---------- 1 ----------

Title: Ukraine censoring information – US State Department

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595056-ukraine-censorship-state-department/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:06:56 +0000

Desc: Preview Ukraine should relax its stringent censorship to allow more hard truths about the conflict to reach the public, a senior US official says
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595056-ukraine-censorship-state-department/

Content:

Allowing bad news to occasionally slip through would be better than fostering a climate of total control, a senior diplomat has said

The Ukrainian government should be more open with the public about communicating hard truths about the battlefield situation, a senior US State Department official has said.

In an interview with Politico on Thursday, James Rubin, who leads the Global Engagement Center, a US agency tasked with exposing and countering disinformation, noted that while Ukraine is “moving in the right direction,” it is not yet “a fully-fledged democracy,” which implies certain constraints for media in the country. 

In light of this, officials in Kiev “may [sometimes] resist the kind of freedom of information that’s normal for us,” he said.

The diplomat urged the Ukrainian government to be less restrictive when overseeing the media coverage of the hostilities. “Some days, war reporters report things that aren’t necessarily in the interest of [Ukrainian President] Vladimir Zelensky,” he said, adding that given Kiev’s democratic aspirations, occasional bad news is preferable to living in an overly controlled environment.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: An address by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky being broadcast on screen.
Ukrainians tired of ‘state propaganda’ on TV – NYT

Ukraine embarked on a censorship crusade against Russian-dominated internet resources several years before the start of the current conflict, banning the social media network Vkontakte and search engine Yandex among others as early as 2017.

After the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022, Ukraine broadly intensified censorship and propaganda. In late 2022, Zelensky signed a law that significantly expanded the government’s authority to regulate media, outlawing positive coverage of Russia’s actions and allowing for outlets to be temporarily banned.   

The new legislation sparked fierce criticism both in Ukraine itself and in the West. The European Federation of Journalists said it contradicted standards of press freedom common on the continent. 

In June 2023, the Intercept reported that Kiev had imposed extremely tight restrictions on reporter access to the front line, denying or revoking press credentials from both foreign and Ukrainian journalists over their coverage.

Last month, the New York Times also reported that many Ukrainians had grown tired of the telemarathon established by Zelensky shortly after the start of the conflict, which runs around the clock on national television. The paper described the program, which provides a relentlessly optimistic take on battlefield developments, as “little more than a mouthpiece for the government.”



---------- 2 ----------

Title: Sky turns bright orange over Far Eastern Russian city (VIDEOS)

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595048-russia-orange-dust-storm/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:52:23 +0000

Desc: Preview A dust storm approaching from China and Mongolia has turned the sky over the Far Eastern Russian city of Blagoveshchensk bright orange
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595048-russia-orange-dust-storm/

Content:

The effect is the result of a dust storm that has hit the city of Blagoveshchensk, near the border with China

A dust storm sweeping Amur Region in Russia’s Far East has turned the sky bright orange – an unusual phenomenon captured by local residents in photos and videos.

A southwestern cyclone that hit the region’s capital, Blagoveshchensk, on Wednesday brought loose sand and dirt from China, according to weather experts. China has also suffered severe dust storms over the past month due to strong winds from Mongolia’s Gobi Desert.

According to the local meteorological center, when air currents pass the territory of Mongolia and China, they raise dust, sand and particles of soil, taking them into the atmosphere and painting the sky orange or yellow.

Residents of both Blagoveshchensk and neighboring settlements shared footage of the orange sky on social media.

Some likened the images to recent Hollywood blockbusters, The Martian and Dune.

Local emergency services warned that the storm is expected to continue through March 29, and advised residents to take measures to protect their eyes and respiratory systems from the dust.

According to a recent report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the entire area from Mongolia to northern China was in the grip of one of the worst sand and dust storms in a decade between March 14 and March 16. The agency noted that the storm had caused a number of casualties in Mongolia.



---------- 3 ----------

Title: Washington turns to Ankara to ramp up shell production – Bloomberg

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595053-us-turkish-explosives-shells/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:21:49 +0000

Desc: Preview The US seeks to secure a supply of Turkish explosives to boost domestic production of artillery shells, sources have told Blomberg
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595053-us-turkish-explosives-shells/

Content:

Unlike the EU, the US is willing to buy Turkish explosives to arm Ukraine, the outlet has reported

The US is planning to increase purchases of military-grade explosives from Türkiye to ramp up production of artillery shells, after its stockpiles were drained by the Ukraine conflict, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

Western nations are struggling to supply enough munitions to Kiev to sustain its fight against Russia. A global surge in demand for weapons components has undermined efforts by the US and its allies to produce more artillery shells for Ukraine.

The US is already relying on Türkiye to replenish munitions stockpiles and intends to purchase Turkish-made propellants trinitrotoluene and nitroguanidine to deliver on its plans for domestic defense manufacturing, Bloomberg said citing anonymous officials.

The outlet contrasted the US approach to that of the EU. Members of the European bloc have “held back from using funds for purchases from Türkiye because of resistance from France, Greece and Cyprus,” the report noted. The policy did not change even as member states were lagging behind on their promise to deliver one million 155mm shells to Ukraine by March.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: A Turkish tank in northern Syria.
Erdogan considering military operations in Iraq and Syria

The US has had its own points of contention with Ankara, including over its purchase of Russian long-range air defense systems, which prompted then US President Donald Trump to kick the country out of the F-35 fighter jet program.

The partnership over artillery shells “would build” on a recent thaw in the relationship, according to Bloomberg. After Ankara cleared Sweden to join NATO, Washington in January authorized the long-awaited purchase of F-16 fighter jets and upgrade kits by Türkiye. A last-ditch bid to stop the $23 billion deal in the US Congress, where Senator Rand Paul argued that it would embolden Turkish “misbehavior,” was defeated in late February.

Victoria Nuland, the outgoing senior US diplomat who has held the Ukraine portfolio at the State Department for years, told CNN Türk in January that Washington would be “delighted to welcome Türkiye back into the F-35 family,” provided that the issue of Russian weapon systems is “resolved.”

READ MORE: Ukraine’s army in ‘stagnation’ – Zelensky’s top adviser

Moscow considers the Ukraine conflict to be a US-led proxy war against Russia. It has also said that donations of Western weapons will only prolong hostilities without changing the outcome. In contrast to EU states, Türkiye has refused to cut economic ties with Russia.



---------- 4 ----------

Title: Russian producers target new market for dairy exports

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/595052-novosibirsk-dairy-product-exports-africa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:27 +0000

Desc: Preview Novosibirsk Region intends to send dairy products to Africa, Evgeny Leshchenko has said
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/595052-novosibirsk-dairy-product-exports-africa/

Content:

Accreditation by Algeria of a plant in Novosibirsk “opens the gates to Africa,” the region’s agriculture minister has said

A dairy factory in Novosibirsk, Russia’s third largest city, has been accredited to export its products to Algeria, Evgeny Leshchenko, the regional agriculture minister announced on Wednesday. 

Chanovsky Butter Factory, which is already accredited to ship to Kazakhstan, will now be able to supply goods to Algeria, a development that Leshchenko says “opens the gates to Africa.” 

“A fundamentally new direction is Africa, a fundamentally new position is livestock products…particularly dry dairy products,” the minister said. 

He pointed out that entering the African market would significantly boost milk processing volumes at the currently idle facilities.   

Leshchenko highlighted that the region could export four products: skimmed milk powder, whole milk powder, and two types of butter. 

Read more
FILE PHOTO.
The West warned of world hunger: Russia has met its promise of grain for Africa’s most-vulnerable

In 2023, the region exported approximately 830 tons of raw milk every day, he mentioned. 

Novosibirsk Region exported 1,890,000 tons of agricultural products to 56 countries in 2023, which marked a 33% increase over 2022. Among the top importers of products from the region are Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Türkiye, and Kyrgyzstan. 

In addition to boosting trade ties, Russia has also donated 200,000 tons of food aid to six African nations. Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic, and Eritrea have each received up to 50,000 tons of grain from Russia. 

During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malian Interim President Assimi Goita expressed his gratitude for the wheat and fertilizers sent by Moscow, the press service of the Kremlin reported on Wednesday.



---------- 5 ----------

Title: Germany probes prosecution in Russian tycoon’s case – Bild 

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595046-germany-probes-prosecutors-usmanov-rights/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:43:16 +0000

Desc: Preview German investigators are facing criminal probes over illegal searches at sites belonging to Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov 
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595046-germany-probes-prosecutors-usmanov-rights/

Content:

Alisher Usmanov has taken legal action over unlawful raids on his properties in the country 

German authorities have launched a criminal probe targeting two investigators in Frankfurt after Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov filed a complaint over violation of his rights, Bild reported on Wednesday, citing the general prosecutor’s office. 

A criminal case was initiated against two public prosecutors on the basis of pleas lodged by two people, according to the office’s spokesman, Dominique Mies, who said that one of the complainants is a “70-year-old businessman from the Russian Federation.” 

Usmanov’s representative confirmed his filing the complaint, but refused to provide further comments “while legal proceedings are ongoing,” Russian business daily RBK reported. 

The case was launched on suspicion of non-cooperation with public justice and prosecution of the innocent, Bild wrote, adding that Usmanov’s appeal is linked to raids on his properties in Germany carried out in 2022 and declared illegal by a regional court in Frankfurt last May. 

The Frankfurt court previously ruled that searches conducted in the city of Rottach-Eggern, on a yacht in Hamburg, and at the apartment of Usmanov’s friends were illegal, pointing to “serious deficiencies” in the warrants requested by Frankfurt’s Public Prosecutor’s Office at the time. 

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FILE PHOTO: Alisher Usmanov
EU court dismisses Russian tycoon’s sanctions appeal

The court also invalidated a search at the offices of the businessman’s lawyers in Munich. Commenting on the ruling, Usmanov’s representative said that it confirmed the “baselessness of accusations” against him. 

The Uzbek-born businessman holds a major stake in USM, a Russian investment group with holdings in Metalloinvest, one of the world’s largest iron ore producers, and telecommunications company MegaFon. Usmanov’s net worth totals $14.4 billion, according to Forbes. In 2022, he was added to the US, UK, and EU sanctions lists. Authorities froze some of the billionaire’s assets. Brussels explained its blacklisting of Usmanov by saying he has “particularly close ties” with Russian authorities and actively supports Moscow’s policies in relation to Ukraine.

The tycoon lodged an objection with the European Court of Justice, but his appeal was dismissed. German investigators suspect Usmanov of money laundering and tax evasion. The businessman has denied the allegations.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section



---------- 6 ----------

Title: French strongly fear new terrorist attacks – poll

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595049-france-terrorist-attack-fear-poll/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:21:25 +0000

Desc: Preview People in France strongly fear that a terrorist attack could happen in the country in the coming weeks or months, a poll has shown
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595049-france-terrorist-attack-fear-poll/

Content:

A large number of people fear new assaults in the wake of the mass shooting in Russia, a poll has shown

French citizens strongly fear that the country could be hit by a terrorist attack in the coming weeks or months, a poll published on Thursday has shown.  

The survey, conducted after a terrorist attack on a packed music venue outside Moscow last week, and a few months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, has revealed significant alarm over a potential assault, with an average score of 7 out of 10 points on the fear scale among those interviewed. The 0 mark indicates ‘very low fear’ of a terrorist attack, while 10 corresponds to ‘very high fear’.  

The survey was carried out by the CSA institute for CNews, Europe 1, and Le Journal du Dimanche on March 26 and 27 among 1,013 people aged 18 and over. It showed a notable gap in the level of vigilance between men and women. The data showed that women are more concerned about a potential terrorist attack threat, giving an average score of 7.3 compared to 6.7 displayed by men.   

Analysis by age group revealed that French youth, particularly those under the age of 35, are the most affected by anxiety on the issue. People aged 35 to 49 seem to be less concerned, while fear increases slightly among adults over 50.   

READ MORE: France raises terrorism threat level

According to the researchers, the numbers could reflect a variety of factors, including differences in public engagement, exposure to media sources, and sensitivity to public policies.  

Reinforced security measures have been in place in France since a wave of terrorist attacks in January 2015, when a group of Islamists killed 17 people in Paris and its suburbs. In November of that year, France saw one of the deadliest Islamist attacks in its history, when suicide bombers and gunmen hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants, and bars in Paris, killing 130 people.   

Following the terrorist attack in Russia on Friday, which left 143 people dead, France raised the terrorism alert level across the country to its highest level.



---------- 7 ----------

Title: Russia exits cost Western firms over $100 billion – Reuters

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/595044-firms-leaving-russia-losses/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:09:18 +0000

Desc: Preview Western companies that left Russia amid Ukraine-related sanctions have suffered $107 billion in losses, Reuters reported
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/595044-firms-leaving-russia-losses/

Content:

Moscow has introduced tight requirements for companies wishing to divest, ensuring local buyers receive major discounts on businesses that are leaving

Western companies that have left the Russian market amid sanctions have suffered billions in write-downs and lost revenue, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing calculations based on company filings and statements.

The US and its allies have placed unprecedented sanctions on Russia over the past two years in retaliation for Moscow’s military operation against Ukraine. The measures have led to significant problems for Western firms operating in Russia, including with payments and supply chains, while some international companies have also been shamed by Ukraine and its backers into quitting the country.

According to Reuters, exiting Russia has cost foreign companies over $107 billion, a 30% increase since the news outlet’s previous tally in August. The report indicated that the increase in losses largely stems from Moscow’s tight requirements for firms wishing to divest, which include a 50% discount on their assets and a mandatory fee to the Russian budget of at least 10% of the price.

Several divestment deals have been made for a nominal fee of as little as 1 ruble, as in the case of French carmaker Renault. The car giant left Russia in May 2022 and reported a write-down of over $2 billion as a result of the withdrawal from its second-biggest market.

Reports vary on the number of companies that have exited Russia since 2022. The Yale School of Management puts the number at about 1,000 firms, while KSE’s Leave Russia project claims that only 372 have completed their withdrawal. Meanwhile, hundreds of foreign companies continue to operate in the country, including French retailer Auchan, US snack giant Mondelez International, Nestle, and Unilever.

Read more
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg during a joint press conference in Vienna.
95% of Western companies stayed in Russia – Austrian foreign minister

Many producers of consumer goods and everyday products have refrained from leaving the Russian market, arguing that ordinary citizens rely on their products. Some also admit that leaving would cost them too much.

Moscow has said it will not stop foreign businesses from leaving, but only on its terms. It also considers the withdrawal of Western firms to be a lucrative opportunity for domestic companies, which can expand their portfolios by acquiring the assets of exiting firms and continuing their operations.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section



---------- 8 ----------

Title: Kremlin urges Telegram to work harder to prevent terrorism

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595045-telegram-chat-crocus-deportation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:02:52 +0000

Desc: Preview Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has urged Telegram to do more to stop misuse by terrorists
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595045-telegram-chat-crocus-deportation/

Content:

A chat on the popular app was allegedly used by organizers of the concert hall massacre in Russia to recruit the perpetrators

Telegram should work harder to deny terrorists the use of its platform, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said in the wake of the Crocus City Hall attack.

The alleged perpetrators of the massacre last Friday were reportedly engaged by the organizers though a Telegram group, which was operating in the name of the Afghanistan-based splinter organization of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

Peskov was asked on Thursday whether the messenger app faces a ban in Russia because of this. He said this is not the case, but urged the owner, Pavel Durov, to “pay more attention” to the misuse of the platform.

”This unique and technologically phenomenal service, which flourished in our generation, is increasingly becoming a tool for terrorists, used for terrorist purposes,” Peskov told Russian online tabloid Life.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: GUR head Kirill Budanov.
Telegram a national security issue – Ukraine’s top spy

The Dubai-based Russian-born tech entrepreneur and champion of free speech has faced accusations of insufficient moderation on the platform for years. Its ‘renegade’ reputation is at odds with the goal of profitability, as large advertisers tend to shy away from controversy, the Financial Times said earlier this month.

Durov told the British newspaper that he has plans to “deploy AI-related mechanisms to address potential issues,” but as a matter of principle, he believes Telegram should not be “policing people in the way they express themselves” in most cases.

Russia identified four people as the suspects directly involved in the gun and arson attack, which claimed over 140 lives. They were intercepted hours after the rampage in a Russian region that borders Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin has described them as radical Islamists. He suggested that Islamic State Khorasan, which claimed credit for the attack, may not be the actual mastermind.

READ MORE: Terrorism suspects came to the EU through Ukraine – media

A spokeswoman for the St. Petersburg court system, Darya Lebedeva, reported on Wednesday that a man who was allegedly a member of the same Telegram chat was found to be in violation of Russian migration laws. A judge ordered his deportation, she said.

According to sources in law enforcement cited by Russian media, the group in question was tailored for Tajik audiences and has since been deleted.



---------- 9 ----------

Title: Another African leader talks Sahel security with Putin

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/595047-mali-russia-sahel-security-talks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:39:17 +0000

Desc: Preview Mali and Russia have discussed measures to improve regional stability, where the EU is concerned about declining influence
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/595047-mali-russia-sahel-security-talks/

Content:

Mali and Russia have discussed measures to improve regional stability, where the EU is concerned about declining influence

Russia and Mali will intensify cooperation in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region, which has endured a decades-long jihadist insurgency, the two nations announced in separate statements on Wednesday.

The agreement was reached during a phone conversation between the West African nation’s interim leader, Assimi Goita, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin.

“The presidents discussed further steps to strengthen Russia-Mali ties in various fields, including the implementation of joint projects in energy, agriculture, and mining sector,” the statement said.

During the call, the Malian military leader strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue, which according to Russian authorities killed over 140 people and injured 200 more.

Goita also wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he and President Putin “discussed bilateral issues, particularly security and economic areas,” and “agreed to cooperate further in the fight against terrorism.”

The call with Mali’s president came just a day after Putin spoke to Niger’s transitional leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, with both men pledging to coordinate counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, where some governments in the region have cancelled security deals with Western partners.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Abdourahmane Tchiani and other army commanders held a meeting in the capital, Niamey, Niger on July 28, 2023.
African leader holds defense talks with Putin despite US concerns

Mali, Niger, and neighboring Burkina Faso, all under military rule, recently formed an alliance and have strengthened ties with Russia, particularly on security, in order to tackle extremist violence which they said French troops failed to quell.

Moscow’s relations with Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey have stirred discontent in the EU since French troops were booted out by all three. In January, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc faces a dilemma over its remaining presence in the Sahel region, mainly in Mali, where he claims Moscow’s influence has increased.

Last week, the US expressed concern about Nigerien authorities’ growing ties with Russia and Iran after Niamey’s military government canceled an agreement that allowed some 1,000 American troops and civilian contractors to operate in the landlocked country.

Responding to allegations that Russia was inciting anti-French sentiment in Africa earlier this month, President Putin said Moscow only maintains friendly relations on the continent, which should not offend the West.



---------- 10 ----------

Title: Ukraine’s army in ‘stagnation’ – Zelensky’s top adviser

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595050-ukraine-army-stagnation-podoliak/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:38:21 +0000

Desc: Preview Ukraine is not receiving enough weapons from the West, leading to ‘stagnation’ on the front line, Zelensky’s adviser says
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595050-ukraine-army-stagnation-podoliak/

Content:

Mikhail Podoliak has blamed weapons and ammo shortages for Kiev’s inability to mount major operations against Russia

Ukrainian forces have reached a state of “stagnation” on the battlefield because the West is failing to provide Kiev with enough military equipment to make any substantial progress, President Vladimir Zelensky’s top adviser has said.

Speaking to NV Radio on Wednesday, Mikhail Podoliak complained that Kiev does not have enough resources to mount effective offensive actions that would undermine Russia.

“In general, [there is] a slow supply of resources to Ukraine, slow decision-making on appropriate tools, a certain stagnation along the front line,” he said, admitting that Kiev’s forces are completely on the defensive in Russia’s Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporozhye regions.

This stagnation, Podoliak argued, is due to inadequate Western sanctions, which he said are not strong enough to suffocate Russia’s military industry. The other factor, he added, is insufficient arms supplies from the West. “[We are talking about] drones, munitions… and considerably ramping up investment in ammo production. We see that all this is moving slowly.”

Read more
FILE PHOTO: European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
No light at end of Ukrainian tunnel – EU’s Borrell

However, he said “stagnation” does not mean “stalemate,” because that would imply that “Ukraine does not know what to do in this war,” which he said is not the case. Ukraine’s former top general Valery Zaluzhny described the situation as a stalemate in November after Kiev’s much-hyped summer counteroffensive failed to break through Russian lines, despite being reinforced by large quantities of Western equipment.

His “stalemate” remarks reinvigorated debate about whether Ukraine could ever hope to win the conflict, and were widely seen as a sign of a growing rift between Zaluzhny and Zelensky. The Ukrainian president fired the general last month, with his replacement, Aleksandr Syrsky, saying that the frontline situation was “extremely difficult.”

Ukrainian troops have been on the back foot in recent weeks after Russian forces liberated the strategic Donbass city of Avdeevka, and later pushed Kiev out of several nearby settlements.

Officials in Kiev have repeatedly linked the lack of battlefield success to a deficit of Western-supplied munitions. This comes as the US has struggled for months to approve President Joe Biden’s proposed $60 billion supplemental aid package for Ukraine due to Republican opposition in Congress, with GOP representatives demanding more efforts to increase security on the Mexican border.



---------- 11 ----------

Title: Macron makes nuclear offer to BRICS nation

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595035-macron-nuclear-offer-brics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:09:58 +0000

Desc: Preview French President Emmanuel Macron has offered to help Brazil develop a nuclear-powered submarine
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595035-macron-nuclear-offer-brics/

Content:

Brazil is developing its own nuclear-powered submarine based on a French design

French President Emmanuel Macron has offered to help Brazil with the development of a nuclear-powered submarine during an official visit to the South American country.

Macron was speaking at a launch ceremony on Wednesday, hosted by his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, for Brazil’s third Riachuelo class diesel-electric submarine, which is based on the French Scorpene class.

“I want us to open the chapter for new submarines,” moving towards nuclear propulsion “while being perfectly respectful of all non-proliferation commitments,” Macron said, adding: “you want it, France will be at your side.”

Brazil’s Submarine Development Program (PROSUB) was laid out in 2008, after a security pact between Lula and then-President Nicolas Sarkozy led to plans to modernize Brazil’s navy. The fifth vessel of the program, the Alvaro Alberto, is planned to be nuclear-powered.

Read more
HMS Vanguard sits in dock at Faslane Submarine base on the river Clyde December 4, 2006 in Helensburgh, Scotland
British nuclear submarine test fails

With an enormous coastline, and 95% of its imports and 90% of its national supplies of oil coming from the sea, PROSUB was set up to defend Brazil’s strategic resources, while developing the country’s shipbuilding and providing thousands of jobs.

French defense company Naval Group has provided support in designing modifications to the hull to fit a nuclear reactor – but Paris has been hesitant to provide Brasilia nuclear propulsion technology due to fears of breaking non-proliferation commitments.

Thus far, only the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, the US, UK, China, and France – and India, possess nuclear-powered submarines. Brazil is a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), but its norms do not technically prohibit it from building its own naval nuclear reactors and enriching its own uranium to fuel it.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: A general view of construction work at Hinkley Point C on May 05, 2022 in Bridgwater, England.
UK commits nearly $1bn to nuclear program

Brazil’s peaceful atomic energy program is entirely homegrown, with a full cycle of uranium fuel enrichment and two nuclear power stations. The design of the nuclear boiler for the prospective vessel has also so far been completely Brazilian.

China has raised fears that the NPT could be compromised after the US and UK announced the trilateral AUKUS security pact with Australia in 2021, along with the sale of three US nuclear subs and the transfer of US nuclear technology.

Beijing has warned that the AUKUS pact undermines the NPT, noting that it marks a dangerous precedent of handing over nuclear propulsion reactors and large-amounts of weapons-grade enriched uranium to a non-nuclear weapon state. It has expressed concern that there is no guarantee that Australia could not divert the uranium to build nuclear weapons.



---------- 12 ----------

Title: Germany had no prior knowledge of Moscow terror attack – Scholz

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595037-scholz-germany-no-data-crocus-shooting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:20:27 +0000

Desc: Preview Germany had no prior information on terrorists’ plans to attack Crocus City Hall outside Moscow, Olaf Scholz says
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595037-scholz-germany-no-data-crocus-shooting/

Content:

US intelligence agencies, however, probably had clues ahead of the shooting at Crocus City Hall, the chancellor has claimed

Germany had no prior information on preparations for the terrorist attack that claimed more than 140 lives at a concert venue just outside Moscow last week, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said.

On Friday, a group of gunmen armed with automatic rifles stormed the Crocus City Hall ahead of a rock concert, indiscriminately shooting civilians and setting the venue on fire. Several suspects, including four directly involved in the assault, were later detained by the Russian security services. 

The attack is so far confirmed to have claimed 143 lives and injured nearly 200 people, making it the deadliest in Russia since the early 2000s. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the alleged culprits as “radical Islamists,” saying they were caught fleeing towards Ukraine, where a window to cross the border was being arranged for them.

Read more
Flowers and toys are placed on the roadside in front of the burned-out Crocus City Hall in Moscow Region following a terrorist attack, March 27, 2024.
US trying to cover up ‘something’ related to Moscow terror attack – Kremlin

In an interview with the Markische Allgemeine newspaper on Thursday, Scholz denied having any prior knowledge about plans for the attack.   

He suggested, however, that “US [security] services probably had clues,” adding that Washington’s policy is to warn other countries of impending terrorist attacks whenever it receives information.

“They even issued a public warning. It is all the more regrettable that this terrible terrorist attack still took place,” the chancellor added.

Scholz was apparently referring to a security alert issued by the US Embassy in Moscow on March 7, warning that it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts,” and that this could occur within the next 48 hours. The White House also said that it had shared information about a potential attack with Russian authorities.

The head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, has confirmed that the US warned Moscow of a potential terrorist attack, but noted that the information was “general” in nature. Russian authorities “had taken appropriate measures,” he added, noting that they had targeted a group of individuals and that “[the] information did not check out at the time.”

Bortnikov has also suggested that along with Ukraine, the US and the UK may have played a role in the Crocus shooting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has voiced suspicion about Washington’s categorical denial of any involvement by Kiev in the attack, as well as the US willingness to insist on the sole narrative that the shooting was carried out by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists.



---------- 13 ----------

Title: Most Russians believe cash will disappear in 20 years – poll

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595032-cash-disappear-years-russians-poll/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:46:22 +0000

Desc: Preview Most Russians prefer using plastic cards to make purchases, and more than half believe cash will vanish in the near future, a new poll shows
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595032-cash-disappear-years-russians-poll/

Content:

Almost 80% think plastic cards are more convenient for everyday use

More than half of Russians, especially young people and those who live in major urban areas, believe cash will not be around for long, a poll conducted by the country’s Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) has found. 

The survey published on Wednesday found that 54% of respondents believe no one will use cash for daily operations in 20 years, compared to 37% who are skeptical. Those aged 18 to 24 and people living in cities with populations exceeding 1 million are more likely (60% and 63%, respectively) to believe that cash will disappear.

Nine in ten Russians (89%) already use plastic cards in their daily lives, mostly payroll and other types of debit cards. Around six in ten say they have increasingly relied on cards rather than cash for financial transactions over the past five years.

Read more
RT
EU state wants to enshrine ‘right to cash’ in constitution

Almost 80% of the respondents said plastic cards are simply easier and more convenient than cash. A quarter noted the ability to buy goods online, as well as bonuses offered to card holders.

Only around 18% of Russians say they trust cards less than cash, for reasons ranging from fear of losing them to general distrust in banking services. Around 11% say they never use cards, including 5% in big cities and 19% in rural areas. Cards are least popular with elderly people – roughly a quarter of them prefer cash, the survey shows. 

The survey was conducted by phone on March 16, 2024, and involved 1,600 respondents aged 18 and older. It found that the most popular banking products in Russia include debit cards (57%), money transfers (38%), credit cards (22%), various loans (15%), mortgages (7%), and foreign currency exchange (4%).



---------- 14 ----------

Title: Putin issues F-16 warning to Kiev’s sponsors

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595034-putin-ukraine-f16-legitimate-target/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 23:20:21 +0000

Desc: Preview The US-made fighter jets will not make a difference on the battlefield, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595034-putin-ukraine-f16-legitimate-target/

Content:

If Ukrainian-operated jets fly sorties from third countries, they will be legitimate targets for Russia

Russia will destroy US-made F-16 fighter jets that eventually make it to Ukraine, just as it has other Western equipment, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Several NATO member states have promised to donate their F-16s to Kiev and have trained Ukrainian pilots to fly them, but no deliveries have been made yet. Russia has warned the West that fielding the nuclear-capable jets will represent an unacceptable escalation of the Ukraine conflict.

“If they deliver the F-16s, I think you know better than others that this will not change the situation on the battlefield,” the president said. “And we will destroy these planes just as we have destroyed tanks, armored vehicles, and other equipment, including multiple launch rocket systems.”

The comments came during Putin’s visit to Torzhok air base in Tver Region, home of the 344th Training Center for Russian combat pilots, including personnel being trained to take part in the Ukraine conflict.

Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin at a training center in Torzhok, Tver Region, Russia, March 27, 2024.
Talk of Russia attacking NATO is ‘nonsense’ – Putin

F-16s flown by Ukrainian pilots but based in third countries will nevertheless be legitimate targets for Russia, Putin added.

“Of course, if they are used from airfields of third countries, they become a legitimate target for us, wherever they are located,” he said.

Russia is well aware that the 1970s jet can potentially carry nuclear weapons, and this will be taken into account in combat operations, Putin noted.

Kiev has lost much of its air force over the past two years, including Soviet-era jets donated by several NATO members as replacements. The Ukrainian government eventually asked the US-led bloc for F-16s.

READ MORE: NATO states will break F-16 pledge to Ukraine – NYT

The single-engine fighter is a late 1970s design, originally manufactured by General Dynamics before it was acquired by Lockheed Martin. It requires pristine runways, which are in short supply in Ukraine, prompting speculation that Ukrainian-operated jets might be stationed in nearby NATO countries instead. 



---------- 15 ----------

Title: US trying to cover up ‘something’ related to Moscow terror attack – Kremlin

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595033-us-cover-up-moscow-terror-kremlin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:32:32 +0000

Desc: Preview Washington’s rush to judgment in the Crocus City Hall massacre appears to be deflecting from something or someone, Dmitry Peskov has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595033-us-cover-up-moscow-terror-kremlin/

Content:

American certainty about Ukraine’s innocence is strange, Dmitry Peskov has said

Washington’s insistence on a narrative about the Crocus City Hall massacre is odd, since the Russian investigation is still ongoing, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Within hours of Friday’s terrorist attack, which claimed 143 lives at a Moscow concert venue, the US and EU began insisting that Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with it and that the terrorist group Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) was the sole culprit.

“It’s strange, to say the least, that the Americans have dared to announce a single narrative,” Peskov told the Russian outlet Izvestiya on Wednesday. “This suggests at the very least that they are trying to shift attention away from something,” he added.

Peskov also noted that these claims came in before Moscow had formulated an official version of events, since Russian law enforcement is still working on the case.

Four men suspected of being the perpetrators were arrested early on Saturday as they attempted to flee into Ukraine, according to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). They were identified as nationals of Tajikistan.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
US ‘exposed’ itself over Moscow terror attack – Foreign Ministry

While acknowledging the assessment by security services that the men were “radical Islamists,” Putin noted on Monday that many questions remained unanswered. He also noted that such terrorist attacks fit the pattern of hostile actions against Russia by Ukraine’s foreign sponsors.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has also commented on Washington’s strange insistence on the ISIS-K narrative. The US is obviously biased and trying to “get Ukraine out of harm’s way,” she said during the daily briefing on Wednesday.

Had Kiev truly been blameless, the US would have called for a full investigation, Zakharova argued. Instead, both the White House and the State Department simply announced that “Ukraine has nothing to do with this.”

Read more
RT
Ukrainian ‘Caliphate’: What the West prefers not to notice when blaming ISIS for the terrorist attack in Moscow

“Based on what data and what information?” Zakharova wondered. “Only one thing is clear – they began to excuse the Kiev regime in order to excuse themselves. Because everyone understands perfectly well that there is simply no independent [Ukraine] without Western financial and military assistance.”

The US and its allies have sent over $200 billion in weapons, ammunition and equipment – not counting financial aid – since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022. They have ignored Moscow’s warnings that this could lead to a direct confrontation, insisting that this does not make them a party to the hostilities.

According to US media reports citing American spies, CIA-trained Ukrainian operatives have been responsible for several assassinations of Russian civilians, though Kiev has officially denied this.



---------- 16 ----------

Title: Why the US decided to give peace in Gaza a chance

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595006-us-give-peace-gaza/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:07:29 +0000

Desc: Preview Washington was in a difficult position at the UN Security Council over its traditional ally
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595006-us-give-peace-gaza/

Content:

Washington was in a difficult position at the UN Security Council over its traditional ally

In a historic move on Monday, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) achieved a breakthrough by passing a binding resolution aimed at securing a “lasting, sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza and advocating the release of all hostages held by Hamas since the October attacks on Israel last year. 

This momentous step forward in international diplomacy signals a potential turning point in the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict, offering a glimmer of hope for peace in a region long plagued by violence and discord.

The decision by the UNSC comes after several failed attempts to broker a ceasefire. It underscores the growing global consensus on the urgent need to address the root causes of the conflict and pave the way for a peaceful settlement. The resolution, which was passed with overwhelming support from the international community, reflects a shared commitment to upholding international law and promoting stability in the region.

The US, traditionally a staunch ally of Israel, notably abstained from vetoing the resolution this time, signaling a shift in its approach and a willingness to engage constructively in multilateral efforts to end the violence – though it has said that it does not represent a change in policy. This decision reflects a recognition of the need for a balanced approach that takes into account the legitimate concerns and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Read more
Palestinian children collect food at a donation point provided by a charity group in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on November 30, 2023
The hunger killing Gaza’s children has a clear cause that few are willing to name out loud

With the UNSC resolution now enshrined as international law, all UN member states are bound by its provisions, setting a clear mandate for concerted action to implement its objectives. This presents a unique opportunity for diplomatic initiatives and coordinated efforts to de-escalate tensions, rebuild trust, and create the conditions necessary for lasting peace and stability in the region.

However, despite the optimism surrounding the UNSC resolution, significant challenges remain on the path to peace. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to carry out operations in Rafah, a densely populated area where millions of displaced Palestinians now reside. This escalation threatens to further exacerbate tensions and undermine efforts to achieve a ceasefire and pave the way for meaningful negotiations.

Moreover, Israel’s position as a key strategic ally of the United States poses a dilemma for Washington, which has long maintained unwavering support for Israel’s security and sovereignty. While the US remains committed to its alliance with Israel, the changing geopolitical landscape and evolving strategic priorities have complicated its stance on the conflict. 

The Biden administration faces pressure from both domestic and international stakeholders to balance its support for Israel with a commitment to upholding international law and promoting peace in the Middle East. Should the US allow Israel to destroy the last remaining Palestinian holdout in Gaza, Biden will almost certainly lose the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump. Additionally, relations with Muslim countries would be shattered beyond repair, as well as endangering US military personnel in the region.

The prospect of a full-scale war looms large, with Israel’s military capabilities and the broader implications of its actions raising concerns about the potential for a regional conflict. The possibility of an invasion by neighboring Arab states adds another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation, highlighting the need for concerted diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation and find a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

Read more
The new Workers Party MP for Rochdale, George Galloway, outside his campaign HQ in Rochdale, England, March 1, 2024.
George Galloway is not a threat to democracy – only to the elite hypocrites running the UK

Further, Israel’s nuclear ambiguity and so-called Samson Option, its rumored unofficial retaliatory policy, raise serious questions about whether spillover in the conflict, prompted by the state’s potential ground operation in Rafah, could trigger a international thermonuclear war. The situation in the Middle East thus represents a major threat to international security, underscoring why major countries like Russia, China, and Brazil have been adamant about a ceasefire.

Despite these challenges, there are reasons for cautious optimism. The UNSC resolution represents a significant step forward in international efforts to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and provides a framework for meaningful dialogue and engagement. By building on this momentum and redoubling efforts to promote reconciliation and mutual understanding, there is hope for a brighter future for the people of Gaza and the wider Middle East.

While the road to peace remains long and arduous, the UNSC resolution offers a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape. By seizing this opportunity and working together in good faith, the international community can help pave the way for a just and lasting peace in the region. Now is the time for bold leadership, unwavering commitment, and a shared vision of a future defined by cooperation, coexistence, and prosperity for all.



---------- 17 ----------

Title: Talk of Russia attacking NATO is ‘nonsense’ – Putin

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595031-putin-attacking-nato-nonsense/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:47:55 +0000

Desc: Preview Western claims that Moscow will not stop after Ukraine’s defeat are just propaganda to scare eastern Europe, the Russian president has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595031-putin-attacking-nato-nonsense/

Content:

The US-led bloc has been creeping towards Russia, not the other way around

Moscow is not seeking a confrontation with America’s satellites in Eastern Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. 

Multiple Western officials have tried to drum up support for additional aid to Ukraine by claiming that Moscow will not stop if Kiev is defeated on the battlefield. Putin addressed these claims during a visit to Torzhok air base in Tver Region.

“This is just nonsense,” the Russian president said, noting the disparity in Russian defense spending and the budgets of NATO militaries. “The claims that we are going to attack Europe after Ukraine – it is utter nonsense and intimidation of their own population just to beat the money out of them.”

US “satellites” in Eastern Europe have no reason to be afraid, Putin added. Talk of a potential Russian attack on Poland, the Czech Republic, or the Baltic states is just propaganda by governments that seek to scare their citizens “to extract additional expenses from people, to make them bear this burden on their shoulders.”

Read more
FILE PHOTO.
NATO goes into full fear-porn mode to shake down taxpayers for cash

NATO has been expanding towards the borders of Russia, not the other way around, the president noted, adding that Russia is merely ”protecting our people on our historical territories.”

“They came right up to our borders… Did we go across the ocean to the borders of the United States? No, they are approaching us, and they have come very close,” he said.

Torzhok is home to the 344th Training Center for Russian combat pilots, including personnel being trained to take part in the Ukraine conflict.



---------- 18 ----------

Title: US state media defends ‘compassionate’ terrorist suspect

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595029-us-media-defends-moscow-terrorist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:34:57 +0000

Desc: Preview Radio Free Europe deemed a suspect accused of mass murdering Russians to be a “happy young man”
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595029-us-media-defends-moscow-terrorist/

Content:

An American propaganda outlet deemed one of the accused over the Crocus City Hall massacre to have been a “happy young man”

A US government-funded news outlet has come to the defense of one of the alleged perpetrators of last week’s concert hall massacre near Moscow. The man, who is accused of taking part in the killing of 140 people, has been described in a Radio Free Europe article as “very compassionate.” 

Muhammadsobir Fayzov was caught by Russian security forces near the Ukrainian border on Friday and formally arrested at a Moscow court on Sunday. Along with three other Tajik nationals, Fayzov is accused of carrying out a mass shooting at the Crocus City Hall, a concert venue northwest of Moscow, on Friday. As of Wednesday, the attack has claimed at least 143 lives.

Although Fayzov was allegedly responsible for the deadliest terror attack on Russian soil in two decades, he has been portrayed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Taijik branch as a kind and caring young man.

Read more
RT
Ukrainian ‘Caliphate’: What the West prefers not to notice when blaming ISIS for the terrorist attack in Moscow

“He was the best kid in the family. He was very compassionate,” Fayzov’s mother told RFE/RL. “He loved his cousins. He loved his friends’ weddings. He danced with the boys at parties. He was a funny boy, but no one complained at school. He actively participated in school activities.”

“He was afraid of hurting someone, and someone probably set him up,” his mother claimed.

Based on a glance at Fayzov’s social media accounts, RFE/RL determined that the accused murderer “seems to be a happy young man and a good worker.” The news outlet also spoke to Fayzov’s employer, who described him as a skilled worker.

RFE/RL has run similar stories on Fayzov’s accomplices, interviewing relatives who described alleged gunman Faridun Shamsiddin as “very timid,” and Saidakrami Rachabalizod – who pleaded guilty to his role in the attack – as someone who “could not kill a chicken.”

Read more
A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial near the Crocus City Hall in memory of the victims of a terrorist attack on the concert venue near Moscow on March 22, Russia.
‘The Moscow terror attack was an inside job!’ The strange and twisted world of the West’s political and media Russia haters

A terrorist group calling itself Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for the massacre. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that while the attack “was carried out by radical Islamists,” further investigation is needed to determine “who ordered it.” Putin and Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Aleksandr Bortnikov have both suggested that Ukrainian agents or officials may have been involved.

The US and EU have insisted that ISIS-K was solely to blame, denying that Ukraine had anything to do with the act of terrorism.

Originally founded as a CIA cut-out after World War 2, RFE/RL – which is funded by the US Congress – spearheaded Washington’s Cold War-era anti-communism propaganda efforts in the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc. RFE/RL has been considered a “foreign agent” by the Russian authorities since 2020. In 2022, it was blocked in the country for spreading “fake news” about the conflict in Ukraine.



---------- 19 ----------

Title: Poland probes general who trained Ukrainians

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595030-poland-eurocorps-general-investigation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:12:01 +0000

Desc: Preview Lieutenant General Jaroslaw Gromadzinski was recalled to Warsaw from his post at the head of the Eurocorps force
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595030-poland-eurocorps-general-investigation/

Content:

Lieutenant General Jaroslaw Gromadzinski has been recalled to Warsaw from his post at the head of the Eurocorps force

The Polish Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that it had recalled the commander of the six-nation Eurocorps military force, Lieutenant General Jaroslaw Gromadzinski, and opened an investigation into his “personal security clearance.” 

In a statement on its website, the ministry said that intelligence officers had opened a probe which had turned up “new information” about the general. As a result “a decision was made to dismiss Lt. Gen. Gromadzinski from his position as commander of the Eurocorps” and order his immediate return to Poland, the statement reads.

The ministry offered no further details about the investigation. Eurocorps described the recall as “an internal decision of Poland.”

Based in the French city of Strasbourg, Eurocorps comprises troops from six EU nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, and Spain), and carries out peacekeeping and training missions for the UN, EU, and NATO. 

Read more
Polish soldiers take part in NATO's Dragon-24 military exercise in Korzeniewo, Poland, March 4, 2024
Polish military halts explosives training after string of deaths

Before taking over Eurocorps’ two-year rotating command last June, Gromadzinski served as an adviser to the chief of general staff of the Polish army. In recent months, he worked with US military personnel to train Ukrainian soldiers in Germany.

His recall came a day after the death of Polish Brigadier General Adam Marczak, who until last September had served at Eurocorps headquarters in Strasbourg. According to the Polish military, Marczak died “unexpectedly” of “natural causes” while off duty in Mons, France.



---------- 20 ----------

Title: NATO not ready to deploy to Ukraine – member state

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595025-nato-troops-ukraine-latvia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:05:43 +0000

Desc: Preview The bloc has a lack of consensus on the issue at the moment, according to Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595025-nato-troops-ukraine-latvia/

Content:

The bloc should instead focus on military and financial assistance to Kiev, according to Latvia

NATO states are not ready for talks about sending ground troops to Ukraine, even after French president Emmanuel Macron hinted at such a possibility last month, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina said on Wednesday.

Silina was meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin as part of a working visit to the country and spoke to the press following the talks.

“With regard to the troops, I do not think that this initiative was very well prepared, because the discussion about this has not yet matured. Speaking about sending troops, I think we in NATO are not ready to do this,” the Latvian prime minister stated at a joint press conference with Scholz.

She pointed out that Kiev has not asked NATO states to send troops and emphasized that “we need to focus on Ukraine’s needs, not on what Ukraine isn’t asking for.” 

French President Emmanuel Macron said last month that he “cannot exclude” the possibility of soldiers from NATO countries being sent to Ukraine. His remarks led to a wave of denials from the leaders of other states in the US-led bloc, who insisted that there are no plans to send Western troops to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also refuted the idea shortly after Macron’s initial statement, saying that there were no plans to deploy troops to Ukraine.

READ MORE: ‘Day may come’ for EU troops in Ukraine – Kiev

Moscow has warned that NATO troops in Ukraine would likely make a direct confrontation between Russia and the US-led bloc inevitable. Russia considers the Ukraine conflict to be a proxy war against it, and has repeatedly said that by aiding Kiev NATO members are prolonging the hostilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that claims by Kiev and its foreign backers that Russia will target NATO states are “nonsense.” However, in another interview, the president stressed that Moscow will treat Western troops as “invaders” if they are deployed to Ukraine, and will respond accordingly.



---------- 21 ----------

Title: No ‘unfriendly nations’ for Russia, only ‘unfriendly elites’ – Putin

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595028-no-unfriendly-nations-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:00:45 +0000

Desc: Preview Russia respects all of the world’s cultures, President Vladimir Putin has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595028-no-unfriendly-nations-russia/

Content:

Unlike the West, Moscow will never “cancel” any foreign culture

Russia has no intention of canceling any country’s culture, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday during a working trip to Tver Region. Moscow understands the difference between the people and the elites, and respects every nation’s culture, and also considers its own to be part of the world’s heritage, he explained.

The president was talking to regional artists when the issue of attempts to “cancel” Russian culture by some Western nations was raised. According to Putin, Moscow has no plans to respond in kind.

“We do not have any unfriendly nations, we have unfriendly elites in those nations,” the president said, adding that the Russian government “has never tried to cancel” any foreign artists or cultural performances. “On the contrary, we believe Russian culture to be a part of the global culture and we take pride [in this].”

The Russian authorities seek to take the global cultural context into account and “exclude nothing,” he continued. Those seeking to abolish the culture of a nation inhabited by 190 million people are “not wise,” the president said, referring to Western steps during the Ukraine conflict.

Read more
Italian President Sergio Mattarella
Canceling Russian culture is a mistake – Italian president

Western nations have repeatedly sought to ban performances by Russian artists and musicians, as well as those deemed supportive of Moscow. Most recently, renowned Italian singer Enzo Ghinazzi, best known as Pupo, had an upcoming performance in Lithuania canceled over a concert he gave at the Kremlin in March.

Pupo arrived in Russia to “convey the message that peace will return to the world,” he told TASS at the time. He also argued against an “embargo of any people’s culture,” calling this stance “wrong.” The Lithuanian venue set to host his performance subsequently announced that it was being canceled, calling it “good news” for those opposed to Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Earlier the same month, South Korea canceled a series of performances by Svetlana Zakharova, a renowned ballerina from Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre, after Ukraine expressed anger over the planned events.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
No need to ban Russian artists – Scholz 

Many Western cultural institutions have sought to completely remove Russian-linked works from their galleries and theaters after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out in February 2022.

The Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra in Wales dropped the music of composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky from a concert, Britain’s Royal Opera House canceled a tour by the Bolshoi Ballet, and New York’s Carnegie Hall and Metropolitan Opera have stopped allowing most Russian musicians and organizations to perform.

The campaign has reached such a fever pitch that it has drawn criticism from some Western leaders. In April 2023, Italian President Sergio Mattarella called it a “mistaken gesture.” In August of the same year, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz argued against such moves, calling Russian culture part of “our common European history.”



---------- 22 ----------

Title: Telegram a national security issue – Ukraine’s top spy

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595026-budanov-ukraine-telegram-danger/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 19:31:07 +0000

Desc: Preview Banning Telegram would not be restricting press freedom, GUR chief Kirill Budanov has argued
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595026-budanov-ukraine-telegram-danger/

Content:

Banning the app would not be censorship, GUR chief Budanov has said

Ukraine can use Telegram for influence operations but the messaging application still represents a threat, the head of the country's military intelligence service (GUR), Kirill Budanov, said on Wednesday.

In comments sent to the media by Kiev’s Center for Strategic Communications, Budanov acknowledged the wide reach of the encrypted instant-messaging platform, calling it both an opportunity and a threat.

“From the viewpoint of national security, Telegram is definitely a problem,” Budanov said. “Anyone can create a channel, start writing whatever he wants, and – when someone tries to do something about it – hides behind freedom of the press.”

“I am absolutely against the suppression of freedom of speech. But this is too much,” Budanov added. “This is not freedom of the media, it is something else.”

Telegram was created as an instant-messaging platform by Russian entrepreneurs Pavel and Nikolay Durov in 2013. What sets it apart from similar applications, such as WhatsApp and Viber, is the ability to create public broadcast channels and discussion groups. It is currently the number one messaging app in Ukraine.

Read more
The Telegram app displayed on a smartphone screen
EU state orders suspension of Telegram

“The most interesting thing is that everyone reads Telegram,” Budanov said. While this may have a “destructive effect” inside Ukraine, it also allows Kiev to spread its message in the Russian-controlled territories, he added.

His comments come two days after several Ukrainian lawmakers proposed a bill to “regulate” Telegram. The proposal defines messaging platforms as a separate legal category and creates reporting requirements for “providers of information” using them. If passed, it would require any messaging platforms operating in Ukraine to have a registered office in the country – unless they are headquartered in the EU – and disclose their ownership structure and funding to the government.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has consolidated all media outlets under the state’s umbrella, citing martial law imposed due to the conflict with Russia. Officials in Kiev have repeatedly lamented the fact that Telegram has enabled citizens to bypass government censorship. 

Last month, a parliamentary committee agreed that the platform should be banned in Ukraine. This prompted criticism from a National Security and Defense Council official in charge of “countering disinformation,” who argued that Ukraine was using the platform to “strangle the pro-Russian segments of the media field” and that banning it would be “impossible.”



---------- 23 ----------

Title: Death toll in Moscow terror attack grows to 143

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595018-moscow-terror-attack-death-toll/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 19:17:46 +0000

Desc: Preview Four people injured in last Friday’s attack on Crocus City Hall have died, Russian health officials said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595018-moscow-terror-attack-death-toll/

Content:

Four more Crocus City Hall victims have succumbed to their injuries over the past day

Three more people injured in last Friday’s terrorist attack on a Moscow concert venue have passed away, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko announced on Wednesday evening. 

The death toll of the Crocus City Hall massacre now stands at 143.

A group of terrorists stormed the venue ahead of a concert, killing people on sight as they moved towards the main hall, eventually setting it on fire. Initial estimates put the number of deaths at around 130, with 200 more injured by bullets, blaze and smoke inhalation.

As of Wednesday morning, 83 survivors were listed by the health officials as undergoing treatment, and 40 have been released. The death toll stood at 139 when Murashko noted that four victims were in “extremely serious” condition. They appear to have succumbed to their injuries since.

The gunmen left the venue after about 15 minutes and rushed towards the Ukrainian border, where they were arrested on Saturday. They were identified as nationals of Tajikistan. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described them as “radical Islamists.” 

Multiple officials in Moscow have suggested that the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall may have been organized by Ukrainian special services, who used the Islamists as proxies.



---------- 24 ----------

Title: Musk clarifies position on Ukraine funding

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595027-elon-musk-ukraine-funding/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 18:45:33 +0000

Desc: Preview Kiev should be transparent about how it spends US taxpayer money, the billionaire has argued
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595027-elon-musk-ukraine-funding/

Content:

Kiev should be transparent about how it spends US taxpayer money, the billionaire has argued

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has outlined his position on continued US funding for Ukraine, stating on Tuesday that Kiev should give Washington “proper accounting of how it is used and a plan to resolve the conflict.”

Responding to a claim that he wanted Kiev completely cut off from American aid, Musk wrote on his X platform that he is “not calling for an immediate end to all funding to Ukraine.”

Musk added that “funding should be contingent on proper accounting of how it is used and a plan to resolve the conflict.”

The world’s richest man has shifted his position on Ukraine several times since the conflict began in early 2022. Musk initially supplied Ukraine with free Starlink internet terminals and access to the satellite-based network, but declined to activate the service near Crimea for fear that Ukraine would use it to guide drone attacks on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. If this had happened, he explained last year, SpaceX would have been “complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation.”

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk.
Musk reveals major political flip

Musk has since leased the Starlink network to the Pentagon for military purposes.

Musk has also used his X account to speak extensively about the trajectory of the conflict. More than a year ago, he proposed that Kiev abandon its claim to Crimea, declare neutrality, and allow the four new Russian regions – Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye – to hold fresh referendums on joining the Russian Federation. This proposal is similar to the terms offered by Russia to Kiev and the Western powers before the conflict began, except Moscow initially called only for autonomy in Donetsk and Lugansk.

Musk has accused top US officials – most notably former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, known for fomenting the 2014 Maidan coup in Kiev – of “pushing this war.” More recently, he argued that sanctions on Russia have harmed the West more than Moscow, and declared that with Ukraine growing “weaker by the day,” a peace deal “should have been done a year ago.”

The US has already spent more than $110 billion in military, economic, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. With this aid money dried up, the White House is currently pushing Congress to pass a foreign aid bill that includes another $60 billion in military aid for Kiev. However, the bill has been stalled by Republicans in the House of Representatives, who want it tied to increased funding for US border security and a tightening of immigration law. 

With Congress currently in recess, the bill will remain in limbo until April at the earliest.



---------- 25 ----------

Title: Migrants must respect Russia – Christian leader

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595017-russia-patriarch-kirill-migrants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 18:06:34 +0000

Desc: Preview A lack of assimilation by migrants threatens Russia’s multi-ethnic society, Patriarch Kirill has warned
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595017-russia-patriarch-kirill-migrants/

Content:

Those who come to the country must comply with its laws and respect its customs, Patriarch Kirill has said

Russians have the right to demand that migrants respect the country’s culture and traditions, as well as acquiring knowledge of the Russian language, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has said.

The hierarch was addressing an extraordinary meeting of the World Russian People’s Council on Wednesday when he observed that some migrants showed no signs of wanting to integrate into Russian society. This could lead to various problems, according to the patriarch, including the emergence of closed ethnic enclaves and the growth of organized crime.

“Many consider migration a threat, but the threat lies not just in migration, but in the reluctance of some migrants to respect the culture of the country where they came to work. Around us live fraternal peoples, with whom we have always strived to build good neighborly relations, understanding the difficult economic situation that has developed in a number of countries of the former Soviet Union,” said Kirill, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

He underscored the importance of the Russian people in preserving the multinational Russian state, saying “Let no one scare us with Russian nationalism. Russian nationalism does not exist in nature, everyone knows that.”

The patriarch has also commented more directly on last Friday’s terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in a suburb of Moscow, which claimed lives of 140 people and left thousands injured.

“The atrocity is shocking in its cynicism and cruelty,” Kirill previously said, adding that those behind the attack “tried to use internal problems with the migration situation, to aggravate interethnic relations in our country, including with the help of the radical Islamist factor.”

READ MORE: Migrants must learn Russian and respect the law – Putin

Russian authorities arrested several suspects over the weekend, including four alleged to be directly involved in the Crocus City Hall shooting. The latter, all of whom are nationals of Tajikistan, had attempted to escape by car. The head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has said that they were expected in Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian side may have been preparing to open a “window” to allow them to cross the border.

Many people from former Soviet republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia have flocked to Russia in search of work over the past two decades. Official statistics put the number of migrant workers at six million, not counting those who live and work in Russia illegally.



---------- 26 ----------

Title: Kids’ TV network was ‘infiltrated by predators’ – Daily Mail

Link: https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/595023-nickelodeon-convicted-pedophiles-documentary/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:28:01 +0000

Desc: Preview Nickelodeon harbored at least five child sex offenders, including an actor who molested a nine-year-old, the newspaper reports
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/595023-nickelodeon-convicted-pedophiles-documentary/

Content:

One Nickelodeon production assistant described himself as a “full-blown” pedophile

The Nickelodeon children's TV channel employed or worked with five convicted child molesters and two other accused pedophiles, according to court records and news reports reviewed by the Daily Mail. At least one of the abusers was hired despite offending before he joined the Paramount-owned American network.

Three of the convicted molesters were profiled in a new HBO documentary series on pedophilia and abuse in the kids’ entertainment industry. One of them, acting coach Brian Peck, molested Nickelodeon star Drake Bell, served 16 months in prison, and went on to work with the Disney Channel, before executives found out about his conviction.

Read more
File photo
‘Cyber-flasher’ jailed in England for first time

The other, production assistant Jason Handy, worked for alleged abuser Dan Schneider at the network during the late 1990s. Handy was jailed in 2004 for sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl, and for possession of tens of thousands of images of child pornography. When police raided his Los Angeles home, they found a diary in which he described himself as a “pedophile, full blown.”

Ezell Channel worked as an animator at Nickelodeon, until he was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2009 for molesting a 14-year-old boy on set. He was also accused of luring two teenage boys to his workplace, showing them pornography, and inappropriately touching them. Channel had allegedly been hired by the network despite an earlier conviction for child sex abuse.

The two other convicted sex offenders were identified by the Daily Mail as talent agent Marty Weiss, who committed “lewd acts” with a preteen client, and teen star Cody Longo, who pleaded guilty to molesting a nine-year-old girl in 2021.

Read more
'Snow White' (2025) Directed by Marc Webb
Disney’s woke virus threatens US movie industry

California passed a law in 2012 mandating background checks for anyone working with child actors. However, documentary filmmaker Gabe Hoffman told the newspaper that “this important law is mostly ignored by Hollywood, and state and local law enforcement appear to have little interest in enforcing it.”

“Convicted pedophiles still get hired in Hollywood today,” Hoffman said. “Sex offenders worked with children at Nickelodeon, and unless the industry makes changes, more children in Hollywood will end up getting abused.”

A Nickelodeon spokesperson told the British tabloid that the company “investigates all formal complaints” and is committed to “fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct.”

Nickelodeon is not the only children’s entertainment company accused of harboring pedophiles. After five Disney World employees were arrested in two wider sting operations in Florida in 2022, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters that “we always have a Disney employee” in custody after these stings.



---------- 27 ----------

Title: The US has sacrificed a common anti-terror principle to stick it to Putin

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594949-west-reactions-crocus-terrorism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:10:12 +0000

Desc: Preview Western officials were too quick to attribute blame for the Moscow attack in ways agreeable to their political goals
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594949-west-reactions-crocus-terrorism/

Content:

Western officials were too quick to attribute blame for the Moscow attack in ways agreeable to their political goals

In the wake of the terrorist attack that killed over 140 people in Moscow, the White House is sure about a lot of things – that it had nothing to do with Ukraine, and that the fact that Washington's intelligence-based prediction came to fruition is proof-positive that American counterterrorism efforts are working. Excuse me?

What just transpired in Moscow strikes me as the kind of thing that suggests it’s not actually working all that well, considering a bunch of people were killed. If the US has a long-standing policy of warning even countries that it’s at odds with – like Iran and Russia – of terrorist chatter that comes to its attention, like Russia has also done for the US in similar situations (the Boston Marathon bombing warning, perpetrated by Chechens, comes to mind), then frankly, it did a pretty poor job. 

Granted, the US Embassy issued a statement warning of a non-specific attack in Moscow two weeks before one actually occurred. And it coincided with Russia liquidating an ISIS-K cell consisting of two Kazakhs, claiming that they were targeting a synagogue southwest of Moscow. Nothing in the warning provided a description of suspects to the general public, and after the cell roll-up, it seemed like the case was closed, with no further warnings or clarifications from those in Washington who claimed to have the inside scoop. 

American and Western counterterrorism efforts are working so well that ISIS-K – an offshoot of the ISIS group in Syria to which some Western-backed ‘Syrian rebels’ defected with CIA and Pentagon training and weapons – happened to spring up in Afghanistan in 2014, under the watchful eye of the US counterterrorism operation. 

Read more
Flowers and toys are seen left by the burnt-out Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, on March 25, 2024.
Weapon of mass distraction: Is the West scapegoating Islamic State over Moscow attack?

Then the West became so caught up in its stick-measuring contest with Russia in Ukraine that it trained up a bunch of neo-Nazi mercenary fighters who are now integrated into the Ukrainian army, presided over by the likes of military intelligence chief and guerrilla warfare aficionado Kirill Budanov. Add to the West’s complicity in the recruitment of foreign fighters from all over the world to serve in the ‘International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine’ – including, apparently, fighters from Tajikistan, like the Moscow terrorists, if an unconfirmed online recruitment post by the Ukrainian Embassy in Tajikistan is any indication. In light of that alone, perhaps it’s time for Moscow to cancel its visa-free regime with Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries?

Looks like the US has done everything in Ukraine to sacrifice the fight against terrorism in order to stick it to Putin – who’s been America’s partner in fighting terrorists since he and former US President George W. Bush committed to cooperation against global terrorism in a joint statement after the September 11, 2001, attacks on American soil. French President Emmanuel Macron even said back in 2019 in an interview with The Economist that NATO was brain-dead and should pivot from its Russia obsession to a counterterrorism focus – which just happens to be something on which the West has successfully cooperated with Russia in the past. Although the latest example of ‘cooperation’ mostly involved the US going into Syria on the pretext of fighting ISIS, then spending much of its time in a failed attempt to oust President Bashar Assad by training and equipping jihadists from a NATO staging base in Türkiye. When all the trainees dined and dashed on the CIA and Pentagon’s tab to the tune of billions, it was Russia (with an intelligence assist from Iran) that handled the mop-up at the Syrian government’s request, eliciting the wrath of ISIS in the process. But ISIS in Syria failed in its effort to establish a caliphate and hasn’t really been a problem there for years. 

Unconfirmed reports and online videos are now emerging of the Moscow attack suspects allegedly training in NATO member state Türkiye for two months, and dozens of suspects recently being detained by the Turkish authorities in Istanbul. If confirmed to be true, it would not be unlike the Western-backed ‘Syrian rebel’ jihadists who trained on NATO’s Incirlik Air Base in Türkiye and were subsequently released into Syria. This is the same base that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan closed in the wake of a failed coup against him in 2016, and in which he implicated Washington. It looks like terrorists of all kinds now have another playground to choose from: Ukraine. 

White House spokesman John Kirby made a point of underscoring that Ukraine absolutely was not involved, as did his colleague, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “This was a terrorist attack that was conducted by ISIS. Mr. Putin understands that. He knows that very well. And look, there is absolutely no evidence that the government of Ukraine had anything to do with this attack,” Jean-Pierre said. That’s interesting wording coming from the same country whose officials told the New York Times that the Nord Stream pipeline from Russia to Europe was blown up by “pro-Ukrainian groups.” 

Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin lights a candle to commemorate victims of a terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue on the day of national mourning, in Russia.
Dmitry Trenin: The American explanation for the Moscow terror attack doesn’t add up

The language used by both the White House in the Moscow attack case and unnamed American officials commenting on the Nord Stream sabotage to the NYT is careful to absolve the Ukrainian state itself. It gives the impression that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky can’t be blamed for anything, although the opposite was argued by the West in an effort to oust Assad from power in Syria by saying that he had lost control of the country and turned it into a terrorist cesspool.

So in light of the Moscow attack perps making a run for the Ukrainian border where they were apprehended, about 400km from Moscow, the US is a bit too quick to absolve itself of any responsibility for turning Ukraine into a giant anti-Russian training camp for guerrilla wannabes run by fans of asymmetric warfare, and loading it up with training and weapons. It’s also a bit too keen to preemptively clear Ukraine of any responsibility whatsoever. 

French President Emmanuel Macron put the blame entirely on ISIS. Just so everyone got the message in France, the government hiked up the terrorism alert to maximum level. No one here really knows what that means because the terror alert has been in place nonstop for the better part of two decades now, to the point where the bright red on many of the terror alert signs in the front windows of public buildings has faded to bubblegum pink. 

Maybe if the French and their US and Western allies hadn’t been so busy destabilizing countries and turning them into terrorist Disneylands for regime change purposes, then maybe they could actually get a handle on the issue. Then they wouldn’t have to whine, like Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis did recently on Twitter: “Let’s not lose focus.” Because apparently, jihadism is just a minor speed bump on the regime change highway.



---------- 28 ----------

Title: Netanyahu explains why he snubbed Washington

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595020-netanyahu-explains-us-snub/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:04:44 +0000

Desc: Preview Not sending a delegation to the US was a “message to Hamas” to not rely on diplomatic pressure, the Israeli prime minister has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595020-netanyahu-explains-us-snub/

Content:

Not sending a delegation to the US was a “message to Hamas,” the Israeli prime minister has said

Israel canceled the planned visit of a high-level delegation to the US as a message to Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

The snub came after Washington refused to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday. Meeting in Jerusalem with US Senator Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, Netanyahu explained his reasons.

“I thought the US decision in the Security Council was a very, very bad move,” the Israeli prime minister said. “The worst part about it… was that it encouraged Hamas to take a hard line and to believe that international pressure will prevent Israel from freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas.”

The decision not to send the delegation to Washington was a message to the Palestinian militant group, he explained.

“It was a message first and foremost to Hamas: ‘Don’t bet on this pressure, it’s not going to work’. I hope they got the message,” Netanyahu said. His office also posted a video of his remarks on social media.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with US Senator Rick Scott and thanked him for visiting Jerusalem and for his unwavering support for the State of Israel, especially at this time. pic.twitter.com/6fWOooHMjq

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 27, 2024

The delegation was supposed to discuss the planned Israeli military operation against Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza. The White House has publicly urged Israel against the attack, arguing that this would worsen the situation of displaced Palestinian civilians.

Read more
FILE PHOTO
Hamas demands delusional – Israel

The US State Department called Netanyahu’s decision “surprising and unfortunate,” while the White House described it as “disappointing.” The US was “perplexed” by the snub because the Security Council abstention “does not represent a shift in our policy,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. 

Unnamed US officials told Axios that Netanyahu’s actions were “self-defeating” and that he should have called President Joe Biden instead.

Netanyahu was infuriated last week when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called for new elections in Israel and argued the “far-right” prime minister was as much to blame for the current conflict as Hamas.

Israel declared war on the Gaza-based Palestinian group after October 7, when a series of Hamas raids resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,200 Israelis, while another 240 were taken captive. Since then, more than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military operation, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. UN Human Rights Council rapporteur Francesca Albanese has accused Israel of “genocide” in the enclave.



---------- 29 ----------

Title: Pussy Riot member convicted for ‘fake news’

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595022-pussy-riot-fake-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:04:14 +0000

Desc: Preview Moscow’s Basmanny court has sentenced Lyusya Stein in absentia to over six years in prison for discrediting the Russian army
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595022-pussy-riot-fake-news/

Content:

Lyusya Stein has been sentenced in absentia to six years in prison for discrediting the Russian army

A member of the anarchist punk group Pussy Riot, Lyusya Stein, has been sentenced in absentia to over six years in prison for spreading fake news about the Russian army, according to a verdict handed down by Moscow’s Basmanny District Court on Wednesday.

In addition to having to serve “six years and 15 days” in a general population correctional colony, Stein is also to be barred from administering websites or posting anything on the internet or other “information and telecommunication networks” for a period of 3.5 years, the court ruled.

State prosecutors, who demanded 8.5 years in prison for the activist, noted that Stein’s term includes the time she has yet to serve under a previous conviction from August 2021. The sentence will come into force as soon as she is extradited to Russia or is detained on Russian territory.

Stein is believed to have left Russia in April 2022 together with another member of Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina, after they were sentenced to one year in prison for taking part in protests in violation of coronavirus restrictions.

The latest case against Stein was opened in 2022, charging her with discrediting the Russian army online. At the time, she was placed on the national wanted list. In November 2023, the Basmanny court ‘arrested her in absentia’ for two months and she was placed on the international wanted list.

READ MORE: Pussy Riot founder’s sentence overturned

In August 2022, Stein was arrested in Switzerland along with several other members of Pussy Riot for trying to spray paint graffiti on a wall in the town of Koeniz. They were eventually released and slapped with a $400 fine. The group left vowing to “spread our message to other countries,” and stated they were willing to “face further arrests” if needed.



---------- 30 ----------

Title: Trust in government declines in NATO member state – poll 

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595019-estonia-kallas-eu-trust/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:01:24 +0000

Desc: Preview The level of public confidence in Estonia’s government has fallen by 4% this month, a new poll shows
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595019-estonia-kallas-eu-trust/

Content:

The level of public confidence in Estonia’s leadership has fallen by 4% this month, a new study has revealed

The level of public trust in Estonia’s government is on the decline, as just 17% of the people approve of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ cabinet, a new poll shows.

Overall confidence in the government has fallen by 4% since February, when it stood at 21%, according to a study published by Kantar Emor on Wednesday.

Kallas was third on the list of the most trusted members of government in March, with support of 21%. She was passed by Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur and Education Minister Kristina Kallas, who received 30% and 26%, respectively.

Pevkur “remains the most reliable, and his performance and pronouncements are generally characterized by poise and calmness. He also has no direct conflicts with other politicians and the media,” Aivar Voog, the head of research at Kantar Emor, explained.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas at the Elysee Palace, Feb. 26, 2024.
NATO member won’t rule out sending troops to Ukraine

Economic Minister Tiit Riisalo and Finance Minister Mart Vorklaev remained at the bottom of the list, with 8% and 7%, respectively, according to the poll.

GDP decreased by 3% and amounted to €37.7 billion ($40.8 billion) in 2023, data released by Statistics Estonia earlier this month shows. The agency linked the “broad-based recession” in the Baltic nation of around 1.4 million to “the rapid increase in prices, which has affected all economic activities.”

Inflation in the EU has been on the rise since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, which led to a sanctions standoff between Moscow and the West, and a drastic reduction of Russian energy supplies to Europe.

Tallinn has fully backed Kiev, providing it with over $500,000 in military aid and calling for increasingly tough measures against Moscow. Earlier this month, Kallas said she could not rule out the possibility of sending Estonian troops to assist Ukraine.

READ MORE: New NATO member to begin seizing Russian cars

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has claimed that all the talk by some NATO member states about sending troops to Ukraine only serves to mask their real agenda – to “partition what they see as the remnants of Ukraine.”



---------- 31 ----------

Title: Still time for UK to ‘do the right thing’ – Stella Assange

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595024-stella-assange-rt-interview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:45:38 +0000

Desc: Preview British courts could still end the political persecution of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, his wife Stella has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595024-stella-assange-rt-interview/

Content:

The persecution of the her husband has been political from the start, the lawyer has said

The British legal system has been “hijacked” by the US in order to go after WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, his wife Stella has said, adding that it is still possible for British courts to make things right.

The High Court in London ruled on Tuesday to postpone Julian Assange’s extradition hearing pending “assurances” from the US government that he would not be exposed to torture or the death penalty.

“This is a political case,” said Ms. Assange, who is also her husband’s attorney. “I think it’s very obvious to anyone who looks at this and the bizarre turns that this case has taken.” 

The case “should have been thrown out from the very beginning,” she added. “I still retain some hope that the UK courts will stop this abusive persecution of Julian in which the legal system has been hijacked for political purposes.”

“I think there is still time for the UK courts to do the right thing and stop this.”

“Frankly, I expected the UK court to allow evidence… of the murder plots against Julian to be heard, but they didn’t,” Ms. Assange explained, referring to 2021 allegations in the media that the CIA had plotted to kill or kidnap the publisher while he was living at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Julian Assange.
Assange wins right to appeal extradition to US

“On the other hand, what they have identified is that Julian remains exposed to the death penalty and that the freedom of the press issues are at the heart of this case and has also picked up on the fact that the United States has said that it intends to discriminate against Julian on the basis of his nationality,” she added. 

Because Assange is an Australian citizen, the US government has argued that the First Amendment of the American constitution – protecting the freedom of speech and the press – does not apply in his case.

Assange has been charged with violating the US Espionage Act, because in 2010 WikiLeaks published classified diplomatic and military documents pertaining to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documents were leaked to Assange by a US Army private, but the government claimed the publisher had conspired to hack Pentagon computers.

Suspecting that a Swedish claim of alleged sexual assault was a ploy to get him arrested and extradited to the US, Assange sought asylum in Ecuador in 2012. The UK blocked him from leaving the Latin American country’s embassy in London, however, trapping him in improvised living conditions for almost seven years. In April 2019, after Ecuador revoked his asylum, Assange was dragged out of the embassy and jailed in the Belmarsh maximum-security prison in London, where he has remained ever since.



---------- 32 ----------

Title: Microsoft wants to ban curvy females from video games

Link: https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/595011-microsoft-curvy-females-video-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:14:58 +0000

Desc: Preview US tech giant Microsoft issued new guidelines encouraging game developers to stop designing excessively curvaceous female characters
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/595011-microsoft-curvy-females-video-games/

Content:

Developers have been urged to avoid negative gender stereotypes, according to updated guidelines

US tech giant Microsoft is discouraging using excessively curvy female characters in video games, according to updated guidelines issued by the company on Tuesday.

As part of its inclusivity initiative, Microsoft offered developers a list of questions to consider while working on their products to check whether they are reinforcing any negative gender stereotypes. The guide, dubbed ‘Product Inclusion Action: Help Customers Feel Seen’, includes various stereotypes that the gaming giant believes are best left out.

According to the guidance, game designers should check if they are unnecessarily introducing gender barriers and should make sure they create playable female characters that are equal in skill and ability to their male peers, and equip them with clothing and armor fitting to the tasks.

Read more
FILE PHOTO
Putin orders reboot of Russian gaming industry

“Do they have exaggerated body proportions?” the guideline asks.

Female characters play a significant role in the gaming industry and have become fan favorites throughout the years. Various females, including Lara Croft, Bayonetta, and Ada Wong have played iconic roles in video games.

One of the most vivid examples of unrealistically looking female characters is Bayonetta, who is integrated into every facet of the eponymous fantasy action-adventure game. Stellar Blade, another game with a controversial design, has used a Korean model for its main character.



---------- 33 ----------

Title: British army would only last two months against Russia – top UK general

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595021-uk-military-no-match-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:53:48 +0000

Desc: Preview The British army lacks the ammunition and equipment for a long conflict with Russia, the deputy head of the Defense Staff has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595021-uk-military-no-match-russia/

Content:

The military lacks ammo and equipment, the deputy chief of the Defense Staff has told MPs

The British Armed Forces are not prepared for a potential confrontation with an adversary such as Russia, the deputy chief of the UK Defense Staff, Lieutenant General Robert Magowan, told a parliamentary defense committee on Tuesday. The military severely lacks the resources, particularly ammunition, for any such conflict, he believes.

The amount of money the government spends on ammunition, although “significant,” still “does not meet … the threats we face,” Magowan stated, adding that the military would have to manage “operational risk” linked to the lack of resources.

When further pressed by MP Mark Francois, a former minister of state for the Armed Forces, about the chances of holding out against Russia, the general admitted that British forces would hardly last longer than “a couple of months in a full-on shooting war.”

Defense Secretary Grant Chapps, who also appeared before MPs on Tuesday, claimed that there was no reason to worry, since the UK would unlikely have to face Russia alone. “It’s important to understand that because we are in NATO … we would never be in that situation,” he stated.

Read more
FILE PHOTO.
Most Germans believe army can’t defend them – poll

The comments came just a month after an inquiry by the Defense Committee found that the British Armed Forces were “increasingly outstretched” and thus not ready to face Russia. A year-long review of the UK’s defense capabilities released in early February concluded that the government would “never achieve warfighting or strategic readiness” without major reforms.

The document also said that the military is suffering from a recruitment crisis and is short at least 5,000 soldiers. At that time, the committee was also told by former defense chiefs that the Armed Forces had been “hollowed out” at least since 2010 and could not hold out against any major adversary in a “peer-on-peer conflict.” The troops “would have exhausted their capabilities after the first couple of months of the engagement,” the report said, according to The Telegraph.

On Tuesday, Magowan insisted that the UK was “ready for war” but just not with a nation such as Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that it had no plans of engaging in a military confrontation with the US-led military bloc or any of its members. President Vladimir Putin said earlier this year that Russia “has no interest … geopolitically, economically or militarily ... in waging war against NATO.” 

In mid-March, the Russian leader also said that he doubts that anyone is interested” in a direct military confrontation between Moscow and NATO, since that would mean that “we’ll be one step away from World War III.”



---------- 34 ----------

Title: Ukraine expropriates historic church over Russia ties

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595010-ukraine-seizes-historic-church/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:27:03 +0000

Desc: Preview A court has ruled that the Assumption Cathedral in Kanev is property of the state rather than the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595010-ukraine-seizes-historic-church/

Content:

A court has nullified a 2003 decision which allowed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to take possession of a 12th-century cathedral

The government of Ukraine has seized a historic 12th-century cathedral from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), through a court challenge.

The government has been harassing the UOC for years, pushing priests and worshipers to switch their allegiance to the Kiev-approved Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Members of the canonical church have been accused of being Russian collaborators.

The court battle for the Assumption Cathedral in Kanev in Cherkasy Region, around 90km southeast of Kiev, ended with a victory for the government, the office of the prosecutor general announced on Wednesday. Its regional branch secured a ruling in its favor, after arguing that a 2003 decision by city officials which allowed the UOC to take possession of the building was illegal. The church will now be repossessed by the state.

The cathedral was originally built in 1144 on the order of Prince Vsevolod II Olgovich of Kiev, shortly before his death. Named after St. George, it was later rededicated to the assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Read more
File photo: Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agents
Ukrainian secret police targets Christian journalists

It is one of the oldest churches in Ukraine, though its present design is the result of a major overhaul in 1833, when it was virtually rebuilt from ruins. In the 1970s, the Soviet government utilized the building for a museum of folk art. In 1990, religious ceremonies were resumed at the church.

The prosecutors gave credit to the Ukrainian security service (SBU) for preparing evidence for the civil trial. The statement estimated the value of the property at over $216,000.

The SBU has been closely involved in the Ukrainian crackdown on the UOC, which has historic ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. Agents have carried out raids on churches and monasteries in search of evidence of purported collusion with Moscow since late 2022.

In a separate blow to the UOC’s Cherkasy Diocese this week, a court dismissed its appeal against the expropriation of the land surrounding the St. Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy. The city council intends to turn it into a park, according to Ukrainian media. The original ruling was issued last September.



---------- 35 ----------

Title: Polish military halts explosives training after string of deaths

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595016-poland-soldiers-training-deaths/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:19:37 +0000

Desc: Preview Poland’s defense ministry has ordered an investigation after five soldiers died during exercises this month alone
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595016-poland-soldiers-training-deaths/

Content:

Five soldiers have died during exercises this month alone

The Polish Defense Ministry has suspended almost all military training involving explosives after five fatalities this month. In the most recent incident, two soldiers were blown up when a TNT charge detonated at a range during an exercise.

In a notice posted on its website on Tuesday, the ministry said Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz had ordered an investigation into the Polish Army’s “procedures and safety conditions,” to take place immediately. 

In the meantime, “training using explosives and warfare agents is suspended,” the announcement stated, “with the exception of activities carried out by units preparing to participate in missions and operations outside the country and training Ukrainian soldiers.”

A special forces soldier died earlier on Tuesday when he was caught in an avalanche during mountain-warfare training in the Tatra mountains, army spokesman Lt. Gen. Marek Sokolowski told reporters at a press conference in Warsaw.

Read more
FILE PHOTO. Polish soldiers seen at the training ground in Nowa Deba, Poland.
Poland gearing up to get involved in Ukraine conflict – former US Army officer

On Monday, two army engineers were killed in a TNT explosion while training at a range in the southern region of Silesia, Kosiniak-Kamysz announced.

This week’s deaths came three weeks after two soldiers were fatally crushed beneath a tracked vehicle during a drill at a test range near the northwestern town of Drawsko Pomorskie. Military officials said the deaths were unrelated to NATO exercises, which were taking place in northern Poland at the time.

The exercises, codenamed Dragon-24, involved 20,000 soldiers and 3,500 units of equipment from 10 NATO countries, including about 15,000 soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces. Dragon-24 is part of NATO’s wider Steadfast Defender 24 drills, which involve 90,000 troops from all 32 member states and will run until May.

Steadfast Defender 24 is NATO’s largest maneuver since the Cold War. The exercises, “during which a scenario of an armed confrontation with Russia is being rehearsed, are undoubtedly increasing tensions and destabilizing the situation in the world,” Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev warned earlier this month.



---------- 36 ----------

Title: Putin orders reboot of Russian gaming industry

Link: https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/595015-putin-russian-game-console/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:09:54 +0000

Desc: Preview The president has given the government until June to consider the development of a domestic gaming system
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/595015-putin-russian-game-console/

Content:

The president has given the government until June to consider the development of a domestically-produced gaming system

President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to weigh requirements for organizing production of both stationary and portable game consoles in Russia, according to a statement published on the Kremlin’s official website on Wednesday.

Putin’s order was issued following a meeting on the socio-economic development of Kaliningrad Region. Aside from consoles, the president also called on the Cabinet of Ministers to consider developing a special operating system and a cloud system for delivering games and programs to users. 

The deadline for executing the order has been set at June 15, 2024. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been designated as the person responsible for overseeing completion of the task.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that the president’s order to consider the creation of a domestically-produced console is aimed at developing Russia’s native gaming industry.

The Organization for Developing the Video Game Industry (RVI) presented a five-year roadmap to the government in February that laid out an 83-point program for developing video games in Russia.

Read more
A person plays the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive during an esports competition in Hanover, Germany on December 16, 2022.
Danish minister wants Russian gamers banned from major event

RVI said this year it plans to re-establish relations with various funds and organizations in international gaming that have ties to Russia and establish ways to consistently support the development of video games inside the country. The organization has also said the creation of a full-fledged game console is planned for 2026-2027.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Russia concluded its first Games of the Future tournament, which took place in the city of Kazan between February 21 and March 3. The ‘phygital’ (physical + digital) format of the competition combined traditional sports and cybersports in a unique mix in 21 combined disciplines. They included phygital football, hockey, and basketball, as well as more traditional cybersports and high-tech contests such as drone racing, competitive programming, and robot battles.

The first ever iteration of the tournament involved more than 270 teams from 107 countries and was watched by a “global audience,” according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.



---------- 37 ----------

Title: Ukrainian ‘Caliphate’: What the West prefers not to notice when blaming ISIS for the terrorist attack in Moscow

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595002-isis-ukraine-terrorist-attack-moscow-crocus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:06:30 +0000

Desc: Preview Could Kiev, whose connections with Islamists are well known, be behind the massacre in Crocus City Hall?
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595002-isis-ukraine-terrorist-attack-moscow-crocus/

Content:

Kiev’s connections with terrorist groups and Islamists are recognized even in the West. Could Ukrainians be behind the massacre in Crocus City Hall?

On March 22, Russia suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history, in the course of which 137 people were killed and 182 others were injured. The four terrorists who carried out the attack chose one of the largest exhibition and concert venues in the country, Crocus City Hall, in the city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow, which hosts large events every day.

Even though the investigation is still ongoing, the West has already claimed that the Islamic State (IS) is responsible for the tragedy. This was first reported by some media outlets, including Reuters and CNN, and was later picked up by Western officials. For example, on Monday, this was stated by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

However, when we compare this terrorist attack with other IS attacks, we notice more differences than similarities. 

How IS kills

On that fateful Friday night, a concert by Picnic, a St. Petersburg rock band, was supposed to take place in Crocus City Hall. This fact gave rise to comparisons with the horrible terrorist attack in France in November 2015. Back then, terrorists broke into the Bataclan Theater in Paris, where a concert of the US band Eagles of Death Metal was taking place. IS claimed responsibility for the crime, which left 89 people dead. 

Read more
Flowers and toys are seen left by the burnt-out Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, on March 25, 2024.
Weapon of mass distraction: Is the West scapegoating Islamic State over Moscow attack?

In those years, IS became increasingly active throughout the world – but this was actually a sign of its decline. In its heyday, IS didn’t urge its supporters to carry out terrorist attacks, but instead called on them to “fulfill the hijrah” – i.e., move to the territories controlled by the organization. Over ten years ago, this was quite easy to do, since part of the Syrian border with Turkey was controlled by the jihadists, which allowed people to freely cross it and join their ranks.

However, as the terrorists lost many of their territories, their rhetoric changed. Through its information resources, IS urged its followers to commit terrorist acts in places where they lived. This caused an upsurge in violence in Europe: a wave of terror swept through France, Belgium, Germany, the UK, and other countries. In Russia, the North Caucasus became a point of tension. 

The strategy was simple – anyone who supported the jihadists, wherever they lived, could record a video with an oath of allegiance to the “caliph,” send it via an automated feedback bot, and then commit a terrorist act. Often it was only the perpetrator who died, but for IS, this didn’t matter – it only cared about being mentioned in connection with the terrorist activity, which is why the organization occasionally took responsibility for crimes that it had nothing to do with. 

The terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk, however, doesn’t match this straightforward strategy usually adopted by IS. In fact, the choice of a rock concert as the site of the terrorist attack is almost the only common feature between this attack and other acts of terror it has committed.

What preceded the events at Crocus City Hall

Four people who had not previously known each other were recruited to carry out the terrorist attack. One of them, Shamsidin Fariduni, was in Türkiye in February, and from there he flew to Russia on March 4. He spent at least ten days in Türkiye and investigators are currently determining who he communicated with while there. 

According to unofficial information, he met with a certain “Islamic preacher” in Istanbul. However, it is also known that the terrorists corresponded with the “preacher’s assistant.” According to Fariduni, this anonymous person sponsored and organized the terrorist attack.

Shamsidin Fariduni, suspected in a terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall concert venue is seen inside a defendant's cage during a hearing on pretrial restrictions at Basmanny district court, in Moscow, Russia. ©  Sputnik / Kirill Zykov

After arriving in Russia, Fariduni visited Crocus City Hall on March 7 in order to see the site where the crime was to be committed. From this, we may conclude that the attack was to take place soon after his arrival from Türkiye. On the same day, the US embassy in Russia warned its citizens to avoid large gatherings “over the next 48 hours” due to possible attacks by extremists. 

The next concert at Crocus City Hall was given by the singer Shaman, who is known for his patriotism. However, his concert on Saturday, March 9 passed without incident. In the following days, there were other performances at the venue, but apparently the terrorists were forced to adjust their plans.

As a result, they chose the concert by the band Picnic, scheduled for March 22. Although this band is not as popular as Shaman, it is also known for its patriotic stance and for donating funds for the needs of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine.

Read more
A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial near the Crocus City Hall in memory of the victims of a terrorist attack on the concert venue near Moscow on March 22, Russia.
‘The Moscow terror attack was an inside job!’ The strange and twisted world of the West’s political and media Russia haters

What happened afterwards

None of the terrorists planned to “join the Houris in paradise,” as is usual for IS followers. After shooting people in Crocus City Hall and setting the building on fire, they did not attack the special forces which arrived at the scene and instead got in a car and fled from Moscow. Neither did they wear “suicide belts” – a characteristic detail of IS followers who are ready to die after  committing their crime. 

Another detail which is uncharacteristic for IS is the monetary reward promised to the terrorists. The payment was supposed to be made in two installments – before and after the attack. The terrorists had already received the first payment, amounting to 250,000 rubles ($2,700). 

The most important detail is the location where the terrorists were detained. Traffic cameras allowed intelligence services to monitor where they were headed. They were eventually detained on the federal highway M-3 Ukraine – a route which used to connect Russia and Ukraine but lost much of its international importance after the deterioration of relations between the two countries in 2014, and particularly after the start of Russia’s military operation in 2022. 

The terrorists were detained after passing the turn to route A240, which leads to Belarus. At that moment, it became obvious that there was only one place where they could be headed: Ukraine.  

Despite the fact that the terrorists were armed, only one of them, Mukhammadsobir Fayzov, put up resistance. All of the terrorists were detained alive, which was most likely an order given to the security forces involved in the operation. However, as we mentioned above, the terrorists themselves did not want to die.

©  Social media

Moreover, they knew where to go to save their lives: to the Ukrainian border. Later, in his address to the nation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a “window” for passage had been opened for them on the Ukrainian side.

This, too, is uncharacteristic for IS, since someone who carries out a terrorist act, especially an outsider, is always considered “disposable.” Even if he makes it out alive, no one will help him. Moreover, in earlier years, IS usually didn’t take responsibility for an attack if the perpetrator remained alive, as this could harm him during the investigation. However, later the organization no longer cared about this due to the deplorable state in which it found itself. 

All this comes down to the fact that compared to other attacks carried out by IS in the past few years, this one is strikingly different when it comes to the level of preparation, detailed planning, and financial compensation. 

Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin lights a candle to commemorate victims of a terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue on the day of national mourning, in Russia.
Dmitry Trenin: The American explanation for the Moscow terror attack doesn’t add up

What does Ukraine have to do with it?

Having already mentioned Ukraine several times, we must note its links with terrorists. Since 2015, it has been known that the Security Service of Ukraine tried to recruit radical Islamists with the goal of carrying out sabotage and terrorist attacks, etc. on Russian territory. Ukraine’s intelligence services were also active among the terrorists in Syria. This cooperation was marked in particular by the arrival in Ukraine of Chechen terrorist Rustam Azhiev, who served in the International Legion controlled by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine's Defense Ministry. 

Azhiev participated in the second Chechen campaign against the Russian Armed Forces and eventually fled to Türkiye. In 2011, he moved to Syria, where he headed the terrorist group Ajnad Al-Kavkaz. Under his command, the militants participated in hostilities against the Syrian Armed Forces and were noted for terrorist attacks directed against civilians. Azhiev operated side-by-side with groups that are recognized as terrorist organizations not only in the United States, but throughout the world. The main ally of Ajnad Al-Kavkaz was Jabhat Al-Nusra in Syria. 

Over time, the Russian Armed Forces and Syrian Armed Forces liberated territories from terrorists and significantly reduced their supply base. As a result, Azhiev and his associates became involved in contract killings, extortion, torture, and racketeering. In 2019, Azhiev even had to publicly apologize for the actions of his associates, who kidnapped the wrong person.

The terrorists had been “unemployed” for several years when in 2022, Azhiev and his associates were approached by Ukrainian intelligence services through an intermediary – field commander Akhmed Zakayev. Azhiev and his associates took part in combat operations against the Russian Armed Forces and as a reward, Azhiev was given a Ukrainian passport.

©  Telegram / directorate4

In 2024, led by Azhiev, the terrorists participated in an attack on border settlements in Belgorod Region. In a video, Azhiev publicly admitted that the purpose of the operation was to destabilize the situation in Russia before and during the presidential elections. This was confirmed by the fact that the attacks stopped right after the elections. 

After the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall, the Austrian newspaper Heute discovered another link between Ukraine and radical Islamists. According to the publication, which cites information from intelligence services, many suspected terrorists had entered the EU from Ukraine. For example, in December 2023, a Tajik citizen and his wife, along with an accomplice, were detained in Vienna. They were preparing an attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The couple had come to the EU from Ukraine in February 2022.

***

Ukraine is the place of residence not only for many terrorists, but also IS administrators and those who sympathize with the terrorists. Some of these people are actively involved in raising funds for imprisoned IS fighters in Syria and Iraq. Some of this money goes to purchasing food and medicines. But quite often, it is spent on buying weapons to carry out attacks inside prisons, and for bribing guards. Since some of the terrorists are officially “employed” in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and others work for the Security Service of Ukraine, they can both push their employers to organize a terrorist attack or do so on their own, without formally consulting the authorities. Currently, one of the versions is that an employee of the Ukrainian intelligence services could’ve been hiding under the guise of the “preacher’s assistant.” 

Moreover, Kiev has prior experience in carrying out terrorist acts on Russian territory – both directly, as in the case of Daria Dugina, and through intermediaries, as in the case of Vladlen Tatarsky. Therefore, using radical Islamists, such as IS followers, to carry out terrorist attacks fully corresponds to Ukraine’s strategy, which comes down to inflicting maximum damage on Russia and its residents.



---------- 38 ----------

Title: Russians warned over foreign travel 

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595013-russians-careful-foreign-travel/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:45:39 +0000

Desc: Preview The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned citizens of a risk of extradition from third countries to the US
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595013-russians-careful-foreign-travel/

Content:

The US has extradition treaties with over 100 countries, including popular tourist destinations, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow has noted

Russian citizens should exercise extreme caution when planning trips outside the country, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow has warned, citing the risk of arrest and extradition to the US by third nations.   

In a statement to RIA Novosti on Wednesday, the ministry reiterated its recommendation to “carefully weigh the risks when planning trips abroad and staying in certain countries.”   

It warned that Russians could be “detained or arrested” at the request of American law enforcement agencies or special services, noting that the US has extradition agreements with more than 100 countries, including Thailand, Egypt, Türkiye, and Israel, which are popular tourist destinations.  

The ministry also said it has received complaints from Russian travelers about certain EU restrictions on importing their personal belongings and entering the bloc in cars with Russian license plates. The import measures stem from Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.  

Diplomats added that while they continue to issue specific travel warnings, Russian citizens should always be mindful that once they leave the country, they “voluntarily come under foreign jurisdiction, which implies an obligation to comply” with local laws and regulations.  

Read more
FILE PHOTO
Kremlin reveals conditions for talks with US

Moscow has long warned Russian citizens that they could be extradited to the US from certain countries, claiming that experience shows that people who have effectively been “kidnapped” by the US often face an extremely biased trial on American soil.   

There have been at least a dozen instances of foreign countries extraditing Russians to the US in recent years, including the high-profile cases of businessman Viktor Bout and pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko.  

Bout was arrested in a US sting operation in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to America two years later. He was convicted by a US court on arms trafficking charges and sentenced to 25 years. Bout has always denied the charges, insisting he was a victim of geopolitics. He was freed in a prisoner swap in 2022 in exchange for Moscow’s release of American basketball player Brittney Griner, who had been arrested on drug charges.  

Yaroshenko was arrested in 2011 in Liberia, which also has an extradition treaty with the US, on drug smuggling charges, which he has denied. After being convicted in the US a year later and spending 11 years in an American prison, he was exchanged for former US Marine Trevor Reed.



---------- 39 ----------

Title: South American leader steps up ‘shock therapy’ reforms

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595004-milei-argentina-job-cuts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:44:08 +0000

Desc: Preview Argentina’s Javier Milei has implemented a painful austerity plan to fix the country’s beleaguered economy
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595004-milei-argentina-job-cuts/

Content:

Argentinian President Javier Milei has announced a plan to axe 70,000 state jobs

Argentinian President Javier Milei has unveiled a plan to slash 70,000 jobs from the state sector and terminate over 200,000 social welfare programs as part of reforms aimed at stabilizing the country’s ailing economy.

Milei announced the proposed measures on Tuesday during an hour-long speech at the IEFA Latam Forum in Buenos Aires. In a detailed speech, the president laid out the foundations of his economic plan, emphasizing the alignment of peso futures contracts with the central bank’s 2% monthly crawling peg scheme, and labeling calls to sharply devalue the currency again as “ridiculous.” 

“There’s a lot of blender,” Milei stated, referring to the dwindling of wages and pensions by 276% annual inflation. “There’s a lot more chainsaw,” he warned.

Throughout his presidential campaign, Milei regularly brandished a chainsaw, a dramatic illustration of his promises to slash social spending, cut retirement and pension funds, shut down the country’s central bank, and reduce the number of government ministries by more than half. He has proposed reducing the functions of state to a minimum and has placed his trust in the market alone, hoping to solve Argentina’s problems by boosting trade and exports.

According to local media reports, the Argentinian president has to reach a fiscal balance this year and plans to do so at any cost.

Read more
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Inflation in Argentina catapults past 250%

Milei also said he will double down on attempts to reform the economy after the 2025 congressional elections, with more than 3,000 reforms in the pipeline. He envisions a V-shaped recovery, buoyed by increased public confidence in the country’s future.

“People have hope, they’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” Milei insisted, referring to public polls.

The announcement of more austerity reforms has sparked a fierce backlash from the country’s labor unions, one of which went on strike on Tuesday. The leader of the state workers union ATE immediately announced national action on X (formerly Twitter) without providing further details.

A self-described anarcho-capitalist, Milei, who took office in December 2023, has warned it will take time for the results of his program to be seen and that things could get worse before they get better. Latin America’s third-biggest economy has been beset by a severe economic crisis after decades of financial mismanagement.



---------- 40 ----------

Title: India blasts Washington over remarks on Modi critic’s arrest 

Link: https://www.rt.com/india/595014-india-blasts-washington-over-remarks-kejriwal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:33:09 +0000

Desc: Preview New Delhi has summoned a US diplomat, warning that states should respect “the sovereignty and internal affairs of others”
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/india/595014-india-blasts-washington-over-remarks-kejriwal/

Content:

New Delhi has summoned a senior US diplomat following comments on opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal’s case

India summoned a top US diplomat on Wednesday to notify Washington that it “strongly objected” to comments on the arrest of prominent opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal, the Acting Chief Minister of Delhi. Reacting to the American statement, New Delhi indicated it expects its “sovereignty and internal affairs” to be respected by other states. 

A spokesperson for the US State Department said Tuesday that Washington was “closely following” the arrest of Kejriwal – who has been in custody since last Thursday on corruption charges – and encouraged a “fair, transparent and timely” legal process. On Wednesday, New Delhi summoned the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Gloria Berbena, Indian media reported. The meeting at the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s office lasted around 40 minutes, according to the news channel NDTV. 

The ministry then issued a statement saying it took strong objection “to the remarks made by the US State Department spokesperson” about “certain legal proceedings” in India. “In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said. “This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.”

Read more
India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during a meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on December 27, 2023.
India summons German diplomat over ‘blatant interference’

New Delhi’s statement also stressed that the country’s legal processes are “based on an independent judiciary” which is committed to delivering objective and timely outcomes.  “Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” it stated.

The development comes just two days after the Indian Foreign Ministry summoned a German diplomat for the same reason. Berlin said in the immediate aftermath of Kejriwal’s arrest that it expected standards relating to the “independence of judiciary and basic democratic principles” would be applied to his case. In response, New Delhi accused Germany of “blatant interference” in its internal affairs. 

Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which governs the New Delhi and Punjab regions, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) agency on corruption charges related to an alleged liquor scam last week. Kejriwal denies wrongdoing and is challenging his arrest in the Delhi High Court. Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of the accused, claimed the ED conducted over 250 raids in a “so-called liquor policy scam” but “no money was found.”

READ MORE: Delhi chief minister arrested over corruption claims 

The AAP is part of the National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), an opposition alliance that seeks to oust Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in general elections beginning next month. Various pollsters, however, have predicted a clear road to victory for the BJP. An India TV-CNX opinion poll projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win 378 out of 543 seats, while the INDIA bloc was likely to win 98 seats.

Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! ‎Follow and share RT India in English and in Hindi 



---------- 41 ----------

Title: Russia continuing Nord Stream investigation – top prosecutor

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595012-nord-stream-us-krasnov/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:31:24 +0000

Desc: Preview Testing is underway to learn more about the bombs used in the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, Igor Krasnov has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595012-nord-stream-us-krasnov/

Content:

Forensic testing of explosives is underway to learn more about the bombs used to attack the pipelines, Igor Krasnov has said

Russia's investigation into the blasts on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines is “moving forward” despite the refusal of Western countries to cooperate, Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov has said.

The September 2022 explosions of the key pipelines, which were built to deliver Russian gas to Germany, rendered them inoperable and caused what is believed to be largest single methane leak ever.

It was “a terrorist act, not sabotage as the West is trying to present it,” Krasnov said in an interview with the newspaper Kommersant on Tuesday.

Germany, Sweden, and Denmark all launched separate investigations into the incident, as the explosions happened in the exclusive economic zones of the latter two. However, last month, both the Swedish and Danish probes were aborted. Stockholm said it had come to the conclusion that the case did not fall under Swedish jurisdiction, while Copenhagen found that “there was deliberate sabotage” of the pipelines, but ruled that there were insufficient grounds to pursue criminal proceedings.

Read more
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service chief Sergey Naryshkin
US and UK blew up Nord Stream – Russia’s top spy

Due to the closure of those investigations, “not only were international obligations violated, but the rights of citizens to a benign natural environment were infringed upon and significant economic damage caused,” the prosecutor general said. “It turns out that nobody cares about this,” he stressed.

“Everyone knows perfectly well who did it. However, our so-called partners are turning themselves inside out to hide the circumstances of the Nord Stream explosions,” Krasnov insisted. “The tracks undoubtedly lead beyond the Atlantic,” he added in an apparent reference to the US.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials have previously said that the pipelines had been targeted by Washington or on its behalf.

According to the prosecutor general, Russia sent 15 requests for legal assistance in the investigation of the attack on Nord Stream to Germany, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland and Sweden. It only got a reply from Denmark, but it was a formal one, he said.

“The decision by those countries to refuse to cooperate with us indicates that they actually never conducted any real investigations,” Krasnov stressed.

READ MORE: Kremlin comments after another EU state drops Nord Stream probe

Russia’s own probe into the case is continuing, he said. Experts are now performing tests on explosives to figure out how the pipelines were damaged, how the explosive devices were planted, how powerful they were and other features, he explained.



---------- 42 ----------

Title: Russia and Zimbabwe to boost medical cooperation

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/595009-russia-zimbabwe-cooperation-medicine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:59:47 +0000

Desc: Preview Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has held talks in Moscow with his Zimbabwean counterpart, Douglas Mombeshora
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/595009-russia-zimbabwe-cooperation-medicine/

Content:

Health ministers have also discussed the potential for collaborating in education

Russia and Zimbabwe will strengthen their cooperation in a range of medical and healthcare areas, ministers from the two nations have said after holding talks in Moscow on Tuesday.  

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko welcomed his Zimbabwean counterpart, Douglas Mombeshora, to the Russian capital as the pair discussed the potential for cooperation in education, medicine, and the development of emergency care.   

Russian assistance in providing training to Zimbabwean medical personnel was highlighted as among the promising areas of bilateral cooperation, the Health Ministry in Moscow said in a press release. Over 100 Zimbabweans are currently studying medicine at Russian universities.   

The Zimbabwean delegation also visited the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Emergency Medicine, where they were given a tour of the newly built emergency center, the facility’s press service said. The guests also observed an air ambulance helicopter demonstration during their visit.   

READ MORE: East African country opens medical lab equipped by Russia – envoy

“We are very impressed, including by the high level of personnel,” Mombeshora said after the tour, according to the press release. He added that he is keen to return to the institution with a delegation of practicing doctors from Zimbabwe to exchange experience with Russian colleagues.



---------- 43 ----------

Title: Grim ‘diagnosis’ for German economy issued

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/595007-germany-economic-growth-downgrade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:50:28 +0000

Desc: Preview A group of economic institutes have slashed Germany’s growth forecast to 0.1% this year, warning that a rapid recovery is unlikely
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/595007-germany-economic-growth-downgrade/

Content:

GDP is now expected to grow by just 0.1% this year, leading economic think tanks say

A group of leading German economic institutes have slashed growth forecasts for the EU’s top economy in 2024 to 0.1% from an earlier projection of 1.3%.

In a “Joint Diagnosis” report published on Wednesday, the think tanks attributed the downgrade to high interest rates, weak global demand, and political uncertainty, saying these factors had dented hopes of a stronger recovery.

German economic output was barely higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic, as productivity has been at a standstill since then, the institutes said.

“Although a recovery is likely to set in from the spring, the overall momentum will not be too strong,” said Stefan Kooths, head of economic research at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW).

The economists now expect Germany’s gross domestic product (GDP) to increase by 1.4% in 2025, down from the 1.5% previously forecast.

READ MORE: German growth forecast to be slashed – economy minister

“There have recently been more headwinds than tailwinds in the domestic and foreign economies,” the report said.

Germany was the only G7 economy to contract last year as it struggled with the fallout from the energy crisis. Official data shows the economy shrank by 0.3% year-on-year in 2023 under pressure from soaring inflation and higher interest rates, as well as general weakness in the global economy.

The latest data reveals that German exports had declined despite rising global economic activity, largely due to lower demand for capital and intermediate goods, which are important for Germany. Price competitiveness for energy-intensive goods has also suffered due to high electricity prices and the outsourcing of some production, the economists said.



---------- 44 ----------

Title: Biden claims he rode non-existent train over collapsed bridge

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595008-biden-train-baltimore-bridge/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:38:05 +0000

Desc: Preview US President Biden has been accused of “inserting himself” into a national tragedy
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595008-biden-train-baltimore-bridge/

Content:

The aging US president has been accused of “inserting himself” into a national tragedy

US President Joe Biden has claimed that he traveled by train “many times” over the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The four-lane bridge, which had no rail lines, collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday morning after being hit by the Singapore-registered container ship Dali, operated by Danish shipping giant Maersk.

Two construction workers were rescued from the freezing waters of  Baltimore Harbor following the incident, but the search for six others was called off on Wednesday morning, with the men presumed dead.  

Biden’s first public remarks on the disaster began with an apparent lie. “At about 1:30 [am], a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which I’ve been over many, many times commuting from the state of Delaware either on a train or by car,” the president said 

The Amtrak line from Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware to Washington, DC takes a circuitous route around Baltimore, while the Greyhound bus line uses the Fort McHenry Tunnel to cross Baltimore Harbor.

Read more
RT
US supply chains disrupted by Baltimore bridge collapse

Biden was called out on social media for “inserting himself” into the tragedy. The president’s comment was “just another example of his mental derailment,” conservative radio host Chad Prather wrote on X. “Biden is a natural born liar,” another commenter posted. “He opens his big stupid mouth – and lies just come pouring out.”

The White House responded with a statement claiming that “the president was clearly describing driving over the bridge while commuting between Delaware and DC during his 36-year Senate career.”

However, the most direct route by car also avoids the bridge, taking the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel instead.

Biden has a long record of exaggerating his own involvement in historic events. The 81-year-old has falsely claimed that he visited Ground Zero the day after the September 11 attacks, that he was arrested while attempting to visit Nelson Mandela in a South African jail, and that he marched with civil rights protesters in the 1960s.

READ MORE: Biden claims to have ‘ended cancer’

In addition to these claims, Biden regularly makes verbal gaffes and slip-ups during speeches, and often appears visibly confused. According to an Associated Press poll published earlier this month, 63% of Americans are “not very or not at all confident” in Biden’s “mental capacity for the presidency.”



---------- 45 ----------

Title: Blackrock boss predicts global ‘retirement crisis’

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594996-blackrock-ceo-fink-retirement-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:35:39 +0000

Desc: Preview People will need to retire later because they are living longer and will not have enough savings, Larry Fink has warned
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594996-blackrock-ceo-fink-retirement-crisis/

Content:

Pension savings will run out because people are living longer, Larry Fink has warned 

Larry Fink, the head of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management firm, has warned that demographics will inevitably strain pension systems and that longer lives are projected to force workers to retire later.

In his annual letter to chief executives and investors released on Tuesday, the billionaire investor called on governments to take urgent steps to tackle the “retirement crisis” by helping people save more for when they get old. Fink expressed concern that not enough is being done to ensure people have enough money to safeguard their retirement.

“No one should have to work longer than they want to,” he said. “But I do think it’s a bit crazy that our anchor idea for the right retirement age – 65 years old – originates from the time of the Ottoman Empire.” 

“What should the average retirement age be?” Fink wondered, emphasizing that nowadays people are regularly living past 90.

The founder of BlackRock also urged corporate leaders and lawmakers to “start having the conversation” about the issue as changing demographics around the world lead to rapidly aging populations, while retirement benefits are decreasing. Fink cited the Netherlands as a good example of rethinking retirement policies.

READ MORE: UK ranked second-most miserable country in the world

The Dutch government started to gradually raise the retirement age more than ten years ago to keep state pension affordable, he said, adding that it automatically adjusts as the country’s life expectancy changes.

The aging of the global population means an increase in the proportion of older people – a trend that has been tracked nearly everywhere in the world. According to a UN outlook on global life expectancy, one in six people will be over 65 years old by 2050, up from one in 11 in 2019.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section



---------- 46 ----------

Title: RFK Jr. picks ex-wife of Russian Google co-founder as running mate

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/595001-rfk-running-mate-shanahan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:07:27 +0000

Desc: Preview Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced California lawyer Nicole Shanahan as his running mate in bid for the White House
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/595001-rfk-running-mate-shanahan/

Content:

Nicole Shanahan has joined the independent presidential candidate in an effort to appeal to voters disillusioned with the US two-party system

Independent US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has picked California-based tech lawyer Nicole Shanahan as his running mate in the “spoiler” campaign for the White House.

Shanahan is not a national household name, but Kennedy insisted on Tuesday that she is the right choice for his presidential bid, the stated aim of which is to disrupt the “corporate kleptocracy” of the US political system.

Kennedy has embraced the “spoiler” tag for his presidential run, vowing to “bring down the Democratic and Republican duopoly” during an introductory speech with Shanahan in Oakland, California, where she was raised in an impoverished family.

“It gave us this ruinous debt, chronic disease, endless wars, lockdowns, mandates, agency capture. The same Trump-Biden uniparty has captured and appropriated democracy and turned it over to BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard,” Kennedy said, naming the three biggest institutional investors in the country.

The independent candidate insisted that he and Shanahan offer hope to millions of disillusioned American voters, unlike the Democrats and Republicans, who force citizens into choosing “the lesser evil.”

Read more
Donald Trump (R) and Joe Biden participate in a pre-election debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 22, 2020
Biden and Trump secure nominations

A profile of Shanahan shown during the event highlighted her humble origins, expertise in Silicon Valley, and acute interest in environmental issues.

She said that motherhood has brought her joy since her daughter from her former husband, Russian-American tech mogul Sergey Brin, was born in 2018. The two married the same year but divorced in 2023.

Shanahan explained her anguish after seeing early symptoms of an autistic spectrum condition in her daughter, while stressing that the reproductive health of women around the world is endangered by environmental pollutants.

Public records show that Shanahan has donated to the campaigns of both incumbent President Joe Biden and Kennedy, who is the nephew of former US leader John F. Kennedy, in the current election cycle.

She gave $4 million to a PAC that funded a 30-second ad for Kennedy shown during the Super Bowl in February, which invoked the legacy of his famous family. Shanahan was the creative force behind the ad, she told US media.

READ MORE: Putin brushes off Western election rebukes

Kennedy has identified ballot access as a major challenge for his team. The US has a notoriously prohibitive system that makes it hard for candidates without the backing of one major party or the other to be included in elections in all 50 states. Half of them require a designated nominee for vice president, before even allowing an independent contender to collect signatures.



---------- 47 ----------

Title: US ‘exposed’ itself over Moscow terror attack – Foreign Ministry

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/595005-us-bias-crocus-shooting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:59:58 +0000

Desc: Preview The US has shown considerable bias over the Crocus City Hall shooting, as it seeks to deny Ukrainian involvement, Moscow has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/595005-us-bias-crocus-shooting/

Content:

Washington’s reaction to the Crocus City shooting shows its bias as it seeks to cover up for Kiev, Maria Zakharova claims

The US is covering up for Ukraine by denying that Kiev was involved in the deadly shooting at the Crocus City Hall outside of Moscow last week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

On Friday evening, a group of gunmen armed with automatic weapons attacked the venue ahead of a rock concert, indiscriminately shooting at civilians and setting the building on fire. The terrorist attack, the worst in Russia’s history since the early 2000s, killed at least 140 people and injured almost 200. In the aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement detained several suspects, including four accused of carrying out the attack. 

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the latter – who he described as “radical Islamists” – were caught fleeing “towards Ukraine where, according to preliminary data, a window to cross the border was prepared.”

Meanwhile, the US, along with many of its allies, insists that Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists are solely to blame for the shooting, saying there is no indication that Kiev had anything to do with it. Ukraine has also vehemently denied any involvement.

Read more
Flowers at a makeshift memorial near the Crocus City Hall in memory of the victims of a terrorist attack on the concert venue near Moscow
US, UK and Ukraine could be behind Moscow terror attack – FSB chief

Commenting on the position of the West, Zakharova said in an interview with RIA Novosti on Wednesday that “they [Washington] have exposed themselves.”

“They started crying, not calling for an investigation, but covering up for Ukraine. Their bias and involvement in this issue is evident.”

She claimed that if Kiev had not actually been involved in the attack, Washington’s first reaction would have been to stress the need for an investigation.

Zakharova’s comments come after the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, suggested that not only Ukraine, but also the US and UK – Kiev’s main backers in its conflict with Moscow – may have been behind the shooting. He described the information on the matter as being general, but added that investigators already have “concrete results.”



---------- 48 ----------

Title: Ethiopians return $10mn disbursed in bank glitch

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/594988-ethiopia-recovers-money-disbursed-during-bank-glitch/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:08:59 +0000

Desc: Preview Ethiopia’s commercial bank says it has recouped 78% of money that clients illegally withdrew in a mid-March banking system flaw incident
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/594988-ethiopia-recovers-money-disbursed-during-bank-glitch/

Content:

Over 9,000 clients have given back the entire amount they were able to withdraw during a system malfunction on March 16

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has retrieved 622.9 million birr (over $10 million), accounting for 78% of the money it lost in a recent glitch that allowed customers to withdraw more funds than they had in their accounts, the institution’s president has announced.

Abe Sano told reporters on Tuesday that 238,293 “illegal” ATM transactions and digital transfers were made through 25,761 accounts when the East African nation’s largest bank experienced a system malfunction on March 16.

The bank has yet to determine what caused the system error. However, the National Bank of Ethiopia, which regulates the financial sector, has said that the “service disruption” at the CEB was caused by a routine system update and not a cyberattack.

An estimated 801.4 million birr (about $14 million) had been lost, according to the CBE’s head, who added that approximately 9,281 customers have fully returned what they took, while 5,160 reported partial refunds. The bank currently serves about 40 million customers and has been in operation for more than eight decades.

READ MORE: African country seeks to recover millions lost in banking glitch

Local media previously reported that nearly 2.4 billion birr ($42 million) had been withdrawn from the state-owned financial institution. CBE President Abe had also stated that half a million transactions were completed during the technical glitch, accusing university students of making the majority of the withdrawals.

Last week, Abe threatened to track down and prosecute clients who withdrew more than they had if they failed to return the money by the end of the week.

On Tuesday, he said the bank was taking measures to recover outstanding funds, including publishing the names of customers who have not refunded the amounts they cashed out. Abe warned that after Saturday, legal action would be taken against those clients.



---------- 49 ----------

Title: Russia and Namibia seeking to expand trade – Lavrov

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/594997-namibia-russia-lavrov-mushelenga-meeting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 11:39:48 +0000

Desc: Preview Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Namibian counterpart have agreed to expand trade and intensify political dialogue
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/594997-namibia-russia-lavrov-mushelenga-meeting/

Content:

Moscow and Windhoek also agreed a number of new investment projects, the Russian foreign minister said

Russia and Namibia are seeking to increase bilateral trade and investment in various economic sectors, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday after a meeting with his Namibian counterpart, Peya Mushelenga.  

During a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said the two countries intended to resume bilateral consultations on foreign policy and the economy.

“Unfortunately, bilateral trade is still very modest. We confirmed today our mutual interest in expanding trade and implementing investment projects,” he said.

The foreign minister highlighted potential areas for cooperation, such as joint ventures in exploring, extracting, and refining mineral resources like uranium and diamonds. He also mentioned the energy sector, agriculture, cultural exchange, tourism, fisheries, healthcare, and sports.

Namibia has become a leading supplier of oysters to Russia, with shipments amounting to 337 tons in 2023, according to data from the Russian Federal Fishery Agency (Rosrybolovstvo).

Read more
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shake hands during a joint news conference following their meeting in Moscow, Russia.
Russia and Nigeria strengthening ties – Lavrov

The Namibian foreign minister emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between the two countries, not only economically, but also politically. Namibia wants to resume political consultations between the two states. These will be organized alternately in Moscow and Windhoek, Mushelenga added.

The two ministers also discussed the possibility of broadening collaboration within the framework of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, Lavrov said. Namibia took part in the inaugural summit in Sochi in 2019, and the summit that was held in St. Petersburg last year. Lavrov said he expects Mushelenga to attend a meeting of foreign ministers in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in autumn.

The Russian diplomat also expressed gratitude to Mushelenga for the condolences extended by the government of the southern African country following Friday’s terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall near Moscow, which resulted in the deaths of at least 140 people. 

Lavrov also acknowledged Namibia’s “solidarity with a number of Russia’s initiatives in the UN, including the resolution on combating the glorification of Nazism, outer space and disarmament matters, and cyber security.”



---------- 50 ----------

Title: Ukraine adopts spending reforms amid corruption scandals

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594999-ukraine-procurement-embezzlement-corruption/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 11:34:17 +0000

Desc: Preview The logistics support unit will formulate long-term plans for the purchase of food, clothes, fuels and other equipment for the military
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594999-ukraine-procurement-embezzlement-corruption/

Content:

A new unit will set long-term plans for purchases of food, clothes, fuels, and other equipment for the military

Ukraine's Defense Ministry has announced the creation of a new logistics support planning department that will draw up long-term procurement plans for the military. The move comes after a number of high-ranking Ukrainian military officials have recently been arrested on suspicion of corruption and embezzlement. 

Deputy Defense Minister Vitaly Polovenko explained that the goal of the new unit is to reduce the number of emergency purchases for the Ukrainian military, which often result in the government overpaying for sub-par goods. 

According to a statement on the ministry’s website, the new procurement department will be responsible for monitoring the market, analyzing prices, and determining the approximate costs of things the army might need, such as food, clothing, fuels, lubricants, and other technical equipment. 

Final purchases, however, will now be made by the State Logistics Operator, according to the statement. 

Just one week before the announcement, Ukrainian authorities detained the former head of the military’s central food supply department on accusations of illegally receiving assets worth more than $1.5 million between 2022-2023, including a new car, an apartment in Kiev, and 53 land plots across the country.  

In late February, Ukraine also arrested former lawmaker Sergey Pashinsky and charged him with defrauding the government of about $25 million through a “convoluted fuel-buying scheme.” 

In January, two more Defense Ministry officials and the head of the company Lviv Arsenal were also accused of stealing $40 million that had been earmarked for the purchase of 100,000 mortar shells.  

Read more
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives at the U.S. Capitol to meet with Congressional leadership on December 12, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Corruption in Ukraine sparks outrage in US Congress – media

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov earlier noted that late last year his department identified other similar violations to the tune of more than $254.9 million and announced that new procurement rules would follow NATO standards. 

The recent string of high-level corruption scandals in Ukraine has become a point of concern for Kiev’s Western backers, primarily the US, where Republicans lawmakers have been pushing back against President Joe Biden’s efforts to provide a new $60 billion aid package to the country. 

“Just a few years ago, the only thing that we knew about Ukraine was that it was the most corrupt country that anyone had ever heard of… To even try to believe and hope that maybe the funding is being managed better now than it was previously is laughable,” argued Republican congressman Matt Rosendale from Montana.    

The former commander of Poland’s ground forces, General Waldemar Skrzypczak, also suggested in January that the Ukrainian military and political leaders don’t actually believe their country can win the conflict against Russia, which he believes is why they are stealing Western aid on a massive scale.



---------- 51 ----------

Title: US angry with Macron – Bloomberg

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594994-macron-us-officials-angry/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 11:29:39 +0000

Desc: Preview Some US officials are angry with Macron’s suggestion that NATO may send troops into Ukraine in the future, according to Bloomberg
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594994-macron-us-officials-angry/

Content:

The French president has forced NATO members to confirm their red lines on Ukraine with a remark about boots on the ground

Sources in the US government are angry with French President Emmanuel Macron, after his suggestion that preventing a Russian victory in the Ukraine conflict could require a NATO military force, Bloomberg has reported.

A senior US official has told the outlet that some in Washington believe Macron might trigger a clash with Moscow. The French leader’s justification for his statement has been criticized by allies behind closed doors, according to a report on Wednesday.

After hosting a pro-Kiev gathering in Paris in late February, Macron said that NATO members “cannot exclude anything,” including having boots on the ground, and predicted that a shift in favor of that option could come in the future. He later argued that the Russian government should be kept guessing about the extent of Western backing for Kiev. In internal NATO discussions, some people have argued that he achieved the opposite, Bloomberg was told.

Read more
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba
‘Day may come’ for EU troops in Ukraine – Kiev

Numerous Western leaders publicly ruled out sending troops after Macron’s comments, dispelling any ambiguity it may have been intended to create. US President Joe Biden was among those to do so, as was German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The French leader’s move may not have been smart from the standpoint of operational security, since some Western nations do already have a small number of troops in Ukraine, the outlet's sources claim. Their presence, however, is an open secret. Scholz has explained his refusal to send long-range missiles to Ukraine by saying that unlike the UK and France, Germany is not ready to send its personnel to help fire the weapons.

Moscow considers the Ukraine conflict part of a US-led proxy war with Russia. Western nations have acknowledged providing targeting information and assistance with planning Ukrainian military operations. The Russian leadership has dismissed the Western position that Kiev makes its own decisions on how to conduct hostilities. Ukraine is too dependent on foreign aid to act independently, Kremlin officials have said.



---------- 52 ----------

Title: Moscow concert hall death toll reaches 140

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594998-moscow-concert-hall-death-toll-140/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 11:16:05 +0000

Desc: Preview Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has announced the death of a victim of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594998-moscow-concert-hall-death-toll-140/

Content:

One of the people who survived last week’s terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall has succumbed to their injuries

A person seriously hurt in the terrorist attack near Moscow last Friday has died from their injuries, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has announced. Doctors did everything they could to save the patient’s life, he told journalists on Wednesday.

An earlier statement by the head of the Russian Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, put the death toll in the gun and arson attack at 139.

A group of terrorists, described as 'radical Islamist' by Russian President Vladimir Putin, stormed a large music venue just outside of Moscow on Friday. They went on a gun rampage, killing people on sight as they moved towards the building's main hall, eventually setting it on fire.

Russian officials have suggested that the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall may have been organized by Ukrainian special services who used the Islamists as proxies. The gunmen left the venue after about 15 minutes and rushed to a Russian region that borders Ukraine, where they were arrested on Saturday, following a manhunt.

READ MORE: Weapon of mass distraction: Is the West scapegoating Islamic State over Moscow attack?

Over a hundred survivors were taken to the hospital in the wake of the attack. As of Wednesday morning, 83 were listed by the health officials as undergoing treatment, and 40 have been released.



---------- 53 ----------

Title: Macron struggling to justify cash for Ukraine – Le Monde

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594987-macron-france-ukraine-aid/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:47:55 +0000

Desc: Preview French President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to help Kiev has turned into a “budgetary and political headache” for him, Le Monde has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594987-macron-france-ukraine-aid/

Content:

The French leader’s pledge to Kiev has turned into a “budgetary and political headache,” the newspaper has said

It is “extremely unclear” how France can fulfill promises by President Emmanuel Macron to supply more military aid to Ukraine, as the government in Paris is currently struggling with plans for spending cuts, Le Monde has reported.

French authorities are looking to save €10 billion ($10.8 billion) this year amid a budget deficit of €144.5 billion ($156 billion) and a 2024 growth forecast reduced to just 1%.

The French government said last month that the €10 billion cut could, among other things, be achieved by reducing the expenses of all its ministries and slicing public policies, including development aid and subsidies for building renovation.

In such circumstances, the pledge by Macron to provide €3 billion in support for Kiev this year to aid in the conflict with Russia – made when France and Ukraine signed a 10-year bilateral security pact in mid-February – has turned into a “budgetary and political headache” for his government, Le Monde reported on Tuesday.

Lawmakers from Macron’s ruling Renaissance party say they regularly face questions from voters who cannot understand how the government can provide billions to Ukraine while planning spending cuts at home, the paper said.

Read more
File photo: French President Emmanuel Macron
Macron believes Ukraine could fall soon – Politico

“People ask us why we’re giving €3 billion to Ukraine, it’s a lot of money,” Renaissance MP Mathieu Lefevre was quoted as saying.

Le Monde suggested that in order to fulfill their promise to Kiev, the authorities in Paris would have to “play with the paperwork,” such as including France’s €900 million contribution to the European Peace Facility, an EU fund to aid Ukraine, in the €3 billion sum.

Another option might be to increase the value of the equipment donated to the Ukrainian government.

The outlet added, however, that Macron’s cabinet would likely still be forced to make amendments to the finance bill (PLFR) in the summer, despite such a move being “politically inflammable.” It would require approval from the National Assembly, where opposition parties object to further funding for Kiev.

Despite the issues outlined by Le Monde, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated on Tuesday that Paris will soon be able to deliver 78 more Caesar howitzers to Kiev, while boosting the supply of shells to the country.

READ MORE: Russian MP warns French soldiers not to enter Ukraine

Moscow has repeatedly warned that deliveries of weapons to Kiev by the US, the EU, and their allies will not prevent Russia from achieving the goals of its military operation, and that they potentially increase the risk of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.



---------- 54 ----------

Title: US supply chains disrupted by Baltimore bridge collapse

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594980-baltimore-bridge-us-supply-chains/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:12:07 +0000

Desc: Preview The collapse of the US bridge will have a dramatic impact on the economy across the region, affecting global supply chains
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594980-baltimore-bridge-us-supply-chains/

Content:

One of the country’s major ports was brought to a halt due to the accident

The collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which has cut off ocean routes to the city’s major port, is expected to cause severe disruptions to local transport and logistics, producing ripple effects on global supply chains.

The four-lane bridge collapsed on Tuesday after being hit by the Singapore-registered container ship Dali, operated by Danish shipping giant Maersk. As a result of the accident, a large section of the 1.6-mile (2.6km) bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River, with multiple vehicles falling nearly 55 meters into the water.

Built in the 1970s, the Francis Scott Key Bridge spans the Patapsco River, and is the only passage connecting the US’ ninth-biggest foreign trading port to the ocean. The Port of Baltimore is the country’s busiest maritime terminal for exports of vehicles.

According to Maryland Governor Wes Moore, no other port in the country brings in more vehicles than Baltimore, with up to 850,000 cars and light trucks going in and out of its terminals annually. Parts used in vehicle assembly also pass through the port or across the bridge.

Read more
RT
US bridge collapses after being hit by ship (VIDEO)

The major hub for East Coast shipping also handles significant volumes of coal. During the second quarter of 2023, the port’s facilities had the second-highest coal export capacities, data tracked by S&P Global shows.

Ten ships are reportedly stuck inside the port, unable to leave as the collapsed bridge spanned the only way in and out of the harbor. Another 30 small cargo vessels, tug boats, and other craft are also trapped in the port. Nearly 40 ships heading for Baltimore were forced to divert.

Commenting on the tragedy, US President Joe Biden said the bridge is vital to the economy, citing concerns about traffic and jobs connected to the port. He noted that the port supports around 15,000 jobs and that over 30,000 vehicles used the bridge each day.

Officials closed the port to ship traffic following the incident. Rescue efforts are underway as the authorities search for six people who are still missing.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section



---------- 55 ----------

Title: ‘Difficult days ahead for Serbia’ – Vucic

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594995-vucic-serbia-difficult-days/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:10:32 +0000

Desc: Preview Aleksandar Vucic has said Serbia is facing several difficult days as Kosovo pushes for deeper integration with the West
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594995-vucic-serbia-difficult-days/

Content:

The country’s president is expected to meet Western diplomats to discuss Kosovo’s bid to join the Council of Europe

Serbia is facing several extremely difficult days, President Aleksandar Vucic has said, adding that the country’s national interests are at stake. The Balkan nation has consistently opposed efforts by its breakaway province of Kosovo to join international bodies, but the region has recently made headway in this respect.

The Serbian leader posted a cryptic message on Instagram on Wednesday, warning that “difficult days are ahead for Serbia,” and that “at this moment, it is not easy to say what kind of news we have received in the last 48 hours.”

The developments “directly threaten the vital national interests of both Serbia and [Republika] Srpska,” Vucic noted, without providing further details, saying only that he would introduce his fellow citizens to the challenges ahead in the coming days. 

Republika Srpska is a partially autonomous Serb-dominated region within Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic give a joint press conference following their talks in Sochi in 2019.
Putin would’ve prevented NATO bombing of Yugoslavia – Serbia’s president

“It will be hard… We will fight, Serbia will win,” Vucic added.

While it’s unclear what Vucic was referring to, he is poised to meet with senior diplomats from the US, UK, Germany, France and Italy on Wednesday, according to Pink.rs website. The agenda for the meeting is expected to revolve around Kosovo’s application to join the Council of Europe, an international human rights watchdog.

According to Pink, Vucic “will not miss the opportunity to repeat… that it was a perfidious move that also has symbolic weight since it was made on the very day that was written in black letters in the collective memory of Serbs.”

The outlet was referring to the 25th anniversary of the start of NATO’s bombing campaign against the former Yugoslavia over what the bloc called “disproportionate use of force” against an ethnic Albanian insurgency in Kosovo.

Also up for discussion will reportedly be the decision of the Permanent Commission of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to elevate the breakaway region of Kosovo to the status of associate member. A final decision on the matter is expected in late May.

Meanwhile, Radio Sarajevo has suggested that the Serbian president was reacting to the decision of the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, to change the country’s election law. The Office of the High Representative is an international organization that oversees the 1995 Dayton Agreement, which put an end to a bloody war in the Balkan nation.

Schmidt said on Tuesday that he would use his authority to introduce digital voting reforms as part of a pilot project in the country.

The move was met with pushback from Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, who said Schmidt had nothing to do with the electoral process, adding that it “belongs to the people living in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”



---------- 56 ----------

Title: India backs Philippines in dispute with China

Link: https://www.rt.com/india/594993-india-backs-philippines-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:43:43 +0000

Desc: Preview The Indian foreign minister has said the Philippines has the right to uphold “national sovereignty” in its territorial dispute with China
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/india/594993-india-backs-philippines-china/

Content:

New Delhi has drawn a strong response from Beijing after reiterating its support for Manila in a territorial dispute

India has “firmly reiterated” its support for the Philippines and its “national sovereignty,” as Manila remains locked in a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. Tensions have further increased amid a pivot by the Philippines back towards the US.  

Speaking on Tuesday alongside Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo after bilateral talks in Manila, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stated “it is essential” that nations such as theirs “cooperate more closely to shape the emerging order.” “Every country has the right to uphold and enforce its national sovereignty,” the Indian diplomat added.  

Responding to Jaishankar’s remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian declared that “any third party is not in a position to interfere” in the maritime dispute between Beijing and Manila.  

Tensions have been running high in the South China Sea since Manila allowed the US greater access to four more military bases in 2023, as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) signed in 2014. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing off rival claims from other countries, including the Philippines.  

Read more
FILE PHOTO: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting, in Chennai on March 4, 2024.
Challenging the hegemon: The Ukraine crisis is a catalyst for India’s rise

Last week, Manila summoned Beijing’s envoy after accusing Chinese vessels of damaging a Philippines supply ship and injuring a crew close to a disputed shoal. 

Jaishankar’s comments also come in the wake of New Delhi’s own border tensions with Beijing over India’s Arunachal Pradesh state. China also claims the area, which it calls 'Zangnan’.

Earlier this month, Beijing criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region. During his visit, Modi inaugurated a tunnel that could hasten a military deployment to forward areas near the contested border with China. Reacting to Chinese comments, the Indian Foreign Ministry called Beijing’s claims over the region “absurd” and insisted that “repeating baseless arguments… does not lend such claims any validity.”  

READ MORE: India rejects ‘absurd’ Chinese claims on disputed region

Meanwhile, the US has sought to weigh in, stating that it recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as part of India and “strongly opposes” China’s “unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims.” Beijing responded by accusing Washington of interference.

 “China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin said at a press conference in Beijing last week. “The China-India boundary question is a matter between the two countries and has nothing to do with the US side.”

Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! ‎Follow and share RT India in English and in Hindi 



---------- 57 ----------

Title: African leader holds defense talks with Putin despite US concerns

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/594986-niger-russia-discuss-defense-cooperation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:07:13 +0000

Desc: Preview Nigerien military ruler Abdourahamane Tchiani has spoken to Vladimir Putin about stabilizing security in the Sahel region
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/594986-niger-russia-discuss-defense-cooperation/

Content:

Nigerien military ruler Abdourahamane Tchiani has spoken to the Russian president about security in the Sahel, the Kremlin says

Niger’s transitional leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, and Russian President Vladimir Putin have committed to coordinating efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel region, where Western military partners have suffered setbacks in recent years

According to the Kremlin, the issue was discussed on Tuesday when the West African nation’s military ruler spoke to Putin by phone to express solidarity with Moscow following last Friday’s terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which killed 139 people.

“In discussing the bilateral agenda, the leaders expressed determination to step up political dialogue and develop mutually beneficial cooperation in various spheres,” it stated.

The talks between Putin and Tchiani took place despite the US warning Nigerien authorities against establishing relations with Russia and Iran.

Moscow and Niamey had previously agreed to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and work together to stabilize security in the Sahel region, which has experienced decade-long extremist violence. Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine has stated that Niamey’s authorities will only cooperate with partners who respect their sovereignty.

Niamey’s new leadership, which took power after the ouster of pro-Western President Mohamed Bazoum in July, revoked an agreement with the US on March 16 that had allowed some 1,000 American troops and civilian contractors to operate in the landlocked nation.

Colonel Amadou Abdramane, a military government spokesman, accused a US delegation, which was in Niamey to negotiate the renewal of the security pact, of attempting to “deny” Niger the right to choose its own partners and “types of partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism.”

The Pentagon has denied the allegations, with Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh claiming that the US team had only expressed concerns about the coup leader’s ties with Moscow and Tehran.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Ibrahim Yacoubou, Niger's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration and Nigeriens Abroad, at a news conference following talks, at the Foreign Ministry Reception House.
US warns African nation against ties with Russia and Iran

Since taking power last year, the military government has taken measures to sever ties with Niamey’s former partners, citing their failure to quell jihadist violence in the Sahel, which had been the goal of their engagement.

France completed the withdrawal of its troops from Niger in December after Niamey’s military rulers ordered them to leave, accusing the former colonial power of internal meddling.

Washington has, however, ruled out disengagement from the former French colony. Last Thursday, Celeste Wallander, the Pentagon’s assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told Congress that the US was seeking clarification from Niger’s government about the cancellation of the defense agreement and was working to find a way for American troops to remain in the country.



---------- 58 ----------

Title: Biden calls Putin ‘a butcher’

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594985-biden-calls-putin-butcher/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:26:53 +0000

Desc: Preview Joe Biden has called Vladimir Putin a “butcher” over the Ukraine conflict
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594985-biden-calls-putin-butcher/

Content:

The Kremlin has previously said Americans should be ashamed of a president who indulges in such remarks

US President Joe Biden has disparaged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for the second time in two months, publicly calling him a “butcher” in connection with the Ukraine conflict.

Biden made the jab while speaking at a campaign event in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday. He also advocated raising the average federal tax for America’s wealthiest from 8.2% to 25%, arguing that this would allow Washington to raise $400 billion over the next ten years.

“Imagine what we could do with that. We could fundamentally slash the federal deficit…  We could do so many things – consequential – including finally making sure that we take care of Ukraine from that butcher Putin,” he said.

Biden also lashed out at the Russian president in late February, calling him a “crazy S.O.B.” He mentioned Putin while saying that the West must be wary of a nuclear conflict, but should pay even more attention to the danger posed by climate change.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Putin responds to Biden’s ‘crazy S.O.B.’ insult

At the time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that Americans should be ashamed of a leader who indulged in such comments. “If the president of that nation uses that kind of language, that is shameful,” he said, adding that Biden may have been trying to emulate a “Hollywood cowboy” to appeal to domestic audiences.

Responding to the “S.O.B.” remarks, Putin stood by his previously expressed opinion that Moscow would be better off with Biden in the White House, adding that the US President’s words only prove his point. “It’s not like he could say ‘Good job… thank you for the helping hand’. We understand what is going on there, in terms of internal politics,” he explained.

This is not the first time that Biden has labeled Putin a “butcher.” The first instance dates back to March 2022, several weeks after the start of the Ukraine conflict. Peskov suggested that such offensive comments “narrow down the window for bilateral relations” at a time when Russia-US ties have sunk to a historic low.

In 2021, Biden also called Putin “a killer.” The Russian president retorted, “It takes one to know one,” following that remark.



---------- 59 ----------

Title: WATCH tractor spray manure at police in Brussels (VIDEO)

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594979-eu-farmers-spraying-manure-brussels/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:15:28 +0000

Desc: Preview Farmers protesting “unfair” measures have sprayed manure at police in Brussels ahead of an EU agriculture ministers meeting
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594979-eu-farmers-spraying-manure-brussels/

Content:

Farmers sealed off streets outside the EU headquarters in protest at the bloc’s agriculture policies, according to local media

Belgian farmers sprayed manure at police, threw projectiles, and set hay on fire as hundreds of tractors took to the streets of Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of EU agriculture ministers.   

Dozens of tractors broke barricades and blocked streets close to the EU headquarters. They are protesting excessive administrative barriers, increased environmental measures, and a flood of duty-free imports from Ukraine.  

“Let us make a living from our profession,” read one billboard on a tractor blocking a main road littered with potatoes, eggs, manure, and straw.  

The demonstration coincided with a meeting of European agriculture ministers, who arrived in Brussels to discuss responses to the crisis in the agricultural sector.  

Farmers sprayed manure at police, who responded by using water cannon and tear gas. One video showed a tractor spraying a brown substance as police blasted it with a water cannon. Other footage showed protesters launching projectiles at officers.   

A farmer uses his tractor to dump manure and hay, March 26, 2024. © APTN / Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Tensions reportedly flared as campaigners moved on to the central Rue de la Loi, where tractors unloaded beetroots and wooden pallets in front of a police blockade, bombarding officers with straw, eggs, manure, and fireworks. Two officers were injured in clashes with protesters, the Brussels Times reported.  

Police patrol from behind a barrier as farmers protest during a demonstration outside the European Council building in Brussels, March 26, 2024. © APTN / Virginia Mayo

Farmers across Europe have been protesting for several months in response to strict EU policies and environmental regulations, including cuts in subsidies. They argue that Brussels’ plans will potentially put them out of business.   

A protestor walks by a fire burning in a stairwell near the metro station, March 26, 2024. © APTN / Harry Nakos

Demonstrators are calling for changes to restrictions imposed by the bloc’s so-called Green Deal, and for a halt to cheap agricultural imports from outside the bloc, primarily Ukraine, which have flooded EU markets.  

Protesting farmers dump a load of potatoes onto a main boulevard, March 26, 2024. © APTN / Harry Nakos

With protests taking place from Finland to Greece, Poland, and Ireland, farmers have already won some concessions, including a loosening of controls on farms and a weakening of pesticide and environmental rules, according to the AP.  

Earlier this month, EU lawmakers agreed to suspend import duties and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural food imports to the bloc until June 2025.



---------- 60 ----------

Title: Ukrainian NGO calls for Milka chocolate boycott in Germany

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594981-milka-chocolate-ban-germany/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:07:55 +0000

Desc: Preview The Ukrainian pressure group Vitsche is demanding that German retailers ban Mondelez brands from their shelves
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594981-milka-chocolate-ban-germany/

Content:

Attacks on companies that do business in Russia continue despite Kiev shutting down its list of ‘international war sponsors’

A Ukrainian group in Germany is pressuring retailers in the country to remove Milka chocolate from their shelves because its international producer continues to do business in Russia.

Kiev and NGOs supporting its cause had tried to shame foreign companies into cutting ties with Moscow through a list of ‘international sponsors of war’. The Ukrainian government shut it down last week, saying it was having a negative impact on support.

American multinational food giant Mondelez, which Ukraine blacklisted last May, was targeted on Monday by Vitsche, a Berlin-based Ukrainian pressure group. It called on retailers Rewe and Edeka to boycott its products, particularly Milka brand chocolate. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), it said, “morals should have a place in business.”

Read more
RT
‘Investors don’t morally care’ – CEO explains why Oreo’s remain in Russia

According to the news outlet RND, which reviewed a letter that Vitsche sent to German retailers, the Ukrainian group was reacting to remarks made by Mondelez International CEO Dirk Van de Put in an interview last month. The CEO said the company’s investors do not appear to have moral qualms about staying in Russia.

”If you have an important Russian business, the hit on the company would be huge, and that becomes a different discussion,” he told the Financial Times.

Like many other Western companies, Mondelez publicly condemned Moscow for its role in the Ukraine conflict, but declined to pull out of Russia.

Mondelez has advertised Milka as making Easter “more tender,” so the letter was also connected to the holiday celebrated by Catholics this weekend. The Ukrainian activists are also planning a rally on Saturday against what they call “false pacifism.”

READ MORE: Russian diamond sanctions creating ‘mayhem’ in EU – The Times

Vitsche is aligned with Kiev’s official messaging on many issues. Both the Ukrainian envoy in Berlin and the NGO have slammed a proposal in Germany to treat as refugees Russians who fled their home country in 2022 after Moscow announced a partial military mobilization.



---------- 61 ----------

Title: Moscow slams ‘mother of all fakes’

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594972-moscow-slams-bloomberg-fakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:19:36 +0000

Desc: Preview Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed an article by Bloomberg on Crocus City Hall attack speculation
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594972-moscow-slams-bloomberg-fakes/

Content:

The Foreign Ministry has dismissed a Bloomberg article claiming the Kremlin sees no Ukraine link to the recent terrorist attack

A recent Bloomberg article claiming that some people in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s own inner circle do not believe Ukraine was involved in the terrorist attack at the Crocus City concert hall is the “mother of all fakes,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

On the evening of March 22, a group of armed gunmen attacked the Crocus City Hall venue outside Moscow. Over 130 people died and another 200 were injured.

The news agency wrote on Tuesday that “there’s no evidence of involvement by Ukraine, according to four people with close ties to the Kremlin.”

It claimed that Putin was present at discussions “where officials agreed” that there is no link to Kiev, but “remains determined to use the tragedy to try to rally Russians behind the war in Ukraine.” Bloomberg cited “one person with knowledge of the situation, asking not to be identified” as their source.

Zakharova blasted the report, writing on Telegram on Tuesday: “A masterpiece of news. Just the mother of all fakes.”

Read more
Flowers at a makeshift memorial near the Crocus City Hall in memory of the victims of a terrorist attack on the concert venue near Moscow
US, UK and Ukraine could be behind Moscow terror attack – FSB chief

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev and the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, had commented that Ukraine may have been involved in the attack. Bortnikov also pointed to the potential role of the US and UK.

A group calling itself Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) has taken responsibility for the massacre. The US and EU insist that no one else could be to blame, denying that Ukraine had anything to do with the act of terrorism. Over the weekend, the Russian authorities arrested several suspects, including four directly involved in the attack.

The latter, all of whom are nationals of Tajikistan, attempted to escape by car. The FSB head said it is currently believed that they were expected in Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian side may have been preparing to open a “window” to allow them to cross the border.



---------- 62 ----------

Title: Invest in India to become rich – US financial guru

Link: https://www.rt.com/india/594973-invest-in-india-to-become/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:58:13 +0000

Desc: Preview Legendary US investor Jim Rogers makes U-turn on India, says the economy is in a sweet spot
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/india/594973-invest-in-india-to-become/

Content:

Legendary hedge fund manager Jim Rogers believes the South Asian nation’s economy is in a sweet spot

Veteran US investor Jim Rogers, who was previously known as an India skeptic, has made a surprising U-turn, hailing the country’s growth and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s economic policies.

“I would suggest people look at Indian equities if they want to be really rich because there are lots of really smart Indians all over the world,” Rogers said in an interview with the Business Today magazine. “If you can find some of those smart Indians you are going to make a lot of money and be very rich.”

Rogers also suggested that if Modi “opens the [Indian] currency and he opens the market,” China, the largest economy in Asia, will have to “watch out for the new India.”

Last week, speaking at a conclave held by the India Today group, Rogers said India is in a “sweet spot” and has the potential to be “even better in the future.” 

“For the first time in my life, I am beginning to think that they [the Indian government] are getting it right,” he added.

Rogers’ comments are significant as he sold his holdings in Indian companies in 2015, claiming “there was nothing new coming from Modi.” In an interview with financial daily Mint at the time, he expressed disillusionment with the pace of the Modi government’s reforms, saying “one can’t just invest on hope.”

Read more
A man looks towards high rise buildings in Mumbai. High-rise buildings dominate the construction landscape, constituting approximately 77% of the Mumbai skyline.
Asia’s new billionaire capital revealed

His recent remarks come against the backdrop of the IMF describing India as the “fastest growing economy in the world.” The country’s GDP grew 8.4% from October to December 2023, representing the fastest pace in six quarters.

After the numbers came in, the Indian government raised its GDP growth outlook for fiscal year 2023-24 from 7.3% to 7.6%. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its latest bulletin, forecast that India will be able to sustain 8% annual GDP growth. The country is poised to become the third-largest economy in the world within the next three years.

Raghuram Rajan, the former head of the RBI, has cautioned that the greatest mistake India can make is to “believe the hype” regarding its growth. “We’ve got many more years of hard work to do to ensure the hype is real,” he told Bloomberg in a recent interview, adding that education and upskilling of the workforce remain areas of concern.

Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! ‎Follow and share RT India in English and in Hindi 



---------- 63 ----------

Title: Talk of new mobilization ‘complete stupidity’ – Shoigu

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594971-shoigu-new-mobilization-complete-stupidity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 01:48:00 +0000

Desc: Preview Russia does not need to announce another wave of mobilization to fulfill its goals in Ukraine, according to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594971-shoigu-new-mobilization-complete-stupidity/

Content:

Moscow has enough troops to fulfill its goals, the Defense Minister has said

Russia does not need to announce another wave of mobilization to strengthen its army ranks, even if it decides to establish a buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories to prevent Ukraine from launching strikes on civilians, according to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested earlier this month that Moscow could be forced to create “a cordon sanitaire in Ukraine, to ensure the safety of Russian regions that often face deadly and indiscriminate artillery and drone attacks.

When asked on Tuesday if a new mobilization would be needed to fulfill such goal, Shoigu dismissed the suggestion as “complete stupidity.”

Moscow conducted a partial military call-up in September 2022. Shoigu explained at the time that additional troops were needed to “stabilize the situation, protect new territories” and hold the front line, which stretched more than 1,000km. Since then, Russian officials have repeatedly dismissed claims of a looming new mobilization, fueled by increasingly aggressive draft practices in Ukraine.

Read more
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.
Russia estimates 2023 Ukrainian military losses

Russian authorities have instead launched a large-scale recruitment campaign, encouraging people to enlist, with some 490,000 people signing agreements with the military or joining volunteer units in 2023 alone. President Putin said in December that around 1,500 people voluntarily join the military on a daily basis across the country.

“All recruitment plans for the army and the navy this year have been fulfilled,” Shoigu said in December, adding that the overall size of the Russian armed forces stood at 1.15 million service personnel. The size of the country’s military will increase to 1.5 million in 2024, which will include up to 745,000 contract troops.

In the meantime, authorities in Kiev have been looking for various ways to boost their draft numbers, amid reports of general unwillingness among Ukrainians to join the fight against Russia and a shortage of volunteers.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian General Aleksandr Pavlyuk (C) stands as President Vladimir Zelensky (R) takes a report from a senior marines commander.
Ukrainian general condemns sympathy for dead draft dodgers

In January, Ukrainian media reported that fighting-age males were to be denied healthcare unless they reported for the draft. In February, a Ukrainian lawmaker suggested barring draft dodgers and their children from the nation’s universities. There were also numerous videos circulating on Ukrainian social media which show the military using violence against men as they are being drafted. 

The Russian military estimated Ukrainian combat losses at over 444,000 as of the end of February. Earlier the same month, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in action, deviating from Kiev’s usual policy not to report casualties. Western media pointed out that the figure was far lower than US estimates revealed in a series of leaks from the Pentagon last year.



---------- 64 ----------

Title: Kremlin reveals conditions for talks with US

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594970-moscow-washington-comprehensive-discussions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:23:45 +0000

Desc: Preview Russia will agree only to a comprehensive discussion of all issues of concern with the United States, according to Dmitry Peskov
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594970-moscow-washington-comprehensive-discussions/

Content:

Moscow has said it is ready for dialogue with Washington, but only if discussions are comprehensive

Russia remains open to negotiations with the US, but will agree only to a comprehensive discussion on all issues of concern, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Russia’s ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, stated on Tuesday that the diplomatic mission had only had “transitory” contacts with the US administration since the terrorist attack in Moscow on Friday, but next week will discuss “bilateral relations, about how we can live on, and if there is any chance at all for Russian-American relations not to be completely destroyed.”

Moscow has enough “political will” for talks with Washington, but is “in favor of a comprehensive discussion of all issues,” Peskov clarified later in the day.

“[President Vladimir Putin] has repeatedly said that we are open to a dialogue, that we believe it is necessary to discuss all issues comprehensively. You cannot take some issues out of the general context that now dominates our bilateral relations,” Peskov added.

Russia was trying to determine whether there was any sense in even talking to the US under the present circumstances, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in November 2023.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: The Kremlin in Moscow.
Talks with US unlikely – Moscow

Washington severed almost all relations with Moscow in February 2022, citing the Ukraine conflict. In August that year, Ambassador Antonov said that “only crumbs” remained, mentioning a deconfliction hotline in Syria, space exploration, and some work on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Since then, however, Russia has suspended its participation in the New START nuclear arms control treaty, pointing to US statements about inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Moscow by arming and funding Ukraine. 

Peskov said last month that Russia has seen no “political will” from Washington to engage in meaningful talks with Moscow.



---------- 65 ----------

Title: Hamas demands delusional – Israel

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594969-israel-hamas-delusional-demands/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 23:52:17 +0000

Desc: Preview The United Nations Security Council has emboldened the Palestinian militants to make unacceptable demands, according to Israel
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594969-israel-hamas-delusional-demands/

Content:

West Jerusalem has vowed to achieve its “just war objectives” in Gaza

The United Nations Security Council has emboldened Palestinian militants to make unacceptable demands, jeopardizing the prospects of a hostage release deal and Gaza ceasefire, Israel claimed on Tuesday.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of demonstrating “utter disinterest in a negotiated deal,” after a UNSC resolution on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and unconditional release of the remaining Israeli hostages being held by the Palestinian militant group.

According to Israel, Hamas demanded an “immediate halt to the war, the complete withdrawal of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] from the Gaza Strip and leaving in place its administration.”

“Israel will not address Hamas’s delusional demands. Israel will pursue and achieve its just war objectives: Destroying Hamas’s military and governmental capacities, release of all the hostages, and ensuring Gaza will not pose a threat to the people of Israel in the future,” Netanyahu’s office said.

Read more
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield votes to abstain as the UNSC passes a Gaza ceasefire resolution, March 25, 2024.
White House believes Netanyahu deliberately ‘provoking’ US – Axios

Israel has been waging a relentless air and ground campaign against Gaza for more than five months, following Hamas’ surprise attack on the Jewish state on October 7, which saw 1,100 people killed and 250 taken hostage. Israeli forces have since killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the latest figures from the Gaza Health Ministry.

The two sides have been engaged in indirect talks in Qatar, discussing a potential temporary truce during which some 40 Israeli hostages would be released in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. While Israel suggested the UN resolution jeopardized the negotiations, the Qatari Foreign Ministry insisted on Tuesday that it had no “immediate effect on the talks, they are ongoing as they were before.”

Read more
Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event in Rome, Georgia, March 9, 2024
Trump tells Israel it made ‘big mistake’

After the US refused to use its veto powers at the UNSC, Israel accused Washington of retreating from its “consistent position” and canceled a high-level visit to America. The White House said it was “perplexed” by Netanyahu’s reaction, while some officials told Axios that the Israeli leader could be manufacturing an artificial crisis to garner support for a planned military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Netanyahu has maintained for months that the remaining Hamas strongholds must be completely “eliminated.” However, with more than a million Palestinians driven into Rafah by Israeli attacks on other parts of the enclave, an assault on the city “could lead to a slaughter” of civilians, the UN has warned.



---------- 66 ----------

Title: Kremlin slams ‘scum’ gloating over Moscow terrorist attack

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594968-scum-gloating-moscow-terror-attack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 22:18:19 +0000

Desc: Preview Anyone who rejoices in the Crocus City Hall massacre is scum, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has told reporters
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594968-scum-gloating-moscow-terror-attack/

Content:

Some Ukraine cheerleaders have suggested that the Russians had it coming

Anyone who rejoices at the terrorist massacre at Crocus City Hall is nothing but scum, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on Tuesday.

Peskov was asked to comment on the remarks by Aleksey Arestovich, a former top adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who appeared to suggest that Kiev might have been behind the attack and that Russia had it coming, before backtracking.

“As for those who gloat about the terrible tragedy that we have experienced, they are scum,” Peskov said. “We can’t call them otherwise, whether they clarified it later or not.”

Four gunmen attacked the Crocus City Hall concert hall outside Moscow on Friday, randomly shooting people who happened to be there and setting fire to the venue. Over 130 people died and another 200 were injured, many seriously.

Commenting on the massacre in a YouTube video, Arestovich claimed that Russia was trying to win sympathy in the West, but “they kill here in a day as many as we killed – not us, but someone killed – there, in this act of terrorism.”

Read more
A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial near the Crocus City Hall in memory of the victims of a terrorist attack on the concert venue near Moscow on March 22, Russia.
‘The Moscow terror attack was an inside job!’ The strange and twisted world of the West’s political and media Russia haters

Many other figures, including Western politicians and Ukraine cheerleaders on social media, have suggested that Russia either had it coming or staged the entire thing as a “false flag” to somehow justify its actions against Kiev.

Peskov noted that the investigation is still ongoing and that the authorities will officially comment only when it is concluded.

“Although I recommend that you very carefully reread President Putin’s statements that he made over the last two days. In this context, they are very important,” he added.

Read more
Flowers and toys are seen left by the burnt-out Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, on March 25, 2024.
Weapon of mass distraction: Is the West scapegoating Islamic State over Moscow attack?

On Monday evening, Putin said the attack could be the latest in a series of attempts by “those who have been fighting our country since 2014, using the neo-Nazi Kiev regime as their hand,” implicating not just Ukraine, but its Western backers as well.

A group calling itself Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) has taken responsibility for the Crocus City Hall massacre. The US and EU have insisted that no one else could be to blame, denying that Ukraine had anything to do with the act of terrorism.

Over the weekend, the Russian authorities arrested four suspects in the terrorist attack – all of them nationals of Tajikistan – as they attempted to escape by car into Ukraine.



---------- 67 ----------

Title: French MPs observe moment of silence for Moscow terror victims

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594967-french-minute-silence-terror-victims/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:31:47 +0000

Desc: Preview French MPs expressed solidarity with the Russian people in the wake of the Moscow terrorist attack
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594967-french-minute-silence-terror-victims/

Content:

Paris has always “fought against Islamist terrorism,” National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet has said

The French National Assembly observed a moment of silence before its session on Tuesday, paying tribute to the victims of last Friday’s deadly terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue outside of Moscow. The assault claimed the lives of 139 people and left more than 180 injured.

“France has always condemned such acts and fought against Islamist terrorism. Wherever it strikes, whatever the pretext, it must be fought,” the assembly’s president, Yael Braun-Pivet, told MPs.

“Eight and a half years after the Bataclan attack, Islamist terrorism has once again cowardly struck the audience of a concert hall,” she added, referring to a series of terrorist acts committed by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) extremists in Paris in 2015. The group carried out a mass shooting and took hostages at a rock concert in the Bataclan theater, killing 90 people. The assault was one of three coordinated attacks that claimed a total of 130 lives combined and left more than 400 people injured.

An IS-offshoot known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the Moscow attack. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed “radical Islamists” for the attack, but said it still needs to be established who gave the order.

Read more
A police officer in Paris on February 3, 2017.
France raises terrorism threat level

Pressed on who may be responsible, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, said on Tuesday it could have been the US, UK, and Ukraine.

France’s moment of silence was held in memory of the Moscow terrorist attack victims and in “solidarity with their loved ones,” Braun-Pivet said. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said later on Tuesday that the Russian people should “never be confused with their leaders,” also expressing “solidarity” with them over the terrorist attack.

Relations between Moscow and Paris have been particularly sour in recent weeks, after President Emmanuel Macron commented that the West should not rule out sending NATO troops to Ukraine at some point in the future amid the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.

His words alarmed even some of Paris’ NATO allies, who rushed to deny having such plans. Moscow warned in response that the move would bring the world to the brink of war. Putin also warned against escalation earlier in March, saying that a direct clash between NATO and Russia would be “one step shy of a full-scale World War III.”



---------- 68 ----------

Title: Putin calls for ‘humanism and mercy’ after Moscow terror attack

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594962-putin-humanism-mercy-terrorism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:23:11 +0000

Desc: Preview The Russian president has praised the values of “creativity, humanism and mercy” in coping with the aftermath of terrorism
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594962-putin-humanism-mercy-terrorism/

Content:

Some Russian lawmakers have called for reinstating the death penalty

Creativity, humanism and mercy are of special importance in the aftermath of the Crocus City Hall massacre, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday. His comments came as lawmakers in Moscow debated reinstating the death penalty for terrorists.

Speaking at a Kremlin ceremony honoring young artists and educators, the Russian president addressed last Friday’s terrorist attack at the Moscow concert venue, in which over 130 people died and scores more were seriously injured.

“It is extremely important for us now, when we’re dealing with what happened last Friday, to rely on these values of creativity, humanism and mercy,” Putin said. “They unite us in supporting all victims, in our determination to stay strong and together.”

Artists and educators have a special role in preserving and promoting those values, by influencing the mood of the public and shaping the future of the nation, the Russian president added.

Read more
RT
Kremlin comments on calls for death penalty after terrorist attack

Putin’s remarks have been widely interpreted as a signal to lawmakers and the public to tone down the calls for administering the death penalty to the suspects caught trying to flee into Ukraine after the Crocus City bloodbath.

State Duma deputy Sergey Mironov has proposed organizing a referendum on reinstating capital punishment. He also called for imposing a visa regime for Central Asian countries, as most of the suspected terrorists came from Tajikistan. Mironov leads the party “A Just Russia - For Truth,” which has 28 seats in the 450-member legislature. His capital punishment proposal was backed by Liberal Democrat (LDPR) leader Leonid Slutsky.

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin rejected the referendum idea, however, arguing that reinstating the death penalty was a simple matter for the Constitutional Court.

“In our Constitution and in criminal legislation, no one has abolished the death penalty,” Volodin said on Tuesday. “There is only a decision of the Constitutional Court, which postponed the imposition of such a sentence, so no referendums are needed,” he added.

Read more
Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president
‘Kill them all’ – Medvedev enraged by Moscow terror attack

The court suspended the death penalty in 1999, arguing that it was unfair without a jury trial and that not all regions of the country had those. A deputy from the ruling United Russia party, Mikhail Sheremet, announced on Tuesday that he would petition the court anew about the issue.

Judge Valery Zorkin, who chairs the Constitutional Court, has argued that the constitutionally guaranteed right to life means “the right not to be sentenced to death,” so reinstating capital punishment would require changing the constitution itself.



---------- 69 ----------

Title: Trump tells Israel it made ‘big mistake’

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594966-trump-finish-war-israel/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 20:32:36 +0000

Desc: Preview Images of bombed buildings have turned the world against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war, Donald Trump has declared
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594966-trump-finish-war-israel/

Content:

Images of bombed buildings have turned the world against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war, the ex-president has declared

Former US President Donald Trump has warned that Israel is “losing a lot of support” and must “finish up” its war in Gaza before its reputation declines any further. The comments represented a rare moment of criticism of the Jewish state by Trump.

In an interview with Israel Hayom partially published on Monday, Trump said that he would have acted “very much the same way as you did” if the US was attacked like Israel was by Hamas in October. “Only a fool would not do that,” Trump added.

However, Trump called Israel’s wholesale destruction of civilian homes in Gaza “a very big mistake.”

“It’s a very bad picture for the world. The world is seeing this…every night, I would watch buildings pour down on people,” Trump continued.

“Go and do what you have to do. But you don’t do that,” he told the Israeli newspaper. “And I think that’s one of the reasons that there has been a lot of kickback. If people didn’t see that, every single night I’d watch and every single one of those... And I think Israel wanted to show that it’s tough, but sometimes you shouldn’t be doing that.”

Read more
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield votes to abstain as the UNSC passes a Gaza ceasefire resolution, March 25, 2024.
White House believes Netanyahu deliberately ‘provoking’ US – Axios

Trump was a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his term in the White House, and described himself as “history’s most pro-Israel US president.” He imposed sanctions on Iran at Netanyahu’s request, moved the US embassy in Israel to West Jerusalem, and brokered the Abraham Accords, which saw Israel normalize relations with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan.

However, this relationship soured after Netanyahu congratulated US President Joe Biden on his electoral victory over Trump in 2020. Speaking to Fox News in October, Trump claimed that Netanyahu was “not prepared” for Hamas’ attack. At a campaign event later that day, Trump declared that Netanyahu needed to “straighten out” his intelligence apparatus.

With the war in Gaza approaching the six-month mark, the former president urged Netanyahu to bring it to a swift conclusion, telling his Israeli interviewers that “you’re losing a lot of support” internationally.

“You have to finish up your war,” he said. “You gotta get it done. And, I am sure you will do that. And we gotta get to peace, we can’t have this going on.” 

Read more
Palestinians inspect damage of a destroyed building in Rafah, Gaza, March 25, 2024.
UN envoy accuses Israel of ‘genocide’ in Gaza

Netahyahu has vowed to continue fighting until Israel achieves “total victory over Hamas,” and has promised to invade the city of Rafah  – currently home to more than a million displaced Gazan civilians – in defiance of the White House’s pleas. The Israeli leader on Monday canceled a visit to Washington by an Israeli delegation to discuss the planned Rafah operation, after the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. 

The resolution passed thanks to the US abstaining from the vote. Given Washington’s typically unconditional support for Israel at the UN, the abstention and failure to veto by the US was seen by pundits as an historic show of dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s conduct in Gaza.

Israel declared war on Hamas on October 7, after the militants carried out a cross-border raid, killing more than 1,100 people and taking at least 250 hostages. Israeli forces have killed more than 32,000 Palstinians in the time since, according to the enclave’s health authorities.



---------- 70 ----------

Title: Austrian police reprimanded over Russian gifts – AP

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594958-austrian-police-russian-gifts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 20:11:04 +0000

Desc: Preview Austrian police guarding the Russian Embassy during presidential election got calendars and chocolates, then a rap on the knuckles
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594958-austrian-police-russian-gifts/

Content:

Officers guarding the Russian Embassy during presidential election were reportedly given calendars and chocolates

Vienna police officers who provided security around the Russian Embassy during the country’s presidential election and were given small presents, have been told to reject such gifts in the future, Associated Press reported on Tuesday, citing the city’s police department.

The presidential election in Russia was held between March 15 and 17. Russians living abroad had the chance to cast their votes at Russian embassies and consulates in several European cities on March 17.

According to AP, Vienna police officers who were posted to protect the embassy on that day reportedly were in contact with embassy employees and occasionally entered the building. Local media cited one officer as saying the police went in and out of the premises to use the toilets.

After the voting concluded, several officers were reportedly seen leaving with gift bags bearing the Russian emblem. The paper bags contained low-value items such as calendars and boxes of chocolates, the AP wrote.

The Vienna police department clarified to AP in an email that receiving the gifts from the Russians did not constitute misconduct under the service law for Austrian civil servants.

READ MORE: Putin addresses nation after election

However, it “leaves an unwanted impression that does not do justice to the professional approach of the officers at the scene,” the department added. This, it said, was pointed out to officers and they were instructed to “reject in a friendly but firm way such courtesies, even if only of a low value, in the future.”

According to media reports, small souvenirs featuring the election campaign such as calendars and keychains were also given out at Russian polling stations, particularly to those casting their vote for the first time.



---------- 71 ----------

Title: Russia rejects US sea annexations

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594955-russia-us-arctic-claims/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 19:00:14 +0000

Desc: Preview Russia will not accept American claims to additional seabed in the Arctic, beyond the 200 nautical miles allowed by UN convention on sea law
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594955-russia-us-arctic-claims/

Content:

American plans would violate international law, Moscow has said

Moscow does not recognize Washington’s attempt to illegally claim over a million square kilometers of maritime territory, including in the Arctic and the Bering Sea, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.

Russian representatives informed the Council of the International Seabed Authority of this on Monday. The council is currently meeting in Kingston, Jamaica and operates under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The US is “unilaterally trying to reduce the area of ​​the seabed under the Authority, and hence the entire international community,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The US Department of State announced its “extended continental shelf” project in December 2023, claiming jurisdiction of approximately one million square kilometers beyond its territorial waters. The UNCLOS allows maritime claims of up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the shore in the world’s oceans.

“These unilateral steps by the US do not conform to the rules and procedures established by international law,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, noting that it “blocked Washington’s latest attempt to use the 1982 Convention exclusively to advance its own interests.”

UNCLOS allows the possibility for expanding a country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) if it can prove that the continental shelf extends past the 200-mile limit, but countries have to submit a petition through the proper channels, as Russia did in 2015.

Read more
RT
Big war in the Arctic: How could it happen?

Moscow accused Washington of “focusing on its rights and completely ignoring its obligations” when it comes to international law. Even though it was involved in crafting the UNCLOS, the US has never ratified it.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the note in which Moscow refused to recognize the US continental shelf claims has already been delivered to Washington “through bilateral channels.”

Maps published by the State Department show the US claiming territory in six areas, including in the Arctic and the Bering Sea along the maritime boundary with Russia. The Arctic claim goes 350-680 nautical miles beyond the 200-mile line, while the Bering Sea claim goes approximately 340 nautical miles east.

Washington also wants to appropriate portions of the seabed north of the Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean, as well as off the west coast of California.

In the Atlantic, the US has claimed a wide swath of seabed beyond its 200-mile line, as well as two sections of the Gulf of Mexico along the boundary with Mexico and Cuba.



---------- 72 ----------

Title: The global nuclear family: Russia hosts ATOMEXPO 2024 forum

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594885-russia-atomexpo-nuclear-energy-forum/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 18:32:05 +0000

Desc: Preview On March 25 and 26 Sochi hosts the 13th international ATOMEXPO exhibition and forum
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594885-russia-atomexpo-nuclear-energy-forum/

Content:

The international discussion platform covers issues ranging from advanced nuclear technologies to net-zero economies

On March 25 and 26, Russia’s resort city of Sochi hosts the 13th international ATOMEXPO exhibition and forum. The event is focused on the expansion of advanced nuclear technologies in Russia and worldwide in a bid to boost energy independence, achieve a sustainable and safe environment, and secure high living standards. 

Repowering Russia 

Russia, one of the world’s largest nuclear energy producers, has long been known for its outstanding experience in the atomic industry and currently dominates the global nuclear supply chain. It has a fleet of 36 reactors, and 19 reactors operating overseas – the largest number globally and, despite growing pressure from the EU and the US, it maintains a strong global influence in nuclear power. Many countries rely on atomic know-how from Russia to run their power plants.

In 14 years, ATOMEXPO has transformed itself from a Russian nuclear industry event with occasional participation from foreign partners into a global nuclear industry discussion platform. The forum is designed to promote the nuclear industry and provide business opportunities for domestic and international companies.

“This year’s forum will be record-breaking both in terms of the total number of countries participating in ATOMEXPO – nearly 80, and in terms of newcomer countries – about 10. We’re also going to see record figures in the number of ministers and foreign companies taking part in the event,” said Aleksey Likhachev, the head of Russia’s atomic energy agency, Rosatom.

“This year, we have covered almost all continents and regions, and expanded our agenda beyond purely nuclear industry to include a range of non-energy areas.”

The agenda of the ATOMEXPO 2024 includes global issues such as carbon-free energy, responsible approaches to the environment and natural resources, “green” investments, and international partnership for sustainable development. It has attracted more than 4,500 delegates and guests, bringing together executives from major Russian and international companies in the sector, government agencies, research and scientific organizations, and prominent nuclear industry experts.

©  Atomexpo / Anton Rodnik

Special guests and participants include deputy director general and head of the Department of Nuclear Energy at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mikhail Chudakov; Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto; Burundi’s Minister of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines Ibrahim Uwizeye; and Serbian Health Minister Danica Grujicic. The forum will host 40 round-table events and business sessions. 

Clean energy horizon 

ATOMEXPO features a plenary session dedicated to clean energy prospects, highlighting the importance of nuclear power in decarbonizing the world’s energy sector. As the biggest low-carbon source of electricity, nuclear energy is widely seen as a possible solution to global energy challenges and a path to overcoming the climate crisis.

The rapid development of renewable power and its increase in the energy mix of countries worldwide creates new opportunities for the energy industry. Nuclear and hydropower generation provides a sustainable low-carbon power production ensuring energy security and safety. It’s also cheaper than conventional sources of energy such as oil and gas.

Fourth-generation nuclear reactors

Nuclear technology continues to advance with fourth-generation nuclear reactors that could dramatically change the entire energy industry, mainly due to their safety and a significant reduction of radioactive waste.

Fourth-generation nuclear technology refers to a new class of advanced reactors called small modular reactors (SMRs). They are designed to be safer, more efficient, and more sustainable than previous generations.

Russian SMR designs are poised to dominate the global fleet by capacity, according to a report from the London-based New Nuclear Watch Institute, which was published in December.

©  Atomexpo / Anton Rodnik

In January, Russia announced the start of a landmark construction of the world’s first new generation-IV lead-cooled fast reactor of closed nuclear fuel cycle technology at the site of the Siberian Chemical Combine in Seversk, southwest Siberia. A closed nuclear fuel cycle means spent fuel is reprocessed and partly reused. 

Net-zero future with hydrogen economy

Green hydrogen will also feature at ATOMEXPO. Generated from renewable energies, hydrogen has emerged as one of the strongest candidates for helping to decarbonize economic sectors dependent on emissions-intensive fossil fuels, including oil, gas and coal, taking the world a step closer to carbon neutrality. Its potential for many different uses makes green hydrogen a highly promising alternative for sectors where direct electrification or other low-carbon options might not be technically or economically feasible, for example in the steelmaking, chemical and refinery industries, and heavy transportation by land, air and sea.

While investment in hydrogen projects will be prioritized, a careful assessment of their cost efficiency is needed in order to reduce production and end-use costs.  

Russia to become a top lithium producer

Russia is gearing up to start extracting lithium as it seeks to become one of the world’s top producers.

©  Atomexpo / Anton Rodnik

There is growing demand for lithium worldwide since it is used to make lithium-ion batteries, vital for most consumer electronics, as well as electric vehicles (EV). High demand for lithium is largely driven by the rapid development of electric cars. Following the exodus of European, American, and Japanese car manufacturers, Russia has embarked on the major development of its domestic automobile industry, focusing on EVs as they have fewer parts and are easier to produce. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said last year that Russia’s lithium reserves and processing capacity would cover domestic and export demand by 2030.



---------- 73 ----------

Title: Search and rescue work at Moscow terror attack site completed (VIDEO)

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594961-search-rescue-finished-terror-attack-moscow/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 18:22:36 +0000

Desc: Preview Russian emergency response teams have ended search-and-rescue efforts at the concert venue attacked by terrorists last Friday
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594961-search-rescue-finished-terror-attack-moscow/

Content:

Over 1,000 emergency responders were involved in the effort to find survivors, the Russian Emergencies Ministry has said

All rescue operations at the site of the Moscow terrorist attack have been stopped, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Crocus City Hall was set ablaze by gunmen last Friday evening, causing the roof of the giant concert venue to collapse.

The emergency response teams have finished clearing the debris of the damaged building, the statement published on Telegram said, adding that search and rescue efforts at the site have concluded as well. The area was also examined by canine teams and specialized robotic equipment, according to the ministry.

More than 1,000 emergency response specialists as well as over 300 fire engines and other emergency vehicles were deployed to the scene to aid in the efforts, the statement read. A total of 900 cubic meters of wreckage has been removed from the site, according to the ministry’s data. Any further works at Crocus City would involve heavy engineering equipment, the ministry said.

The officials also published a video showing the site of the terrorist attack, which has been called the worst on Russian soil in decades. Footage shows the concert hall completely burnt out, with its roof collapsed. Some large pieces of debris still remain at the site, which has been otherwise mostly cleared.

Russian officials said that around 13,000 square meters of the seven-story building, about a third of its entire floor area, were engulfed by the fire. The blaze was only contained after several hours, which saw helicopters dropping around 160 metric tons of water on the building.

The terrorist act claimed the lives of 139 people, according to the chair of the Russian Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin; 137 died at the scene and two more succumbed to their injuries after being hospitalized, the official said on Monday, adding that 182 others were injured.

READ MORE: Official death toll in Moscow terror attack climbs to 139

The four terrorist suspects managed to flee the scene but were intercepted by Russian law enforcement in Bryansk Region. According to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) the assailants sought to cross into Ukraine, where they allegedly had a “contact.”

A Moscow court has placed the four primary suspects as well as four of their alleged accomplices under arrest. Three others have been detained in connection with the case, according to the FSB.



---------- 74 ----------

Title: China reacts to UK cyber sanctions

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594954-china-reacts-uk-sanctions-hacking/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 18:14:54 +0000

Desc: Preview Beijing has denounced “disinformation” by the US and the “Five Eyes” countries about alleged Chinese hacker attacks
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594954-china-reacts-uk-sanctions-hacking/

Content:

London’s charges are baseless and malicious, Beijing has said

British claims about the alleged hacking of the UK Electoral Commission are false and groundless, the Chinese government said on Tuesday, responding to the announcement of sanctions against two of its nationals and a business in Wuhan.

London announced the sanctions against Zhao Guangzong and Ni Gaobin, as well as the Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company Ltd, on Monday. According to the British government, they are linked to Advanced Persistent Threat Group 31 (APT31), supposedly a state-affiliated hacker outfit blamed for two cyber attacks on British voting.

“The UK’s hype-up of the so-called ‘Chinese cyber attacks’ without basis and the announcement of sanctions is outright political manipulation and malicious slander,” the Chinese embassy in London said. “We have no interest or need to meddle in the UK’s internal affairs.”

The embassy demanded the UK “immediately stop spreading false information” about China.

British evidence provided to Beijing about APT31 was “inadequate,” while the “relevant conclusions lack professionalism,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters on Tuesday, adding that China “will take necessary measures to safeguard our lawful rights and interests.”

Read more
FILE PHOTO: New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) minister Judith Collins
New Zealand accuses China of hacking its parliament

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron announced the sanctions on Monday evening, accusing China of “attacks on our democracy” and vowing that such actions “will not be tolerated.”

London has alleged that APT31 was behind the cyber attacks on the UK Electoral Commission between August 2021 and October 2022, which accessed voter databases as well as sensitive emails of “control systems” and officials involved in six by-elections.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman has accused the US of working to “compile and spread all kinds of disinformation about the threats posed by the so-called ‘Chinese hackers’,” using its allies from the ‘Five Eyes’ network – Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

New Zealand also claimed to have been targeted by a different group of Chinese hackers on Monday, while the US Department of Justice announced criminal charges against seven Chinese nationals – including the two named by the UK. The group allegedly tried to hack British and American nationals via “malicious emails” over a 14-year period.



---------- 75 ----------

Title: Cocoa prices hit historic high

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594951-cocoa-prices-historic-high/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 18:01:28 +0000

Desc: Preview Cocoa prices have risen above the $10,000-per-metric-ton mark on Tuesday for the first time ever
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594951-cocoa-prices-historic-high/

Content:

The commodity broke above the $10,000-per-metric-ton mark on Tuesday for the first time ever

The price of cocoa beans surged to an all-time high on Tuesday, amid supply constraints in West Africa, which produces about 70% of the crop globally.

Benchmark cocoa futures for May delivery on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in New York briefly spiked to $10,030 per metric ton in intraday trading before later easing to trade at around $9,625 per ton. It’s the first time the commodity broke above the $10,000 mark.

Prices skyrocketed more than 150% in the last three months, and are up 255% since March 2023.

Experts attribute the price spike to poor crops in West Africa as the two largest producers, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, have been struggling for months with extreme weather changes and cocoa-pod diseases.

“As these two leading producing countries supply about two-thirds of global cocoa beans, any change in their production tends to have a significant impact on the cocoa market,” the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) warned in a recent report.

A significantly lower cocoa harvest is also expected in other cocoa-producing countries, such as Nigeria and Ghana.

READ MORE: Cocoa giants scaling back production – Reuters

Global cocoa supply is projected to fall 8% in the 2023-2024 season compared to the previous 12 months, according to data by analytics and consulting firm GlobalData.

Meanwhile, some chocolate manufacturers have already warned that rising cocoa bean prices may force them to pass on the cost to consumers.



---------- 76 ----------

Title: Russia defying UN sanctions on North Korea – FT

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594932-russia-oil-north-korea-sanctions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:26:12 +0000

Desc: Preview Moscow has reportedly been supplying oil directly to Pyongyang in excess of the permitted quota
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594932-russia-oil-north-korea-sanctions/

Content:

Moscow has been reportedly exporting oil directly to Pyongyang despite a ban

Russia has started supplying oil directly to North Korea in defiance of UN sanctions, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing satellite images as evidence.

According to the report, the images that were shared with the outlet by a UK think-tank – the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) – show that at least five North Korean tankers travelled this month to collect oil products from Vostochny Port in Russia’s Far East.

The shipments, which started on March 7, are reportedly the first documented direct seaborne deliveries from Russia since the UN Security Council (UNSC) imposed a strict oil import cap on North Korea in 2017 in response to its long-range missile and nuclear tests. The UN requires member countries to report on the supply, sale, and transfer of all refined petroleum products to North Korea, and has imposed a 500,000 barrel limit on Pyongyang’s annual imports of refined petroleum.

“These oil deliveries constitute a full-frontal assault against the sanctions regime, which is now on the brink of collapse,” a former coordinator of the UN panel that monitors sanctions against North Korea, Hugh Griffiths, was quoted as saying.

The report highlights that the vessels, which are North Korean-flagged and classified as oil product tankers, all visited the same berth operated by a Russian oil company at Vostochny Port, where they appeared to load.

Read more
The Mansudae Fountain Park, Pyongyang, North Korea
UN reveals new Russian oil supplies to North Korea

Satellite imagery reportedly confirmed that two of them then travelled from Vostochny to the North Korean port of Chongjin, where they appeared to unload.

“The vessels we’ve seen at Russian terminals are some of the largest-capacity vessels in North Korea’s fleet, and the vessels are continually sailing in and out of the port,” Joseph Byrne, a research fellow at RUSI, told FT. “Several of these vessels are also UN-designated, meaning they shouldn’t even be allowed entry into foreign ports, let alone involved in oil deliveries,” he claimed.

RUSI researchers have calculated that the oil deliveries documented from Vostochny Port could amount to 125,000 barrels of oil products — a quarter of the permitted annual quota — in a matter of weeks, the FT wrote.

The UN’s sanctions committee reported last June that exports of oil from Moscow to Pyongyang resumed in December 2022 after a two-year halt. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui said at the time that “strategic cooperation” between the two countries has never been stronger, characterizing it as a new “heyday” in bilateral ties.



---------- 77 ----------

Title: ‘Literally Anybody Else’ announces US presidential campaign

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594952-anybody-else-us-election/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:57:02 +0000

Desc: Preview Else said that he wants his name to appear on ballots to prove the US “can do better” than a rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594952-anybody-else-us-election/

Content:

The man admitted that mounting a serious challenge to Donald Trump and Joe Biden will be “very hard”

Texas voters could get the chance to cast their ballots for a man named ‘Literally Anybody Else’ this November, if his long-shot scheme to protest the US’ two-party system is successful.

Math teacher and military veteran Dustin Ebey formally changed his name to ‘Literally Anybody Else’ earlier this month, and is now scrambling to gather the 113,151 signatures required to appear on Texas ballots as an independent candidate, WFAA News reported on Friday.

“I’m not delusional,” Else told the outlet. “This will be very hard to do, but it’s not impossible. My hope is to have Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and then Literally Anybody Else right underneath,” he continued, explaining that “I really want there to be an outlet for folks like me who are just so fed up with this constant power grab between two parties that has no benefit for the common person.”

“This isn’t about me… more so as it is an idea,” Else told WFAA. “We can do better out of 300 million people for president.”

Read more
Donald Trump (R) and Joe Biden participate in a pre-election debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 22, 2020
Biden and Trump secure nominations

Else is far from the only American dismayed at a Trump/Biden rematch. A NewsNation poll conducted in January found that 59% of registered voters were ‘not too enthusiastic’ or ‘not at all enthusiastic’ about seeing the pair compete for the presidency again. However, despite majorities in both parties calling for fresh faces, Trump easily defeated all of his Republican rivals during the last three months’ primaries, while Biden faced no competition from any high-profile Democrats.

Else faces an uphill struggle to even enter the race. First, he has until May 13 to collect 113,151 signatures from registered voters who did not vote in either the Republican or Democratic primaries in Texas. Having achieved this, he must replicate the feat in every other US state and territory, all of which have similar rules for independent candidates.

Failing this, he could register as a write-in candidate. However, he would then have to build up a national profile and convince voters to actually write in ‘Literally Anybody Else’ on election day. No write-in candidate has ever come close to being elected president of the US, although two US senators have won office this way since the 1950s.

Voters often write in undeclared candidates as a means of prank or protest, with ‘Mickey Mouse’, ‘Jesus Christ’, and ‘Batman’ all picking up a handful of votes in 2020. 



---------- 78 ----------

Title: Taiwan runs defense drills amid invasion warning

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594953-taiwan-air-defense-drills/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:49:50 +0000

Desc: Preview Taiwan says it will continue to intensify training and drills in response to China’s military activities near the island
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594953-taiwan-air-defense-drills/

Content:

Taipei says it will continue to intensify training and exercises in response to Beijing’s military activities near the island

Taiwanese forces carried out air defense combat exercises on Tuesday in response to reports of increased military activity by Beijing's forces near the island, according to a statement published by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense.

According to the Taiwanese air force,  “overall air defense combat plan exercises” were carried out in the early hours of Tuesday morning and employed the use of domestically-made Sky Bow and US-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles, in conjunction with aircraft and navy ships.

The Taiwanese command explained that the purpose of the drills was to “inspect and verify the joint air defense combat command and control of the three branches,” and stated that it will continue holding such exercises to “deal with potential threats.”

Beijing considers the self-governed island to be an inalienable part of China but has stated that it seeks peaceful reunification. However, it has warned that it would resort to military action if the US-backed Taipei administration attempts to declare independence.

Although Taiwan has governed itself since 1949, most of the international community, including the US, does not officially recognize it as a sovereign state.

Meanwhile, the island’s self-proclaimed government has repeatedly complained over the past few years that China’s military aircraft and navy ships have continued to intrude into Taiwan’s airspace and territorial waters. This as Washington warns of a potential Chinese offensive on the island in the coming years.

Read more
Wartime anti-tank obstacles on a beach in Kinmen, Taiwan, with Xiamen, China seen in the background a few miles away.
Taiwan confirms presence of US special forces

Last week, US Navy Admiral John Aquilino, who leads the US Indo-Pacific Command, claimed that China was developing plans for a ground invasion of Taiwan by 2027. Similar claims have also been made by CIA Director William Burns and other senior US officials.

However, Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, have denied having any near-term plans to use force against Taiwan. Chinese Foreign ministry Spokesman Lin Jian has dismissed the rumors as attempts by “some people in the US” to “hype up the China-threat narrative” and escalate tensions in the region.

At the same time, Beijing has insisted that Taiwan’s status is a domestic issue and has urged foreign governments not to interfere. Chinese officials have in particular criticized the US, which has repeatedly expressed support for the Taiwanese government, has concluded defense contracts with the island’s military, and has sent its high-ranking officials on official visits with local authorities.



---------- 79 ----------

Title: Trump platform dominates on stock market debut

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594950-trump-truth-social-nasdaq-stocks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:33:15 +0000

Desc: Preview Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group went up 50% in their first minute of trading on the NASDAQ exchange
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594950-trump-truth-social-nasdaq-stocks/

Content:

Shares of Truth Social’s parent company soared by 50% in the first minute of trading

Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, former US President Donald Trump’s online platform, began trading on the NASDAQ stock market on Tuesday. Shares rose so quickly they triggered the fail-safe mechanism. 

Shares of the company skyrocketed 50% in the first minute of trading. NASDAQ responded by imposing a five-minute pause in order to curtail volatility. The stock slowed down somewhat after the pause expired, but was still up 40% from opening an hour into trading.

The former president’s company is listed under his initials, DJT. It effectively went public this week, after the merger of Trump Media & Technology Group and the shell company Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC) last Friday.

DWCA was originally founded as a special purpose acquisition vehicle, also known as a “blank check company,” with the aim of raising money for the eventual merger with TMTG. Its own shares soared 30% in January, after the 45th president swept the Republican primaries and took the lead in the race for the 2024 nomination.

Under the terms of the merger, Trump can’t sell his shares for six months, unless the board of directors votes otherwise.

Read more
RT
Trump comments on why he didn’t ban TikTok

The stock has attracted a lot of attention due to its potential impact on Trump’s finances. The merger has increased his net worth to $6.4 billion, according to Bloomberg, making the former president one of the world’s wealthiest 500 people. However, Trump faces multi-million-dollar court claims as a result of numerous lawsuits, which he has denounced as spurious and politically motivated.

As part of a process in which New York State Attorney General Letitia James accused Trump’s business of fraud, Judge Arthur Engoron last month demanded a $454 million bond for the former president to even file an appeal. James was looking forward to seizing Trump’s Manhattan properties when an appeals court announced on Monday that it would reduce that bond to $175 million and extend the filing deadline by ten more days. 

Earlier this month, Trump was forced to raise a bond of $91.6 million to appeal a defamation judgment against E. Jean Carroll. A New York jury had ruled against the writer’s claim that Trump had sexually assaulted her, but said the former president had defamed her by defending himself against the accusation.

Trump Social launched in February 2022, just over a year after Trump was banned by Twitter while still the sitting US president. Later that year, Elon Musk bought the latter platform – renaming it X – and removed the ban, but Trump has chosen not to resume posting from his account.



---------- 80 ----------

Title: Ukraine criticized over ‘Hinduphobia’ ahead of foreign minister’s India visit

Link: https://www.rt.com/india/594948-ukraine-criticized-over-hinduphobia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 15:38:39 +0000

Desc: Preview A social-media post by Ukraine’s foreign minister announcing his trip to India has triggered angry responses in that country
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/india/594948-ukraine-criticized-over-hinduphobia/

Content:

A post by Kiev’s top diplomat has triggered angry responses from Indians, who have accused it of ‘disrespecting’ their religion

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has announced that he will visit India later this week, drawing parallels between the ongoing conflict and India’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule led by Mahatma Gandhi.

The comparison didn’t go down well with many Indians on social media, who reminded Kiev of its stance against New Delhi in the United Nations (UN) and raked up a controversy over its defense ministry’s use of an image of Indian goddess Kali in a propaganda post last year. At the time, the distorted image of the Indian deity triggered outrage in India. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry later apologized and the post was taken down.

Reacting to Kuleba’s post on Monday, announcing his upcoming visit to India, many Indian users once again reminded Kiev of last year’s incident. 

Commenters posted screenshots of the Ukrainian military’s now-deleted post on Kali and called out Ukraine over its alleged “hypocrisy.” “We haven’t forgotten your government official’s comment on India and its people and Hinduphobic tweets,” one person wrote. “You guys mocked our Goddess Kali. If you are really a democracy, you never mock on others’ religious sentiments,” another said

Meanwhile, Kuleba claimed that supporting Ukraine means supporting “freedom and independence,” linking this to the legacy of Gandhi. Some commenters responded to this by claiming that Gandhi, known for his non-violent approach to resolving conflict, would have urged Ukraine to negotiate with Russia.

Shame on you Hinduphobic Ukraine@DmytroKuleba Opologies for this shameful act by Ukrain #Ukrain #Zelensky @DefenceUhttps://t.co/hy4ExLDyET pic.twitter.com/gkuLFzYQZw

— 🍁 (@iampm999) March 25, 2024

Observers also recalled another controversy last year, in which Mikhail Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, triggered outrage by claiming that India and China exhibit “weak intellectual potential” and “fail to analyze the consequences of their actions.”

The dismissive remarks related to Beijing and New Delhi’s refusal to support Kiev in its conflict with Moscow. Podoliak complained that India, China and Türkiye were “profiting” from the war by maintaining trade with Russia.

“The hatred displayed towards India and Hinduism [by Ukraine] remains unforgettable. This hostility is utterly unacceptable,” one person wrote on X, responding to Kuleba’s latest post.

Others recalled that Kiev has a complicated history with New Delhi. For instance, it condemned India’s nuclear test in 1998, claiming it endangered “existing international arrangements for nuclear non-proliferation.” Others reminded Kuleba of India’s enduring relationship with Russia and expressed “support” for Moscow.

Read more
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar shake hands after their meeting in Moscow.
India and Russia take ‘extra care’ over each other’s interests – Jaishankar

Media reports last week suggested that Kiev wanted India to participate in a proposed peace conference in Switzerland later this year, which could be the key item on the agenda for Kuleba’s visit. New Delhi remains skeptical over whether a peace summit without Russia’s participation would be effective, Bloomberg reported, citing officials. India continues to maintain strong political and economic ties with Moscow despite Western pressure, and has repeatedly stressed that the Ukraine conflict must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.

Last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the Ukraine conflict with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. During a telephone call with the Ukrainian leader, Modi said he had conveyed “India’s consistent support for all efforts for peace and bringing an early end to the ongoing conflict.”

Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! ‎Follow and share RT India in English and in Hindi 



---------- 81 ----------

Title: ‘Day may come’ for EU troops in Ukraine – Kiev

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594945-ukraine-kuleba-eu-macron/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 15:30:15 +0000

Desc: Preview The EU should get used to the idea that it might have to fight Russia directly at some point, the Ukrainian foreign minister has said
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594945-ukraine-kuleba-eu-macron/

Content:

The bloc should get used to the idea of a direct confrontation with Russia, FM Dmitry Kuleba has said

The conflict between Moscow and Kiev could reach a stage where EU countries have to deploy combat troops to Ukraine in order to counter Russian advances, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has warned.

In an interview with Politico on Monday, Kuleba complained about the decline in Western military aid for Kiev in recent months.

“Give us the damn Patriots,” he said, referring to the US-made air-defense missile systems, which, he insisted, Kiev needs to target Russian jets that launch aerial guided bombs. Moscow’s increased reliance on these upgraded munitions is why “Ukrainian troops are losing positions,” the foreign minister claimed.

Kuleba once again expressed regret over the resistance of Republican lawmakers to attempts by the administration of US President Joe Biden to push through another $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine. He also dismissed a question about Germany’s reluctance to supply long-range Taurus missiles, saying he is “tired of answering this. Sorry.”

However, French President Emmanuel Macron, who said last month that he “cannot exclude” the possibility of soldiers from NATO countries being sent to Ukraine, avoided Kuleba’s criticism.

Read more
FILE PHOTO.
Russian MP warns French soldiers not to enter Ukraine

“We were pleased to see President Macron evolve in that direction,” the foreign minister said. The French leader’s remarks led to a wave of denials from the leaders of other NATO member states, who insisted there are no such plans to send Western troops to Ukraine.

Kiev never asked for “European combat troops’ boots on the ground,” but EU leaders need to get used to the idea that “the day may come,” Kuleba stressed.

“I’m perfectly aware that Europeans are not used to the idea of war. But this is a carelessness Europeans simply cannot afford – neither for themselves nor their children,” because “if Ukraine loses, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will not stop,” he said.

Putin said earlier that claims by Kiev and its foreign backers that Russia will target NATO states are “nonsense.” However, in another interview, the president stressed that Moscow will treat Western troops as “interventionists” if they are deployed to Ukraine, and would respond accordingly.

READ MORE: Single EU army unrealistic – Borrell

The deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma, Pyotr Tolstoy, warned Macron last week against directly engaging Russia on the battlefield. “We will kill all French soldiers who set foot on Ukrainian soil. Every single one that comes,” Tolstoy said in an interview with French broadcaster BFMTV.



---------- 82 ----------

Title: Huge black market for Musk’s Starlink – Bloomberg

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594947-starlink-musk-black-market-spacex/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 15:03:27 +0000

Desc: Preview Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communication terminals are available for purchase on the black market worldwide, Bloomberg says
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594947-starlink-musk-black-market-spacex/

Content:

The news agency has reported numerous cases of illegal trade and activation of satellite terminals

Starlink satellite communication terminals, manufactured by Elon Musk's SpaceX for exclusive use on his network, can be purchased illegally in countries where no agreement exists for their use – including nations that are subject to international sanctions, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

A growing black-market trade has reportedly emerged in territories with poor internet coverage and quality, where there is a need for high-speed online communications.

Starlink kits, developed and operated by the US aerospace company, are in “widespread use” in Yemen, which is in the midst of a decade-long civil war, according to an unnamed government official cited by Bloomberg.

Western diplomats told the news agency that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are using Starlink systems in Sudan “for their logistics,” as the internet has been down in the country since February.

Read more
File photo
Musk denies providing Starlink to Russia

Web users in South Africa and Venezuela can also bypass a ban and activate Starlink terminals using retailers and international credit cards. The South American nation is the subject of sanctions imposed by the UK, the US, and other Western allies.

In South Africa, where the government hasn’t yet approved Starlink’s application to operate, terminals are being traded on Facebook groups. Dealers offer to purchase and activate kits in neighboring Mozambique, where they are licensed, and then deliver them over the border to South African customers.

SpaceX currently has some 5,500 Starlink satellites in low-earth orbit, providing web services to around 2.6 million customers. The company launched in 2019, while CEO Elon Musk is aiming to increase the total number of satellites to 42,000 in the coming decades.

Earlier this year, the Ukrainian authorities claimed that the Russian military had been using the Starlink satellite service on the battlefield. The service has been widely used by the Ukrainian Army during the military conflict after Musk unlocked the service for Kiev's forces in the early stages of the conflict.

Musk has denied supplying the Starlink satellite internet network to Russian troops, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had never officially ordered SpaceX’s internet terminals, adding that they are not certified for use in Russia.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section



---------- 83 ----------

Title: Western-supplied missiles downed over Russia – MOD

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594946-belgorod-strike-western-missiles-downed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:59:43 +0000

Desc: Preview Russian air defenses have shot down 13 Ukrainian RM-70 Vampire missiles over Belgorod Region, officials say
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594946-belgorod-strike-western-missiles-downed/

Content:

Two people were injured in an attack involving a dozen rockets, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has said

Russian air defense systems have shot down around a dozen Western-supplied missiles over Belgorod Region on the border with Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.

The new round of Ukrainian attacks was reported by local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov in the early hours of Tuesday. Defenses downed a total of 13 “air targets” as they approached the city of Belgorod, the official said, without giving further details. 

The strike was confirmed around two hours later by the Defense Ministry, which said Russian forces had thwarted an “attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack” using Czech-supplied RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket launchers. It confirmed that 13 projectiles had been destroyed mid-air.

According to Gladkov, the attack resulted in two people being injured. He noted that one man had suffered a head and abdominal injury, while the other casualty suffered head trauma. Both have been hospitalized and are receiving medical treatment, he added.

In a follow-up post, the governor said the authorities had decided not to activate missile alert sirens amid the overnight shelling, explaining they did not want citizens to leave their homes and go outside, where the risk of injury is much higher. He nonetheless encouraged residents to share their opinion on whether they believed this was the right thing to do.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Aleksey Danilov.
Zelensky fires security chief

Belgorod Region, along with other areas bordering Ukraine, is routinely targeted by Kiev’s artillery, missile, and drone strikes, many of which claim civilian lives and damage critical infrastructure.

One of the most devastating attacks on the city of Belgorod occurred in late December, killing 25 people and injuring more than 100. Another strike in mid-February killed seven people and injured 20. Both assaults also used Vampire rockets.

Against this backdrop, Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that Moscow could establish a ‘cordon sanitaire’ in Kiev-controlled territories to protect the Russian population from Ukrainian strikes.



---------- 84 ----------

Title: Kenya cracks down on illegal alcohol

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/594910-kenya-targets-illegal-alcohol-sector/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:48:38 +0000

Desc: Preview Kenya plans to combat illicit alcohol consumption and abuse by closing thousands of illegal bars and breweries
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/594910-kenya-targets-illegal-alcohol-sector/

Content:

Over 18,000 bars and distilleries have been closed in the last month as part of an ongoing campaign

The Kenyan government has defended a controversial campaign to close thousands of illegal bars and breweries across the country as part of an ongoing crackdown on alcoholism and substance abuse.

Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has insisted that the government won't give up the fight to reign in the illicit alcohol trade.

“Some people want to fight the President, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki and myself. It is okay but we’re telling them to brace themselves for a fight because we will shut down all those distilleries and bars,” he claimed.

Since launching a new initiative on March 6, the government has closed over 18,000 establishments and destroyed brewing equipment. Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has insisted that the government retains the authority to cancel licenses and that any paperwork issued in violation of the country’s 2010 Alcoholic Drinks Control Act is invalid.

The nationwide law enforcement initiative has resulted in 258 suspects being apprehended and brought to court. Additionally, 15 kilograms of cannabis have been confiscated, and 22 pharmacies have been closed.

The authorities have also closed approximately 5,000 liquor outlets and revoked their licenses due to their proximity to educational institutions and churches. A local news agency reported on Sunday that the town of Karatina in Nyeri has prohibited alcohol outright.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Kithure Kindiki, Cabinet Secretary for Interior & National Administration
Kenya calls time on late drinking

The campaign has proven controversial, with regional governors protesting Nairobi’s move to close bars operating with locally-granted licenses. 

The introduction of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act in 2010 put in place stringent enforcement measures, including the regulation of drinking hours in bars, rigorous licensing requirements, and severe penalties. However, these laws have been openly flaunted since their introduction. 

Kindiki recently announced further penalties for bars which keep their doors open past normal operating hours.  

In Kenya, regulations dictate that bars are permitted to operate from 5pm to 11pm on weekdays and from 2pm to 11pm on weekends, but the laws were not strictly policed.



---------- 85 ----------

Title: UK commits nearly $1bn to nuclear program

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594942-uk-nuclear-expansion-plan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:46:46 +0000

Desc: Preview London is to partner with defense firms to invest almost $1 billion in jobs and education in the nuclear sector, for energy and defense
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594942-uk-nuclear-expansion-plan/

Content:

London has announced an investment plan to boost workforce in the sector and to maintain its submarine at-sea deterrent  

The UK government revealed plans on Monday to boost Britain’s nuclear sector, for energy and defense, including massive investments in the future workforce and in its submarine program, which London views as its “vital” at-sea deterrent.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a package of public and private investment which is expected to cover the needs of Britain’s growing nuclear energy industry and to create 40,000 new jobs by 2030.

The British government plans to partner with defense companies BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Babcock, as well as with French energy giant EDF, to invest more than £763 million ($961 million) by the end of the decade in the relevant skills, jobs and education, it said in a statement.

Last year, the UK unveiled a plan to build eight new reactors and new-type small modular reactors by 2050, in an effort to produce 24 gigawatts of electricity, enough to provide a quarter of the country’s needs.

The government also announced a commitment to invest up to £300 million ($379 million) in the production of the HALEU fuel required for new high-tech reactors, which is currently only commercially produced in Russia.

“Meeting the UK’s ambitious nuclear targets will require a huge ramp up in all parts of the workforce, from engineering to construction,” Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said, commenting on the new investment plan.

Read more
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Rafael Mariano Grossi speaks at an event in Tokyo, Japan on March 14, 2024.
IAEA rebukes EU over Russian nuclear fuel

The major development initiative comes as the UK authorities work to ensure there will also be enough nuclear-energy-focused workers for the construction and maintenance of its fleet of submarines, which the UK considers vital for its national security, as they are the core of its continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent.

“Safeguarding the future of our nuclear deterrent and nuclear energy industry is a critical national endeavor,” Sunak said, as quoted by Reuters.

Britain is set to expand its submarine industry, boosting its fleet under the AUKUS security pact. AUKUS (Australia, UK and US) was established in 2021. Under the pact’s Pillar 1, the US and UK pledged to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, while Pillar 2 is a broader technology-sharing agreement.

On Monday, the British Ministry of Defence published the ‘Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper,’ in which it underscores the need to “sustain Britain’s nuclear deterrent “in a period of heightened risk and volatility that is likely to last beyond the 2030s.”

The document also revealed that Britain is developing a new replacement sovereign warhead, while progressing with the new Dreadnought Class submarines, bringing these into service in the early 2030s.



---------- 86 ----------

Title: Republican megadonors rally to save Trump – Reuters

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594944-trump-donors-fraud-bond/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:17:37 +0000

Desc: Preview Donald Trump’s wealthy allies reportedly scrambled to raise half a billion dollars to cover the embattled Republican’s legal penalties
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594944-trump-donors-fraud-bond/

Content:

The ex-US president’s campaign has denied that he needed the help of wealthy allies to post a half-billion-dollar bond

A number of billionaires sympathetic to Donald Trump chipped in to help the former US president raise a bond of around $500 million as he appeals a potentially ruinous judgment against his companies, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

The bond would have covered the former president as he fights back against a $454 million penalty imposed by New York judge Arthur Engoron last month. Although Trump is appealing the ruling, he nevertheless would have had to raise that amount in collateral plus around 20% extra to post the bond, or risk the seizure of his bank accounts and signature Manhattan properties.

Hedge fund founder John Paulson and energy tycoon Harold Hamm helped pull together funds to cover the bond, anonymous sources told Reuters. Another unnamed donor offered $10 million towards the effort, a source said. Neither Paulson nor Hamm responded to requests for comment.

It is unclear how much money either billionaire pledged, although one source said that the full amount had been raised by the end of the weekend. 

Read more
Former White House aide Peter Navarro speaks to reporters on Tuesday before reporting to a federal prison in Miami.
Ex-Trump aide reports to prison

The full sum, however, was not needed by Monday as an appeals court ruled that Trump could post a smaller bond of $175 million while challenging Engoron’s judgment. Speaking to reporters in New York that day, the former president said he would “post either the $175 million in cash or bonds or securities or whatever is necessary, very quickly.”

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung denied there was any “coordinated effort” to raise the bond, and told Reuters that the ex-president had “more than enough cash” to pay the judgment in full.

Engoron found Trump guilty of overinflating the value of his properties in order to defraud lenders into handing him larger loans. In coming to this conclusion, Engoron himself appraised Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as being worth $18 million, a figure that Trump claimed is up to 35 times lower than the property’s true worth.  Some real estate experts have cast doubt on the methods used by Engoron to discern his figure.

In a post to his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump called Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James – who brought the civil case against him – “lunatics and communists.”

Read more
Judge Scott McAfee presides over a hearing last month in the Georgia election case against Donald Trump and 14 associates.
Judge dismisses some charges against Trump

“These Radical Left Lunatics and Communists ask me to pay a ridiculous and completely unheard of fine of over $450,000,000 only because they saw a similar amount in my bank account,” the former president claimed. “I had intended to use much of that hard earned money on running for President. They don’t want me to do that — ELECTION INTERFERENCE!”

Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee to challenge President Joe Biden in November’s election. Although most recent opinion polls show Trump with a slight lead on Biden, he faces multiple high-profile legal challenges, and any financial judgments against him will eat into money that could be used on campaigning. Earlier this month, Trump was forced to raise a bond of $91.6 million as he appeals a defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. 

In addition to these civil cases, Trump is facing federal charges over his alleged mishandling of classified government documents and his alleged involvement in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. He also faces state-level charges over alleged election interference in Georgia and so-called “hush-money” payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in New York. 



---------- 87 ----------

Title: Africa’s last monarchy hopes for BRICS but fears blocks – media

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/594939-eswatini-considering-brics-membership/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:51:19 +0000

Desc: Preview Eswatini is reportedly concerned that China could reject its BRICS membership because of its diplomatic ties with Taiwan
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/594939-eswatini-considering-brics-membership/

Content:

Eswatini, which recognizes Taiwan as an independent state, fears that China could oppose its membership

The Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is considering joining the BRICS group with the aim of diversifying economic ties and boosting development, local media reported on Sunday, citing the southern African nation’s foreign ministry.

The political department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has made a recommendation to the government outlining the opportunities the landlocked state will enjoy if it becomes a BRICS member, according to the Times of Swaziland.

“The bloc has been championing crosscutting issues on the international stage,” the outlet quoted the ministry’s proposal as saying.

“The Kingdom of Eswatini can benefit from increased economic ties, leading to increased exports and access to diverse markets, if the country joins BRICS,” it added.

However, Africa’s last absolute monarchy is said to be worried that China, a founding member of BRICS, may oppose its membership. Eswatini is one of a dozen countries that recognize Taiwan as an independent state. Beijing considers the self-governed island to be part of China.

“If China does not object in anyways, this would be the best time for Eswatini to join this alliance, with the hope that this alliance would not influence our relations with one of our best Asian allies, Taiwan,” the ministry said, as quoted by the Times of Swaziland.

BRICS officially announced the addition of new members at its summit last summer, marking the organization’s first expansion since South Africa joined in 2010. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates are now part of the association, in addition to founding members Brazil, Russia, India, and China. The expanded bloc accounts for roughly 30% of the global economy and has an overall population of around 3.5 billion, or 45% of the world’s populace.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Dozens of countries want to join BRICS – Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters in Moscow in January that nearly 30 countries have expressed interest in becoming part of the BRICS group. Senegal, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe are among the African nations that are seeking membership. In a speech to the Federal Assembly last month, President Vladimir Putin said more countries want to join BRICS and other Russian-affiliated blocs because Moscow works with its allies on the basis of equality and mutual interest.



---------- 88 ----------

Title: Zelensky fires security chief

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594943-zelensky-fired-danilov/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:47:31 +0000

Desc: Preview Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has fired the nation’s top security official, Aleksey Danilov
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594943-zelensky-fired-danilov/

Content:

The head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (SNBO), Aleksey Danilov, has been relieved of his duties

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky dismissed the head of the National Security and Defense Council (SNBO), Aleksey Danilov, on Tuesday. The security chief has been known to resort to combative and abrasive rhetoric.

The relevant decree has been published on the Ukrainian president’s official website but provides no reason for the decision.

Aleksandr Litvinenko has since been named as the new SNBO chief. He has been at the helm of the Ukrainian foreign intelligence service since July 2021 and prior to that served as the deputy SNBO head.

Danilov has been known for harsh statements during his tenure. In late 2023, he insisted that all Ukrainians must “grow up” and fight, when commenting on Kiev’s recruitment troubles.

At the time, he also said that Ukraine’s planned mobilization drive would not last one day or one month, but that the whole process could take at least a year.

In November, he called for a crackdown on officials who disparage Zelensky while speaking anonymously to Western journalists. Danilov also slammed the messaging app Telegram, calling it “dangerous and vulnerable.” The app supposedly provides a platform for people seeking to influence Ukrainian society, he said in November, adding that he was ready to ban it outright. 

The former SNBO chief has also been critical of Kiev’s Western backers. In December, he stated that NATO’s war textbooks should be shelved as none of them could prepare soldiers for the war in Ukraine. He also repeatedly demanded more weapons for Kiev, warning that any setbacks suffered by the Ukrainian forces would damage the West’s own “image, authority and unity.”

In February 2024, Danilov demanded that the EU hand over all its heavy weapons to Ukraine, adding that the bloc itself would not need them anyway in future conflicts. 

Last week, the former official insulted China’s special representative on Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, over Beijing’s plans to potentially boycott international talks on the Ukraine conflict, which Kiev seeks to convene without Russia in Switzerland. Danilov mocked the Chinese diplomat’s name, using an obscene play on words, while commenting on the issue.

In August 2023, during a state-approved TV “broadcasting marathon,” Danilov also infamously claimed that Russians were less “humane” than Ukrainians because they are “Asians.” The former SNBO chief has also repeatedly promised to “kill” Russians everywhere, across the globe.



---------- 89 ----------

Title: Russia targets Ukraine’s decision-making centers – MOD

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594940-russia-targets-ukraine-decision-centers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:43:15 +0000

Desc: Preview Moscow says it has conducted high-precision strikes on Ukraine’s decision-making centers and defense industrial base
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594940-russia-targets-ukraine-decision-centers/

Content:

The latest strikes were also aimed at nationalist military units and foreign mercenaries, the Defense Ministry has said

The Russian military has carried out long-range strikes on Ukrainian command and control facilities and its defense industrial base, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow.

In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said that over the past 24 hours, Moscow’s forces had unleashed a wave of high-precision strikes using sea- and land-based weapons, as well as drones, on Ukrainian targets.

This includes Kiev’s “decision-making centers, facilities of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU),” as well as defense-oriented enterprises, officials said, adding that the barrage was also aimed at deployment areas where Ukrainian nationalist military units and foreign mercenaries were present.

“All facilities have been hit. The goals of the strike have been accomplished,” the Defense Ministry said.

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Firefighters stand near a fire at an electrical substation after a missile attack in Kharkiv, on March 22, 2024.
Moscow details massive strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure

Defense officials also noted that the Russian military had destroyed 131 Ukrainian drones, two repurposed S-200 air defense missiles, and 15 Western-supplied HIMARS and Vampire missiles in the past 24 hours.

On Monday, Ukrainian media reported several explosions in Kiev and the port city of Odessa. The Kyiv Post reported, citing sources, that the strike on the Ukrainian capital used two missiles launched from Russia’s Crimean Peninsula and targeted premises where high-ranking SBU officials were located. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed that both missiles were shot down.

This comes after a major Russian attack last week which targeted Ukraine’s military and energy infrastructure, which also undermined Kiev’s ability to produce, repair, and deliver arms to the front line.

Local officials said the barrage knocked out the Dnieper hydroelectric power plant in the Kiev-controlled city of Zaporozhye, while causing widespread blackouts across the country. Kharkov Mayor Igor Terekhov said at the time that the strike was so overwhelming that the city ended up “fully without power.”

Russia first started targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the autumn of 2022 in response to the bombing of the strategic Crimean Bridge in October of that year. While Kiev initially denied it was responsible for the attack, it later admitted its involvement, saying it sought to undermine Russian logistics.



---------- 90 ----------

Title: What UK High Court’s decision in Julian Assange case means

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594938-assange-court-win-explained/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:32:10 +0000

Desc: Preview The UK High Court in London has delayed the extradition of Julian Assange to the US pending an additional hearing
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594938-assange-court-win-explained/

Content:

The jailed WikiLeaks founder has been allowed a new, limited bid, to fight his extradition to the US

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange scored a victory on Tuesday in his years-long legal battle in the UK to avoid extradition to the US. Not much has changed to help his present condition, but his defense has been given another day at court.

Assange, 52 has been held in a top-security British prison since 2019. He has endured solitary confinement in Belmarsh prison, which is usually reserved for dangerous criminals, while awaiting trial for a bail violation. The US indicted him under the country's Espionage Act a month after his arrest, with Washington’s lawyers proceeding to file an extradition request. Supporters say he is being persecuted by the US and the UK for political reasons.

In 2021, a British district judge denied the extradition bid, recognizing Assange may commit suicide while in US custody, though dismissing other defense arguments. The Americans appealed the decision and offered assurances that the suspect would be not be mis-treated.

The US consequently won the case, and in June 2022 then-Home Secretary Priti Patel authorized sending Assange to the US. After several setbacks, his lawyers asked the High Court in February for a chance to challenge the original dismissal of the bulk of their case.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Stella Assange and other supporters of Julian Assange at a protest in London.
Assange’s wife issues ‘fair trial’ warning ahead of UK extradition decision

Judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson ordered on Tuesday that the extradition be halted, giving the US three weeks to provide additional guarantees that the rights of the defendant would be observed.

In particular, the UK wants a pledge that Assange would not face solitary confinement or be held incommunicado. There is concern that the Australian citizen would be put into a so-called communications management unit (CMU) at a US federal prison, which critics call a way to silence dissenters. WikiLeaks has pointed out that American guarantees are “inherently unreliable,” according to prominent rights groups.

If the justices had ruled against Assange this week, his options in the British court system would have been exhausted. He could have found himself in US custody within 24 hours to 28 days, unless a foreign party intervened. His legal team had planned to issue a plea to the European Court of Human Rights for an emergency injunction.

Read more
A demonstrator holds a placard in support of Julian Assange outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Britain, February 21, 2024
Assange in plea deal talks with US – WSJ

Assange supporters say he is facing US retaliation for publishing embarrassing state secrets, including evidence of alleged crimes during the military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The case has serious ramifications for freedom of press in the West. President Barack Obama reportedly declined to press charges against Assange due to the so-called ‘New York Times dilemma’ – reasoning that the transparency activist did not differ from legacy media outlets in his journalistic work.

The Department of Justice under President Donald Trump accused Assange of aiding and abetting whistleblower Chelsea Manning, when she leaked classified documents to WikiLeaks in 2010.

President Joe Biden has rejected calls to drop the charges. According to the Wall Street Journal, the US government is considering striking a plea bargain with Assange, under which he would plead guilty to a misdemeanor offense in exchange for the extradition request being withdrawn.



---------- 91 ----------

Title: ‘Very few’ Russians oppose Ukraine operation – Kremlin

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594937-russians-support-ukraine-policy-kremlin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:17:56 +0000

Desc: Preview Almost everyone in the country agrees with President Vladimir Putin’s policy regarding the conflict, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594937-russians-support-ukraine-policy-kremlin/

Content:

Almost everyone in the country agrees with President Vladimir Putin’s policy, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said

The vast majority of people in Russia agree with Moscow’s policies with regard to Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told the media, adding that the number of those who oppose it should not be exaggerated.

In a fragment from an interview with the newspaper Argumenty i Fakty published on Tuesday, Peskov claimed that “almost everyone in Russia” agrees with the president’s position on Ukraine and insisted that those who are against it are merely “a splinter of society.”

Peskov dismissed the idea that there is any sort of considerable “gap” in society between supporters and opponents of the Kremlin’s policies, pointing to the recent presidential election in which the incumbent, Vladimir Putin, won over 87% of the vote.

“The numbers with which Putin won are unprecedented,” the spokesman said, calling the results “a global phenomenon, with such a high turnout.”

Peskov noted that society “cannot be 100% monolithic,” and that there will always be people who disagree with the government’s positions.

He added, however, that it is important to differentiate between those who stayed in Russia despite not supporting the Kremlin’s policies, and those who left the country and “literally took the position of an enemy of their country.”

Read more
FILE PHOTO
Demographics is Russia’s ‘Achilles heel’ – Kremlin

These people, though few in number, “will not be welcome here, they will not be accepted,” Peskov said, recalling Putin’s warning that “traitors who take up arms to fight [against Russia] must be destroyed, because they are now our enemies.”

As for those who chose to stay in the country despite disagreeing with the Kremlin, Peskov said they may “understand everything in time,” suggesting that the Kremlin should try to convince them that “Putin is right.”

The Russian presidential election took place earlier this month, from March 15 to 17. According to Russia’s Central Election Commission, around 76.2 million people took part. Putin won by a landslide, securing his fifth term in office.

While Putin’s victory was condemned by a number of Western officials, with the US claiming that the vote was “neither free nor fair,” the president said he did not expect them to “stand up in applause,” as “they are fighting against us, including with arms.”



---------- 92 ----------

Title: Russian diamond sanctions creating ‘mayhem’ in EU – The Times

Link: https://www.rt.com/business/594936-russia-diamond-ban-mayhem-eu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:16:38 +0000

Desc: Preview An EU ban on imports of Russian diamonds has reportedly led to supply disruptions, sending European gem markets into ‘mayhem’
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/business/594936-russia-diamond-ban-mayhem-eu/

Content:

European traders face delays and extra costs as business heads elsewhere, the newspaper has reported

Western restrictions on Russian diamond imports have destabilized the entire industry, as traders struggle to verify gems heading to the EU, the Sunday Times has reported, citing market players.

A direct EU and G7 ban on Russian diamonds came into effect in January, and was followed by phased-in restrictions on indirect imports from March 1. A tracking mechanism is also being planned before September to help Western authorities identify the origin of imported diamonds in an effort to avoid sanctions violations.

Shortly after the ban came into force, the European Commission ordered that all diamonds entering the EU should go via Antwerp in Belgium to be verified as non-Russian. As of the start of March, the measure covers rough diamonds larger than one carat, although that will be expanded from September to include stones larger than 0.5 carat.   

Officials are demanding onerous paperwork to prove the origin of each batch of gems, forcing diamantaires to deal with lengthy delays, additional expenses, and disgruntled customers, the Sunday Times reported at the weekend, citing multiple traders.

They also highlighted that it previously took around 48 hours to get diamonds out of Africa, after which gems would be processed and sent to a client. “Now, with all the bureaucracy, it’s taking up to two weeks. With interest rates at 10 or 11%, I would be losing money every single day,” one trader told the British paper.

Read more
RT
Moscow warns of diamond ban’s impact on Belgium

Diamonds coming from different countries are chemically almost identical, another trader said, emphasizing “the absurdity of the new legislation that is causing mayhem in the international jewelry market.”

Shortly after Moscow launched its military campaign against Ukraine in 2022, the West imposed numerous sanctions on Russia’s natural resources, including a ban on imports of oil, gold, and even caviar. Diamonds, however, were exempt partially due to a strong lobby from Belgium that warned that Antwerp, through which 90% of the world’s diamonds pass, could risk losing business to other trading hubs. Belgium changed its position and supported the idea of the diamond tracking system.

“There used to be 4,000 diamond cutters in Antwerp,” Pieter Bombeke, one of the city’s master craftsmen, told the Sunday Times. “Now it’s 120. Most of the work has gone to India where the labor is cheap.”

Traders are reportedly concerned that dealers could be forced to follow suit and leave for India, Dubai, or Tel Aviv, which haven’t imposed sanctions on Russian gems. Ten companies are planning “to move to Dubai or India because of these new rules,” according to a financial adviser to Antwerp’s diamond industry, as quoted by the British newspaper.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section



---------- 93 ----------

Title: US, UK and Ukraine could be behind Moscow terror attack – FSB chief

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/594935-us-uk-ukraine-moscow-terrorism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:37:18 +0000

Desc: Preview 139 people died and around 200 were injured in last Friday’s Crocus City Hall massacre
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/news/594935-us-uk-ukraine-moscow-terrorism/

Content:

139 people died and around 200 were injured in last Friday’s Crocus City Hall massacre

The US, UK and Ukraine may have been behind last Friday’s terrorist attack on a concert venue in a suburb of Moscow, which claimed lives of 139 people and left around 200 injured, according to the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

Aleksandr Bortnikov told reporters on Tuesday that the authorities are currently trying to establish the identity of everyone involved in the attack, both inside and outside Russia.

When asked whether the US, Britain and Ukraine could be behind the terrorist attack, the FSB chief responded: “We think that this is so. In any case, we are now talking about the information that we have. This is general information, but they [investigators] also have concrete results.”

Bortnikov’s statement to the media follows a meeting of the expanded board of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia. The FSB director told reporters that the intelligence service will do everything necessary to identify the direct organizers and sponsors of the terrorist attack.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: The Ukrainian military intelligence chief, Kirill Budanov
Ukraine’s top spy a ‘legitimate target’ – FSB chief

On the evening of March 22, a group of men armed with assault rifles attacked the Crocus City Hall music venue in the Moscow suburb of Krasnogorsk, just before a concert by the rock band Picnic was due to start. The 7,500-capacity venue was almost full at the time of the attack. The terrorists killed guards, shot concert-goers on sight, then started a fire that quickly spread throughout the building.

At least 139 people, including three children, were killed in the attack, the chair of the Russian Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, reported on Monday. Around 200 people were injured, according to the latest data.

After the attack, Russian security services detained 11 people connected to the incident, including those believed to be the gunmen who carried out the attack.

Moscow’s Basmanny Court has since arrested seven other suspects who are accused of helping organize the terrorist attack.



---------- 94 ----------

Title: Ukraine’s top spy a ‘legitimate target’ – FSB chief

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594934-kiev-spy-chief-legitimate-target/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:32:59 +0000

Desc: Preview The head of the Ukrainian military intelligence, Kirill Budanov, is a “legitimate target” for the Russian military, Moscow has said
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594934-kiev-spy-chief-legitimate-target/

Content:

Anyone committing crimes against Russia is a marked man, security service chief Aleksandr Bortnikov has said

Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kirill Budanov, should be considered a valid target for Russian troops, the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, told journalists on Tuesday. The same principle should be applied to anyone “committing crimes” against Russia, the official added.

A Moscow court ordered Budanov’s arrest on terrorism charges in December 2023, after Kiev’s top spy was accused of masterminding over 100 “terrorist attacks” involving drones targeting Russian civilian infrastructure.

The head of the Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) has openly advocated attacks on Russian soil, including territory that Kiev recognizes as being under Moscow’s sovereignty. Budanov initially touted the assaults as “partisan activities,” but later acknowledged the responsibility of the Ukrainian state.

“Those committing crimes against Russia and Russian citizens are a legitimate target,” Bortnikov said when asked about Budanov and other high-ranking Ukrainian intelligence officials. When pressed by journalists on why Russia has not yet acted on those targets, the FSB chief replied that this possibility “is still ahead.”

The FSB initially identified Budanov as the mastermind of the October 2022 bombing of the Crimean Bridge. The attack involved a powerful explosive device smuggled into Russia by an unsuspecting truck driver. The man and four other people in a nearby car were killed in the blast.

Read more
FILE PHOTO: Kirill Budanov attends the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kiev.
Russian court orders arrest of Ukraine’s spy chief

On Tuesday, a Moscow Court also issued an arrest warrant for another top Ukrainian security official, Vasily Malyuk, who heads that nation’s domestic security service (SBU). Malyuk now also stands accused of masterminding the Crimean Bridge attack. Last August he claimed responsibility for the incident, telling Ukraine’s UNIAN news agency that he’d “personally” planned the “operation.”

On Monday, the SBU head also hinted that his agency was behind several high-profile assassinations inside Russia, including that of former Ukrainian MP Ilya Kiva and of blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, as well as the attempted murder of author Zakhar Prilepin.

When asked by an ICTV journalist about the SBU’s potential involvement in those incidents, Malyuk openly stated that the reporter was right to address this question to him but said he would not officially claim responsibility for any of those attacks. He still proceeded to reveal some very specific details about the weapons and explosives used in each instance.

Commenting on the developments on Tuesday, Bortnikov said that the SBU should also be designated a terrorist organization.



---------- 95 ----------

Title: Russia captures German-donated Marder IFV in ‘almost perfect’ condition (VIDEO)

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594929-donbass-marder-trophy-ideal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:22:32 +0000

Desc: Preview The Russian Defense Ministry has published footage of a German-donated Marder infantry vehicle captured intact from Ukrainian forces
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594929-donbass-marder-trophy-ideal/

Content:

The 30-ton armored vehicle was no match for the Donbass mud, the Defense Ministry said

Russian troops advancing in Donbass have captured a German-made Marder infantry fighting vehicle in near-perfect condition in what appears to be a first in the Ukraine conflict, the Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

The piece of NATO military hardware donated to Kiev by Germany was abandoned by Ukrainian troops near the village of Severnoe, some 5km west of the former stronghold of Avdeevka, which Russia liberated in mid-February.

Kiev’s forces tried to push Russia's troops out of the village but failed, according to a military technician known as ‘Kazbek’ who featured in the video. The Marder became stuck in the mud during the failed assault and was left behind by the retreating Ukainians.

The soldier showcased the trophy, saying it was “in almost ideal condition” and was “the first and only” Marder captured by Russia in such a state, as far as he knew.

”The vehicle is fully operational, virtually all elements and parts are present as expected,” the specialist said. The IFV “won’t be put into service, but it is absolutely suitable for disassembly and study.”

Germany had sent a total of 90 Marder 1A3 vehicles to Ukraine as of February, with 30 more pending. The first deliveries took place in March 2023. They were touted by Ukrainian officials as a significant upgrade on the Soviet-designed BMP-1 IFVs, which are widely available to their military.

Conclusive visual evidence of Marders being destroyed has been available online since at least last September.



---------- 96 ----------

Title: Moscow attack terrorists were to be met as ‘heroes’ in Ukraine – FSB chief

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594931-ukraine-terror-crocus-fsb/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:16:11 +0000

Desc: Preview Ukrainians at border may have been preparing to help Moscow concert attack gunmen escape Russia, head of Federal Security Service says
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594931-ukraine-terror-crocus-fsb/

Content:

The Ukrainian side may have been preparing to help the four gunmen cross the Russian border, Aleksandr Bortnikov says

The four gunmen responsible for Friday’s terrorist attack on the Crocus City music hall in Moscow were planning to escape to Ukraine before they were apprehended by Russian law enforcement, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Aleksandr Bortnikov has said.

Speaking to Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin on Tuesday, the FSB chief said that it is currently believed that the four gunmen were being expected in Ukraine and that the Ukrainian side may have been preparing to open a “window” to allow them to cross the border.

Bortnikov admitted, however, that this version of events is still being examined and that it is too early to say if this information is fully accurate. Nevertheless, he stated that authorities are currently trying to establish all the people involved in the attack, both inside and outside of Russia.

Asked if those who ordered the attack had expected the gunmen to be killed during the attack and avoid being captured alive by Russian security services, Bortnikov stated that the fact that they were trying to escape suggests that there was a plan for them to survive the ordeal.

”I’ll reveal a little secret. On the other side they were to be welcomed as heroes,” Bortnikov said.

In other statements to the media on Tuesday, the FSB boss also said that, according to his service’s intel, Ukraine had been involved in training fighters in the Middle East.

Read more
A view shows the Crocus City Hall concert venue following a shooting incident and massive fire, outside Moscow, Russia.
‘Radical Islamists’ carried out Moscow terror attack – Putin

On the evening of March 22, a group of gunmen armed with assault rifles attacked the Crocus City music hall in the Moscow suburb of Krasnogorsk, just before a concert by the rock band Picnic was due to start. The 7,500-capacity venue was almost full at the time of the attack. The terrorists killed guards, shot concert-goers on sight, then started a fire that quickly spread throughout the building.

At least 139 people, including three children, were killed in the attack, the chair of the Russian Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, reported on Monday, while health officials have said that over 150 were injured.

After the attack, Russian security services detained 11 people connected to the incident, including the gunmen who are believed to have carried out the attack.
Moscow’s Basmanny Court has since arrested the four main suspects as well as four other individuals who are accused of helping organize the terrorist attack.



---------- 97 ----------

Title: EU admits it’s working for US hegemony – Moscow

Link: https://www.rt.com/russia/594930-eu-admitted-us-hegemony/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:02:53 +0000

Desc: Preview Top diplomat Josep Borrell has essentially admitted that the EU’s goal is to protect Washington’s fading global hegemony, Moscow says
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/russia/594930-eu-admitted-us-hegemony/

Content:

The bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, recently said that helping Ukraine is in the interests of Washington ‘as a global player’

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has essentially acknowledged that the West is involved in the Ukraine conflict to help the US maintain a position of global hegemony, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

Borrell suggested in an interview with CNN earlier this week that the EU “cannot afford Russia [to] win this war [with Ukraine]” because “otherwise the US and European interests will be very damaged.”

The West is not supporting Kiev out of generosity or “because we love Ukrainian people,” but rather because “it is in our own interests and it is also in the interests of the US as a global player,” the diplomat added. 

Responding on Tuesday, Zakharova claimed it is the first time “a representative of Western regimes” has spoken so bluntly about the true nature of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. 

“It’s not a matter of ‘love for Ukrainians,’ whom the Westerners have all but destroyed. It is about the US desire to maintain its hegemony and its diminishing role in global affairs.” 

Zakharova further asserted that Washington has completely stopped playing a constructive role on the world stage, and that “liberal Democrats only know how to destroy, believing that this skill could guarantee their dominance.”

In light of this, the EU’s role has been reduced to “servilely supplying [Ukraine] with bullets purchased with the money of its own citizens, whose opinion no one asked,” Zakharova alleged. 

READ MORE: West not acting out of love for Ukrainians – Borrell

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that American elites had created a monopoly on power, but that “the overwhelming majority of nations did not really like that,” including some of Washington’s own allies. This arrangement has led to growing international opposition to the idea of a US-led world order, Putin added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also suggested last month that the US, which has sent billions of dollars in military aid to Kiev, is now trying to “shift this financial burden… onto the shoulders of European taxpayers.” 

His comments came as US President Joe Biden’s proposed $60 billion supplemental aid package for Ukraine remains stalled in Congress due to opposition from Republicans, who have demanded more efforts to increase security on the border with Mexico.



---------- 98 ----------

Title: Politician denies accepting bribe of $135,000 and a wig

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/594911-south-africa-politician-wig-bribes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 11:51:01 +0000

Desc: Preview South Africa’s parliamentary speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula being prosecuted for corruption, denies the charges
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/594911-south-africa-politician-wig-bribes/

Content:

South African prosecutors have stated they intend to bring charges against parliamentary speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, alleging corruption

South African prosecutors announced on Monday their plan to pursue the country’s parliamentary speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, over corruption allegations. She is accused of accepting $135,000 in bribes over a three-year period, and while serving as defense minister. The charges also include the taking of a wig as a bribe.

During a meeting in February 2019 at an international airport in South Africa, Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly received over $15,000 and the wig. Prosecutors are also claiming that the politician probably solicited an additional bribe of $105,000, which was not paid. The individual who allegedly offered the bribes was not identified.

Currently on leave from her position as speaker in South Africa’s National Assembly, Mapisa-Nqakula has refuted all allegations of misconduct. She has also pledged to collaborate with the authorities.  

Last week, evidence was removed during a search of her Johannesburg residence.

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Accusations of accepting bribes have been leveled against Mapisa-Nqakula in the past, however, a parliamentary inquiry into the matter was discontinued in 2021. The allegations resurfaced last year, following revelations from a whistleblower, according to prosecutors.

She has not been detained or formally accused. Prosecutors addressed her assertions during a court hearing, where she argued that authorities had failed to adequately inform her of the allegations, or to adhere to proper investigative procedures.

Judge Sulet Potterill announced that she will issue a ruling on April 2 regarding Mapisa-Nqakula’s request for a temporary injunction to prevent her arrest by the police.

Mapisa-Nqakula is additionally seeking access to documents detailing the evidence held by prosecutors against her. However, they have rejected the request, contending that the defendant is seeking preferential treatment.

The African National Congress party commented on Sunday about “Comrade Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s special leave from Parliament due to law enforcement actions and allegations against her.”

The party is preparing for the country’s national election on May 29.



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Title: India replaces Germany as Russia’s top medicine supplier – RBK

Link: https://www.rt.com/india/594921-india-russia-top-medicine-supplier/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 11:36:09 +0000

Desc: Preview India emerged as Russia’s largest supplier of pharmaceuticals last year, filling void left by Western firms, news outlet RBK has reported
Read Full Article at RT.com

Guid: https://www.rt.com/india/594921-india-russia-top-medicine-supplier/

Content:

New Delhi has taken advantage of Western major pharma firms cutting ties with Moscow, the outlet has said 

India emerged as Russia’s largest supplier of pharmaceuticals last year, filling the recent void left by previously dominant Western firms, RBK reported on Monday, citing data compiled by RNC Pharma.

Indian manufacturers ramped up exports by 3% last year and delivered nearly 294 million packages of medicines to Russia, replacing Germany’s, who was India’s top supplier in 2021 and 2022, the outlet said. Last year Germany slashed its supplies to Russia by almost 20% to 238.7 million packages, figures show.

Many Western pharmaceutical companies have suspended their non-essential work and investments in Russia over the Ukraine conflict. A number of major international pharma producers, including Eli Lilly, Bayer, Pfizer, MSD, and Novartis, have also halted new clinical trials in Russia.

Meanwhile, Indian pharma companies are expanding their business opportunities in Russia, including joint production ventures, RBK’s article stated. India’s pharmaceuticals industry is the world’s third largest by volume, according to the Indian government, and the country is often labeled “the world’s pharmacy.”

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In 2023, Mumbai-based Oxford Laboratories alone boosted its supplies to Russia by 67% to 4.8 million packages, data showed. Its portfolio includes cardiovascular, erectile dysfunction, ophthalmic and other types of drugs. Ipca Laboratories, another large Indian pharmaceutical company specializing in generics – medicines with the same components as a drug once made only by the holder of a patent – ramped up its exports by 58%, to 13.7 million packages last year.

Some experts have pointed out that Western restrictions have actually served as an incentive to boost Russia-India bilateral cooperation in new fields, including pharmaceuticals, chemical and food industries, oil-extraction and diamond processing.

Other key medicine suppliers to Russia last year included France, which boosted its exports by 7.6% to 149.4 million packages, Hungary, with an 11.6% increase to 112.5 million packages, and Israel, which has boosted deliveries by 11% to 149.8 million packages, according to RNC Pharma.



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Title: Troubled African state to host Russian military base

Link: https://www.rt.com/africa/594928-russian-central-african-republic-military-base-construction/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 11:24:12 +0000

Desc: Preview The location for Russia’s army facility to combat insecurity in the CAR is being discussed, Moscow’s envoy to Bangui has said
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Guid: https://www.rt.com/africa/594928-russian-central-african-republic-military-base-construction/

Content:

The CAR’s government earlier confirmed its decision to strengthen Moscow’s military presence in the country to train its troops

Plans are underway for the construction of a Russian military base in the Central African Republic (CAR), which has endured decades of violence and instability, Aleksandr Bikantov, Moscow’s ambassador to the country, has said.

The defense ministries of Moscow and Bangui have begun discussing a location for the army facility, Bikantov told TASS news agency in an interview published on Tuesday, without specifying when this will be completed.

The diplomat stated in January that around 1,890 Russian instructors, including military specialists of various profiles, were in the CAR to train the national police and soldiers, with the authorities requesting that the number be increased.

Fidele Gouandjika, a senior adviser to CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera, confirmed the government’s decision to strengthen Russia’s military presence in the African country to train its troops. He told African Initiative news agency earlier this year that the government has provided a plot of land in Berengo, 80 kilometers west of the country’s capital, Bangui, for the construction of the camp. Gouandjika has repeatedly hailed defense cooperation with Russia, claiming last July that as a result of Moscow’s assistance, the country was no longer afraid of coups, despite NATO and the West’s efforts to destabilize Africa.

The CAR has experienced decades of militant violence and political insecurity, including six coups, since gaining independence from France in 1960. The UN Security Council (UNSC) established a peacekeeping force in 2014, and there are currently more than 13,000 troops deployed in the country to protect civilians from militant violence. Rebel attacks against the government, however, continue.

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In 2018, the landlocked state and Russia signed a military agreement that paved the way for Moscow to train Bangui’s armed forces. Moscow has previously supplied light arms to the African country’s security forces.

While requesting increased support for regional efforts to combat terrorism and improve security in troubled African nations last December, Russia’s deputy permanent representative at the UNSC, Anna Evstigneeva, reiterated Moscow’s commitment to continuing defense cooperation with the CAR in the fight against rebel uprisings.