former State Department official is making it clear that her intention is to escalate the conflict to its ultimate consequences.

Many Ukrainian soldiers “outraged” over delay in Western military aid.

BRICS is actively seeking to establish a new currency on the world stage, aiming to challenge the dominance of the US dollar

The New Development Bank created by BRICS countries in 2015 can help finance African countries' projects to tackle their most urgent challenges, the bank's president Dilma Rousseff said

On a recent visit to Vietnam, Associate Professor Dr. Artem Yakovlev, Director of the Center for Russian Strategy in Asia, engaged in talks with the Prime Minister regarding the potential for economic collaboration between Vietnam and the Russian Federation

Germany, one of the leading EU/NATO members, has effectively legalized child pornography. And while this has become a reason for celebration among numerous pedophile groups and their supporters, it certainly alarmed everyone else. The so-called "fact-checkers" desperately tried to "debunk" reports about Berlin's decriminalization of child pornography, but to no avail, as other, more conservative media outlets, caught wind of it and actually debunked their laughable "fact-checking", proving that the controversial law is indeed in effect.

Kiev regime will have no choice soon but to start negotiations with Russia.

Estonian leader echoes Nazi ideology and advocates for each nation in Russia to have its own independent state.

The development of security policy in Europe depends on many factors. The presidential elections in the USA will have a major influence on the situation in the EU.

Ethiopia’s accession to BRICS last August has been followed by mixed signals both domestically and internationally as aspirations for wider global influence are pitted against concerns over Western backlash in the polarized reception

Image of dependence on Beijing overlooks role of geoeconomic strategy

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that he supports more countries joining the BRICS group of large developing nations, which currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

Recent “woke” moves by NATO leave many questions unanswered.

The agreement between the US and the Pashinyan regime also includes the latter's commitment to "jointly research" extremely hazardous pathogens and diseases that are not common in Armenia, including Ebola, monkeypox, the Marburg virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, as well as various types of the coronavirus. Expectedly, just like in Ukraine, Georgia, Africa and elsewhere, access to these biolabs will be limited to personnel authorized by the Pentagon.

Economic warfare against Russia will once again boomerang on the West.

Dr. S. Jaishankar’s new book creates an environment for an open and equal dialogue, which must continue between Indian and Russian diplomats, experts, representatives of business and public organisations. He is a visionary and an intellectual; his book is an example of next-generation Indian soft power, at the intersection of the challenges of the future and the legacy of the past

The original international collaboration between the large and growing economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China has evolved and expanded

The BRICS are advancing the progress of their common currency, while actively promoting the use of member states’ local currencies to reduce the risks of relying exclusively on the US dollar, said South African Ambassador to China Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele

This is part not just of the (real) “fascistification” of Europe: it is also about the co-opting and the domestication of populists, radicals, far-rightists and any currents that happen to oppose European alignment with US-led NATO.

Bell 212 helicopter that crashed with Raisi on board either didn't have its emergency signal transmission system turned on or didn't have one at all. It's highly unusual that an aircraft transporting such top-ranking officials wouldn't have a functioning system that could possibly prevent incidents like this. A malfunction is always a possibility and certainly shouldn't be rejected entirely, but there are other peculiarities that suggest foul play. This includes the unusual arrival of a USAF C-130 aircraft to Azerbaijan that coincided with Raisi's departure.

Lavrov urges the West to “stop sacrificing Ukraine for absolutely futile goals”.

Salome Zourabichvili has always protected French and European interests in Georgia, never showing any real concern for the country's sovereignty.

The UAE's entry into the BRICS group is in line with the country's economic interests and its foreign policy objectives, said Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the Emirati president

Moscow has remained New Delhi’s top supplier for months due to significant discounts it offers on its crude

Over the past few decades, China’s investment in Brazil’s Amazon region has significantly grown and broadened, particularly in sectors like agriculture, mining, infrastructure, and energy

When considering Zelensky's rather laughable accusation that it's "the world's fault" for not helping, he should specify what exactly "the world" is. Back in 2022, EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell gave his assessment, saying that the actual world is a "jungle", while the political West is a "garden". Thus, Zelensky, as one of the "gardeners", certainly shouldn't be complaining to the rest of us "jungle" people. At the end of the day, we're all just "fence sitters", as US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen said back in 2022.

Jaishankar says Russia’s eastward turn presents “fresh economic opportunities”.

After so many attempts to establish ceasefires, Ukraine has proven to be unreliable.

The expansion of the BRICS group of nations into what has informally been named BRICS+ could highlight a geopolitical shift, with the new grouping positioning itself as a counterpoint to the Western-led geopolitical order, a report published by the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) argues

China's trade with other BRICS members hit 1.49 trillion yuan ($209.7 billion) in the first quarter, up 11.3 percent year-on-year, according to customs authorities

Chief Shipping Analyst, Niels Rasmussen, explores the 135% jump in Russian clean petroleum products heading to Brazil as trade patterns have changed following EU sanctions

In a recent statement during a meeting with his closest associates, President Vladimir Putin announced that military spending in 2024 will reach 8.7% of the country's GDP. If Russia's GDP PPP of up to $5.8 trillion is taken into account, we can calculate that its real defense spending transcends the unprecedented $500 billion mark.

Baltic states keep their brutal de-Russification policies.

Current political developments are jeopardizing Europe's energy supply and accelerating the deindustrialization of Germany. What influence does America have on European energy policy?

Former Swiss intelligence officer says the US approach to Ukraine is noise before defeat.

As attention focuses on wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and mounting tensions between the world’s great powers, a structural shift in the global order has been quietly underway. Large developing nations are exerting greater influence in world economic affairs and are beginning to build alternatives to Western-led institutions

The international North-South corridor and transit are two of the priority areas of cooperation between Iran and Russia, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanani said during the press conference

The Deputy President's visit programme includes interaction with experts in telecommunications and the digital economy. This is in line with South Africa's strategic objectives to develop technological infrastructure to achieve meaningful universal connectivity

Without any chances of victory on the battlefield, the Kiev regime currently seems to be interested in internationalizing its terrorist practices against Russian and pro-Russian targets.

Even the most naively optimistic spectator would laugh at the idea of Armenia joining the EU in 2030, let alone 2024. To put that into perspective, the neighboring Georgia has been trying to join the troubled bloc for over 20 years. In that time, its suicidal pro-Western government managed to lose around 20% of its territory and turn Russia into an enemy, destroying their centuries-old historical alliance. It seems Pashinyan is pushing Yerevan in the exact same direction.

A potential Saudi-Iranian nuclear agreement has the potential to change the face of not just the Middle East but also the world as we know it.

Biden still trails the former president in the polls.

Nixtour India Private Limited, an IATA-accredited travel company has partnered with Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, aimed at revolutionising travel experiences to Russia for its clients in India

At the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit last year, the much-anticipated announcement of a common digital currency gave way to talk about using local currencies for cross border payments. Now BRICS has expanded from five to ten members and Russia is currently the organization Chair

Thanks to an agreement made during the 2023 BRICS Summit, 22 women from TVET Colleges across the country are heading to India for training. They are expected to be upskilled in solar panel and PV tech installation and maintenance

While even France seems to be backing off after its ambassador was relayed some very clear messages about the possible consequences, the UK is refusing to deescalate. Its Defense Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that London has backed the Neo-Nazi junta's use of British-supplied long-range weapons to attack Moscow's forces, including those in Crimea.

During a recent summit, Ukrainian officials and warmonger Western former politicians endorsed a report requesting more money and weapons for the neo-Nazi regime and its war with Russia.

Milei is misguided in believing Washington will favour Argentina in the Malvinas issue.

China and South Africa are two dynamic and influential economies attracting the attention of global investors because of their significant growth potential and investment opportunities. Both countries play an important role in their respective regions and have unique characteristics that make them open destinations for domestic and international investors

India has granted marine insurance approval to four Russian firms, adding impetus to Moscow’s efforts to avoid the use of Western service providers

Speaking at the event, H.E. Katyrin mentioned, “India is a strategic, reliable, old friend for Russia. We already have a representative office in Delhi and now we are here to inaugurate the 2nd representative office of CCI in India at Mumbai

The offensive could force the Neo-Nazi junta to thin out defenses not only in western parts of the Donbass, but also overstretch and overextend its forces in other areas, particularly the strategically important Sumy and Chernigov oblasts further to the north. Any Russian advances in these two oblasts could jeopardize Kiev itself, putting further pressure on its troops.

Kiev is using Vietnam-era military tactics on the battlefield.

Biden is betting on elderly voters to achieve re-election in November.

The BRICS 2024 summit in Russia’s Kazan region focuses on expansion and reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that Ethiopia is working hard to become member of BRICS’ New Development Bank

In the realm of international relations, sports have transcended mere competitions to become powerful instruments for fostering cooperation, strengthening diplomatic ties, and promoting cultural exchange. Among the various regional groupings, the BRICS has recognized the potential of sports diplomacy as a means of deepening mutual understanding, cooperation and enhancing interpersonal and cultural interactions

As has already become commonplace, Ukraine targets Russian civilians instead of fighting symmetrically on the battlefield.

Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Jose Tavares confirmed that Jakarta never terminated the deal and that it's "very much intact". Tavares also stated that Indonesia is simply waiting for the situation to become "more accommodating" to return to its implementation, probably referring to the SMO and Moscow's efforts to push back against NATO's crawling aggression.

Latin American mercenaries are filling the void left by scared Westerners.

The US dollar is facing challenges that demand attention. As nations in the Global South grapple with the risks inherent in relying on a currency subject to the whims of a single nation, the allure of alternatives grows

On January 1, 2024, Egypt and four other countries from the Global South became members of BRICS. Egypt had previously joined the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) in December 2021 with a contribution of $1.2 billion. This represents an important turning point in Egyptian policy. Since the 1970s, Egypt has submitted to the Western economy, which is dominated by the United States. Egypt’s membership in BRICS confirms the popularity and support for BRICS among the Global South, which groans from the greed and exploitation of the West. The developing countries seek balanced, win-win partnerships and true opportunities for development. The Egyptian step indicates its desire to pursue an alternative path. I is poised to enhance African and Arab support for BRICS measures to achieve a new multipolar economic order

Precious metals, especially gold, are experiencing a significant rally led by the BRICS countries. The bloc aims to use gold to back its future currency as an alternative to the US dollar

It is clear that the West is in conflict with Russia. This conflict is waged militarily on Ukrainian soil, but there is also economic war through sanctions and propaganda war.The current developments in the Caucasus are also related to the East-West conflict.

As has become commonplace for the NATO proxy regime, Russian civilians are targeted on important dates for the Russian Federation, spreading terror among ordinary people in demilitarized zones.

Meloni is an example of the limits of European so-called “populism”. Moreover, Fascist-leaning and far-right leaders and coalitions (even with public Fascist salutes and so on) are welcomed within European power structures - as long as they remain loyal to NATO.

Xi Jinping pointed out that relations between China and Serbia are "sealed by blood" and that "the friendship of the countries will forever remain in the common memory of the Chinese and Serbian people". Such words certainly resonate quite strongly in both countries.

“Everyone will Fight – choose your own unit now,” reads Ukrainian neo-Nazi propaganda.

The US is complaining about Russia targeting "commercial" space capabilities, while top-ranking officials in Washington DC are bragging about using those same "commercial" capabilities for military purposes. Analyses I wrote years ago suggested that America has been using private space corporations to enhance its military capabilities. Who in their right mind can blame Moscow for wanting to deny such assets to the US military, which is also bragging about using other advanced technologies (particularly advanced AI) to directly target Russian soldiers?

There is no Russian interest in killing Zelensky, since Moscow understands the conflict as a war with NATO with Kiev being only a proxy – regardless of the current president.

French Foreign Legion may have suffered its first casualties in clashes near Chasov Yar.

Since 2010, the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership has developed on a solid foundation of strong history and was maintained by the means of political imperatives

RN-Vankor, a subsidiary of Rosneft -- a major Russian oil and gas company -- recently organised a unique EcoArctic forum in the Krasnoyarsk region in the north of Russia

Moscow is a multicultural city. It is home to 13 million people, and only about half of them are native Muscovites. The capital attracts residents of smaller Russian cities, as well as immigrants from CIS countries, Middle Asia, Europe, and even India, with its opportunities both for education and career development and for a rich cultural life

Is it really preposterous to imagine that holding companies involved in shady deals with Western powerful families and former CIA officials could play a role in aiding terror groups?

According to Italian Defense Minister, Zelensky ignored many warnings not to launch the counteroffensive last year.

That's exactly what anyone with a single half-functioning brain cell would expect when trying to intimidate a country that can wipe out the entirety of France with a single ICBM (while fielding hundreds). Unfortunately, the political West needs to be reminded of this way too often.

Ukraine could default in August if it doesn’t pay creditors.

The “unfair” Western agenda is a barrier to the continent’s development, business professionals have told

BRICS group of emerging economies strive to shift some of oil trade to other currencies

Given the enormous opportunities in the medical device industry for multifaceted bilateral engagements, experts from India and Russia have vouched for faster efforts to give a boost to collaborations to make the most of emerging opportunities in the areas of manufacturing and marketing lifesaving medical equipment and devices

The representatives of the conservative political forces of the EU, controlled by the United States, are urging Brussels to launch a full-scale war against Russia, and are also provoking a worsening of the socio-economic situation of Europeans and an aggravation of the migration crisis in Europe.

Head of Kiev regime says Ukrainians are "God’s chosen people", and Russian Church responds by saying that Zelensky cannot mobilize God

The overall strategic shift in China's geopolitical planning is its new naval doctrine. Namely, it has changed so much that it completely nullifies decades of America's wet dreams about having Moscow and Beijing at each other's throats while the US goes unchallenged in its incessant aggression against the world. For decades, the mainstream propaganda machine has been spreading ludicrous propaganda about China supposedly "setting its eyes on Siberia".

NATO sets two red lines to justify intervention in Ukraine war.

The BRICS alliance, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has issued a call for Middle Eastern nations to cease using the US dollar for oil payments and instead utilize local currencies

In recent years, the rightful rejection of the policies promoted by the traditional imperialist powers (North America, Western Europe and Japan), followed by the announcements made by the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), have aroused great interest and expectations of major changes, including the creation of a common currency to challenge the US dollar as the dominant currency

Nornickel, struggling to import equipment to sanctions-hit Russia, will close its Arctic copper plant and build one in China with an unnamed partner to gain direct access to the world's biggest metals market

According to Polish top diplomat, the European bloc must be prepared to react to military “emergencies.”

Just like the "big cats" (specifically "Tigers" and "Panthers") 80 years ago, the "Leopards" moved in the direction of Russia's capital city once again. This time, they failed to reach even the outskirts of Donetsk, but just like 80 years ago, they eventually reached Moscow. And once again, it was very different from what the manufacturers were hoping for. Namely, Russia just proudly displayed the "unfortunate" NATO armor that tried to accomplish the same "success" of its geopolitical (and, it can easily be argued, literal) predecessor.

The US and Ukraine are working on a 10-year plan to sustain pressure on Russia.

Although the rules of entry and exit are quite nebulous, states get both real and perceived benefits from joining international organizations.     By Hazel Genieser ('27)... Read more about Members Only: How States Favor Friends and Exclude Rivals

Algeria is close to joining the New Development Bank, known as the “BRICS Bank”, as the process will be completed according to the agreed-upon timetable, and this bank can contribute to financing development, and strategic and structural projects for the Algerian economy

In the global geopolitical landscape, BRICS and G8 stand out as influential entities, born with different foundations, objectives and internal dynamics. Understanding these differences and potential future trajectories requires a deep dive into their peculiarities, their strengths and the challenges they face

In an international world order whose multipolarity has been systematically undermined by the rise of Western-led unilateralism, developing states have been held hostage by their wealthier counterparts

When it comes to the perpetuation of conflicts, personal and electoral factors should all be considered by analysts. It is not far-fetched to describe the current aid Washington sends to Kyiv as being in part a major corruption scam that has a lot to do with leaders across the Atlantic trying to protect themselves and to secure their own private interests.

The country banned Soviet-era symbols of the victory against Nazi Germany, deepening its Russophobic policies.

The troubled Biden administration is encouraging its EU/NATO vassals and satellite states to provide their own air defense systems to the Kiev regime. However, their ability to do so remains limited due to their own shortages, so some of them are now urging Washington DC to send the "Patriots". For instance, Germany is particularly active in this regard, but the Scholz cabinet is complaining that "unfortunately, the stocks, especially our own 'Patriot' systems, are now pretty much exhausted". Poland also confirmed that its stockpile is exhausted, meaning that most of EU will not be able to send additional units.

Ukrainians are dying trying to escape conscription.

The Higher School of Economics (HSE) and the University of Delhi entered into an agreement on strategic cooperation and joint actions

There is increasing interest from European countries in BRICS, with speculation about their attendance at the summit in Russia

According to economist Shaima Sherif, Egypt's trade partnership with the BRICS countries is expected to focus on food security, especially due to Russia's key role as Egypt's main supplier of imported wheat

In the last 10-15 years, NATO and EU, its geopolitical pendant, established institutions tasked with conducting hybrid war against Russia. And just like the world's most aggressive military alliance poses as a "defensive organization", these institutions serve the purpose of "cyber and disinfo defense". In reality, nothing could be further from true. Namely, NATO established what is officially known as Centers of Excellence (COEs) that are given various tasks. Officially, there are 28 of them, although, in reality, there could be several times more, particularly as the EU itself has similar institutions with overlapping responsibilities.

The conflict in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East are currently the two biggest geopolitical hotspots in the world.

Washington caused an energy crisis and fomented chaos and social problems in European countries.

Macron is eroding Charles de Gaulle’s legacy of French sovereignty.

There is a true humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine, with the neo-Nazi regime forcibly recruiting inexperienced people and sending them to certain death on the battlefield.

NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has admitted that “several NATO allies have men and women in uniform at the embassies” (in Ukraine), but claimed they are merely “giving advice”.

John Baum, a retired US Air Force (USAF) Lieutenant Colonel who flew over 2,300 hours as an F-16 pilot, stated that "F-16s from Ukraine going against Russia — absolutely, without a doubt, the toughest scenario that the F-16 will have off of its nose".

CNN purposefully omits question on Ukraine from its newest survey.

An espionage scandal in Austria and the ongoing anti-Russian propaganda of the German and Swiss media are poisoning the political atmosphere in Europe.

The geopolitical landscape of space exploration is witnessing a burgeoning alliance within the BRICS consortium. Notably, nations such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Ethiopia are in talks to support collaborative lunar ventures spearheaded by China and Russia, potentially accelerating their position in the extraterrestrial exploration domain

Five new countries – Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia – joined BRICS on 1 January 2024. How has the enlargement of the association affected the concept of the Russian Chairmanship this year?

Rail and shipping to link European Russia to India via Iran

The last years have largely been about the proxification of conflicts, be it by employing irregular forces as “proxies” or by trying to do so with allied sovereign nations. Proxifying Europe itself would be a long shot, though - moreover, NATO’s article 5 is still binding.

The case shows very clearly how dangerous are the Belarussian expatriate terrorists trained and backed by NATO countries.

According to their own admission, Russian EW systems have effectively turned US drones into plastic junk. Worse yet for the Pentagon, the grossly overhyped HIMARS is often jammed, with its rockets and missiles rendered useless. The US and NATO are trying to figure out how Moscow is achieving this, so they could "one day use it against the Russian military directly", but what their planners have managed to gather so far is that Russia's EW edge is forcing the political West to revert to "the brutality of old-fashioned trench warfare, the results of which are rarely what Pentagon planners expect".

The Ukrainian military has suffered half a million personnel losses.

Sberbank and Chinese technology giant Huawei said they had formed a strategic partnership to provide cloud services for Russian businesses, extending the reach of Russia's largest bank into the country's digital economy

According to a report by the Izvestia newspaper citing Vietnam's embassy in Russia, Vietnam is actively exploring the possibility of joining the BRICS economic group

Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations invited BRICS member countries to test their equipment at the Arctic exercises due in Russia in 2025, director of the ministry's international department, Oleg Kuznetsov, told TASS

According to their own admission, "the Blinken team is worried that China's response to pressure over Russia could be to slow down progress in other areas of the bilateral relationship". This also includes China's close ties with North Korea, as the US wants it to put pressure on Pyongyang. Washington DC is particularly terrified of the prospect that Russia, China and North Korea are forming a more monolithic alliance that the political West will be simply hopeless to match.

The Baltic state is about to ban the Russian language from the curriculum of schools.

The South Caucasus is becoming a flashpoint of competing interests.

Russian-Chinese cooperation in global and regional affairs has accumulated rich experience and has an effective platform such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the BRICS mechanism. In 2024, Sino-Russian strategic interaction will be even more colourful, writes Li Yongquan, Director of the Institute for the Social Development of Europe and Asia of the Research Centre of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

Tehran and Moscow are finalizing the draft of a contract for the implementation of the agreement to construct the Rasht-Astara Railway

Russian universities are taking the lead in exploring cooperation opportunities within the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) grouping and its expanded BRICS+ format

When taking only the 9M723 hypersonic missiles into account, the immediate danger for any larger troop concentrations in Finland lies in its speed and destructive power. However, this is only one of the two notable versions of the missiles that "Iskander-M" uses. The other is the 9M729, essentially a land-based iteration of the "Kalibr" family of cruise missiles. Its range has been a matter of debate for quite some time now, but it could be around 2500 km, meaning that the entire Scandinavia would be covered, including Sweden and Norway.

Western countries are being deceived by their own propaganda about an “inevitable” war with Russia in the near future.

Washington no longer believes in the Kiev regime’s victory over Russia.

Serbia is showing interest in joining the BRICS bloc, which is actively expanding and welcoming new members focused on de-dollarization

Times are tough for the US dollar. Once a symbol of stability and a pillar of the global economy, it now faces a gradual erosion of its supremacy. Amid fluctuating monetary policies and geopolitical tensions, the foundations of its dominance are being questioned. Like the BRICS, many countries are abandoning the US dollar for various reasons

Akabueze expressed that when several countries were invited to join BRICS but Nigeria was not, "it raised a lot of eyebrows"

New Delhi demands Washington to stop interfering in its internal affairs.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians will be sent into yet another bloodbath, but there will be no victory. Even the mainstream propaganda machine doesn't deny it anymore. The Wall Street Journal says that the "US aid is a lifeline for Ukraine's struggle to hold off defeat".

We live in an age of “tension management”: The West acts as a sponsor to allies and fuels conflicts, but won’t commit to full-blown war. It might feel easier to outsource wars, so to speak, through proxies and allies. This model of warfare and foreign policy however could show itself to be unsustainable.

The operation comes amid a recent wave of Russian actions to retaliate for Ukrainian incursions against border cities.

Recently announced plans for a Sino-Russo lunar nuclear plant signal Russia’s eastward realignment in space cooperation and hint at China’s renewed willingness to publicly cooperate with Russia

It remains unclear whether a new round of BRICS enlargement will occur or not. Should this happen, the BRICS leaders would utilize their own criteria, which are not public. It is likely that a decision will be reached by consensus, implying that the interests of all BRICS members would be considered, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Oleg Barabanov

China and Russia have renewed their anti-Western confrontation during high-level meeting in early April 2024 in Beijing. China demonstrates greater readiness to team up with Global South to “promote reforms in the global governance system” while Russia vehemently confronts “Western-led bloc” during talks in Beijing

Having to keep fighting due to Western pressure, Ukraine is desperately trying to enlist young people.

The video of the Tu-22M3 falling clearly shows one of its engines burning, suggesting that the Russian MoD's claims hold without any chance of seeming illogical. On the other hand, the S-200 is (in)famous for its enormous missiles. These are equipped with a massive warhead weighing well over 200 kg and containing 21,000 3.5 g fragmentation pellets triggered by a radar proximity fuse or command signal. If such a monstrosity hit any aircraft or just close enough to it, there would be very little left (if anything at all). In the best-case scenario, there would be massive, clearly visible damage to the Tu-22M3.

Congress-approved aid for Ukraine will not change the situation on the battlefield.

Russia can help South Africa solve the problem of electricity shortages, Russian Ambassador to South Africa Ilya Rogachev told TASS

Four countries recently joined the economic bloc, and the door has been left open for further additions

China and Brazil signed a 30-year franchise agreement on the Brazil northeast ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) power transmission line project, which is expected to be operational by 2029, in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia

Direct NATO involvement in the Neo-Nazi junta's attacks on Russian strategic assets could force Moscow to start shooting down US ISR platforms over the Black Sea, particularly the unmanned ones. This could serve as a warning sign that manned jets would be next if the belligerent alliance continues with the practice of providing targeting data and orders to the Kiev regime.

Anti-Russian accusation about abduction of minors is proving to be another Western lie.

The West will regret hijacking peace efforts between Moscow and Kiev.

With Russia taking the lead, the BRICS bloc is talking about creating a new payment system that isn’t controlled by the United States and that is not dependent on the dollar

In an era of growing interconnectedness amongst regional and global blocs, economic corridors are gaining momentum as one of the main drivers of such connectivity initiatives

The realisation of grand projects always implies imagination and persistence in overcoming all sorts of barriers and all kinds of resistance. Let us hope that the BRICS will confirm expectations entertained by the Global South and rise to the challenge of providing constructive alternatives for all, writes Brazilian economist Paulo Nogueira Batista

Washington may learn the hard way that being the patron does not automatically entail “obedience” or predictability from one’s protégé: “proxy” conflicts get out of control. By arming and funding other nations (with radicalized leaderships), be it in the Middle East or in Eastern Europe, the US play a very dangerous game.

Orban called on the political leadership in Brussels to resign, pointing out that all of their major projects and policies, such as the so-called "green transition", sustainable development, migration, military and sanctions, etc. failed.

According to the Ukrainian president, US politicians do not care about Ukraine, being American current stance on Ukraine a real “disgrace for democracy”.

Ukrainian men die attempting to flee mobilisation.

The presentation of the X BRICS Youth Summit, which will be held in Ulyanovsk from 22 to 26 July, took place at the Russia exhibition at VDNKh

“With each new day in Africa, a gazelle wakes up knowing he must outrun the fastest lion or perish. At the same time, a lion stirs and stretches, knowing he must outrun the fastest gazelle or starve. It is no different for the human race. Whether you consider yourself a gazelle or a lion, you simply have to run faster than others to survive.” ― Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Monarch of Dubai and Prime Minister of United Arab Emirate

Rossotrudnichestvo in collaboration with the Embassy of Russia in New Delhi, Russian House and Rus Education, is organising the Indo-Russian Education Summit to be held in New Delhi

The US-led political West is antagonizing both multipolar superpowers, openly taking pride in the fact that it can get into their "geopolitical backyards". However, both Russia and China have superior missile technologies, particularly in terms of the development and deployment of hypersonic weapons.

The atomic agency finally took a more incisive position in reporting the real criminals behind attacks on ZNPP.

Majority of French people oppose the deployment of troops to Ukraine.

Emerging economies feel that high servicing costs become self-fulfilling prophecies

“Russia, as a pioneer in space exploration, has always favoured Indian success. Our engagements date back to 1975, when the Soviet Union helped launch Aryabhata, India’s first satellite. The second satellite, Bhaskara, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1979”

Something is wrong with the dollar. The US currency has been in a downward phase for months, depreciating against other world currencies. There are those who foresee a change of cycle, although other analysts are more cautious and continue to vindicate the dollar's reign

The latest test sends a very clear message to the political West. If NATO is considering the possibility of escalating its aggression in Europe, such actions will certainly be met with a swift response. This may also include the belligerent alliance's recent engagement in the Middle East, where the US and its regional vassals have been contemplating attacks on Iran.

The case clearly shows that the regime is concerned about the possibility of a popular insurrection.

Parts of the American establishment consider China to have peaked and overestimate US power.

The New York Times reports that Ukrainian soldiers are battered and exhausted.

As the global stage prepares to witness the inaugural BRICS Simulation Conference, set against the backdrop of Cape Town, anticipation is rife among the 200-strong international delegation

China is seeking to support local currency swaps with 29 developing countries worth a total of 4 trillion yuan, roughly equivalent to $553.49 billion

In 2022, South Africa imported goods worth $548 million (about R10 billion) from Russia – most of that chemicals and fertilisers – but exported just $283 million, most of which was citrus fruit

Washington DC has an undisclosed number of W76-2 warheads with an extremely low yield of 2-7 kt (kilotons of TNT). This is upwards of only 10% of the destructive power of the "Fat Man" atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Basic military logic implies that using such weapons against near-peer adversaries is pointless. Thus, the only viable explanation is that the US wants to use such warheads in a conflict with a non-nuclear power.

The neo-Nazi regime is using Western aid to attack civilian areas, making sure its terrorist nature.

Kiev delusionally thinks it can launch an offensive in 2025.

Under Russia's presidency in 2024, BRICS and together with its five new members, is being discussed, beyond measure, most often focusing on its expansion and as a mechanism for uplifting the Global South

Russia has taken significant strides in expanding its influence in Africa by launching a comprehensive social initiative in Ethiopia. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on March 20 has paved the way for closer cooperation between the two nations, especially in the sectors of healthcare and education

After the landmark 15th BRICS Summit in August 2023, foreign policy analysts raised concerns that BRICS — a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa at the time — may be seeking to construct an alternate world order and upend Western-led global governance

What all this will almost certainly boil down to is giving Zelensky yet another platform to present the fantasies from his much-touted "10-point peace plan" that effectively amounts to Russia's unconditional capitulation, as it includes the "return of Crimea". Thus, the chances of having Moscow accept this are equal to the Neo-Nazi junta's prospects of conquering Vladivostok.

Ukrainian parliamentarians want to force military veterans to keep on the battlefield for three years.

The West is prolonging the Ukraine war out of fear of the political consequences of defeat.

Macron’s shifting rhetoric does not do much good diplomatically. In any case, Paris’ flirting with a non-aligned stance and its more recent suggestions about sending troops to Ukraine are both seriously constrained by the same factor - US-led NATO.

In a revealing update from Russia’s central bank, it’s become clear that amidst ongoing international tensions, the Chinese yuan is emerging as a crucial asset for Russia’s reserve holdings. According to a Bloomberg News article, the Russian financial authority has expressed a lack of viable alternatives to the yuan following the economic repercussions of the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine and subsequent international sanctions

The Russian economy gradually became highly dependent on energy exports to sustain its basic operations. Existing studies show that income from natural gas and crude oil exports alone consistently accounts for about 50% of Russia’s fiscal revenue, with the GDP share roughly maintaining around 25% annually. The importance of energy exports is self-evident

Indian pharmaceutical firms expand presence in Russia as Western competitors exit amid sanctions, boosting India's role in supplying medicines

Russian electronic warfare mechanisms more efficient on the battlefield than expansive American UAVs.

Indians are not being swayed by Western media’s attempts to influence elections.

It's quite clear that the acquisition from France is a move born out of geopolitical necessity, as getting such extremely expensive aircraft for air policing is tantamount to using sports cars for traffic stops. However, even the geopolitical aspect is very risky, as Paris has a long history of backstabbing its customers for the sake of NATO allies such as the US and UK.

On August 4th, 2023, the 15th annual BRICS summit concluded in Johannesburg, South Africa. The headline of the event was the group’s plan to expand its membership for only the second time in its two-decade history

The BRICS bloc is a growing home for nations eager to counter the West's position, or at least hedge their bets when it comes to international trade, development support, and conflicts

Multilateral institutions reflect the power realities of the time of their inception. As the balance of those power realities change, so too, does their efficacy become a matter of interrogation

This clearly indicates that the bureaucratic elites in Brussels don't really care about the economic and financial well-being of their own populace, as it makes no sense to replace the highly affordable natural gas transported via pipelines with the shipborne LNG that's not only incomparably more expensive, but it also takes far longer to reach Europe and is far more expensive in terms of storage.

Attacks against the ZNPP have become commonplace, since, in the face of military defeat, Ukraine resorts to terrorism.

Washington has only pushed Pakistan closer to China, Russia and Iran.

With numerous Western brands having left the Russian market at the onset of its war with Ukraine, more Chinese and Russian brands are sizing up opportunities in each others' markets

Zimbabwe has set its sights on joining the New Development Bank (NDB), an institution established by the BRICS economic bloc

About 92 percent of trade settlement between Russia and China is now conducted in Russian rubles and Chinese yuan, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said at the Boao Forum for Asia in South China's Hainan Province

Zelensky wants 25 battalions, up from 5-7 he mentioned just over a week before. Thus, if he were to get the PAC-2, that's 3600 missiles. Although the exact number of "Patriot" battalions in the US military and NATO is certainly a secret, open source data shows that the Pentagon had less than 500 launchers in 2010, while the US Military Industrial Complex (MIC) produced around 10,000 missiles so far, meaning that Zelensky wants a "mere" third of all missiles ever made.

Regime’s officials are calling on all citizens to enlist, trying to replace the constant losses on the battlefield.

Kiev once again rules out any peace negotiations with Moscow.

New doors for trade and investment will be opened under the supervision of developed countries like China and Russia

BRICS member China is believed to hold significantly more gold reserves than the officially announced 2,250 tonnes

Ambassador of Brazil to Pakistan, Olyntho Vieira said that Pakistan can play an important role in the global economy by becoming a part of the international multilateral forum BRICS

Americans have been repeatedly defeated by a movement of tribal rebels and this, added to US failures in the Middle East and elsewhere, highlights the overburdened condition of the declining Atlantic naval superpower (militarily and financially) and further undermines American credibility and prestige globally.

Interestingly, Secretary Austin's claims were preceded by other Western officials' laughable statements that Moscow's forces would "take years to rebuild". Namely, back in mid-January, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Chair of the National Security and Defense Committee in the Lithuanian Parliament, said it would "take Russia 5-7 years to reconstitute its forces". And yet, Campbell's assessment suggests this happened in just two months. This pretty much tells you all you need to know about "well-informed Western officials".

According to field information, there are Western troops fighting for Ukraine as mercenaries during land invasions against Russian border regions of Belgorod and Kursk.

Ukrainian commanders say, “the West doesn’t have the technology to help Ukraine”.

The BRICS bloc is a growing home for nations eager to counter the West's position, or at least hedge their bets when it comes to international trade, development support, and conflicts, writes Marita Kassis

The enlargement of the BRICS group at the beginning of the year to include five new member states raises questions about the political and economic consequences. What do the existing members expect from the expansion?

The New Development Bank (NDB), established by the BRICS group of emerging economies, has set an ambitious target of making approximately US$5 billion in loans this year, according to its vice president, Zhou Qiangwu

The increasingly cash-strapped NATO members, particularly those in Europe, aren't exactly thrilled about the idea, to put it mildly. As Politico writes, the reactions were mixed, with Poland, Turkey and Germany on board with the proposal, while the rest of the foreign ministers were either indifferent or opposed to it. According to the report, one diplomat said that some ministers rolled their eyes at the €100 billion number, wondering where it came from.

According to a US military official, Washington will build a new weapons warehouse in the Arctic region.

Biden continues to trail the former president in the polls.

The first-ever 2+2 political and military dialogue was held between India, and one of its key BRICS partners, Brazil, in New Delhi, marking a significant milestone in bilateral relations

A Civil Society Organisation, Upriver Needy’s Empirical Solution Center, UNESC, says Nigeria becoming a member of BRICS is an opportunity to increase its influence around the world, due to the abundant human and natural resources to leverage on in the country

Modern trends in competition law and law enforcement in the Eurasian Economic Union and the BRICS countries were discussed at the headquarters of the Eurasian Economic Commission by Maxim Ermolovich, EEC Minister in charge of Competition and Antitrust Regulation, and Alexey Ivanov

Time and time again one will encounter Washington authorities involved in the aiding and arming of the most vicious terrorist groups in North Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere, as admitted by US top officials themselves. It’s just part of the core of its foreign policy.

The fact that "Hwasong-16B" can be launched almost immediately is of the utmost importance for Pyongyang's security. The "pocket superpower" had been test-firing various hypersonic weapons at least since September 2021, all of which were successful, much unlike those in the US.

Lawmakers fear that financial and military support for the neo-Nazi regime will cause the US to collapse economically.

Zelensky signs a law excluding the need for physical fitness for military service.

As BRICS navigates the evolving global economic landscape, its trade, investment, and finance progress underscores its significance as a transformative force

During the 2023 annual summit, the BRICS bloc invited six countries to join its collective. Of those, five had responded with intentions of being the first expansion nations for the bloc since 2001. However, since the start of the year, uncertainty has abounded over Saudi Arabia’s status regarding joining the BRICS alliance

“New quality productive force” is now a new buzzword in China, particularly associated with the nation’s car exports. China’s car exports, including new energy vehicles (NEVs), have indeed grown significantly, to the point where the U.S. is considering imposing policy restrictions on the country

The stellar performance of the MiG-31 in Ukraine seems to have pushed the development of its successor, as the Russian military saw the need to accelerate the introduction of such aircraft. Moscow claims that the new jet will introduce features not yet seen by the aviation world, which caught the attention of the Indian Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd).

Russian security services recently intercepted Ukrainian explosives that were entering Russia disguised as Orthodox icons.

China is Bolivia’s third main trading partner.

Pakistan’s intellectual and political circles regard BRICS as an essential platform for advancing the nation’s strategic and economic interests globally. Achieving this goal, however, demands meticulous navigation of geopolitical challenges, particularly with India, and crafting a persuasive argument for Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS

The burgeoning trajectory of India's oil demand growth mirrors the evolving landscape of global energy consumption. According to projections by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), India's oil demand is expected to reach 5.59 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2024, marking a marginal increase from 5.37 million b/d in the previous year

According to the results of January-February 2024, the supply of Russian fertilizers to China soared by 94 percent compared to the same period in 2023 and reached the level of 891.3 thousand tons

French neocolonial grip over the African continent increasingly under question.

The US would be "willing to provide F-35 fifth generation fighter jets to Turkey" if it meets "American conditions in regards to ensuring it does not operate Russian S-400 air defense systems alongside [the F-35]". If Washington DC returns Ankara to "the fold" and the latter acquires the F-35, it would give NATO another certain carrier of the latest B61 thermonuclear bombs, helping the belligerent alliance in surrounding Russia with hostile nuclear-armed vassals.

Without anything new to send to Kiev, Western countries start to send outdated arms.

US Ambassador warns India not to cross “unacceptable red line”.

A key component of Russia’s 21st-century grand strategy goal of becoming the supreme balancing force in Eurasia is its “Ummah Pivot” of comprehensive engagement with the Muslim-majority countries to its South, stretching from North Africa to South Asia

In January 2024, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia officially announced its membership of BRICS, an international economic bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

China's intake of Russian crude is set to reach a record this month, Kpler data cited by Bloomberg shows

Despite no definite evidence to support such claims, even if Moscow is acquiring arms from Pyongyang, it wouldn't exactly be violating anything. If the political West can send hundreds of billions in weapons to ensure the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict and even brag about providing targeting and orders on attacking Russian troops, it's only natural that the Kremlin can acquire weapons for itself from whomever it wants, be it China, North Korea, Iran, etc.

In a recent statement, Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs endorsed Macron’s warmongering position on Ukrainian conflict.

France continues to oppose a Mercosur-EU agreement.

With the BRICS forum, Ethiopia got a new platform for cooperating with member states on specialised issues like finance, technology and global governance matters, which also positively enhances trust among the members states; Ethiopia is due to benefit substantially over time, writes Dareskedar Taye, Lead Researcher at the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia

The creation of new financial mechanisms through BRICS is one of the most promising fields for the development of the association. In the final declaration of the BRICS countries after the 2023 Summit, financial policy was given quite a lot of attention. In particular, it was stated that the BRICS Payment Task Force (BPTF) needs to prepare a report on payment mechanisms, including those based on cross-border payment systems

Many countries are vying for admission to the BRICS economic group backed by China and Russia, South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor

The MiG-31BM's Zaslon-M PESA (passive electronically scanned array) radar, based on the legendary Zaslon, the world's first ESA, detects hostile aircraft at a staggering 400 km range, meaning that it could detect and track the F-16 long before the latter is even aware of the MiG-31BM's presence, to say nothing of the latter's 400 km range R-37M missile.

According to Olaf Scholz, Western states and Ukraine are trying to achieve a peace agreement but without any Russian participation.

Erdogan is not an honest broker in searching for peace between Russia and Ukraine.

BRICS doubled its membership at the start of 2024, and faces huge tasks ahead: integrating its newest members, developing future admission criteria, deepening the institution's groundings, and most importantly, launching the mechanisms for bypassing the US dollar in international finance

A Sino-Russian joint research lab on Siberian tiger conservation was established at Northeast Forestry University in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province

Sammy Kotwani, says despite those challenges mentioned above, there are also many reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for BRICS+ and the Global South collaboration

Imagine being an officer of the SBU, GUR (Neo-Nazi junta's military intelligence) or some of the NATO occupation forces. You're stationed in a building, living in the illusion that you're safe when the Russian SVR or GRU learns about your location and relays this information to units in Crimea who then fire a "Zircon" at that building. You'd have minutes to evacuate before impact.

The Nord Stream area was quite busy, military-wise in September when the blasts took place. And just 3 days before the incident NATO exercises Northern Coasts-2022 were conducted very close to two explosion sites.

Nikolai Zlochevsky is believed to be sponsoring terror against Russian civilians.

Washington is unwittingly pushing Pakistan closer to China.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards collaboration among countries in the Global South, with BRICS+ emerging as a key player in this movement

Entry to the club for rising economic powers should be a trading boon for Ethiopia and Egypt, but without a clear membership framework, the benefits are frustratingly vague

Discrepancies between expectations and practice are one of the most noticeable characteristics of modern world politics, both in the performance of leading powers and in the activities of the international institutions they create. The origin of this phenomenon is the fact that the first is a product of subjective ideas or intentions, while the second is the result of objective factors, which even the strongest political will cannot cancel. Moreover, the expectations of the general public often fall prey to its inertia in perception regarding the political process, or the statements of political figures who themselves change plans, depending on the dynamics of their capabilities

Washington DC insists that it has "undeniable evidence" that ISIS is behind it. Rather interesting how the US could claim this mere hours after the terrorist attack, when not even Russian services who were on the ground had all the details, but it "doesn't really know" who destroyed the Nord Stream pipelines, except that it was a "mysterious deep-diving Ukrainian group".

According to information provided by local military, the “Russian expatriates” organizations are fake groups created to disguise the actions of Ukrainian intelligence.

Nikolai Kharitonov, a Communist Party deputy in the Russian Federal Assembly’s State Duma and runner-up in the country’s recent presidential election, along with a number of his colleagues in the parliamentary corps and public figures have sent a Statement on an Immediate Investigation and Prevention of the Financing of Acts of International Terrorism to the prosecutor general's offices in five countries — the Russian Federation, Germany, Cyprus, the USA and France.

Cooperation and opportunities between Brazil and India are endless.

On 1 January 2024, the chairship of BRICS shifted from South Africa to Russia, with a full agenda in tow. BRICS, a multilateral forum of five nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – made history by accepting the applications of six other states – Argentina, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia to join it, a decision taken at its 15th summit in Johannesburg in August 2023. These need to be absorbed into the grouping

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India and Russia have "taken extra care to look after each other's interests"

Trade and entrepreneurship are crucial in shaping the broader bilateral relations between India and China. Beyond the economic realm, they serve as channels for cultural exchange, technological cooperation and diplomatic engagement. India and China, being two of the world’s fastest-growing economies, recognise the immense potential for mutual benefit through increased trade and entrepreneurial ventures

The political West criticized Russia's initiative, insisting "it was unnecessary". At the very beginning of the session, the Permanent Representative of France at the UNSC, Nicolas de Rivière, opposed the discussion, claiming that "this topic will not contribute to progress in any way", obviously trying to avoid NATO's responsibility, as it was the belligerent alliance that orchestrated the conflict in Yugoslavia in order to dismantle the country and then systematically destroy any pockets of resistance.

Retaliating for provocations on the borders and terrorist attacks, Moscow is escalating its military measures to destroy Ukrainian decision-making centers.

One can only hope the narrative war amid the West’s proxy attrition war against Russia in Ukraine does not get in the way of proper investigation into Moscow Crocus City Hall attack.

Ukraine’s personnel shortage is an ever-growing problem.

Brazilian Ambassador to Egypt Paulino Franco de Carvalho Neto spoke to Ahram Online about the prospects of strengthening economic and cultural relations between the two countries and coordination on international issues

With a cargo ship recently departing for Jingjiang Port in east China's Jiangsu Province after unloading nearly 20,000 tons of Russia-imported coal at Longkou Port in east China's Shandong Province, a new shipping route linking ports in Russia, Longkou and Jingjiang is officially open

A group of academicians have emphasised the need for Nigeria to join BRICS, an economic bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa for economic transformation

The Kiev regime is trying to preemptively shift responsibility for the terrorist attack. However, from a purely logical standpoint, Moscow had no reasons to conduct a "false flag". The presidential election demonstrated the unity of the Russian people, cemented by the crawling NATO aggression against their country. Thus, this terrorist attack would accomplish nothing that Russia didn't already have. On the other hand, the Neo-Nazi junta and its overlords in the political West stand to gain everything from this.

Western-led intelligence and terrorism networks want to disturb the lives of civilians inside Russian territory.

Israel will nonetheless upgrade Spain’s Eurofighter Litening V fleet.

Russia took the rotating presidency of the BRICS group in 2024. Yury Ushakov, Russian presidential foreign policy aide, has granted TASS an interview in which he previewed Moscow’s priorities, prospects for BRICS development and expansion, and commented on the West’s attempts to impede the association’s activities

India has a well-developed Antarctic program, and the country is a relatively new actor in the Arctic. It received an Observer status in the Arctic Council in 2013, published its official Arctic Policy in 2022. India’s interest to the Polar region is growing

One of the interesting BRICS-related developments in the course of this month was the release of a poll conducted by Gallup International with ROMIR agency conducting the Russian part of this poll

According to Western journalists, Ukraine is frustrated with the UK’s current levels of participation in the conflict.

When people like Vincent Arbaretier, a retired Colonel of the French Army, talk about the usage of non-conventional (i.e. nuclear) weapons in a potential conflict with Russia, this can only be described as complete insanity. Ironically, the RS-28 can wipe out up to 24 urban targets in an area the size of France. Luckily, this has never been tested and it would be in everyone's best interest to keep it that way.

Russia-friendly Pellegrini is the leading presidential nomination in Slovakia.

Work on a long-planned shipping route connecting Russia with the Middle East and South Asia is moving forward as sanctions-hit Moscow seeks alternative markets for its products, creating a wide-ranging geopolitical ripple effects

South Africa will play a key role in the further expansion of the BRICS bloc this year, with a further 34 countries submitting an expression of interest in joining the bloc of major emerging economies

Against the backdrop of a sizeable expansion in BRICS membership, debates have intensified over the expediency of the bloc’s institutionalization to cope with the rising complexity in its operations

Ukraine’s own divisive Orthodox problem, with domestic and international repercussions, could very well be joined by a Catholic and overall Christian problem with equally important implications.

According to a Polish general, Ukraine’s losses are “in the millions”, which makes the country unable to keep fighting in the long term.

Pakistan-China attempt to counter India’s growing power with the PNS Rizwan.

On March 14, the MoD updated its data on foreign mercenaries eliminated by the Russian military. According to the official reports, in total, 13,387 mercenaries have joined the Neo-Nazi junta forces, with 5,962 killed in action (KIA) so far.

Interest in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has focused substantially on the military and political situation, with some arguing that there has been little attention paid to the wider implications, one of which is the growth of the BRICS+ organisation. BRICS started as an informal reference to an unofficial grouping of countries that were growing in size but were not considered to be part of the ‘west’ as America and Europe would consider themselves

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar has said Nigeria is presently exploring the possibility of joining BRICS and not given up of its ambition of becoming a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations

As the BRICS expansion is set to further unfold in the course of this year, one of the important implications of this process is the rising role of Africa within the grouping

Two USAF MQ-9 "Reaper" drones experienced "unexplained technical difficulties", resulting in a crash for one, while there's still no information about the other.

French official says his country is "prepared for war", irresponsibly worsening tensions on the European continent.

The US is even more divided today than during the Civil War.

The BRICS nations reveal plans for a blockchain-based system facilitating payments outside of the US dollar system

The joint project between the two countries could be a step towards establishing future lunar settlements

Iran has recently become one of the newest members of the BRICS alliance, a move that signals a significant shift in its international relations

Sweden’s NATO membership, and all that it entails, actually fosters a vicious cycle of raising military tensions. Rather than being a “win” for the Western bloc, it will bring instability to European security, with global implications.

Taipei's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirmed the presence of US Army Special Forces in Kinmen, a group of islands controlled by the Taiwanese government, but located less than 10 km away from the coast of mainland China. Worse yet, certain parts of the Kinmen archipelago are a mere 4 km away from the city of Xiamen in Beijing's Fujian province.

The Ukrainian government's policies are leading to a serious demographic problem in the country, the consequences of which will take a long time to be reversed.

Most of the platforms being given to Ukraine are little more than junk.

A close look at Harvard’s complex relationship to an ancient Indigenous monument.  ... Read more about The Serpent Mound of the Ohio Valley

PODCAST | ep14 | with Arthur Kleinman, Hong-Tu Chen, Ann Forsyth, and Fawwaz Habbal  People aged sixty-five and older make up the fastest growing population around the world, posing unique challenges to societies. A Harvard initiative called Social Technology for Global Aging Research is founded on the belief that there’s a great potential for technologies and interventions to benefit the elderly, but only if they are developed with a deep understanding of day-to-day life. In the scope of this collaboration, technology for the elderly covers a wide range of needs—from engineering hardware for mobility to designing living environments and even tackling the logistics of meeting friends for tea. It’s an expansive collaboration between Harvard scholars and their Chinese counterparts. We speak with four collaborators who share fascinating examples of their work. Listen to episode #14 (44:28) by clicking the play button below: ... Read more about Social Technology for Aging Societies

Contemporary identity politics often presents contradictions between the leaders from marginalized groups and the people they claim to represent. A visiting scholar unpacks this phenomenon, starting with a popular Netflix series. by Poulomi Chakrabarti... Read more about What Bridgerton Tells Us about Elites and Status Politics

In his new book, Weatherhead alum Asad L. Asad demonstrates that rather than hiding in the shadows, undocumented immigrants in the US are selectively engaging with authorities to build their credentials as deserving members of society.  by Michelle Nicholasen... Read more about The (Un)Documented Immigrant

PODCAST | ep13 | with Sasha de Vogel, Serhii Plokhy, and Alexandra Vacroux When the Wagner mercenary group staged a near coup in Moscow in June, it was seen as the greatest challenge to Vladimir Putin’s regime in decades. Though it didn’t come to fruition, it nevertheless exposed some of the fissures in Putin’s ironclad control over the military and the course of the war on Ukraine. Could it be a harbinger of future revolts? How do Russian citizens feel about the continuation of the war? We speak with three scholars of history and political science to find out what this event might mean for Russia’s war machine and for Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Listen to episode #13 (53:04) by clicking the play button below: ... Read more about Who Can Stop a Dictator? Resistance to the War in Ukraine

Weatherhead Center Fellow and Directorate-General Taxation and Customs Union, EU Commission, Juan José García Sánchez argues that there’s a better way for the US to compete with China other than its current protectionist strategy. by Juan José García Sánchez... Read more about American Protectionism: Can It Work?

Weatherhead Fellow and former engineering economist for Saudi Aramco Jenny Spalding addresses the evolution of the US-Saudi oil-for-security bargain and its effect on global energy security. by Jenny Spalding... Read more about The Deal That Keeps the Oil Flowing

The ataman (head) of the “All-Russian Cossack Society,” Nikolai Doluda, addressed a meeting of the Atamans’ Council, in Krasnodar Krai, on February 4, and instructed those gathered that “the time has come when the Cossacks are once again becoming a stronghold and reliable shield of Russia, a guarantor of unity and protection of its national interests” (Vsko.ru, February 4). The … The post As Ukraine Crisis Simmers, Russian Cossack Movement Tightens Integration With Military Reserves appeared first on Jamestown.

Judi Bola Sbobet Bonus New Member Poker QQ Idn Poker Slot Dana PKV Games PKV Games Idn Poker Mix Parlay Mix Parlay BandarQQ PKV Games Over the last several years, Ukraine’s leaders have expressed grave concern over the dangers posed to regional energy security by Russia’s Nord Stream Two natural gas pipeline. From Germany and, more broadly, from Europe, the … The post The Many Faces of Nord Stream Two appeared first on Jamestown.

Judi Bola Sbobet Bonus New Member Poker QQ Idn Poker Slot Dana PKV Games PKV Games Idn Poker Mix Parlay Mix Parlay BandarQQ PKV Games On July 28, Ukrainian Orthodox Christians celebrated the 1,033rd anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus—a remarkable annual event for Ukrainian history and another reason for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political speculations. After the Ecumenical … The post Religion as a Hybrid War Weapon to Achieve Russia’s Geopolitical Goals appeared first on Jamestown.

On May 25, just ahead of the 103rd anniversary of the First Georgian Republic’s (1918–1921) independence, Georgian protesters paralyzed the streets of the capital city of Tbilisi in the largest rally to date against the Namakhvani Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) project (Civil.ge, May 25, 26). Relatively small demonstrations against the planned dam, by locals organized under the banner “Guardians of … The post Namakhvani HPP: Georgian Hydropower Between Energy Security and Geopolitics appeared first on Jamestown.

Judi Bola Sbobet Bonus New Member Poker QQ Idn Poker Slot Dana PKV Games PKV Games Idn Poker Mix Parlay Mix Parlay BandarQQ PKV Games The Russian Cossack movement is emerging as one of the key social pillars supporting the regime, and increasingly it is taking on the mold of Kuban Cossackdom, found in the southern part of the country. … The post All Russian Cossacks Increasingly Resemble Krasnodar Movement appeared first on Jamestown.

On April 21, Vasily Piskarev, the head of the State Duma’s commission to investigate the facts of interference in the internal affairs of Russia, announced that his body was preparing legislative initiatives to combat foreign interference in Russia, including in its elections, by non-profits and non-governmental organizations (NGO). Piskarev said that “insults against Russia” will receive a “worthy response, including … The post Russia Cracks Down on ‘Foreign Threats’ appeared first on Jamestown.

On February 20, Ruslan Ablyakimov was walking in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, with two friends when he was stopped by six young men who proceeded to beat him. “Where did you come here from?” they asked, “You are from Moscow, right? What are you doing here?” Before the men left Ablyakimov, they told him, “You have until tomorrow to … The post Alexei Navalny’s Support in the North Caucasus: More About Corruption Than Navalny appeared first on Jamestown.

The foreign and security policy expert communities in Georgia (Neweurope.eu, November 17) as well as both the outgoing and candidate Lithuanian defense ministers (LRT, November 16, 19) have called for a permanent presence of United States military forces in their respective countries. These calls indicate a hope that the incoming administration of President-elect Joseph Biden will bring greater attention to … The post Georgia, Lithuania Call for Permanent US Troop Presences appeared first on Jamestown.

In the first week of August, cellphones across Russia lit up with surprising text messages. They came from different numbers, but each said the same thing in Russian: “The US State Department is offering up to $10 million for information about interference in the US elections. If you have information, contact rfj.tips/bngc.” The State Department confirmed the messages were authentic … The post US Messaging to Russian Citizens: Time to Step It Up? appeared first on Jamestown.

Recent comments by former vice president of the separatist Georgian region of Abkhazia Valery Arshba indicate a split between the older political elite and the current administration of President Aslan Bzhania (Gazeta-ra.info, October 19; Civil.ge, October 23). Arshba called for the breakaway republic to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus, “without losing [its] sovereignty.” Arshba himself has a … The post Former Abkhazian Separatist Official Calls for Joining Russia-Belarus Union State appeared first on Jamestown.