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<title>Boxing star still on Ukrainian state-linked ‘kill list’</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/597862-ukrainian-boxer-usyk-mirotvorets-kill-list/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/597862-ukrainian-boxer-usyk-mirotvorets-kill-list/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664a37412030274f100808ac.jpg" /> Ukrainian boxer Aleksandr Usyk, who became the undisputed world heavyweight champion this weekend, is on his homeland’s ‘kill list’ <a href="https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/597862-ukrainian-boxer-usyk-mirotvorets-kill-list/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Aleksandr Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after defeating the UK’s Tyson Fury early on Sunday
Ukrainian boxer Aleksandr Usyk has become the world’s first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years, clawing his way to victory in a twelve-round bout against the UK’s Tyson Fury in the early hours of Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
While Fury dominated in the first half of the encounter, Usyk managed to turn the tide in the eighth round, winning by split decision. The Crimean-born pugilist became the first boxer to hold all four major heavyweight belts simultaneously as well as the first undisputed champ since 2000.
However, at home, the 37-year-old athlete has repeatedly been criticized for supposedly not being patriotic enough, and has found himself on the infamous Mirotvorets (Peacekeeper) kill list, which is believed to be run by his homeland’s Interior Ministry.
The controversial database was launched, presumably by Ukrainian activists, in 2014 - months after the Maidan coup and Crimea’s accession to Russia, and at the height of Kiev’s armed conflict with Donbass secessionists. It features the personal details of individuals deemed to be anti-Ukrainian who allegedly pose a threat to the country’s territorial integrity. Over the years, the website has been criticized by a number of human rights organizations.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664013f720302706043898d3.jpg" alt="Eden Golan of Israel performs on stage during the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Grand Final at Malmo Arena on May 11, 2024 in Sweden" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/597421-israeli-eden-golan-eurovision-mirotvorets/">Israeli Eurovision singer added to Ukrainian ‘kill list’</a></figcaption>
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Usyk’s name appeared in the database back in 2020, with the website’s administrators accusing him of “repeating the Kremlin’s narratives… rejecting Russian aggression and denying the independence of Ukrainian Orthodoxy from Russian control.” Mirotvorets cites the boxer’s appearance in a religious film linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, titled ‘Hello, Brother! Christ is Risen!’
According to the website, some of the comments Usyk made in the video regarding relations between Russians and Ukrainians are controversial.
Soon after the outbreak of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in February 2022, the boxer returned from abroad and joined a Territorial Defense Battalion. However, the athlete moved to Poland in March of the same year to train for an upcoming fight, explaining that he could better serve the country in the ring than on the battlefield.
Before the hostilities erupted, Usyk had on multiple occasions provoked the ire of Ukrainian nationalists by stating that he didn’t see the difference between Russians and Ukrainians.
When asked whether he considered Crimea to be Ukrainian or Russian, the fighter would merely say that the peninsula belongs to God, or simply that “Crimea is Crimea.”]]>
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<dc:creator>RT</dc:creator>
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<title>War-cabinet minister issues ultimatum to Netanyahu</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597855-benny-gantz-ultimatum-netanyahu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597855-benny-gantz-ultimatum-netanyahu/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664a1f9185f5407e57286798.jpg" /> Israeli war-cabinet minister Benny Gantz threatens to quit government if PM Netanyahu doesn’t adopt a new plan for Gaza within three weeks <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597855-benny-gantz-ultimatum-netanyahu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Benny Gantz has threatened to quit the government if the Israeli PM doesn’t adopt a new strategy for Gaza war within three weeks
Benny Gantz, the centrist member of Israel’s three-person war cabinet, has vowed to resign from the government if it doesn’t commit to a new action plan for Gaza, which includes the end of Hamas rule, by June 8. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the ultimatum, describing it as “washed up words.” 
The development is widely believed to have further destabilized the emergency government that was set up after the Palestinian militant group’s incursion into Israeli territory last October.  About 1,200 people were killed and over 200 taken hostage in that attack, which was followed by an Israeli retaliatory military response against Hamas in Gaza.
Speaking in a televised address on Saturday, Gantz – Netanyahu’s long-time political rival, a retired general whose National Unity party joined the PM’s coalition after Hamas’ attack – demanded that the government approve a six-point plan to achieve “strategic goals.” 
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646faed20302704f20bf592.jpg" alt="Smoke billows during Israeli strikes in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 13, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597760-house-pushes-bill-arms-israel/">US House pushes through bill to send arms to Israel</a></figcaption>
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Among these are bringing hostages home, toppling Hamas rule, demilitarizing the Palestinian enclave and establishing “an international civilian governance mechanism for Gaza, including American, European, Arab and Palestinian elements” that would not include Hamas and won’t be under the authority of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The plan also calls for normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.
“If you [Netanyahu] put the national over personal…you will find in us partners in the struggle,” Gantz declared. “But if you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss, we will be forced to quit the government.”
Netanyahu hit back by saying that Gantz chose to “issue an ultimatum to the prime minister instead of issuing an ultimatum to Hamas.”
The conditions he set “are washed-up words whose meaning is clear: the end of the war and a defeat for Israel, the abandonment of most of the hostages, leaving Hamas intact and the establishment of a Palestinian state,” the PM’s office said, in a statement cited by media. 
Gantz made his comments just days after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant – the third member of the war cabinet set up in the early days after the October 7 Hamas attack – criticized the Netanyahu government’s failure to address the question of a post-war strategy for Gaza.
On Sunday, National Unity MPs Matan Kahana and Pnina Tamano-Shata told Ynet news website that the June 8 ultimatum given by the party leader Gantz is “not a date set in stone.”
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/597822-hamas-dead-hostages-recovered/">
READ MORE: German-Israeli tattoo artist among three dead hostages recovered by Israel
</a>

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“If we understand even before that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined, as usual, to not make decisions on critical issues, we will not wait until then,” Kahana is quoted as saying. “The prime minister has refrained from making decisions for reasons of political survival. This must stop,” he added.
The Israeli war in Gaza has led to over 35,000 Palestinians being killed, according to the enclave’s health authorities, and has sparked international criticism. In January, the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) said in a ruling that it was “plausible” that the Israeli military has committed genocide in the densely populated Palestinian enclave.]]>
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<dc:creator>RT</dc:creator>
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<title>UK says it doesn’t want ‘direct conflict with Russia’</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597848-uk-shapps-doesnt-want-conflict-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597848-uk-shapps-doesnt-want-conflict-russia/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664a08232030271ebe14d67c.jpg" /> Britain’s Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said the West doesn’t want to “be in a direct conflict” with Moscow but could help Kiev more <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597848-uk-shapps-doesnt-want-conflict-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said this is the reason why Western nations do not shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine
The West has no appetite for a direct military confrontation with Russia over Ukraine, UK Defenсe Secretary Grant Shapps has stated. He also suggested that Berlin is unwilling to provide its long-range missiles to Kiev for fear that they would be used to hit Russian targets in Crimea.
On Tuesday, Shapps had said Britain has no problem with its weapons being used by Ukraine to strike the peninsula, which joined Russia in 2014 following a referendum. Most countries, however, do not recognize this territory as Russian. Earlier this month, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also gave the green light to UK-made weapons being deployed to conduct attacks deep inside Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded by summoning the British ambassador and warning that Moscow reserves the right to retaliate against “any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and beyond.”
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Shapps explained that the West does not shoot down incoming Russian missiles over Ukraine because “we don’t want to be in a direct conflict with Russia... we don’t intend to go and fight that war.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66498bf42030276ac40f3576.jpg" alt="An apartment block partially destroyed by a shelling in Belgorod, Russia on May 13, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597837-us-does-not-encourage-use/">US denies ‘enabling’ Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory</a></figcaption>
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In another interview with Sky News on Sunday, the defense secretary said: “The United Kingdom has been very forward-leaning about the way that our weapons are used, including – and other countries didn’t initially do this but then followed our lead – in Crimea, which we see as an integral part of Ukraine.”
The official also suggested that the reason Germany has for months turned down Ukrainian requests for long-range Taurus missiles is out of concern that Kiev would use these over Crimea. Shapps added that he would like to see Berlin lift this self-imposed, supposed taboo.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the “American and British handlers of the [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky regime” of “not only providing longer-range missiles and heavy weapons, but [also of] giving the green light for their use against Russia.”
“Once again, we would like to unequivocally warn Washington, London, Brussels and other Western capitals, as well as Kiev, which is under their control, that they are playing with fire. Russia will not leave such encroachments on its territory unanswered,” the spokeswoman stressed.
On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that there had been multiple instances in the past few days that had seen Western-supplied missiles and guided bombs intercepted by Russian air defenses.]]>
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<title>Chaos erupts in Taiwanese parliament (VIDEO)</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597849-taiwan-parliament-brawl-injuries/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597849-taiwan-parliament-brawl-injuries/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664a075085f54003050f9621.jpg" /> Members of the three parties in the Taiwanese parliament engage in physical clashes over reforms to the legislature <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597849-taiwan-parliament-brawl-injuries/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Members of all three parties brawled over reforms to the legislature
A session of the Taiwanese parliament, the Legislative Yuan, descended into a fist fight on Friday, with members suffering concussions, fractures and other injuries.
Lawmakers had gathered to discuss a controversial proposal by the opposition to criminalize officials who make false statements in parliament, and give the legislature more powers to scrutinize the government.
Tensions were running high even before the session, with lawmakers shouting and shoving each other outside the building in Taipei.
Matters escalated further when they got inside the chamber, as members began to lash out with their fists and perform wrestling moves on each other. Videos from the Legislative Yuan showed male lawmakers attacking their female counterparts in several cases.
The brawl appeared to die down at some points, before reigniting with renewed force, and continuing late into the evening.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">A member of Taiwan's parliament stole a bill and ran off with it to prevent it from being passed <a href="https://t.co/FZCOdpEAFe">pic.twitter.com/FZCOdpEAFe</a>— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) <a href="https://twitter.com/historyinmemes/status/1791896818399260929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">تدافع النواب التايوانيون واشتبكوا وضربوا بعضهم بعضا في البرلمان بعد نزاعهم بشأن بعض الإصلاحات، وانتهى الأمر بأحد النواب وهو ينتزع أوراق الاقتراع بالقوة من رئيس الجلسة والهرب بها خارج البرلمان..<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taiwan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taiwan</a> lawmakers exchange blows in bitter dispute over parliament reforms <a href="https://t.co/zd9DjBusv6">pic.twitter.com/zd9DjBusv6</a>— Belkisse Rym Ennada khettache بلقيس ريم الندى ختاش (@Belkissek) <a href="https://twitter.com/Belkissek/status/1791527447638225206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The scuffles involved members of all three parties – the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of president-elect Lai Ching-te, who is to be inaugurated on Monday; the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which has three more seats in the parliament than the DPP but is unable to form a majority; and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), which holds just eight seats.
During the scuffles, a lawmaker for the DPP ended up in hospital after being thrown over a table by his opponents and landing on his head.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Taiwan parliament is basically Fight Club <a href="https://t.co/quo3NnHAtg">pic.twitter.com/quo3NnHAtg</a>— Nury Vittachi (@NuryVittachi) <a href="https://twitter.com/NuryVittachi/status/1791751711469810070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At one point, a politician grabbed the draft legislation and escaped from the chamber so that his colleagues could not vote on it.
On Sunday, the DPP said at least eight of its members were wounded in the altercations, including secretary-general Rosalia Wu, who suffered “severe rib cage contusions.” Other lawmakers received injuries including concussion, a tailbone fracture, and a dislocated hand. The party has vowed to go to court over what it said were “atrocities” committed by their political rivals.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/597802-eu-taiwan-statehood-china/">
READ MORE: EU will not recognize Taiwan – Borrell
</a>

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The DPP has been accusing Kuomintang and the TPP of “an unconstitutional abuse” of their position in trying to push through proposals without a customary consultation process. The opposition, however, insists that Lai’s party is trying to “monopolize power” on the self-governed island – viewed by China as part of its sovereign territory – by resisting the changes.]]>
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<title>Navalny used to support me, now I raise money for Russian soldiers</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597506-mass-production-first-aid-kits/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597506-mass-production-first-aid-kits/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6641fffc20302748901f63cd.jpg" /> Interview with the organizer of a humanitarian group that supplies the front with funds collected from voluntary donations <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597506-mass-production-first-aid-kits/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Daniil Makhnitsky heads a humanitarian group that supplies troops at the front with equipment bought from donations
Daniil Makhnitsky’s career has taken many unexpected turns: he was a federal official in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, a business owner, and a candidate for the semi-liberal New People party in the State Duma [national parliament] elections, winning over 60,000 votes. Back then he had the support of the late Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny. 
However, after the start of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine, he changed tack and became involved in humanitarian work. 
Makhnitsky founded the People’s First Aid Kit project, which supplies the Russian Army with modern tactical medicine kits. So far, he has sent over 5,000 first aid kits to the front and has raised more than $500,000. He told RT how he created one of the most effective volunteer projects by utilizing management practices from business and politics.
<h2>First steps in humanitarian activities and the changing politics </h2>
RT: Would you say that Russian society has changed and become more open towards humanitarian aid projects since the beginning of hostilities?
Makhnitsky: I had a lot of experience in political fundraising, but it surprised me how many people want to get involved in humanitarian work. This conflict has demonstrated that there is a great number of people who are ready to help someone they don’t even know. It’s a broad network of people, and even though they don’t share specific political views, they are actively involved [in humanitarian work]. 
RT: Why didn’t the [pro-Western] liberal opposition use its political resources for humanitarian work like you did?
Makhnitsky: Before the outbreak of hostilities, I had some contact with them. In the 2021 elections, I was included in the Smart Voting lists, and Alexey Navalny’s wife voted for me. But when the war started, their position was that they had nothing to do with it. I wouldn’t even call it a “position” but rather a “counterposition.”
Besides, I believe they [the pro-Western opposition] didn’t have many supporters. Whose interests do they serve? As for us, we’re closely tied to the Russian people, to the Russian state. For us, it’s a matter of identity and this is why even people who don’t share our political views help us. When there’s a war going on, it’s important to remember things like that, and we’ve remained true to our country. 
Moreover, to help the side which your country is fighting against is the worst political idea. Even if you think that this war is wrong or unrighteous, you still have your country [to worry about]. 
So the liberals failed completely. The West doesn’t take them seriously, it says – “Oh, so why didn’t you go and overthrow Putin?” And in Russia they are considered traitors because they betrayed their own people, their state. I don’t know what has to happen in order for Russia to accept them with open arms.
As for our political movement, it made the right long-term decision – though generally, there was no other choice for us. I believe time will put everything in its place.
RT: How did you become involved in humanitarian work?
Daniil Makhnitsky: This was possible because of the environment in which I worked. I was involved in independent politics, our political movement participated in the Moscow City Duma elections in 2019 and the St. Petersburg State Duma and Legislative Assembly campaigns in 2021. One of our main reasons for conducting these campaigns was to gain experience, gather resources, sponsors, staff members, and activists. We believed this would help us in the future, even if we didn’t get elected anywhere at that particular moment. And that’s really how things turned out. Of course, at the time, we couldn’t have imagined that all these contacts and resources would come in handy for humanitarian work, but that’s how it turned out.
We started out with [organizing] temporary shelters for refugees. At that time, the fighting had just begun. No one knew what was about to happen, but refugees had already started to arrive. Of course, these were civilian refugees, and we became actively involved in helping them, since it matched our activities and values. 
Then, through our political contacts and activists, we built a large regional network. This wouldn’t have been possible without the contacts gathered during our election campaigns. This network helped organize temporary shelters for refugees in 16 regions. 
Later, the government started actively helping refugees and we saw that we had already done what we could. We had to move on and go to areas where fighting was taking place directly.
We found some initial contacts in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), which at the time was still an independent region. There were insane difficulties at every step. In order to bring humanitarian aid to the Gusak clinical hospital (one of Donetsk’s main hospitals), we had to resort to the help of our military contacts and transport the cargo across the border through their channels. Some of the difficulties we faced were absurd, and we had to constantly find new solutions.
After we visited the DPR and saw the situation with our own eyes, we knew that we had to go there and help, because that region faced the biggest problems. We prioritized two areas: helping civilians (distributing electric generators, medicine, and delivering medical supplies to hospitals) and helping the military – a task I took up together with Savva Fedoseev. Why did I choose this direction? It was important for me since I saw major problems in the field of tactical medicine that hadn’t been addressed so far.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.04/thumbnail/662299ac85f540398a0a5c6f.jpg" alt="RT" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/596126-russian-opposition-activist-ukraine/">‘We don’t like the Russian government, but we support the army’: Opposition activist puts politics aside during conflict</a></figcaption>
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The process was fairly long and evolutionary – it took us six to eight months to get started, but that’s how we got involved in this work. Before that, I’d never been connected to military structures. I didn’t even serve in the army. I studied in graduate school and had nothing to do with the military. 
<h2>What is the People’s First Aid Kit project?</h2>
RT: Why did you focus on medical aid? How did the idea of launching the People’s First Aid Kit project appear?
Makhnitsky: When we started driving around military units, we saw that demand [for first aid kits] was huge. Back in 2022 (and even now) servicemen lacked many things. When I arrived at the front line, I was shown a huge list of the required items worth tens of millions of rubles – from expensive quadcopters to smaller things like socks. In a situation like this, any humanitarian aid worker (and by that time, we were already experienced humanitarian workers) faces a dilemma. There’s only a certain amount of money that we have, since we’re not a government organization. And from the money that we’ve been entrusted with, we have to derive the maximum benefit.
After lengthy calculations, I realized there’s a very narrow niche which allows us to save a human life with just 3,000-6,000 rubles [$30-65]. You can buy an expensive quadcopter and it will be useful to a certain extent, or you can use this money to buy medical supplies and the result will be ten times greater in terms of saved lives.
Moreover, I positioned myself as a humanitarian aid worker, and it was easier for me to go from organizing shelters for refugees to providing non-combat military aid. In other words, I could raise more money for medical supplies than for some combat equipment. 
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©  Telegram / narodnaya_aptechka 
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We came to this conclusion largely through trial and error. We calculated the economic aspect: if with 5,000 rubles you can help save the life of a serviceman, that’s the most rational investment. Also, after visiting five or six units, I saw that none of them had good tactical first aid kits. And I realized that this is the direction I need to work in. 
First of all, a first aid kit doesn’t cost much. Secondly, we can assemble it ourselves, there’s no need for licensing. Plus, I try to think about the marketing aspect, because as a politician, my task is to sell ideas and do fundraising. 
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The military has to fight, but I need to help people understand why they should help the military. 
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And so I thought – a first aid kit is a very understandable product, it doesn’t cost much, it’s easy to market, and it’s incredibly useful. So I became immersed in this work and dedicated myself completely to it. 
RT: How did you decide what the first aid kit should include? 
Makhnitsky: That’s also an interesting story. First, we stated the problem: the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have a great first aid kit, but we don’t. Then, we started thinking about it: okay, so the AFU have a cool first aid kit, but why, and what does it include? At that time, they had a standard NATO first aid kit which included 13 items. And so, at first, we just copied their first aid kits. Some items we couldn’t get, so we replaced them with analogues; likewise, when we saw that we could add something useful, we did so. That’s how our kits appeared.
Of course, we consulted frontline medical personnel and tactical medicine specialists in Moscow. But no matter how many medical specialists we talked to, we received different answers all the time – in tactical medicine, everyone has their own opinion. But thanks to this, we came to a certain general conclusion about what was needed. The items that are included in the first aid kits can change. For example, what we have now is the third iteration of the kit. Clearly, this is the coolest, cheapest, and most effective version of our kit, but we couldn’t have invented it right away.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597451-russia-goes-on-offensive-heres/">Russia goes on the offensive: Here’s what’s behind the advance in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region</a></figcaption>
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<h2>How to spend money effectively</h2>
RT: Who’s involved in the People’s First Aid Kit project? 
Makhnitsky: Our political activists – the same people who used to work on our election campaigns. There’s a lot of work involved in producing first aid kits in general, it’s not like drones that you just have to buy and deliver. The production cycle is quite long. We need to buy all the items (and some of them are imported), bring them to one place, manually assemble all the kits and check them. At some point, we established a pipeline. Every Saturday, the volunteers come together and assemble 100 first aid kits.
RT: And who donates money to you?
Makhnitsky: Absolutely the same people who donated money to our political campaigns. This is a sort of enlightened upper middle class which can afford to donate from 10,000 to 100,000 rubles a month ($100–1,000). In 2021-2022, they saw our political endeavors and our attempts to participate in elections and supported our social activism, and now they support our humanitarian work. The only difference is that some people want to help hospitals and others want to help the military.
RT: Is it important for you that the People’s First Aid Kit remains a non-profit project?
Makhnitsky: Sure, this is not about business. We have one project manager who does most of the work, he only receives 30,000 rubles ($300) as compensation for his time. None of us receive salaries or bonuses. Throughout this whole time, I haven’t been paid a single ruble, and I can’t count how much of my own money I’ve spent. And I’m not even talking about the time that I could have spent doing something else.
Humanitarian workers also donate their time and money, and face certain risks. We don’t earn money from this. When you earn money, it’s a different story. And it’s not like there is something wrong with that, supplying the army is also a good thing.
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But our work can’t be called a business. We have a place where people come and say, “we have the money, we need 100 first aid kits right now.” And we use their budget and assemble the first aid kits. 
Does this sound like a business? No. I would call it “humanitarian contract work.” In general, we had no intention of making a business out of it, business isn’t done like that. I know people who want to supply the army with their version of the first aid kits, but that’s not so much about business as about lobbying. However, decisions like that don’t depend on us, but on top officials. 
RT: You used to be a federal official and were also engaged in electoral politics. Which experience turned out to be useful when you started working on the People’s First Aid Kit project?
Makhnitsky: I’d say my experience as a politician and an entrepreneur was quite useful. In terms of internal organization, a humanitarian project is no different from a commercial one. You have the same concepts: an incoming flow of money, expenses, and so on. And the political component comes down to fundraising, gathering volunteers, spreading word about the project, and concluding an agreement with military units. This is 100% political work, because you can’t just come to Donetsk and start distributing first aid kits. You have to have certain agreements, confirmed access, and so on. The entrepreneurial part comes down to organizing this process as efficiently as possible.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/592738-triumph-in-avdeevka/">Victory in Avdeevka: How Russia forced Ukraine to retreat from the most fortified city in Donbass</a></figcaption>
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I often talk about efficiency, because I’ve collected over 50 million rubles ($545,000) since the beginning of the war and people donate money to me precisely because they know that it will be spent efficiently. This is very important – because if you donate 100 rubles, you want all of that money to go into real work. And we really try to do that. 
<h2>People at the front and in the rear</h2>
RT: How are your trips to the front line organized?
Makhnitsky: We started working with “friendly” units and gradually, more people found out about our work. In each first aid kit we put a paper with a QR code – on scanning it, you can see where the first aid kits come from, who paid for them, and so on. As more units found out about our work, we started receiving requests via our Telegram bot.
Requests are constantly coming from the front line, so we have to filter them. There are high priority and low priority requests, so it’s important to rank them. It takes about a month and a half to assemble the first aid kits. Then, we stuff the kits into a minivan and drive to the front line with a team of experienced, reliable guys. About 300 first aid kits fit into the minivan.
What happens then? We drive around and distribute the kits – sometimes the units are positioned in the rear, but other times we go right to the front line. Once we drove around 14 units in four days. At each location, we always make a video report and thank the people who donated the money. These videos are later used for fundraising purposes. We then agree on the next deliveries, and find out what the servicemen need. 
We generally try to make as many videos as possible, this is very important for fundraising purposes, since it’s necessary to constantly engage the audience.
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RT: These first aid kits aren’t provided by the Ministry of Defense, but are assembled thanks to the donations made by people. Is this ‘psychological’ aspect important for soldiers? 
Makhnitsky: It’s very important. They really appreciate it when someone visits them, brings them something useful and says some kind words, so the servicemen know they aren’t forgotten. It’s one thing to receive supplies from the Ministry of Defense, but it’s completely different when someone tells you, 
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This is from the Russian people, people donated money for this. Fight and take good care of yourself.”
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Servicemen have a difficult job and they need to know that their work is appreciated. And [the good you do] always comes back to you – you give a soldier humanitarian aid, and he responds with sincere emotions. This is very important. Because even if the physical needs of the troops were met 100%, they’d still need to have someone visit them so they don’t feel abandoned in the trenches while standing knee-deep in shit.
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<title>Helicopter with Iranian president on board suffers ‘hard landing’: Live updates</title>
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The search continues for an aircraft that was carrying Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage
President Ebrahim Raisi was travelling over East Azerbaijan province, located in Iran’s northwest, when his helicopter made a "hard landing," statements from Tehran have outlined. He was returning from a visit to the country of Azerbaijan on Sunday. Poor weather conditions have been reported.  
It is unclear what happened to the helicopter, and the semi-official Tasnim news agency is describing what happened as an "incident." The aircraft was also reportedly carrying the country’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.  Fog has hampered the efforts of the rescue teams, state TV has also said.]]>
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<title>Helicopter carrying Iranian president crashes – reports</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6649fcdd85f54075524dcbc0.jpg" /> The aircraft with Ebrahim Raisi on board suffered a “hard landing,” according to some media <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597845-helicopter-carrying-iranian-president-crashes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The aircraft with Ebrahim Raisi on board suffered a “hard landing,” according to some media
A helicopter on which Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was a passenger encountered a “hard landing” on Sunday, according to reports by Iranian state television and other media outlets.
The Interior Minister of Iran Ahmad Vahidi has reportedly confirmed that the helicopter with Raisi on board had made a hard landing in the city of Jolfa in the northwestern Iranian province of East Azarbaijan.
Several other senior officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Governor of East Azarbaijan Malek Rahmati, were traveling with the president, reports claim.
About an hour after the incident, rescue teams reportedly managed to reach the area and began a search operation that is currently ongoing.
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Foggy weather and the impassibility of the area has made the search operations difficult, IRNA writes. The Iranian news agency, citing the head of the Red Crescent in the country, said the number of rescue teams sent to the area was increased from 20 to 40 teams.
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Shortly after the first reports about the incident, news outlet Mehr reported that the president was fine and was traveling by car as part of a motorcade to Tabriz, the provincial capital. However, it later deleted this update.
There were three helicopters in Raisi’s convoy, Tasnim writes, amid conflicting reports. Two of the aircraft, which were carrying some ministers and officials, reached their destination safely. The agency claims that some of the officials who were with the president at the time of the incident were able to contact what Tasnim described as a “center,” which may indicate that the incident had not resulted in serious injury.
Earlier on Sunday, President Raisi was attending a ceremony along with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River. The facility was jointly built by the neighboring states.]]>
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<title>Russian economic growth hits 5.4%</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6649c43885f54003050f9607.jpg" /> The Russian economy grew above expectations in the first quarter, preliminary statistics show <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597842-russia-economy-growth-quarter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The economy expanded in the first quarter despite Western sanctions, according to the national statistics service
Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.4% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024, the state statistics agency Rosstat said in a preliminary report published on Friday.
According to the estimates, Russia saw robust growth in retail turnover (up 10.5%), manufacturing (up 8.8%) and construction (3.5%) in January-March.
The Rosstat data aligns with an earlier estimate from the Economics Ministry, but exceeds that of the Bank of Russia (4.6% growth) and analysts’ expectations (5.3%). The agency is due to publish more detailed data on GDP in mid-June.
According to an earlier forecast from the Bank of Russia, GDP growth is expected to slow in the second quarter due to tightening fiscal conditions. The regulator, however, expects consumer and investment demand to remain high and continue to drive economic growth.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597828-economies-sanctions-vulnerability-study/">Study finds which countries are most vulnerable to sanctions</a></figcaption>
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The positive data comes despite multiple rounds of Western sanctions introduced since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.
The measures have ranged from blacklisting most Russian banks and cutting them from the SWIFT interbank messaging system, to freezing some $300 billion in Russian foreign exchange reserves.
As a result, GDP suffered a downturn in 2022, contracting 1.2%. However, data for 2023 showed that the economy has recovered, posting growth of 3.6%. Many analysts have attributed this performance to Russia’s trade pivot to the East, and economic policies implemented to offset the effect of restrictions.
In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it expects the Russian economy to grow faster than all advanced economies in 2024. GDP is forecast to expand by 3.2%, exceeding the expected growth rates for the US (2.7%), the UK (0.5%), Germany (0.2%) and France (0.7%).
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov earlier said he expects GDP growth in 2024 to equal that of last year, while the Bank of Russia has been more cautious in its predictions, expecting growth of 2.5-3.5%.

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<title>Fico’s condition ‘no longer life-threatening’ – Slovak deputy PM</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6649cc2020302728934f6f02.jpg" /> Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico will survive the attempt on his life, the deputy head of the country’s government has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597843-fico-slovakia-assassination-attempt/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The prime minister will survive, Tomas Taraba has said
The condition of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is no longer life-threatening, the EU country’s deputy prime minister Tomas Taraba has told British state broadcaster the BBC. There was an attempt on his life earlier this week.
Fico was shot several times on Wednesday as he approached a crowd in the city of Handlova in central Slovakia. The prime minister was rushed to a hospital and doctors have been fighting for his life since.
The assailant, who was detained on the spot, turned out to be 71-year-old left-wing activist Juraj Cintula. He reportedly strongly disagreed with Fico’s decision to stop arms shipments to Ukraine.
The prime minister is “not in a life-threatening situation at this moment,” Taraba said on Sunday. “Fortunately, as far as I know, the operation went well – and I guess in the end he will survive,” he added.
According to the deputy prime minister, Fico was “heavily injured” in the attack. “One bullet went thought the stomach and the second one hit a joint – he was immediately transported to the hospital and then operated-on,” he said.
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Milan Urbani, deputy head of the hospital where the Slovak leader is being treated, said earlier on Sunday that the board of doctors had ruled that “the patient is currently no longer in a life-threatening state.”
Urbani described Fico’s condition as “very serious,” saying that the 59-year-old “needs a lot of time and peace to recover.” However, he stressed that the doctors believe that “everything will develop in a positive direction.”
Earlier in the day, around a hundred people gathered outside the hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica to support Fico and thank the doctors who are taking care of him, police said. Well-wishers brought flowers to the rally, according to media reports.
Fico, who returned to power last year, is a polarizing figure both in Slovakia and the EU, due to his position regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which he insists must be settled through peaceful means, and due to his intention to mend relations with Moscow.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/597737-attack-slovak-robert-fico/">
READ MORE: An EU country’s leader has been shot, and of course it has to be about Putin
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Many Slovak politicians have linked the attempt on the PM’s life to “hateful rhetoric” and to the politically charged climate in the country.]]>
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<title>Study finds which countries are most vulnerable to sanctions</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6649b1fb2030272aaf3971d5.jpg" /> The US, Russian and Chinese economies could weather a full trade blockade, while Germany, France and the UK would be badly hurt, study finds <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597828-economies-sanctions-vulnerability-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The British, German and French economies are among those which would be hurt the most if they saw their trade ties cut with no chance of parallel imports, analysts claim
The US, Russian and Chinese economies could weather a full trade blockade with relatively little damage, while Germany, France and the UK would be badly hurt, the Russian news outlet Vedomosti reported this week, citing a study by the Sino-Russian Laboratory for Assessing the Consequences of Intercountry Trade Wars.
The research, conducted in early 2024 at China’s National Supercomputing Center, tested the resilience of 19 global economies to large-scale economic sanctions using mathematical modeling. Analysts assessed the direct gross domestic product (GDP) losses each country would suffer if faced with a complete trade blockade without the possibility of parallel imports.
The study revealed that while all countries would see their economies contract under the proposed scenario, some would be hit worse than others. Russia would be among the three most resilient, with its economy shrinking by no more than 3.5%. China would see its GDP ebb by 3.1%, while the US would witness a 2.3% drop.
Meanwhile, the German economy would be the worst hit if its trade ties were cut, contracting by 8.1%. Significant damage would also be suffered by South Korea (down by 7.9%), Mexico (7.2%), France (7%), Türkiye (6.6%), Italy (6%) and the UK (5.7%).
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/business/596479-russia-economic-growth-forecast/">Russia riding sanctions all the way to the bank – economy ministry</a></figcaption>
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The study also found that the economies of Australia, Indonesia and Japan would see a contraction of 3.7-3.8%, making them less vulnerable to trade sanctions than India, Brazil and Canada, which would see GDP declines of 4%, 4.2% and 5.5%, respectively.
Analysts linked the comparatively good stress-test performance of the American, Chinese and Russian economies with the conditional Composite Index of National Capability, explaining that these countries have more significant natural resources, as well as human, scientific and military potential than others.
Commenting on the findings, Stanislav Murashov, Chief Economist at Raiffeisenbank, noted that when dealing with economic restrictions, the least affected countries would be the best prepared.
“The winner is the one who, in general terms, geared up for [restrictions] by localizing their production, or someone who will be able, for example, to abandon some imported components, parts, raw materials, equipment. Judging by the study, a possible thesis is confirmed that Europe is more reliant on the global market than China, the US and Russia,” he told Kommersant news daily.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/business/596343-russia-economy-strong-imf/">
READ MORE: Russian economic growth ‘strong’ – IMF
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The Russian economy, which is already subjected to a wide array of international economic sanctions due to the Ukraine conflict, initially contracted by 1.2% in 2022, but last year posted growth of 3.6%, according to official statistics. The first quarter of 2024 saw the country’s GDP further increase by 5.4% year-on-year, according to preliminary estimates issued on Friday. The International Monetary Fund said last month it expects the Russian economy to expand 3.2% this year, a projection which puts the country ahead of a number of major Western economies, including the US (2.7%), UK (0.5%), France (0.7%), and Germany (0.2%).
For more stories on economy & finance visit <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">RT's business section</a>
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<title>Ukrainian truckers protest against mobilization law (VIDEO)</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6649a89a85f540542334959d.jpg" /> Dozens of trucks blocked a key highway between Ukraine’s capital Kiev and the port of Odessa on Saturday, local media reported <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597840-ukraine-truck-drivers-protest/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Dozens of trucks blocked a key highway connecting capital Kiev and the port of Odessa on Saturday, the news outlet Strana reported
Ukrainian truckers staged major protests against the country’s new mobilization law on Saturday, the news outlet Strana has reported. According to new legislation, which came into force on May 18, the drivers can be drafted into the military when they re-enter the country from abroad.
“We need to staff the reserves,” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said in an interview with AFP on Friday, explaining measures taken to bolster the country’s ranks. “A large number” of Kiev’s brigades “are empty,” which doesn’t allow for the “normal rotation” of troops, he complained.
Dozens of trucks blocked a key highway connecting Ukraine’s capital Kiev and the port city of Odessa, the outlet reported on Friday.
According to a video posted on Telegram by one of the participants of the protests, the drivers came from all over Ukraine, representing Kiev, Odessa, Nikolaev, Vinnitsa, Cherkassy, Ivano-Frankovsk, Chernigov and other cities.
The trucker said that he and his fellow teamsters had staged the event to draw public attention to what he described as the “draconian laws of half-legitimate Zelensky authorities.”
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Zelensky has refused to hold the presidential election which had been scheduled to take place in late March, citing martial law being in force in the country due to the conflict with Russia. His five-year term in office had been set to expire on May 20.
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The Association of International Road Carriers of Ukraine complained last month that several truckers had been snatched by enlistment officers in the Transcarpathia Region as they were returning from the EU. The organization said that it has addressed the government, asking for the practice to stop, arguing that the transportation of cargo is a vital activity for the country’s economy.
An unnamed representative of a Ukrainian transport company told Strana.ua earlier in May that cases have been on the rise where drivers have abandoned their trucks after crossing into the EU and fled to avoid mobilization. Some men have been obtaining trucker licenses especially for that purpose, the source said.
Zelensky signed a harsh new mobilization law in April amid the troop shortages his country has experienced on the front line. The legislation lowers the conscription age from 27 to 25, greatly expands the powers of enlistment officers and introduces assorted restrictions for draft dodgers.
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READ MORE: Ukrainians who work for betting company shielded from draft – media
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Late last month, then-Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that the Ukrainian military’s losses since the beginning of the year have already surpassed 111,000 troops.]]>
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<title>One civilian killed as Ukrainian drone strikes minibus – governor</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597841-kherson-drone-minibus-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597841-kherson-drone-minibus-ukraine/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6649b21085f5400a8059944e.jpg" /> One person was killed and several others wounded in a drone attack in Russia’s Kherson Region, local governor Vladimir Saldo has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597841-kherson-drone-minibus-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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“Many” civilians were also wounded in the attack on Russia’s Kherson Region, according to the local administration
One person has been killed and “many” others wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike on a minibus carrying civilians in Russia’s Kherson Region, Governor Vladimir Saldo said on Sunday. The attack took place in the village of Radensk on Sunday morning, Saldo wrote on Telegram. The UAV targeted a vehicle with workers on their way to harvest strawberries, he added.
“The explosion killed one person. There are many wounded, who are receiving necessary medical assistance,” the governor said.
Russian regions have seen several attacks on buses by Ukrainian drones since the start of this month.
On May 6, seven people were killed and dozens wounded after UAVs targeted two minibuses carrying farmers near the village of Beryozovka in Belgorod Region.
Two days earlier, two people were injured when a drone struck a bus in the village of Voznesenka, also in Belgorod Region.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6638819685f5401c1f13df9b.jpg" alt="Source: Vyacheslav Gladkov, Telegram/vvgladkov" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597045-multiple-dead-ukrainian-drone-raid-belgorod/">Multiple dead in Ukrainian drone raid on Belgorod Region – governor</a></figcaption>
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Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that “a number of attempts by the Kiev regime to carry out terrorist attacks” on Russian territory with the use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles and drones were prevented overnight.
Nine ATACMS were shot down by air defenses over Crimea, while a total of 57 drones were intercepted in the Krasnodar Region, the ministry said. Three UAVs were destroyed in Belgorod Region, it added.
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<title>US denies ‘enabling’ Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597837-us-does-not-encourage-use/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597837-us-does-not-encourage-use/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66498bf42030276ac40f3576.jpg" /> The White House has denied encouraging Ukraine to strike targets in Russia with US-made weapons <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597837-us-does-not-encourage-use/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Kiev can only use US-supplied weapons in a defensive manner, the White House says
The US has denied helping Ukraine use Western-supplied weapons to strike Russian territory, after Moscow accused Washington of “playing with fire” by allowing Kiev to shell Russian cities.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced an additional $2 billion aid package for Kiev, saying Washington was “closely monitoring the Russian offensive in northeastern Ukraine” and “working around the clock to get weapons and equipment into the hands of the Ukrainian soldiers to repel those attacks.”
However, he stressed that the equipment and funds should only be used to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses rather than strike targets on Russian soil.
“We do not encourage, nor do we enable attacks using US-supplied weapon systems inside Russian territory. That’s the policy that has not changed,” Kirby said in response to a reporter’s question on whether it was time to reconsider “the prohibition on Ukraine against using American weapons in an offensive manner.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664839352030273ff436c536.jpg" alt="Ukrainian troops prepare drones for combat in Kharkov Region, Ukraine, May 16, 2024" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597812-ukraine-us-highlight-russian/">Ukraine asks US to help locate targets in Russia – media</a></figcaption>
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US officials have previously stated that they continue to view Crimea, the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, and the regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye, as Ukrainian territory under Russian “occupation.” Crimea voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia shortly after the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev, while the four other regions did the same in September 2022.
Russian troops crossed into Ukraine’s Kharkov Region last week and have since captured several villages along the border. Ukraine’s General Staff has stated that the Russians have achieved some “tactical success,” and reported heavy fighting around the city of Volchansk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously warned that Moscow could seek to establish a buffer zone in eastern Ukraine to prevent Ukrainian forces from shelling civilian targets in the Russian city of Belgorod and other border regions. “This is what we are doing. As for [the capture of] Kharkov, there are no such plans for today,” he said during his trip to China on Friday.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66446fb085f540174d0aec04.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: A US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) firing a missile during a military drill in South Korea." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597616-ukraine-washington-arms-restriction/">Kiev blames US for Russian advances – Politico</a></figcaption>
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Moscow has accused NATO and EU countries of encouraging Ukraine to strike residential areas using Western-supplied long-range missiles, such as ATACMS and Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG.
“Russia will not leave such encroachments on its territory unanswered,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Saturday.
Kiev, meanwhile, has argued that the latest Russian offensive was made possible by restrictions on the use of Western arms, as well as delays in deliveries. “They can fire any weapons from their territory at ours. This is the biggest advantage that Russia has,” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told AFP news agency on Friday.
Earlier this week, members of Ukraine’s parliament traveled to Washington in a bid to convince the White House to lift the restrictions, according to Politico. Kiev has also reportedly requested help with intelligence on targets inside Russia.]]>
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<title>Slovak PM’s condition ‘remains very serious’ – deputy</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597836-slovak-pm-stable-condition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597836-slovak-pm-stable-condition/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66495df485f5407e5728675b.jpg" /> Slovak Prime Minister Fico in serious condition after an assassination attempt, his deputy has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597836-slovak-pm-stable-condition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Robert Fico was hospitalized with gunshot wounds on Wednesday

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico remains in serious condition after surviving an assassination attempt, his deputy Robert Kalinak said on Saturday. 
Fico was attacked on Wednesday in the central Slovak city of Handlova. When he approached a group of spectators, one person pulled out a handgun and shot the politician several times at close range. Fico was rushed to the hospital, and the assailant was detained on the spot. 
Kalinak, who also serves as defense minister, spoke to the news channel TA3 outside the Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica, where Fico is being treated. He remained cautiously optimistic about the prime minister’s recovery. 
“He is in stable condition, but the four gunshot wounds have caused extensive injuries,” Kalinak said. He added that Fico had undergone additional surgery, and that there still could be complications. “In any case, his condition is very serious.”
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597672-fico-slovak-pm-quotes/">‘No country should be punished for its sovereignty’ – Fico in quotes</a></figcaption>
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Kalinak said he had a brief conversation with the prime minister in the hospital, and thanked the doctors and the Slovak public to their support. “I ask everyone for a little bit more patience and a strong belief that everything will turn from bad to good,” he said. 
Police have identified the suspect as a 71-year-old former security guard named Juraj Cintula. He was placed in pre-detention on Saturday. 
Although the suspect’s exact motives remain unclear, the government believes the attack was politically motivated. Many leading politicians have linked the assassination attempt to “hateful rhetoric” and the politically charged climate in the country.
Fico is a polarizing figure in the EU due to his position regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The politician has repeatedly urged against further escalation with Russia and suspended the deliveries of weapons to Kiev.]]>
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<title>Georgian president vetoes controversial ‘foreign agents’ bill</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597835-georgian-president-vetoes-controversial-law/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597835-georgian-president-vetoes-controversial-law/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66494d922030273a1d356963.jpg" /> Georgia’s head of state has refused to sign a “foreign agents” bill she says would derail the country’s accession to the EU <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597835-georgian-president-vetoes-controversial-law/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The proposed legislation was slammed by the EU and sparked protests and clashes in Tbilisi
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has vetoed the government’s divisive “foreign agents” bill, arguing that, if signed into law, it would undermine the country’s aspiration to join the EU.
The Transparency of Foreign Influence Act, which sparked weeks of street protests and clashes with police in the capital Tbilisi, was passed by Georgia’s parliament on Tuesday.
The legislation would require NGOs, media outlets, and individuals receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad, to register as entities “promoting the interests of a foreign power” and disclose their donors. Failure to comply would be punishable by a fine of up to $9,500.
The critics have labeled the bill “a Russian law,” comparing it to legislation that was passed in 2012 in Russia and has since been significantly expanded. They argue that, if passed into law, the bill would be used to crack down on the opposition. 
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597803-hungary-wants-eu-foreign-agent-law/">EU state wants bloc to introduce ‘foreign agent’ laws</a></figcaption>
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In a video address posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Zourabichvili said the bill contradicts the Georgian constitution and “all European standards,” serving as “an obstacle to our European path.”
“This veto is legally sound and will be delivered to the parliament today,” she continued, arguing that “this law is not subject to any changes or improvements, making it an easy veto.”
The presidential veto is seen as largely symbolic, as parliament is controlled by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which is expected to overrule it.
The bill, which has been widely criticized by US and EU officials, was first announced in March 2023, but the government was forced to back down after large-scale protests erupted in the capital.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6643d14c20302738ed39a854.jpg" alt="Protesters attack the barricade around the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, May 14, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597601-us-sanctions-georgia-foreign-agents-law/">US threatens NATO applicant with sanctions</a></figcaption>
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The riots occurred again last month when the government said it would proceed with the legislation despite pressure from the opposition.
The White House has threatened Georgian officials with sanctions for “undermining the democracy,” while the EU said Tbilisi could lose its candidacy status that was granted in December. Brussels is also reportedly considering a reversal of the visa liberalization for Georgians.
“The adoption of this law negatively impacts Georgia’s progress on the EU path. The choice on the way forward is in Georgia’s hands,” the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said this week.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has previously defended the bill, arguing that it is needed to ensure more transparency, and does not violate EU standards. He invited protesters on Friday to delegate representatives who would join a public discussion with him on the matter.]]>
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<title>Israel-Hamas talks ‘stopped’ – media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597834-media-israel-hamas-talks-stopped/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597834-media-israel-hamas-talks-stopped/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6649146485f540092853f030.jpg" /> Peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been “stopped” over major disagreements, Israeli broadcaster Kan has reported <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597834-media-israel-hamas-talks-stopped/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Israeli broadcaster Kan has reported that the two belligerents couldn’t agree on what the “end of the war” would look like
Peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been put on hold over major disagreements, Israeli broadcaster Kan has reported, citing anonymous sources. Haaretz has confirmed the “impasse” in the talks, which were mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
Hostilities in Gaza broke out last October after Hamas militants staged a deadly incursion into Israeli territory, killing an estimated 1,200 people and abducting hundreds more, most of them civilians. Israel retaliated with a military campaign against the armed group, subjecting the densely populated Palestinian enclave to months of heavy aerial bombardment. According to Hamas-controlled health authorities in Gaza, Israel’s military operation has claimed the lives of more than 35,000 Palestinians, with nearly 80,000 sustaining injuries.
While Qatari, Egyptian and US middlemen have for months been trying to get the two belligerents to agree to a ceasefire, so far these efforts have apparently been fruitless.
In its report on Friday, Kan alleged that the negotiations “are not taking place at the moment” since “Egypt and Qatar have adopted the position of Hamas.” According to the media outlet, the mediators suggested sealing a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664225df203027462426258c.jpg" alt="US Secretary of State Antony Blinken" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597508-us-blinken-israel-hamas/">Israeli offensive unlikely to eliminate Hamas – Blinken</a></figcaption>
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Kan quoted its anonymous sources as saying that there is a “large” divergence of opinion between the Palestinian militant group and Israel, especially over how each would define the “end of the war.” Another major bone of contention, the broadcaster claimed, was Israel’s refusal to unconditionally release incarcerated Hamas militants at the group’s request.
On Saturday, Israel’s Haaretz, citing an unnamed foreign source familiar with the talks, also reported that the negotiations “are currently at an impasse, and there is no progress.”
On Tuesday, the prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, revealed that recent weeks had seen “some momentum building,” but that “unfortunately things didn’t move in the right direction.”
“Right now, we are in a status of almost a stalemate,” he said.
Sheikh Al Thani noted that “there is one party that wants to end the war and then talk about the hostages, and there is another party who wants the hostages and wants to continue the war.” There is little hope for progress unless Israel and Hamas see eye to eye on this fundamental issue, he warned.
The Qatari prime minister also questioned whether Israel was seeking an end to hostilities in good faith.
”I don’t think that they are considering this as an option… even when we are talking about the deal and leading to a potential ceasefire,” he said.]]>
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<title>US issues gay events terror-attack warning</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597832-us-state-dept-pride-month-terror-warning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597832-us-state-dept-pride-month-terror-warning/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648eb2f2030273a312293c4.jpg" /> The US State Department has issued a warning over potential terrorist attacks “against LGBTQI+ persons and events” during Pride month <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597832-us-state-dept-pride-month-terror-warning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The State Department’s advisory says “foreign terrorist organizations” could strike during upcoming Pride month celebrations
There is an increased risk of terrorist attacks at LGBTQ events worldwide in the coming weeks, the US Department of State has warned. Earlier this month, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a similar advisory regarding potential security risks during June, the month of Pride celebrations.
Having started out back in 1970 in the US as marches for gay rights, Pride month celebrations have since spread to many other countries, mostly European ones. Nowadays, such events promoting same-sex relations enjoy varying degrees of government support in most Western nations. However, in Muslim countries, in Russia and in other states professing to espouse conservative and religious values, such gatherings are banned under local laws.
In an advisory released on Friday, Washington urged “U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution” in light of the “potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.” According to the document, foreign terrorist organizations could target “LGBTQI+ persons and events.”
American nationals should be particularly alert at “pride celebrations and venues frequented by LGBTQI+ persons” as well as tourist attractions.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65fd9ff985f54017716b0ae2.jpg" alt="File photo: A rainbow flag hangs under a US flag at the US embassy in Berlin, Germany, 25 July 2019." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/594695-rainbow-flag-embassy-ban/">US to ban LGBTQ flags from embassies – Bloomberg</a></figcaption>
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On May 10, The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security also issued a warning, claiming that “foreign terrorist organizations or supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June 2024 Pride Month.” The US authorities did not provide details about any particular at-risk locations and regions, or the specific nature of the presumed threats.
The release pointed out that LGBTQ-themed events have in the past been targeted by terrorists, including the deadly mass shooting at Pulse gay club in Florida in June 2016. 29-year-old Omar Mateen, who had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist organization, mowed down 49 revelers, also leaving 53 wounded.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security also noted that Austrian authorities detained three suspected Islamic State sympathizers in Vienna last June who were suspected to have been planning an attack on a Pride event there.
The advisory urged US nationals to look out for any violent threats related to LGBTQI+ events posted online.]]>
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<title>Russia ‘done’ with Western Europe ‘for at least a generation’ – Lavrov</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597827-lavrov-europe-no-partner-for-generation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597827-lavrov-europe-no-partner-for-generation/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648c17d203027483775dd04.jpg" /> Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has predicted that Russia won’t consider Western Europe to be a partner for “at least one generation” <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597827-lavrov-europe-no-partner-for-generation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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An “acute phase of the military-political confrontation with the West is in full swing,” Moscow’s foreign minister has said
Russia won’t view Western European countries as partners again for “at least one generation,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has predicted.The diplomat remarked that Moscow and the West are already locked in a confrontation that has no end in sight.
Top Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have repeatedly described Moscow’s ongoing military conflict with Kiev as a proxy war waged by NATO against Russia. Evidence of this, the Kremlin says, is the material aid, the training, and the intelligence that the US and many European countries have been providing to defend Ukraine.
Speaking on Saturday, Lavrov cited an article by Russian political scientist Dmitry Trenin, who has written that “Europe as a partner is not relevant for us for at least one generation.” The minister said that he “can’t help but agree” and that Moscow is “feeling this in practice almost daily.” The senior Russian diplomat also claimed, without elaborating, that “many facts speak in favor of such a prognosis.”
“The acute phase of the military-political confrontation with the West continues [and] is in full swing,” Lavrov said, pointing to the nature of the narratives currently prevalent in the US and Europe.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/596646-west-rebuild-relations-scratch-kremlin/">West must rebuild relations with Russia from scratch – Kremlin</a></figcaption>
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In an interview with TASS on Friday, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Ryabkov compared Western elites to delinquent youths and provocateurs intent on escalating tensions to the brink of a “catastrophic collapse,” and with no regard for the consequences.
Speaking of the work of Russian diplomats in the West, the official revealed that it is “in a crisis-management mode, aimed at preventing an escalation into a really massive conflict.”
NATO is “a group in which we feel not an ounce of trust, which triggers political and even emotional rejection” in Moscow, Ryabkov told the media outlet.
He said that, no matter who comes out on top in the US presidential election in November, “no chance for the improvement of the situation can be seen, considering the fundamental anti-Russian consensus of the American elites.”
During his inauguration speech on Tuesday, nonetheless, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that Moscow does not “refuse dialogue with Western states.”
“The choice is theirs,” the president proposed, posing the question: “Do they intend to continue trying to restrain the development of Russia, continue the policy of aggression and relentless pressure that they have pursued for years, or look for a path to cooperation and peace?”]]>
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<title>Zelensky approves military enlistment of convicts</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597824-ukraine-law-mobilization-prisoners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597824-ukraine-law-mobilization-prisoners/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648c56a85f5400c53379dfe.jpg" /> Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has signed a new law allowing some prisoners to serve in the army in exchange for parole <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597824-ukraine-law-mobilization-prisoners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The new measure is aimed at helping Kiev replenish its depleted ranks
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky ratified a new law on Friday which would allow some prisoners to be paroled if they agree to enlist in the country’s military, according to documents published on the official website of the country’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
The <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597228-ukraine-parliament-mobilization-convicts/">bill</a> was first submitted to the legislature in March this year as part of Ukraine’s efforts to replenish its ranks amid a series of setbacks in its conflict with Russia.
The new legislation permits Ukrainian inmates to voluntarily enlist on a contractual basis and serve for as long as the country remains under martial law. The law only applies to convicts who have no more than three years left of their original prison sentence. It does not extend to people who have been convicted of premeditated murder, rape, drug trafficking and production, crimes against national security or corruption. However, the law allows military service for those convicted of involuntary manslaughter, with the exception of cases where the prisoner committed the crime while intoxicated.
Ukrainian Justice Minister Denis Maliuska <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/596346-kiev-mulls-penal-units/">said</a> earlier that the mobilized convicts will serve in special units, and could perform tasks not related to actual combat or the handling weapons, such as building infrastructure and other fieldwork. He also noted that the new law could help Kiev bolster its number of troops by as many as 20,000.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6640038e85f54021ad72e2f9.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: People attend the funeral of a member of the notorious neo-Nazi Azov regiment in Vinnitsa, Ukraine, May 10, 2024" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597420-ukraine-society-full-mobilization/">Ukrainian government warns of possible full mobilization</a></figcaption>
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An April survey conducted by the ministry showed that some 4,500 Ukrainian convicts had already expressed a desire to serve in the army in exchange for parole, Olena Vysotska, Maliuska’s deputy, told Glavkom news outlet this week.
The new move is part of a broader initiative by Kiev to address critical shortages of manpower on the front line. Last month, Zelensky signed a new mobilization law which lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25, expanded the powers of enlistment officers and introduced penalties for draft dodgers, including fines of up to 25,000 hryvnias ($640).
The government in Kiev previously insisted that only 31,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed in the conflict since it began in February 2022. However, earlier this month, then-Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed that Ukrainian military casualties this year alone have amounted to more than 111,000 soldiers.]]>
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<title>US ‘not thrilled’ France has invited Russia to D-Day commemoration – Politico</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597825-macron-normandy-us-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597825-macron-normandy-us-putin/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648b02f85f5407e57286737.jpg" /> D-Day celebrations could remind Moscow that it “fought real Nazis once,” a US official has told Politico <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597825-macron-normandy-us-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Washington would, however, “defer to the government of France,” which organizes the event, a source said
The White House is “not thrilled” about France inviting Russia to take part in celebrations commemorating the anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings, Politico has reported, citing unnamed US officials.
The French organizers, Liberation Mission, said last month that they wanted Moscow to take part in the event marking 80 years since the June 6, 1944 Allied operation in Normandy. They clarified that a Russian representative, but not President Vladimir Putin, will be invited to take part in the ceremony.
Russia, which is sanctioned by the US, EU and their allies over the Ukraine conflict, will be asked to attend in order “to honor the importance of the commitment and sacrifices of the Soviet peoples, as well as its contribution to the 1945 victory” over Nazi Germany, the organizers explained.
When asked about the invite on Friday, one official from the administration of US President Joe Biden told Politico “we would defer to the government of France, which organizes the commemoration at Normandy.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66474fab2030276f6f60d31d.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: A military training exercise in Caylus, France." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597790-putin-macron-troops-ukraine/">Putin redirects questions about French troops in Ukraine to Macron</a></figcaption>
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“Perhaps this will remind the Russians that they actually fought real Nazis once, not imaginary ones in Ukraine,” the source added sardonically.
Moscow considers the “denazification” of Ukraine as being among the main goals of the military operation that it launched in February 2022. Russian authorities have long drawn attention to the glorification by Kiev of Stepan Bandera and other Nazi collaborators, the use of far-right military units in Donbass, and the use of Third Reich symbols by Ukrainian troops.
An unnamed British government official, who also talked to Politico, described France’s move to invite Russia to the commemoration as “disturbing,” along with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Paris earlier this month and the French ambassador’s presence at Putin’s May 7 inauguration.
The official said French President Emmanuel Macron appears to be “seeing himself above the fray and [expecting] that in the end he’s going to be some form of peace broker” on Ukraine, condemning these hopes as “completely misplaced.”
A European diplomat told the outlet that France “took everyone by surprise” when it announced plans to ask Russia to be present at the event in Normandy, which is expected to be attended by US President Joe Biden and other Western leaders.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597784-zelensky-macron-olympic-truce/">
READ MORE: Zelensky dismisses Macron’s Olympic truce proposal
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Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in April that the rank of the official who would represent Moscow at the D-Day celebrations would depend on “what would be in that invitation.”
The Soviet Union lost over 26.6 million lives fighting Nazi Germany in the Second World War, which is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.]]>
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<title>EU doesn’t tolerate freedom of speech – Moscow</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597826-russian-media-ban-eu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597826-russian-media-ban-eu/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648b27e85f5400a8059942d.jpg" /> The EU promotes free speech but doesn’t uphold it in practice, Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of Russia’s lower house of parliament, has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597826-russian-media-ban-eu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Brussels talks about free speech but doesn’t uphold it, the chairman of Russia’s lower house of parliament has said
Russia’s State Duma chairman has accused the EU of censoring alternative opinions and curtailing freedom of speech, with the goal of deceiving citizens. 
Vyacheslav Volodin was commenting on Brussels’ latest ban on Russian media outlets, which has sparked a warning of countermeasures from the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.
On Friday, the European Council announced it was suspending the broadcasting activities of four additional media organizations, claiming that they “spread and support” Russian propaganda. 
The blacklist includes RIA Novosti news agency, newspapers Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and the Czech-based portal Voice of Europe. 
Writing on Telegram on Saturday, Volodin described the move as showing the EU’s desire “to close access to objective and reliable information” for residents of member states.
According to the lawmaker, “the policy of double standards has become an integral part of European structures” as they only  “talk about freedom of speech, but do not tolerate it in reality”.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597794-eu-bans-russian-news/">EU bans major Russian language media outlets</a></figcaption>
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Officials in Brussels have no arguments to convince EU citizens that they are right and as soon as they see any problems, they just block “any alternative point of view, destroy freedom of speech, and violate the right to freely disseminate and receive information,” Volodin stressed.
“In fact, they introduce censorship with the only purpose – to deceive their citizens and stay in power,” he argued. 
The Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on Brussels’ move, noted that Moscow has repeatedly warned the EU that “repressive measures” against Russian media will not go unanswered. 
“Ignoring these warnings forces us to take countermeasures, which will follow inevitably,” the ministry’s spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova said on Friday. 
According to the diplomat, Brussel’s decision is proof “of the neglect by the EU and its member states for their international obligations in the field of ensuring media pluralism and another example of the degeneration of democratic societies” in the West. 
Since the Ukraine conflict escalated into open hostilities in February 2022, the EU has barred several Russia-associated media outlets from engaging with audiences in member states. Even hosting content made by the targeted organizations is illegal in the bloc. 
Moscow has also taken a harsh stance on Western media. Citing anti-Russian sentiment, misinformation and censorship, the national media regulator has barred access to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the websites of the BBC, Deutsche Welle, along with other media outlets.]]>
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<title>Indian, Pakistani students in former Soviet state get ‘stay indoors’ notice</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/india/597823-india-pakistan-students-kyrgyzstan-riots/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/india/597823-india-pakistan-students-kyrgyzstan-riots/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648a6b12030274ad45785e1.png" /> India, Pakistan reach out to their citizens in Kyrgyzstan after incident between locals and foreign students lead to riots <a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597823-india-pakistan-students-kyrgyzstan-riots/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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New Delhi and Islamabad have issued warnings to their nationals in Kyrgyzstan after clashes between locals and foreign students
New Delhi and Islamabad on Saturday advised their students in Kyrgyzstan not to venture out from campus accommodation, amid reports of mob violence in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The Central Asian country is a popular destination for higher studies among students from South Asia. 
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Kyrgyz capital demanding action against foreigners who were reportedly involved in a dispute with locals during the week. Following a brawl, rumors spread on social media and appear to have led to major public unrest, local media reported. 
Scores of men gathered on Friday night in front of where an incident is said to have occurred, an accommodation center, with some claming they “wanted to deal with the foreigners,” news agency 24.kg reported. Reinforced police units arrived at the scene and detained about ten persons. Meanwhile, three Egyptian citizens allegedly involved in the original incident, which occurred on Monday, were detained by the Bishkek Central Internal Affairs Directorate. 
Police negotiated with the protesters in order to head off any confrontations and the crowd dispersed early Saturday, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs describing the situation as stable. As many as 29 people were said to have been injured in the brawls, with 15 hospitalized and later released.
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On Saturday, Islamabad’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Hasan Zaigham held a meeting with Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Imangaziev Almaz to convey concerns about the safety of his country’s students, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan <a href="https://x.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/1791762462355722306" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The Kyrgyz government confirmed that no Pakistani students had died in the skirmishes, as had earlier been disseminated in unverified reports in some media.
Amid the ongoing tensions, India’s embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic said it had gotten in touch with its students and asked them to stay indoors. They were instructed to reach out to the embassy through a contact number if they faced any problems. The post attracted responses from several Indian students, at least one of whom expressed concern at a “scary” situation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Monitoring the welfare of Indian students in Bishkek. Situation is reportedly calm now. Strongly advise students to stay in regular touch with the Embassy. <a href="https://t.co/xjwjFotfeR">https://t.co/xjwjFotfeR</a>— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1791679193752944935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Kyrgyz government in a <a href="https://www.gov.kg/ru/post/s/24220-ministrler-kabineti-socialdyk-tarmaktarda-cyndykka-dal-kelbegen-maalymattardy-taratuu-arkyluu-uluttar-aralyk-kagylysuunu-zana-bas-alamandyktardy-tutandyruu-araketterin-ceckinduu-aiyptai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement</a> on Saturday strongly condemned “attempts to provoke violence and unrest on ethnic grounds,” citing rumors that had spread on social media. It also refuted “false reports by the international press” about alleged murders and violence against foreign students.
Law enforcement agencies are conducting a thorough investigation of all circumstances and suspected offenses, and those responsible will be identified and held accountable in accordance with the law, the statement noted. It also underscored that over the past several months the country’s authorities have been taking “decisive measures to curb illegal migration” and to “deport undesirable individuals,” while adding that “any insinuations aimed at inciting intolerance towards foreign students are unacceptable and do not align with the spirit of friendship and hospitality for which our people have always been known.”

Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! &lrm;Follow and share RT India in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6XvWh7IUYZaRQrlU3y">English</a> and in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7ALQtK0IBcl7uI7O3v">Hindi</a> ]]>
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<title>US reconsidering Russian diamond ban – Reuters</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597819-us-russian-diamonds-ban-changes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597819-us-russian-diamonds-ban-changes/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664884e985f5400a80599418.jpg" /> The US reportedly has doubts regarding the need for a tracking mechanism to help the West enforce a ban on Russian diamonds <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597819-us-russian-diamonds-ban-changes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Authorities in Washington reportedly have doubts over a gem-tracing mechanism due to be introduced later this year
The US is re-evaluating a ban on Russian diamonds, introduced by the EU and G7 last year, due to multiple complaints from the industry, Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources.
A direct embargo on Russian diamonds, part of the West’s sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine conflict, came into effect in January and was followed by phased-in restrictions on indirect imports from March 1. Later this year, Western countries also plan to introduce a tracking mechanism for inspecting unprocessed stones, to establish their origin and avoid sanctions violations. Antwerp, the Belgian diamond trading hub, is expected to become the first place where stones will be tested and certified.
According to Reuters, authorities in Washington are having doubts over the need for the tracking mechanism. Sources claim that G7 discussions on enforcing tracing have stalled after opposition from African diamond miners, Indian polishers and US jewelers, who have openly criticized the measure.
An unnamed official told the news outlet that Washington does not see a mechanism that would take into account the concerns of all parties that would be affected by it, and signaled that the G7 is unlikely to enforce the measure by September, the previously set deadline. Two other sources claimed US authorities have stopped participating in G7 discussions on the initiative altogether.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/595285-india-russia-diamond-ban-eu/">India seeking to block Russian diamond ban – FM</a></figcaption>
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Both the US State Department and Italy, which currently holds the G7 presidency, declined to comment on the report, Reuters said.
Last year, the African Diamond Producers Association, representing 19 producers accounting for roughly 60% of global output, <a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/587238-russian-diamonds-g7-africa-miners/">warned</a> that the tracking mechanism would “bring supply chain disruption [and] added burden and costs” to mining nations.
The Kimberley Process, a global regulatory body that monitors conflict diamonds, also argued against the initiative. In February this year, Botswana, Angola and Namibia sent a joint letter to the G7, once again arguing that the tracking mechanism would harm the interests of African states. The letter reportedly went unanswered.
India, responsible for cutting and polishing about 90% of the world’s rough diamonds, opposed the ban from the start. Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar warned last month that the entire global diamond industry would feel the impact of the measures, and said New Delhi will try to either “delay [the ban], soften it, and best of all, not let this happen at all.”
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/business/592274-diamond-ban-impact-belgium/">
READ MORE: Moscow warns of diamond ban’s impact on Belgium
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Russia, the world’s biggest producer of rough diamonds by volume, largely redirected its diamond trade to China, India, the UAE, Armenia, and Belarus last year. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned in December that the ban would have a boomerang effect on Western countries, hitting their own economies by depriving them of Russian diamonds, while Russia’s diamond industry would barely be affected.]]>
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<title>German-Israeli tattoo artist among three dead hostages recovered by Israel</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597822-hamas-dead-hostages-recovered/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597822-hamas-dead-hostages-recovered/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648a33085f5407e57286729.jpg" /> Israel says 129 hostages remain in Hamas captivity after its military recovered several bodies from Gaza <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597822-hamas-dead-hostages-recovered/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Hamas killed the three civilians while they were escaping the October 7 Nova festival carnage, Israel says
The Israeli military has retrieved the bodies of three hostages from Gaza, chief military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said on Friday. 
Among them is a 22-year-old German-Israeli woman, Shani Louk, seen in a widely circulated Hamas hostage-taking video during the raid on the Nova Festival, an all-night musical event held near the Gaza border on October 7.
Louk’s parents told the Washington Post the day after the carnage that they recognized her tattoos and long dreadlocks in the footage, which was posted hours after the raid. 
It appeared to show her face-down and unconscious in the back of a pickup truck as militants surrounded her body, cheering. After watching the video, Louk’s mother posted a plea for “any help or any news” of her daughter. 
Initially it was believed that Hamas kidnapped Louk alive, but her mother told German media back in October that the Israeli military had confirmed the death after finding a part of her skull. However, it was hoped that the two other hostages were still alive.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/597544-egypt-joins-israel-genocide-case/">Egypt to join genocide case against Israel</a></figcaption>
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The other two deceased were identified as Amit Buskila, a fashion stylist, who was on the phone with her uncle during the carnage, and Yitzhak Gelernter, who reached the site a couple of hours before the attack.
Hagari said all three “were murdered by Hamas while escaping the Nova music festival… and their bodies were taken into Gaza”. He did not specify the location from where the remains were retrieved. Israeli media reported that the bodies were taken from a Hamas tunnel, and the military said it located them through “interrogations”. Israel is currently conducting a ground operation in the Gazan city of Rafah. 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the soldiers conducting the military operation on Friday, calling the latest discovery “heart-breaking,” and reiterating a pledge to return all the remaining 129 hostages, “the living and the deceased alike”.
Hamas said that the other hostages will only be released through a ceasefire truce.
“The enemy will not get its prisoners except as lifeless corpses or through an honorable exchange deal for our people,” it said.
Fighting between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas, which has lasted more than seven months, was sparked by the Palestinian militant group’s surprise incursion into Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people. 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/584348-israel-kidnap-victims-families-hamas/">
READ MORE: Israelis beg for help after family identified among Hamas hostages
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Hamas also took over 200 hostages, half of whom were later released as part of prisoner exchanges.
Over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed and 78,755 wounded as a result of Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza, according to health authorities in the enclave.
Qatar, one of the international mediators in the Israel-Hamas conflict, said this week that ceasefire talks had reached an impasse following the Israeli offensive in the city of Rafah. 
Israeli officials told news website Ynet last week that the negotiations had not completely collapsed, and that indirect talks would resume “if there are answers from Hamas that we can work with.”]]>
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<title>Taliban not a threat – Moscow</title>
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<guid>https://www.rt.com/india/597821-taliban-poses-no-threat-diplomat/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648926c85f5401605241495.jpg" /> Moscow, New Delhi share similar approach to political settlement of the Afghan crisis, Russia’s envoy to Kabul says <a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597821-taliban-poses-no-threat-diplomat/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Russia’s special envoy to Kabul has said New Delhi and Moscow share similar approaches to the Afghan crisis 

Russia and India have similar approaches and views on resolving the Afghan crisis, according to Zamir Kabulov, Director of the Second Department of Asia of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Kabulov was in New Delhi to take part in bilateral consultations on Afghanistan, which covered various aspects of the political, humanitarian and socio-economic challenges facing the country.
According to the senior diplomat, it became clear at the consultations in New Delhi that the positions of Russia and India on Afghanistan are “much closer than previously thought,” and that the approaches offered by the two countries to settle the crisis are “practically identical.”
“I cannot say that the Taliban have become our [Russia’s] number one friends, but they are definitely not our enemies. The Taliban openly state that they trust Russia as the successor to the USSR,” said Kabulov. 
Although Moscow has not formally recognized the Taliban, which took power in Kabul in 2021 during the final stage of the withdrawal of US troops, Russia was among the first nations to establish contacts and agree to business deals with the new government. New Delhi also doesn’t recognize the Taliban government. However, in June 2022, it re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a “technical team” at its embassy.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.04/thumbnail/6616ae7f85f5403ee71f9bfc.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Taliban militants stand with their weapons in Herat, Afghanistan." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/595701-hindus-sikhs-property-afghanistan/">Taliban promises to return land ‘usurped by warlords’ – media</a></figcaption>
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“The Taliban’s rise to power was an unpleasant surprise for New Delhi, although we’d had friendly warnings that this would happen. Due to several reasons related to Pakistan and China, the Indian side had a restrained attitude towards the Taliban. However, the Indian side understands that what Russia is doing [to settle the crisis] is beneficial for India and does not contradict its interests,” Kabulov told TASS. 
He recalled that India had very closely interacted with the previous Afghan government, investing heavily in it both politically and economically. Following the consultation in New Delhi, Russian and Indian officials highlighted the urgency of providing assistance in the form of international aid to mitigate the suffering of the Afghan people.
Earlier this year, an Indian delegation participated in a Regional Cooperation Initiative meeting in Kabul hosted by the Taliban. In March, senior Indian diplomat J. P. Singh held talks with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The two sides discussed security, trade and ways to counter the drug trade, according to an Afghan statement. 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/592716-taliban-ditches-un-event/">
READ MORE: Taliban boycotts UN-sponsored meeting
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Singh also noted India’s interest in expanding economic cooperation with Afghanistan, and enhancing trade through Chabahar Port in Iran (https://www.rt.com/india/590686-india-iran-port-agreement/), the statement added. New Delhi signed a 10-year agreement with Iran to manage the strategic port earlier this week.  
“India’s commitment to Chabahar Port is to realize its potential as a connectivity hub for Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries,” Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesman of New Delhi’s foreign ministry said on Friday. He underscored that the project is crucial in continuing to provide humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan.

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<title>Biden currently not scheduled to attend Zelensky’s ‘peace conference’</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664882ea2030273ff436c54f.jpg" /> Russia hasn’t been asked to participate in the Swiss summit on the Ukrainian conflict <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597818-white-house-on-zelensky-peace-conference/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Russia hasn’t been invited to the Swiss summit, which is set to focus on Kiev’s plan for ending the conflict
A Swiss-hosted conference on the Ukraine conflict, set for next month, is not on US President Joe Biden’s event schedule, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has told reporters.
More than 160 countries have been invited to take part in the summit, which is set to take place on June 15-16 at the Burgenstock Resort near Lucerne. Russia, however, isn’t among them.
“I don’t have anything on his schedule to speak to in that regard,” Kirby said during a press briefing on Friday, when asked whether Biden plans to attend the event, which is expected to revolve around Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s proposed roadmap for ending the conflict with Russia.
Zelensky’s ‘peace plan’ implies a complete withdrawal of Russian forces from all territories Ukraine considers its own, for Moscow to pay reparations, and for a war crimes tribunal. Russia has dismissed the proposal as “unrealistic” and a sign of Kiev being reluctant to seek a diplomatic solution to the hostilities.
Earlier this week, Swiss President Viola Amherd said the summit has already drawn delegations from more than 50 countries. Amherd, who in January agreed to host the summit at Zelensky’s behest, added that Switzerland wants to persuade China and more countries from the Global South to sign up.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597785-putin-zelensky-peace-formula/">
READ MORE: Putin responds to Kiev’s ‘peace formula’ ultimatum
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597797-hungary-ukraine-resolution-veto/">EU state vetoes Ukraine resolution</a></figcaption>
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Beijing, which previously stressed that talks on a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict must inevitably involve Russia, has yet to confirm whether it will send a delegation. Brazilian President Lula da Silva said he doesn’t see much point in the meeting unless both parties to the conflict attend the event, indicating that he will not participate, CNN Brazil reported on Thursday. His South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa has also decided to skip the summit.
Moscow previously said Switzerland is unfit to help mediate peace, calling the country “openly hostile” because it has implemented EU sanctions against Russia, which may signal how Swiss interests are beginning to align with those of Washington and its allies with regards to Moscow.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia was ready for talks. He emphasized that Moscow was constantly being reproached, but hasn’t been asked to attend the conference. “They want to gather as many nations as possible, convince everyone that the best proposal is the terms of the Ukrainian side, and then send it to us in the form of an ultimatum,” he said of the upcoming event.]]>
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<title>Zelensky blasts West for wanting conflict to end</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597817-zelensky-ukraine-us-weapons/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597817-zelensky-ukraine-us-weapons/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664875ce2030274ca672e869.jpg" /> The US and its allies are afraid of Moscow losing the war to Kiev, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597817-zelensky-ukraine-us-weapons/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The US and its allies are afraid of Moscow losing the war, the Ukrainian leader has said
Ukraine’s president has claimed Kiev’s forces would be more successful on the battlefield if they were not banned from using Western-supplied weapons to hit targets in Russia.
Russia’s ability to strike Ukraine from its own soil is giving Moscow the edge in the conflict, Vladimir Zelensky said during an interview with AFP news agency on Friday.
"They can fire any weapons from their territory at ours. This is the biggest advantage that Russia has. We can’t do anything to their systems, which are located on the territory of Russia, with Western weapons,” he explained.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Kiev earlier this week, said Washington has “not encouraged or enabled strikes outside of Ukraine, but ultimately Ukraine has to make decisions for itself about how it’s going to conduct this war.”
However, on Thursday Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh clarified that Washington’s position that Kiev should not target Russia with US-supplied weapons remains unchanged. Such arms can only be used to “take back Ukrainian sovereign territory,” Singh stressed.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664839352030273ff436c536.jpg" alt="Ukrainian troops prepare drones for combat in Kharkov Region, Ukraine, May 16, 2024" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597812-ukraine-us-highlight-russian/">Ukraine asks US to help locate targets in Russia – media</a></figcaption>
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Earlier this month, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron insisted Ukraine has the “right” to use UK-supplied weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia, if it decides to do so. Moscow reacted to the statement by warning that if such an attack were to take place it could target British military facilities “on the territory of Ukraine and beyond” in response.
The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kiev has urged Washington to provide intelligence on targets on Russian soil amid setbacks in Donbass and Kharkov Region. According to the NYT, US officials are currently reviewing those requests, despite previously turning them down.
Zelensky said Kiev now finds itself in a “nonsensical situation” due to the stance of the West, which “is afraid that Russia will lose the war. And it does not want Ukraine to lose it.”
“Ukraine’s final victory will lead to Russia’s defeat. And the final victory of Russia will lead to Ukraine’s defeat,” he added.
The Ukrainian authorities “want the war to end with a fair peace for us. Of course, the West wants the war to end. Period. As soon as possible. And, for them, this is a fair peace,” the president stated.
On Friday, Russia President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Moscow “never rejected negotiations unlike the Ukrainian side,” referring to a 2022 decree by Zelensky, which officially forbade him from talks with his Russian counterpart.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597785-putin-zelensky-peace-formula/">
READ MORE: Putin responds to Kiev’s ‘peace formula’ ultimatum
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However, Putin stressed that Russia will not yield to “ultimatums” from Kiev and its Western backers as they try to gain though diplomacy what they have failed to gain on the battlefield.]]>
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<title>Zelensky details Ukraine’s weapons demands</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597814-zelensky-ukraine-patriot-f16/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597814-zelensky-ukraine-patriot-f16/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66484cb185f54003050f95b1.jpg" /> Kiev needs up to 130 modern aircraft from the West, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597814-zelensky-ukraine-patriot-f16/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Kiev needs up to 130 modern aircraft from its foreign backers, the country’s president has said
Ukraine requires more air defense systems and warplanes from its Western backers in order to achieve parity with Russia, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has said.
Moscow has the upper hand in the battle for the skies, Zelensky acknowledged during an interview with AFP on Friday.
"I believe that today, we have about 25% of what we need to defend Ukraine. I’m talking about air defense,” he said.
As for warplanes, Kiev should be provided with between 120 to 130 modern aircraft, “so that Russia does not have air superiority,” the Ukrainian leader stated.
"In total, we need this fleet of F-16s in the number I am talking about, in order to have parity,” he added.
During his visit to Kiev earlier this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is “intensely focused” on finding and delivering Patriots and other air defense systems to Ukraine. Zelensky told Blinken that his military needed two Patriot batteries to protect the Kharkov Region alone, where Russian forces have been advancing in recent weeks.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6644c7d585f5402a3055806a.jpg" alt="Patriot air defense systems of the German Bundeswehr armed forces are deployed at Vilnius Airport in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 7, 2023" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597649-blinken-ukraine-patriot-missiles/">US ‘urgently’ trying to find Patriot missile systems for Ukraine – Blinken</a></figcaption>
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In late March, then-Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that at least five Patriots operated by Ukraine had been destroyed since the start of the year. Last month, Germany promised to provide Kiev with one more of the US-made air defense systems.
Earlier this week, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that the F-16s will arrive in Ukraine within the “next few months,” retracting her earlier claim that the planes will be there “within the next month.” Denmark and the Netherlands jointly promised to supply Kiev with 61 US-designed fourth generation jets in August 2023.
Reports in Western media in recent months explained delays in deliveries of the planes were due to complications in the training of Kiev’s pilots and the lack of proper airfields that would be able to host the F-16s in Ukraine.
Russia has warned repeatedly that foreign weapons being sent to Kiev will not prevent Moscow from achieving its military goals, and will merely prolong the fighting and increases the risk of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/597541-danish-timeline-f-16-ukraine/">
READ MORE: Danish PM reveals timeline for first F-16 delivery to Ukraine
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According to officials in Moscow, the provision of arms, intelligence sharing, and the training of Ukrainian troops mean that Western nations have already become de-facto parties to the conflict.]]>
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<title>African state’s PM calls for end to French ‘occupation’</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/africa/597780-senegal-french-military-bases-closure-call/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/africa/597780-senegal-french-military-bases-closure-call/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664752c285f5404fc3204d7e.jpg" /> Senegal’s prime minister has criticized French military bases in the country, claiming they occupy a third of the Dakar region <a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/597780-senegal-french-military-bases-closure-call/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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A third of the Senegalese capital region is occupied by foreign bases, according to its PM
Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has suggested closing French military bases in the country, claiming their long-term presence is incompatible with the West African nation’s desire for complete control over its affairs.
The minister made the remarks at a joint conference with the French left-wing politician Jean-Luc Melenchon in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, on Thursday. 
“More than 60 years after our independence... we must question the reasons why the French army for example still benefits from several military bases in our country and the impact of this presence on our national sovereignty and our strategic autonomy,” Sonko said.
France currently has about 350 troops in Senegal after it began downsizing the contingent of 1,200 based there in 2010. Critics have condemned the troops’ presence as a continuation of French dominance over the former colony, despite independence in 1960.
On Thursday, Sonko, a popular former opposition leader who became prime minister after his hand-picked presidential candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, <a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/595324-senegal-africa-youngest-president-elect-takes-office/">won</a> a landslide in elections in March, said several countries have promised Senegal defense agreements. 
“But this does not justify the fact that a third of the Dakar region is now occupied by foreign garrisons,” he said.
Senegal’s neighbors – military-ruled Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – have all turned to Russia for security assistance after expelling French troops. The three West African nations have accused the former colonial power of internal meddling and failing to tackle jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel region after more than a decade of operations.
Ouagadougou, Bamako, and Niamey have also formed an alliance of Sahel states and jointly announced in January their <a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/592163-burkina-faso-mali-niger-ecowas-withdrawal-notice-breach/">exit</a> from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The military authorities accused the 15-nation regional bloc, which has long pressed them to restore democratic rule, of serving foreign interests and posing a threat to their countries.
In his speech, Sonko declared that Senegal would deepen relations with the coup-installed governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/596664-gabon-considers-closing-french-military-base/">Another African state considers closing French military base – media</a></figcaption>
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“We will not let go of our brothers in the Sahel and we will do everything necessary to strengthen the ties,” the prime minister stated.
He also said Senegal, which shares the euro-pegged CFA Franc currency with seven other countries, would prefer a flexible currency to help absorb shocks and boost export competitiveness. President Faye had initially pledged to abandon the CFA Franc during the election campaign but later backtracked.
Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have hinted at ditching the CFA Franc in favor of a common currency, a move Niamey has called a “step out of colonization.”]]>
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<title>Russia and India to hold talks on visa-free tourism</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/india/597815-russia-india-visa-talks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/india/597815-russia-india-visa-talks/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6648573685f5400c53379dbd.jpg" /> Russia and India are set to hold talks in June on potential visa-free travel for groups of tourists <a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597815-russia-india-visa-talks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The countries are considering whether to scrap visa requirements for groups of tourists, a Russian official said
Moscow and New Delhi plan to start negotiations in June on potential visa-free travel for tourist groups, with a view to striking a bilateral deal by the end of the year, a Russian government official has said.
The idea was raised in 2022 by President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan, with the Russian president calling for accelerated negotiations on an agreement.
 ”The process regarding group visa-free travel has progressed. The Indian side has responded, indicating that they are in the final stage of internal coordination. I believe that we will hold the first consultations with them to discuss the draft agreement in June,” Nikita Kondratyev, director multilateral cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, said. “We are planning to ink the deal by the end of this year,” he added. 
Speaking during the International Economic Forum ‘Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2024’ earlier this week, Kondratyev noted that an agreement with India would replicate the success of visa-free tourism already established with China and Iran.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/595787-everest-stink-climbers-nepal/">‘It stinks’: The world’s tallest mountain is overflowing with feces and waste. Nepal is sounding the alarm</a></figcaption>
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Moscow initiated visa-free group tourism with Beijing and Tehran in August last year. Since then, travel between the countries has surged, according to various reports. 
Chinese tourists accounted for almost half of visitors to Russia in the first quarter of 2024, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR). The data shows that overall, foreign arrivals more than tripled compared to the same period of last year. The other top-five countries making tourist trips to Russia were Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Germany, and the UAE. 
Earlier this year, Russia telecoms operator Megafon also reported a surge in arrivals from China and the Middle East, citing roaming data. According to the company, the tourist flow from China at the beginning of 2024 increased by 2.5 times compared to the same period of last year. Moscow and St. Petersburg are the most popular destinations for tourists from China. The cities and their surrounding regions account for more than 57% of all trips.

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<title>Ukraine asks US to help locate targets in Russia – media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597812-ukraine-us-highlight-russian/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597812-ukraine-us-highlight-russian/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664839352030273ff436c536.jpg" /> Kiev has urged Washington to provide intelligence on targets on Russian territory to aid in cross-border strikes <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597812-ukraine-us-highlight-russian/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Ukrainian lawmakers are also pushing for the use of US weapons in cross-border strikes, the New York Times said
Kiev has urged Washington to provide intelligence on targets on Russian soil, as the Ukrainian Armed Forces lose ground on the battlefield, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, saying US administration officials have begun “to review” the request.
In addition, members of Ukraine's parliament have approached lawmakers in Washington, requesting the green light to use US-provided weapons in strikes on Russia, the paper wrote, citing US and Ukrainian officials.
The Russian offensive in Kharkov Region was facilitated by the US restrictions, which are “handcuffing the Ukrainian war effort,” Kiev’s delegation told Congress, according to news website Politico.
Despite such requests being turned down in the past, administration officials are now reviewing the latest requests, the NYT wrote.
Intelligence from the US and other allies on military targets on Russian soil would allow Ukraine to better plot approach routes for its drones and missiles, the newspaper said. With detailed terrain mapping, it would allow them to fly low and avoid radar detection, increasing their effectiveness. While Kiev already has access to commercial satellite imaging data, US intelligence would provide more detailed and timely information, they wrote.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597810-west-playing-with-fire-moscow/">West ‘playing with fire’ – Moscow</a></figcaption>
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General Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that Kiev has been seeking to ramp up strikes inside Russia. The Ukrainians have been “asking us for help to be able to strike into Russia,” the US general told reporters on Thursday, while flying to Brussels for NATO meetings.
The day before, State Secretary Antony Blinken stated that the US has left it up to Ukraine whether or not it uses US-supplied armaments to attack Russian territories. “We have not encouraged or enabled strikes outside of Ukraine, but ultimately Ukraine has to make decisions for itself about how it’s going to conduct this war,” he told reporters in Kiev.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66446fb085f540174d0aec04.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: A US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) firing a missile during a military drill in South Korea." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597616-ukraine-washington-arms-restriction/">Kiev blames US for Russian advances – Politico</a></figcaption>
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In early May, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Kiev had the right to use UK-provided weaponry to for cross-border strikes on Russian targets. Moscow condemned the remarks and summoned London’s ambassador. Any use of British weapons against Russian territory could prompt Moscow to strike “any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and beyond,” the Russian Foreign Ministry warned.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed on Friday that it is Kiev’s repeated strikes against residential districts in Russia that is forcing Moscow into creating a buffer zone on the border, as Russian forces push Ukrainian troops further back into Kharkov Region.
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<title>Modi can see India through global turbulence – foreign minister</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/india/597813-modi-india-foreign-policy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66482d5b2030274c6a4115a9.jpg" /> India’s top diplomat has underscored the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “courageous” leadership in the country’s firm foreign policy <a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597813-modi-india-foreign-policy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The country’s top diplomat underscored the growing importance of foreign policy for Indians as the general election is in full swing
India needs “experienced, sober, practical, grounded but courageous leadership” that can make important decisions in turbulent times, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar asserted. 
In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Jaishankar suggested that India’s response to recent global crises – be it the pandemic, terror attacks or regional conflicts – has been firm and practical. The top diplomat attributed this to Modi’s leadership. “He’s actually the guy who’s going to see you through the stormy period; that you need a very firm, steady, experienced pair of hands on the tiller as we navigate these turbulent waters,” Jaishankar <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ht-interview-strengthen-modi-s-hands-he-s-going-to-see-you-through-this-stormy-period-says-jaishankar-101715900880342.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said.</a>
The diplomat then went on to cite a series of recent events where the Modi administration showed resolute leadership skills in the face of global challenges. They included the decisions to purchase oil from Russia despite mounting Western pressure, as well as the evacuation of Indian citizens, mainly students, from Ukraine in 2022 at the outbreak of the hostilities there.  
Modi, according to Jaishankar, made calls to his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts to secure a safe route for Indian diplomats to be reached and evacuated to safety. According to Indian media, over 18,000 Indian nationals were evacuated from the country.  
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597556-south-china-sea-asian-powers/">Will India join the US-China tug-of-war?</a></figcaption>
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Modi is running for the top political post in the country for a third straight term during the parliamentary elections, which began on April 19 and will continue until June 1. Both Modi and Jaishankar belong to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Nearly a billion people are eligible to cast ballots, making it the largest exercise of democracy in the world.  
Going ahead, the Indian leadership will have to continue to make decisions that are in the country’s interests, Jaishankar said. He also noted that foreign policy has become one of the important factors shaping the opinions of voters, while suggesting that the ruling party has given much more space to foreign policy in its election manifesto than ever before.
Being the world’s most populous nation and fifth largest economy – but the globe’s fastest growing one – India has also managed to make its voice on the global stage more assertive. It has not just advocated for its own causes but for those of the Global South. In 2023, India hosted the G20 leaders in New Delhi and managed to extend the permanent membership in the elite grouping to the 55-state African Union. It was lauded by foreign leaders for reaching a consensus on the G20’s final communique, which does not mention Russia in relation to the Ukraine conflict.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/india/596174-india-lok-sabha-elections-2024/">
READ MORE: India votes: How 970 million people are deciding on who the leader of world’s new powerhouse will be
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Despite continuing scrutiny from the West, including warnings of possible sanctions, New Delhi is expanding diplomatic and trade ties with countries that it considers vital to its own interests – including Russia and Iran. At the same time, the Indian leadership has been increasingly pushing back strongly against criticism from its partners, mainly in the West, for what it considers “interference” in its internal matters.

Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! &lrm;Follow and share RT India in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6XvWh7IUYZaRQrlU3y">English</a> and in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7ALQtK0IBcl7uI7O3v">Hindi</a> ]]>
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<title>EU state’s capital bans crucifixes from city hall</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664813e22030274c6a41159d.jpg" /> Warsaw has instructed civil servants to take down crucifixes from the walls of the city hall <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597811-poland-bars-crosses-warsaw/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Warsaw’s new policy is aimed at ensuring the “neutrality” of public offices
Poland’s capital has instructed civil servants not to display crucifixes and other religious symbols at Warsaw City Hall, sparking backlash from conservative groups. 
According to the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper, officials will not be permitted to hang crosses or crucifixes on the walls or keep them on their desks. Government employees will still be allowed to wear crosses while at work, however. 
The new rules are part of a broader set of regulations aimed at combating various forms of discrimination. Officials have been instructed to use gender-neutral language, address people by their preferred pronouns, and not discriminate against same-sex couples. “Warsaw is the first city in Poland to adopt such a document,” City Hall spokeswoman Monika Beuth said.
Some politicians and religious groups have argued that such regulations are inappropriate in a predominantly Catholic country.
“I think this decision is unnecessary,” said Szymon Holownia, the speaker of the Polish parliament. “I have found a large number of crosses on the walls of the Sejm. While I personally will not hang crosses in public offices, I don’t think that today in Poland we need a war on whether crosses should be taken down from walls.” 
Conservative member of parliament Sebastian Kaleta promised to ask the prosecutor’s office to check if the capital’s policies violate any laws, while Catholic activist group Ordo Iuris urged people to send complaints to the city hall. 
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/596518-bild-germany-study-muslim-schoolchildren-laws/">Most Muslim schoolchildren in German state place Islam above the law - study</a></figcaption>
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Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski defended the new rules and blasted “the hype in the media.” He explained that the guidelines were put in place to ensure an inclusive environment and uphold Poland’s secularism. 
“Everyone has the right to their faith, or the lack thereof. This includes civil servants and clerks. [But] anyone who comes to the office to handle their business has the right to feel that he or she is in a neutral office. As simply as that,” the mayor wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday. “No one intends to wage a battle against any religion in Warsaw.” 
Speaking at a news conference, Trzaskowski said the regulations would not apply to hospitals, schools and social welfare centers. He further clarified that although the guidelines bar religious ceremonies from taking place in government buildings, they will not apply to “traditional historical celebrations,” such as the commemoration of the 1944 uprising of Warsaw citizens against the Nazi occupation during World War II. ]]>
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<title>West ‘playing with fire’ – Moscow</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647ede42030271c2028e70c.jpg" /> The West is only exacerbating the conflict by allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory, Moscow has warned <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597810-west-playing-with-fire-moscow/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian border regions using NATO-supplied missiles and bombs
The West is risking further escalation by arming Ukraine and encouraging it to strike Russian territory, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.
Ukrainian strikes on Russian cities have intensified since Kiev began losing ground in Kharkov Region.
“The profile of the American and British handlers of the [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky regime is clearly visible behind these barbaric attacks,” Zakharova told reporters. “They are not only providing longer-range missiles and heavy weapons, but are giving the green light for their use against Russia.”
“Once again, we would like to unequivocally warn Washington, London, Brussels and other Western capitals, as well as Kiev, which is under their control, that they are playing with fire. Russia will not leave such encroachments on its territory unanswered,” the spokeswoman stressed.
On Thursday and Friday, Ukrainian troops launched a combined assault on Crimea, Krasnodar and other Russian regions using UAVs and naval drones. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, more than 100 drones were intercepted mid-air, while six unmanned boats were destroyed by the Black Sea Fleet.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597572-uk-approves-strikes-crimea/">Ukraine can use British weapons to strike Crimea – defense secretary</a></figcaption>
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During its briefing on Friday, the MOD added that over the past week Russian troops have intercepted dozens of US-made ATACMS missiles, as well as nearly 200 rockets, including projectiles fired from US-made HIMARS and Czech-made Vampire launchers. Hammer guided bombs delivered by France, Storm Shadow cruise missiles made by the UK, and nearly 330 UAVs were also used in the attacks, it said.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6643559620302753ca1358de.jpg" alt="A memorial to the victims of the Ukrainian strike on a residential building in Belgorod." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597571-belgorod-collapse-ukraine-strike/">Death toll rises in Ukrainian strike on Russian city</a></figcaption>
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A total of 19 civilians were killed in Russia’s Belgorod region on May 12 alone, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. On Friday, Gladkov wrote on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone had hit a civilian car in Belgorod, killing a mother and her four-year-old daughter.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated that the shelling of residential areas is pushing Moscow to create a buffer zone along the border with Ukraine. “If this continues, we will be forced to create a security zone. This is what we are doing,” he said during his trip to China.
Last month, the New York Times cited senior Pentagon officials as saying that the US had allowed Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles against targets in Crimea. British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed to journalists on Tuesday that London allows Kiev to strike Crimea with UK-supplied weapons.
The largely Russian-speaking peninsula voted in 2014 to leave Ukraine and join Russia following the Western-backed coup in Kiev that took place earlier that year.]]>
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<title>Russia already outperformed Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive – WaPo</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597809-russian-advance-ukraine-offensive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647d16185f54075524dcb35.jpg" /> Moscow has taken more territory in six weeks than Kiev in six months, even the pro-Ukrainian think tanks in Washington admit <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597809-russian-advance-ukraine-offensive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Moscow’s troops are advancing both north of Kharkov and elsewhere
Russian forces have taken more territory in six weeks than Ukraine managed in six months last year, the Washington Post admitted on Friday, describing the 2023 effort by Kiev as “lackluster” and “disappointing.”
The spring counteroffensive was war-gamed by British and American generals in Germany and supplied with 1,500 armored vehicles – including Leopard, Challenger and Abrams tanks, and Bradley armored vehicles. Once it finally began in June, it <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/588498-ukraine-offensive-postmortem-wapo/">got stuck</a> in Russian defenses and resulted in gains of only 199 square miles (515 square kilometers) worth of territory by December, according to the Post.
Russia has taken 553 square miles (1,432 square kilometers) so far this year, of which 294 (761 square kilometers) just since the beginning of April, the US outlet noted.
Those numbers came from the Institute for the Study of War, a DC-based think tank run by Kimberly Kagan – sister-in-law of Victoria Nuland, the former US State Department official in charge of Ukraine.
Experts from two other US think tanks told the Post that the Russian advances in Kharkov Region might be part of a strategy to press the Ukrainians everywhere and stretch their reserves, but not actually take Ukraine’s second-largest city.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597781-russia-no-plans-capture-kharkov/">Putin reveals plans for Kharkov</a></figcaption>
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British intelligence had warned Ukraine of the impending Russian attack, The <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597792-ukraine-warned-kharkov-offensive/">Guardian reported</a> on Friday, blaming the government in Kiev for not preparing the defensive lines better. Ukrainian soldiers who spoke to the Post said they could not bring up heavy machinery because the Russians would destroy it, and the lack of ammunition coming from the West meant they could not shoot back.
Ukraine’s 125th Territorial Defense Brigade, charged with holding a 43-kilometer section of the front, relied on surveillance drones to keep an eye on Russian movements. They lost all video feeds on the morning the advance began, due to Russian electronic warfare. The Starlink satellite internet feed – provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX since 2022 – also went down completely, for the first time ever.
Russian forces continue to advance in Kharkov Region, though Kiev has moved dozens of units north to reinforce the line – weakening their positions elsewhere. There have been reports of Russian advances in Chasov Yar, Krasnogorovka, and Netaylovo this week. Moreover, Ukrainian troops have <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597625-russian-army-ukrainian-counteroffensive-rabotino/">lost Rabotino</a> in Zaporozhye Region, the only town they managed to capture in last year’s counteroffensive.]]>
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<title>France claims successful crackdown in Pacific</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66478fd120302766706824b8.jpg" /> Heavily armed police dispatched by Paris have mostly quelled the riots in New Caledonia, the French governor has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597805-new-caledonia-riots-crackdown/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The riots in New Caledonia have reportedly stopped after the arrival of heavily armed troops

Additional security forces sent from France have stopped the week-long unrest in New Caledonia, the South Pacific territory’s governor said on Friday. 
The archipelago with 270,000 residents is located between Australia and Fiji, 17,000km from Paris. Indigenous Kanak people, who make up about 40% of the population, rose up <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597607-french-territory-curfew-riots/">earlier this week</a> against a proposed law that would allow new settlers to vote.
High Commissioner Louis Le Franc told reporters on Friday that the deployment of an additional 1,000 security personnel imposed “a calmer and more peaceful situation” in the capital city of Noumea for the first time since Monday, although there were “fires at a school and two companies.”
AFP reporters spotted French troops in red berets carrying gas masks, riot shields and rifles around the city. A shopping center was still on fire and dozens of burned-out cars lined the roads.
Hundreds of people lined up outside the remaining shops looking for food and other supplies. The local chamber of commerce said that up to 90% of the grocery distribution network in Noumea had been “wiped out” in the riots, estimating the damage at around $217 million.
<a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597742-new-caledonia-france-riots-azerbaijan-involvement/"></a>
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597742-new-caledonia-france-riots-azerbaijan-involvement/">France blames ex-Soviet republic for unrest in South Pacific</a></figcaption>
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Five people were killed in the unrest. One gendarme was shot in the head, while another was killed by friendly fire, according to French officials. Three Kanaks – ages 17, 20 and 36 – were killed as well. Two suspects in the killings have been identified and taken into custody.
Announcing the <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597712-france-sends-troops-new-caledonia/">deployment</a> of reinforcements on Wednesday, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said the authorities would seek “the harshest penalties for rioters and looters.”
Police have detained around 200 suspected rioters and placed ten Kanak independence activists accused of organizing the turmoil under house arrest. The authorities also banned the social media application TikTok for allegedly being used to organize the riots.
TikTok called the decision “regrettable” and said that “no request or question, no demand to withdraw content, had been made by local authorities or the French government.”
Meanwhile, there has been a 150% increase in New Caledonians signing up to use virtual private networks (VPN) that mask their location, according to one provider.
New Caledonia was colonized by France in the 19th century, but the indigenous Kanaks have repeatedly rebelled against the conquerors. The most recent insurrection ended in 1988, when Paris agreed to grant the archipelago increased autonomy.
This week’s riots erupted after President Emmanuel Macron’s government proposed granting residency – and voting rights – to people who have moved to the islands since and lived there for at least a decade. The Kanak independence activists objected, arguing that this would “dilute” their vote. 
New Caledonia is the world’s third largest producer of nickel, which is used extensively in the chemical, construction, and communications industries.]]>
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<title>Dirty tactics: How the US tries to break China’s soft power in Africa</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/africa/597773-chinese-media-influence-africa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664716a785f540655e5e3b8c.jpg" /> American agenda in Africa is based on the methods the US keeps accusing China of <a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/597773-chinese-media-influence-africa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The Americans are promoting their agenda in Africa using the exact same methods that they accuse China of employing
In April, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) published the <a href="https://africacenter.org/spotlight/china-strategy-africa-media-space/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article</a> “China’s Strategy to Shape Africa’s Media Space” by research associate Paul Nantulya. The author attempts to expose China’s media strategy in Africa. Criticism of China on the ACSS website is not surprising, since the Center was established within the US Department of Defense and promotes the views and agenda of official US structures. In other words, through organizations like ACSS, the US engages in the same activities which it blames China for.
The article notes that in recent years, Chinese investments in the African media space have surged, and the country intends to establish a long-term institutional presence in the African media and communications market. This is evident from the fact that the state-owned Xinhua news agency has 37 offices throughout Africa, the Chinese provider of satellite TV services StarTimes has become the second largest player in the strategically important African market, China finances and supports African media outlets, and Chinese news agencies speak well of the ruling political elites in those African countries which have friendly relations with China.
According to the author of the article, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) plays an important role in supporting and financing China’s initiatives, and through this, the CCP gets the chance to spread its “propaganda” and influence the minds of young people.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/596240-us-joint-military-exercise-africa/">US has found a surprising military frontier against Russia and China</a></figcaption>
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In addition to the financial component and the expansion of its “physical” media presence, another key aspect of China’s media strategy in Africa is personnel training: it is actively involved in training both students and media professionals through professional development programs, exchanges, and internships. Paul Nantulya warns, “The embedding of CCP media in African media ecosystems risks distorting Africa’s information spaces.”
Such an article is perfectly aligned with the US global foreign policy, and its “fight against disinformation.” It is hardly surprising that ACSS sees China and Russia as the main sources of “disinformation.” ACSS regularly publishes articles and holds events dedicated to combating disinformation in Africa – in 2023, it published seven such materials, and five others have appeared since the beginning of 2024. They include articles titled ‘Mapping a Surge of Disinformation in Africa’ (about China and Russia’s disinformation campaigns in Africa), ‘Tracking Russian Interference to Derail Democracy in Africa’, ‘China’s Influence on African Media’, ‘Intervening to Undermine Democracy in Africa: Russia’s Playbook for Influence’, and so on.
In these articles, general statements about democratic values are mixed with publicly available statistics, and though they may seem trivial, they are part of a systematic approach. Since 2022, combating disinformation has been one of the objectives of the Biden Administration’s “U.S. Strategy Toward Africa,” which states: “We will expand digital democracy programming, defend against digital authoritarianism, fight back against disinformation, combat gender-based online harassment and abuse, and establish standards for responsible conduct in cyberspace.” The US Department of State receives funding to combat China’s “malign actions” in Africa (including disinformation) and the US-supported state structure (the African Center for Strategic Studies) is actively engaged in promoting the US agenda.
Africa’s media space is still dominated by Western-controlled media such as BBC, CNN, CNBC, France 24, Euronews (Africanews), Africa Report / Jeune Afrique, etc. They exert considerable influence on the regional agenda and trends, have access to insider information, and utilize the same methods as China: train personnel, create Africa-oriented media, open additional offices, and invest in information and communications technology infrastructure. The only difference is that Western media have been doing this for over a century. So, in fact, the US approach resembles the well-known saying: He who smelt it, dealt it.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/583774-lloyd-austin-us-africa/">The US is using Russia’s playbook in Africa, but there’s a catch</a></figcaption>
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However, in recent years, the role of African media (as well as its quality) has greatly increased. Africa’s media space is becoming more sovereign, and large influential outlets have emerged which are not dependent on the externally imposed agenda. These include newspapers like The East African (Kenya), The Herald (Zimbabwe), The Punch (Nigeria), etc. Non-Western centers of power – such as China, Turkey, the UAE, Russia, and India – play an important role in these developments. Media outlets from these countries cover African events and share professional experience with African colleagues. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the West to compete with alternative sources of information and influence the agenda. Paul Nantulya’s article is similar to US attempts to control TikTok or Israel’s ban of Al Jazeera, since nowadays, the media and various communication channels have also become an arena of global confrontation.
One of the main goals of the US policy in Africa is to oppose the influence of China and Russia. However, Russia should not regard its presence in Africa as a sign of the growing confrontation with the US and the collective West. Russia’s policy in Africa is self-sufficient regardless of the position of Washington or Paris, and should be primarily aimed at the needs of the African audience. Russian media should respond to US pressure by growing its audience, improving the quality of published and broadcast materials, attracting reputable African authors and experts, and expanding TV and radio broadcasting in Africa.]]>
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<title>Decoupling from China may be ‘impossible’ – survey</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/business/597806-china-decoupling-impossible-survey/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/business/597806-china-decoupling-impossible-survey/</guid>
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The Asian nation remains a “critical supplier” globally, according to an Allianz Trade report
Total economic decoupling from China would be “difficult, if not impossible,” a new report by international insurance company Allianz Trade has suggested, saying that the Asian power remains a “critical supplier” for much of the world.
The survey by Allianz Trade polled over 3,000 companies in China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK, and US on their outlook for global trade in 2024. 
The intensity of import dependency on China varies, with the US, UK, and France being among the most exposed. Nearly 50% of US imports from China are critical dependencies, it said.
“There is no evidence of a full decoupling from China yet,” the report said, noting that more than one-third of respondents plan to increase their footprint in China.
Despite talk of decoupling and diversifying away from China, “there is probably a limit to what extent this can happen,” Allianz said, adding that European countries remain bullish about their prospects there.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597799-china-electric-vehicles-putin/">Chinese electric cars better than American – Putin</a></figcaption>
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Some 39% of companies in Germany and Spain, and more than 30% in France, expect to increase their footprint in China, according to the survey. That’s compared with 27% in the US who plan to do the same.
“European companies are clearly less worried than US firms,” the report said.
The trend of diversification rather than decoupling seems more apparent, Allianz said, with a quarter of German, French and US firms expecting their footprint in China to represent “a smaller share of their global supply investments going forward.”
US and EU officials have been struggling to come up with a unified strategy on China as they try to reduce trade dependence on Beijing, which they have repeatedly accused of economic coercion. 
The Chinese government, meanwhile, has claimed that Washington and its allies have weaponized trade regulations in order to advance anti-China policies and accused them of “economic bullying.”
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/business/583439-eu-trade-china-decoupling-protect/">
READ MORE: EU trade chief rules out China decoupling
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Western officials, however, have recently shifted from the ‘decoupling’ rhetoric to that of ‘de-risking and diversifying.’ That approach was reflected in a joint communique adopted by the G7 during its summit in Japan in May, which accused Beijing of trying to “distort the global economy.”
Beijing rejected the allegations, saying the West is stuck in a “Cold-War mentality.”]]>
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<title>Explosion reported near St. Petersburg military academy (VIDEOS)</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597807-russia-explosion-st-petersburg-accident/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597807-russia-explosion-st-petersburg-accident/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647a3a785f5404ea44c6bf4.jpg" /> At least seven people have been injured in a blast at the Semyon Budyonny Signal Corps Academy in St. Petersburg <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597807-russia-explosion-st-petersburg-accident/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The incident happened at the Signal Corps school in Russia’s second largest city
At least seven people have been injured in a blast at the Signal Corps Military Academy in St. Petersburg on Friday, according to local media.
Emergency responders, including several ambulances and a fire truck, have arrived at the scene. Videos making rounds on social media showed several people being evacuated on stretchers.
Two of the injured were in serious condition, according to local media. One patient was taken to intensive care.
The incident is “not of a terrorist nature,” St. Petersburg regional governor Alexander Beglov said in a statement, noting that the Ministry of Defense has jurisdiction in the matter. 
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The cause of the explosion was a munition dating back to the Second World War, the Leningrad Military District said in a statement.
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The school, founded in 1919, is named after the legendary Soviet cavalry officer Semyon Budyonny and located on the Tikhoretsk Avenue, in the northern part of the city.
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<title>EU will not recognize Taiwan – Borrell</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597802-eu-taiwan-statehood-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647968f2030276f6f60d353.jpg" /> The self-governing island is part of “one single China,” the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has asserted <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597802-eu-taiwan-statehood-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Any possibility of a military escalation over the self-governing island should be excluded, the bloc’s foreign policy chief has said
The EU should be firm about ensuring that a military conflict doesn’t break out over Taiwan, which it considers part of a “one single China,” the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said.
Tensions around the self-governing island, which Beijing considers to be an inalienable part of China, have been rising as the US maintains unofficial ties with the Taiwanese government and supplies it with defensive weapons.
Speaking to Foreign Policy magazine during a trip to California this week to meet tech leaders and state officials, Borrell touched on a number of issues, including tech regulation, EU-US relations, China, and geopolitical conflicts, as well as the EU’s position on Taiwan and a potential military conflict. 
“We keep saying the same thing: We believe that we have to decrease tensions, we have to respect the statute of war, and we have to exclude any possibility of a military solution to the problem,” Borrell told the outlet. 
“Our fixed position is we don’t recognize the statehood of Taiwan and we will not do it. It’s one single China. It means that we are not going to recognize the statehood of Taiwan; we will have economic and cultural relations with this territory without recognition of statehood,” he said.
He added that the EU calls on all nations “to understand that there is not a military solution to this problem.” 
Borrell has repeatedly stated that Taiwan is “absolutely crucial” for the EU economically, particularly due to its strategic role in the production of the most advanced semiconductors.
In April 2023, he suggested that European navies should patrol the disputed Taiwan Strait “to show Europe’s commitment to freedom of navigation.” Those comments followed Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, during which Beijing simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of the island following a meeting between the Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and the US House speaker at the time, Kevin McCarthy.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/596505-taiwan-arms-china-blinken/">US ‘shooting itself in the foot’ by arming Taiwan – Beijing</a></figcaption>
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Taiwan was the last refuge of nationalist forces during the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, and has since remained de facto independent from Beijing and allied with Washington.
Under the ‘One China’ policy, which forms the core of the Chinese government’s relationship with Taiwan, Beijing seeks the peaceful reintegration of the island and the prevention of any attempt to declare it a sovereign nation, threatening to use military force if necessary.
Beijing has insisted that Taiwan’s status is a domestic issue and has urged foreign governments not to interfere. Chinese officials have criticized Washington for repeatedly expressing support for the Taiwanese government and concluding defense contracts with the island’s military.
Last month, the US approved a multibillion-dollar foreign aid package of which over $8 billion was designated for Taiwan to “counter communist China and ensure a strong deterrence in the region.”








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<title>NATO members ‘considering’ sending troops to Ukraine – NYT</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597804-nato-instructors-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597804-nato-instructors-ukraine/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66477b3485f5404ea44c6be0.jpg" /> The US is still publicly opposed to sending instructors but “will get there eventually,” said Joint Chiefs Chair General Charles Q. Brown <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597804-nato-instructors-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Some US defense contractors are reportedly already there, repairing weapons provided to Kiev
Several US allies within NATO are “inching closer” to sending soldiers into Ukraine to train its armed forces, the New York Times has reported. Some American military contractors are already on the ground to repair US-supplied weapons systems.
Facing troop shortages, the government in Kiev has asked the US and NATO to “help train 150,000 new recruits” inside Ukraine, so they could be sent to the front faster, according to the American outlet.
The move “would be another blurring of a previous red line” and could draw the US and the EU “more directly into the war,” the Times noted. Although the White House has publicly opposed sending instructors, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thinks it is inevitable.
“We’ll get there eventually, over time,” General Charles Q. Brown Jr. told reporters on Thursday, while traveling to Brussels.
One problem with deploying NATO instructors to Ukraine would be having to shift already scarce air defenses away from the battlefield in order to protect them from Russian air and missile strikes, the Times noted. According to the outlet, the US would be obligated to defend any NATO instructors inside Ukraine from attack, “potentially dragging America into the war.”
<a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597774-ukraine-situation-incredibly-dire/"></a>
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647198e203027076661ddf3.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian soldiers rest during a training exercise." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597774-ukraine-situation-incredibly-dire/">Ukraine situation ‘incredibly dire’ – Washington</a></figcaption>
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French President Emmanuel Macron first raised the issue of sending NATO troops to Ukraine back in February, as an idea that should not be ruled out. Estonia and Lithuania have since expressed support for either sending instructors or support troops, to free up Ukrainian soldiers for combat duty. 
The White House is “adamant” that it will not put American troops on the ground in Ukraine – including instructors – and has urged NATO allies not to do it either, an anonymous White House official told the Times.
Meanwhile, Britain, France and Germany are working on a plan to send contractors to maintain weapons in the combat zone, the US outlet has revealed. Though the US has banned defense contractors from going to Ukraine, “a small number have already been allowed in, under State Department authority, to work on specific weapons systems like Patriot air defenses,” the Times noted.
American instructors used to be part of a NATO training program in Yavorov, in western Ukraine, but were withdrawn in early 2022. Russia has since struck the facility with missiles multiple times.
NATO has trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops in Germany, Poland, the UK and elsewhere. Western tactics have proven less than adequate during the summer 2023 offensive, however. The Times has described the Ukrainian battlefield as “far different and more intense than what American forces have fought on in recent years.”
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597626-latest-attack-russia-ukraine/">
READ MORE: Here’s why Russia’s Kharkov offensive is far more than just a military setback for Kiev
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According to anonymous US military officials, training inside Ukraine would allow American instructors “to more quickly gather information about the innovations occurring on the Ukrainian front lines, potentially allowing them to adapt their training.”
Earlier this week, British Defense Secretary Grant <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597676-shapps-ukraine-boots-ground/">Shapps said</a> that “moving training closer” to Ukraine would make sense, but added that London did not want to put British troops on the ground.]]>
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<title>Russian media banned from displaying national symbols at Olympics</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597795-russian-media-symbols-olympics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597795-russian-media-symbols-olympics/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647792a85f5404ef230922c.jpg" /> The International Olympic Committee has banned anyone attending this year’s Games from displaying Russian national symbols, TASS reports <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597795-russian-media-symbols-olympics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The same restrictions apply to spectators and sports fans attending the Summer Games in Paris
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned journalists covering this year’s Summer Games in Paris from displaying national symbols of Russia and Belarus, TASS reported on Friday, citing a spokesman for the organization.
Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate in the Olympics only under neutral status this year. The spokesman noted that under the IOC guidelines, this means they will be prohibited from displaying any national symbols, including the national flag, the state emblem, any military symbols, the colors of the St. George ribbon, or playing the national anthem.
“The same applies for media personnel, as well as for all spectators, as specified in the document,” the spokesman was cited as saying.
The IOC initially banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing internationally following the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. In December last year, however, the body removed the blanket ban and ruled that a limited number of individuals from the two countries could take part in the Olympics under a neutral flag. The Russian and Belarusian teams remained prohibited, and the body said that Russian state officials will not be invited to the games.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f97a0720302708672364a8.jpg" alt="Russian wrestling champion Musa Evloev" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/594490-russian-wrestling-champion-olympics/">Russian champion wrestler barred from Olympics qualifier – sport official</a></figcaption>
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The IOC also placed a range of restrictions for qualifying. For instance, athletes who have publicly supported Moscow’s military operation or are somehow linked to the Russian military would not be allowed to take part in the Games.
In March, the IOC announced that the maximum number of Russians who can qualify for the Paris Olympics is 55, while Belarus is limited to 28 athletes. It also said that athletes from either country will not be allowed to take part in the traditional parade at the opening ceremony of the Olympics. It is expected to be an open-air event with athletes travelling on boats down the River Seine for several kilometers toward the Eiffel Tower.
Moscow has <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/594562-kremlin-peskov-russian-athletes-olympics/">criticized</a> the restrictions placed on its athletes by the IOC. In March, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the IOC’s measures targeting Russian athletes are “absolutely contrary” to the ideology of the Olympic movement and are “destroying Olympic ideals.”]]>
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<title>EU state wants bloc to introduce ‘foreign agent’ laws</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597803-hungary-wants-eu-foreign-agent-law/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597803-hungary-wants-eu-foreign-agent-law/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647738b2030276f982863f0.jpg" /> Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s office has advocated the introduction of a foreign agent law across the EU <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597803-hungary-wants-eu-foreign-agent-law/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Protecting a country’s sovereignty is a precondition for democracy, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s office argues
The European Union should not attack Georgia for adopting a foreign agent law, but rather follow suit, the political director of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s office, Balazs Orban has argued. The official insisted that measures aimed at curbing foreign influence are a key component of democracy. 
On Tuesday, Georgia’s parliament passed the ‘Transparency of Foreign Influence’ bill, which requires Georgian non-profit organizations, media outlets and individuals with more than 20% foreign funding to register as entities “promoting the interests of a foreign power” and disclose their donors. Failure to comply will be punishable by a fine of up to $9,500. 
US and EU officials were quick to denounce the legislation, while the law proved divisive at home as well. Thousands took to the streets of Tbilisi to protest against it, culminating in clashes with police. Critics have described the bill as similar to Russia’s ‘foreign agent’ law and fear that it will be used by the government to crack down on the opposition. 
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze argued that the law was needed to ensure more transparency.   
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our intention is not to veto <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Georgia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Georgia</a>’s Law on the Transparency of Foreign Influence, but to encourage the introduction of similar laws across the EU! Protecting one’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sovereignty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sovereignty</a> from unwanted foreign interference is not a threat but a precondition for democracy—this is what…— Balázs Orbán (@BalazsOrban_HU) <a href="https://twitter.com/BalazsOrban_HU/status/1791352262226215318?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Orban wrote that Hungary’s “intention is not to veto Georgia’s Law on the Transparency of Foreign Influence, but to encourage the introduction of similar laws across the EU!” 
He also claimed that protecting a nation’s sovereignty from “unwanted foreign interference” is “not a threat but a precondition for democracy.” 
“Instead of condemning it, EU should perhaps also follow the lead,” he concluded.  
Attempts within the EU to agree on a joint statement condemning the Georgian bill by the 27 member states’ governments have so far failed. Hungary and Slovakia objected, arguing that they “did not think it is right for the EU to interfere in the domestic politics of a third country,” several media outlets reported, citing unnamed EU diplomats.  
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597729-georgia-foreign-agents-bill-nato/">Georgia accuses NATO countries of trying to orchestrate coup</a></figcaption>
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On Wednesday, the bloc’s foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, and the European Commission warned Tbilisi that the “adoption of this law negatively impacts Georgia’s progress on the EU path.”
Last December, EU leaders granted Georgia candidate status on the condition that it fulfill certain obligations. 
According to media reports, citing anonymous European officials, Brussels is now considering reversing the visa liberalization for Georgians in order to send a message to the South Caucasian country.  
Hungary’s parliament passed its own package of laws concerning the defense of national sovereignty in December, under which foreign funding of election campaigns is banned and a new Sovereignty Protection Office was created.]]>
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<title>NATO chief allies with gays</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597801-stoltenberg-nato-purpose-lgbtq/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597801-stoltenberg-nato-purpose-lgbtq/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66476b3a20302766706824a4.jpg" /> NATO’s purpose is to defend its people, including the LGBTQ community, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597801-stoltenberg-nato-purpose-lgbtq/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The secretary general of the US-led bloc has made a statement to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
NATO will stand up for the rights of LGBTQ people, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared on Friday.
He was among hundreds of Western public officials, institutions and organizations to make a statement affirming the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).
“NATO exists to defend 32 nations, and our peoples’ right to live freely & in peace,” Stoltenberg <a href="https://x.com/jensstoltenberg/status/1791356439161933945">posted</a> on X, formerly Twitter. “On the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia, and every day: all love is equal. LGBTQ+ people deserve respect & dignity, and I am proud to call myself your ally.”
The overwhelming majority of responses to Stoltenberg’s posts were negative, however. 
“And the relationship between a mutual defense military alliance with the rights of certain minorities is…?” one X user wondered. Others brought up the bloc’s offensive wars against Yugoslavia (1999) and Libya (2011), and the fact that it spent 20 years in Afghanistan helping the US to “replace the Taliban with the Taliban.”
“You just made me support Russia a bit more,” read another response, while someone else wondered whether the Russians had somehow managed to hack Stoltenberg’s account.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597738-nato-bauer-ukraine-first/">NATO tells members to put Ukraine first</a></figcaption>
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Another social media user accused him of “pinkwashing war crimes and warmongering,” using a term that describes individuals or organizations who embrace the LGBTQ agenda to deflect attention from their bad behavior.
IDAHOBIT was conceived in 2004 by a French gay activist. Organizations such as the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA), the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), the World Congress of LGBT Jews and the Coalition of African Lesbians endorsed the project, leading to the first celebration in 2005. 
May 17 was chosen as the date, commemorating the removal of homosexuality from the international classification of diseases by the WHO in 1990.
“Transphobia” was added to the name in 2009, followed by “biphobia” in 2015, resulting in the acronym in its current form.]]>
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<title>Share of ruble in Russia’s European trade hits new record</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/business/597791-ruble-share-growth-european-trade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/business/597791-ruble-share-growth-european-trade/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647677485f540655e5e3be7.jpg" /> The currency has become a major player in the country’s foreign trade with the region in light of Western sanctions <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597791-ruble-share-growth-european-trade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The currency now makes up more than half of Moscow’s export settlements, according to statistics
The share of ruble transactions in Russia’s foreign trade, particularly with the rest of Europe, has been steadily growing, hitting record highs in March, according to data from the country’s central bank.
Statistics show the use of the Russian currency in settlements for goods and services exported by Russia to other European countries reached 58.5% in March. This marks a significant increase from the previous year, with the ruble’s share rising by 10.8 percentage points annually and 9.6 percentage points month-on-month.
According to data from the Federal Customs Service, exports to Europe in the first quarter of this year accounted for 15.2% of the total volume of Russian goods exports, equivalent to $15.4 billion. 
“The general trend towards increase of the ruble share in settlements with Europe continues,” Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) senior researcher Aleksandr Firanchuk told RBK, noting that the region also includes Belarus, an important trade partner.
According to HSE Banking Institute director Vasily Solodkov, the growth in the share of ruble transactions came as a result of the Western sanctions regime, due to difficulties in settlements with EU countries in euros and other currencies.
Experts also said the introduction of the ruble-based gas payment mechanism could be another reason that payments for Europe-bound gas supplies switched to rubles.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6645aa252030273c181ae553.jpg" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597694-russia-china-transactions-national-currencies/">90% of Russia-China transactions in national currencies – Putin</a></figcaption>
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The Bank of Russia provided detailed statistics on trade with other regions, including Asia, America, Africa, the Caribbean, and Oceania. The strongest increase in the ruble’s share in March was recorded in payments by African countries for Russian goods.
This rise in the use of the ruble reflects a broader global trend of de-dollarization and a shift towards using national currencies in international trade. It started to gain momentum after Ukraine-related sanctions saw Russia cut off from the Western financial system and its foreign reserves frozen.
Central bank data shows that the share of the US dollar and euro in Russia’s foreign trade has dropped substantially. As of March 2024, just 28.5% of export settlements were carried out in these currencies, compared with nearly 90% before the beginning of 2022.
The share of currencies of ‘friendly countries’ – those that have not placed sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict – was 13%.]]>
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<title>Kremlin comments on Putin security after Fico shooting</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597800-putin-security-fico-shooting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597800-putin-security-fico-shooting/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664768a185f540655e5e3bec.jpg" /> There are no plans to ramp up security around Vladimir Putin after an assassination attempt on Slovak PM Robert Fico, the Kremlin has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597800-putin-security-fico-shooting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Measures to ensure the safety of the Russian president remain at the same level, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said
Russia has not introduced any additional security measures to protect President Vladimir Putin after an assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.  
Fico was shot several times at point-blank range on Wednesday as he greeted his supporters in the small town of Handlova, around 150km east of the capital, Bratislava. The local authorities have said the prime minister is expected to survive the attack despite serious injuries.  
Slovak Interior Minister Matuss Sutaj Estok stated that the culprit, earlier identified by local media as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, strongly disagreed with some of Fico’s policies, including the decision to stop arms shipments to Ukraine. The minister also described the suspect, who now faces 25 years in prison, as a lone wolf. 
The assassination attempt triggered an outpouring of condemnation from all corners of the world, with Putin also joining the chorus by saying that he was “indignant” to learn of this “heinous” incident. He also voiced hope that Fico’s courage and strong spirit “will help him to withstand this difficult situation.”  
Commenting on the security precautions around Putin, Peskov told the Shot Telegram channel that they “remain at the same level.” “Measures which must be taken to ensure the president’s safety are in place,” he added.  
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66460b0f2030272d8c7de6b4.jpg" alt="Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597737-attack-slovak-robert-fico/">An EU country’s leader has been shot, and of course it has to be about Putin</a></figcaption>
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Over more than 20 years in power, the Russian president, whose security is directly handled by the secretive Federal Protective Service (FSO), has been the target of multiple assassination plots, none of which have come close to fruition. Most of them date back to the early 2000s and were masterminded by Chechen terrorists.   
In 2012, Russian and Ukrainian special services arrested a group of extremists in Odessa, with the culprits said to be preparing a bomb attack on Putin, who was then serving as prime minister. The incident came at a time prior to the Western-backed coup in Kiev, when Moscow and Kiev enjoyed relatively friendly ties.  
In May 2023, after the start of the Ukraine conflict, Kiev launched a drone raid on the Kremlin which involved two aircraft. While both UAVs were downed, Moscow regarded the attack as an assassination attempt on the Russian president. Putin was not present in the Kremlin at the time of the incident, according to Peskov.
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<title>Chinese electric cars better than American – Putin</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/business/597799-china-electric-vehicles-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/business/597799-china-electric-vehicles-putin/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647611185f540457b7aac85.jpg" /> US authorities have imposed tariffs on Chinese electric cars to stifle competition, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597799-china-electric-vehicles-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The US has imposed tariffs on China’s EVs to stifle competition, the Russian president has said
US authorities have imposed tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) because they have become better, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told a press conference in the city of Harbin during his two-day trip to China.
Putin suggested that Washington wanted to prevent strong competitors from entering the American market, and described the US approach as “unfair competition.”
“Unfortunately, the way the world works today, sometimes situations arise related to unfair competition. This is how the Americans recently imposed tariffs on Chinese electric transport, on electric cars,” he said.
“Why? Because Chinese cars have gotten better.”
As soon as another country emerges as a manufacturing power and becomes more competitive, it is suppressed in the US and in the EU alike, Putin claimed.
US officials have repeatedly described China as America’s top “competitor,” while tightening economic restrictions against the country.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66436b4220302709f4140609.jpg" alt="RT" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597570-us-china-import-tariffs/">US slaps steep tariffs on China</a></figcaption>
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Earlier this week Washington hiked tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese goods including EVs, batteries, semiconductors, steel, aluminum, critical minerals, solar cells, ship-to-shore cranes, and medical products, while retaining tariffs on over $300 billion worth of goods imposed by previous US President Donald Trump.
Tariffs on Chinese goods were hiked significantly under Trump, who launched the first volley in a tit-for-tat trade war that began in 2018.
A similarly hostile approach has continued under his successor, Joe Biden, who has adopted several policies aimed at the Chinese economy.
Chinese officials have repeatedly denounced US trade and tech policy, describing it as “economic bullying.” The Chinese government has taken several countermeasures to retaliate against US sanctions. Among them are restrictions on exports of strategic raw materials used in defense technologies, electronics, and clean energy.
The International Monetary Fund warned last week that the escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing was threatening global economic growth.]]>
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<title>Putin raises issue of Zelensky’s legitimacy</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597798-putin-zelensky-legitimacy-matters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597798-putin-zelensky-legitimacy-matters/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664760c385f5401605241418.jpg" /> Vladimir Zelensky’s legitimacy as president of Ukraine is an important question to Russia, President Vladimir Putin has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597798-putin-zelensky-legitimacy-matters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The Ukrainian president’s term in office should end on May 20; however, Kiev has suspended the election due to martial law
Vladimir Zelensky’s legitimacy as president of Ukraine is an important question not only to his own country, but to Moscow as well, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. He explained that Zelensky’s status will have a bearing on any potential agreement between the two belligerent countries.
Zelensky’s five-year term in office comes to an end on May 20. Ukrainians were scheduled to head to the polls to elect a new leader on March 31; however, he announced in December 2023 that no presidential or parliamentary elections would be held as long as martial law remains in force. It was imposed after the start of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, and has been repeatedly extended by the Ukrainian parliament since. Last Wednesday, lawmakers prolonged martial law by another three months.
Speaking at a press conference while on a state visit in China on Friday, President Putin said the issue of Zelensky’s legitimacy is something that “Ukraine’s own political and legal system” must address, “first of all the Constitutional Court.” He noted that the country’s constitution foresees “different variants.”
“But to us this does matter because if it comes to the signing of any documents, surely, we should sign documents in such a momentous area with the legitimate authorities,” Putin explained. He added that the Kremlin had regularly stayed in touch with President Zelensky before the hostilities broke out.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.04/thumbnail/661a825e85f540202f26f1b1.jpg" alt="Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, April 12, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/595855-zelensky-term-over-lukashenko/">No point in Russia signing peace deal with Zelensky – Lukashenko</a></figcaption>
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The Ukrainian constitution explicitly forbids holding presidential or parliamentary elections in times of war. In March, a senior official from Ukraine’s central election commission clarified to the media that Zelensky’s term would be prolonged automatically until conditions were right to hold an election. This month, Justice Minister Denis Maliuska confirmed this to the BBC.
In late April, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that a “moment will come soon when many people, including those inside Ukraine, will question [President Zelensky’s] legitimacy.
A survey conducted by Ukrainian pollster SOCIS in early March showed that the incumbent president would have lost to the former top Ukrainian commander, General Valery Zaluzhny, had they both run. The following month, German newspaper Tagesspiegel reported that public support for an “authoritarian” Zelensky had “sunk to 61%.”
In March, Ukrainskaya Pravda claimed, citing MPs, that Zelensky had virtually stripped parliament of its powers and established de facto personal rule. Around the same time, a lawmaker from the president’s own party openly suggested that Ukraine needs a dictatorship to survive the conflict with Russia.]]>
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<title>The West is worried, that’s why Blinken made an urgent visit to Kiev</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597787-blinken-made-visit-kiev/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597787-blinken-made-visit-kiev/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664744fc85f540457b7aac65.jpg" /> The US Secretary of State’s sudden trip to Ukraine belies the West’s concern about recent Russian advances <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597787-blinken-made-visit-kiev/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The US Secretary of State’s sudden trip to Ukraine belies the West’s concern about recent Russian advances
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken admitted during his visit to Kiev this week that the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated. This is mainly due to the Russian offensive in Kharkov Region. He promised not to leave Ukraine without support, promising that the next batches of Western weapons would soon – in particular air defense systems. He also reiterated that Ukraine’s future membership in NATO is still on the table and that Russia must pay for the country’s reconstruction.
Blinken’s arrival was unexpected, and it betrayed the critical stage currently reached in the conflict. The US is urging Kiev to carry out an effective mobilization, and seems to hope society will reorganize itself in some way. By the way, this is the most important question: what do Ukrainians themselves think they should do next, and how do they want things to be? But let us continue.
At almost the same time, Olaf Scholz was addressing journalists. The German chancellor announced a €7 billion ($7.6 billion) bailout for Ukraine. Previously, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the threat of nuclear war could be even greater now than during the Cuban missile crisis, more than 60 years ago. 
It should be remembered that the Russian army has launched an offensive along a new section of the front in Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian side assures us that Kharkov city itself is not in danger. Meanwhile, Moscow seems to be trying to create a so-called cordon sanitaire around its borders, or is perhaps trying to divert Ukrainian units from other directions. There is no point in entering into a polemic on this issue, but the “critical situation” thesis is being heard more often and louder. And many people are asking pointed questions of the authorities in Kiev, as if everything was known in advance, and fortifications were promised to be built, but for some reason they were not.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66432b8f2030271d9a0374c5.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: A military officer from the third separate assault brigade is seen doing recruitment job in Kyiv region." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597553-ukraine-increase-mobilized-men/">Zelensky’s last roll of the dice: Why is Ukraine making a new forced conscription drive?</a></figcaption>
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In any case, the Westerners have clearly woken up and come to their senses, which is logical. If you talk for six months, utter all sorts of political niceties and don’t deliver weapons, there will be consequences, just as there will be consequences if you don’t do a proper mobilization.
And now they have arrived, however late. At the same time, the G7 meeting in the picturesque town of Brindisi in Italy is just a month away. Then there will be a high-level conference on Ukraine at the Bürgenstock in Switzerland, and the NATO anniversary summit in July. And there will have been no major battlefield or political successes to celebrate. At the same time, the world is also, strangely enough, on the brink of a nuclear catastrophe. One could say to our former Western partners: “it’s your own fault, gentlemen.”
So we come to a very simple conclusion. If there are no results yet, that means they have to be achieved somehow. The question is how. The answer is obvious: by responding to the raising of the stakes. We would just like to point out that no one is talking about a peaceful scenario; the next round of confrontation has arrived. Perhaps it will lead to a sudden peaceful solution, but we should not be too optimistic. Another thing we would like to point out is that Western Europe is practically powerless without America, no matter how much Emmanuel Macron threatens to invade. And secondly, according to the West, Ukraine cannot, or at least should not, lose.

This article was first published by <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6692284" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kommersant</a>, translated and edited by the RT team ]]>
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<title>Modi reveals why he shies away from media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/india/597796-modi-reveals-why-he-shies/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/india/597796-modi-reveals-why-he-shies/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647693f85f5404ea44c6bcd.jpg" /> Modi, who has not held a solo press conference in India since becoming PM in 2014, has claimed the media is no longer “non-partisan” <a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597796-modi-reveals-why-he-shies/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The Indian leader has said he stopped giving press conferences due to news ‘bias’
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking a rare third term in an ongoing parliamentary election where nearly a billion people are eligible to vote, has revealed that he does not do press conferences because the media is “no longer a non-partisan entity.”
In an interview given to television channel Aaj Tak Hindi as Modi campaigns for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian leader explained that “journalists are identified with their own preferences.”
“Media is no longer a non-partisan entity,” he told the outlet. “Earlier, the media used to be faceless. People would read something and think of it as an analysis but today that is not the case.”
Modi often avoids unscripted moments and has not held a solo press conference since becoming prime minister in 2014. He did appear at a presser alongside Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the last parliamentary election in 2019, but chose to redirect questions posed to him to Shah.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/596566-new-delhi-blasts-western-media/">Western media trying to be ‘political player’ in Indian election – foreign minister</a></figcaption>
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However, the Indian leader has furnished dozens of interviews in the lead-up to the ongoing Lower House (Lok Sabha) election which will determine the next government.
Modi’s critics from the opposition have questioned his reluctance to face the media in real-time. Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, recently said he was “100% prepared” to take on Modi in a debate – but suggested that the prime minister would not agree. Previously, Gandhi had described Modi’s interviews to television channels as “scripted.”
Meanwhile, leaders from the BJP have questioned the Western media’s critical coverage of Modi’s policies during the election. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently charged that the Western media is trying to be a “political player” in the Indian vote.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/india/596742-deepfakes-india-election/">
READ MORE: Deepfake democracy: How AI is disrupting the biggest election on Earth
</a>

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A series of reports have raised doubts about the credibility of the Indian election, given the threats posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly “deepfakes,” as well as posing concerns over “divisions within the country.”
Reuters, for instance, noted that there is hardly any “critical evaluation” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on India's mainstream television channels, nor in most newspapers. According to the agency, the politician’s critics are migrating to online spaces.
Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! &lrm;Follow and share RT India in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6XvWh7IUYZaRQrlU3y">English</a> and in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7ALQtK0IBcl7uI7O3v">Hindi</a> ]]>
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<title>China slams US for ‘shifting blame’ over Ukraine conflict</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597789-china-us-blame-shifting-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597789-china-us-blame-shifting-ukraine/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66475afa85f54016052413fc.jpg" /> Beijing has always sought a peaceful solution in Ukraine, its Foreign Ministry insists <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597789-china-us-blame-shifting-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Washington continues to harbor a “Cold War mentality,” according to Beijing
US policies are directly responsible for the Ukraine crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday, reacting to the latest accusations from Washington of Beijing’s supposed complicity in the conflict.
On Thursday, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel claimed that China can’t enjoy strong relations with Europe and the collective West while “continuing to fuel the biggest threat to European security” by “fueling Russia’s defense-industrial base.”
In turn, Wang urged the US to “stop shifting the blame on China [and] not try to drive a wedge between China and Europe.”
“This is a reflection of the Cold War mentality that still dominates US thinking, which bears unshirkable responsibility for the eruption and escalation of the Ukraine crisis,” he stated. The spokesman argued that Washington is clearly “looking for enemies instead of seeking peace” in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He further urged US authorities to stop “fueling the flame” with unfounded accusations and instead “start making real a contribution to finding a political solution” to the crisis.
“China is not the creator of or a party to the Ukraine Crisis. We have been on the side of peace and dialogue and committed to promoting peace talks. We actively support putting in place a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture,” Wang stated.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597690-putin-russia-china-no-threat/">Russia-China ties not a threat to other nations – Putin</a></figcaption>
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Beijing has maintained a policy of neutrality on the Ukraine conflict and has rejected Western pressure to place sanctions on Russia, instead continuing to bolster economic ties with Moscow and expanding mutual trade. Consequently, Washington and its NATO allies have accused China of fueling Russia’s military effort by supporting its weapons manufacturing through the sale of dual-use components. The US has <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/596625-blinken-china-sanction-threat/">repeatedly</a> threatened to place more sanctions on China if it does not stop these exports.
China staunchly denies the allegations, with officials repeatedly stating that the country is not selling weapons to either Russia or Ukraine. In an earlier statement, Wang accused the US of hypocrisy for providing billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine while “unreasonably” criticizing the “normal” trade and economic relations between Russia and China.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently on an official <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597714-no-place-military-blocs-asia-pacific-putin/">visit</a> in China, where he has met with President Xi Jinping. In a joint statement on Thursday, the two leaders expressed firm commitment to continue bolstering ties between their respective countries. They also reiterated their stance on the Ukraine conflict, stating that it “must be resolved by political means.”]]>
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<title>EU state vetoes Ukraine resolution</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597797-hungary-ukraine-resolution-veto/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597797-hungary-ukraine-resolution-veto/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66475ec485f540160524140b.jpg" /> Hungary has vetoed the Council of Europe’s resolution on Ukraine which promoted only President Vladimir Zelensky’s peace plan <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597797-hungary-ukraine-resolution-veto/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Hungary has blocked a document that supported Zelensky’s “peace plan” while ignoring other proposals, its foreign minister has said
Hungary has vetoed a Council of Europe resolution on Ukraine because it recognized only one peace plan, the so-called “peace formula” proposed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.    
Zelensky’s roadmap to resolve the crisis, which he has been promoting since 2022, calls for a complete withdrawal of Russian forces from all territories Ukraine considers its own, for Moscow to pay reparations, and for a war crimes tribunal. Russia has rejected the proposals as “unrealistic” and a sign of Kiev’s unwillingness to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict.  
“Today the Council wanted to adopt a resolution recognizing only President Zelensky’s peace plan as a peace formula that should be considered and supported. This is unacceptable for us,” Szijjarto wrote on Facebook. 
Instead of an “imaginary nuclear war,” “we all need real peace talks,” which are only possible with both sides in the conflict “sitting at the table” Szijjarto said.  
Next month, Switzerland is expected to host a summit on Zelensky’s proposed roadmap for ending the conflict with Russia. Switzerland has sent out invitations to over 160 countries, including members of the G7, G20, BRICS, and EU. Russia, however, has not been invited to the talks.  
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597785-putin-zelensky-peace-formula/">Putin responds to Kiev’s ‘peace formula’ ultimatum</a></figcaption>
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Szijjarto noted that other countries have also proposed scenarios for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that are “no worse than those of Ukraine’s president.” A number of alternative peace plans had previously been put forward, including proposals by China, Brazil and South Africa.    
“I asked to include other peace plans in the Council of Europe resolution. This was rejected by the majority. That’s why I vetoed it so there wouldn’t be a Council resolution,” Szijjarto explained.   
China has been promoting since last year a peace formula consisting of 12 points, including the cessation of hostilities, a demand for compliance with international law, the rejection of the ‘Cold War’ mentality, and mutual respect for national security concerns.  
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Beijing’s initiative showed “the genuine desire... to help stabilize the situation” in the region.   
Speaking to journalists on Friday, he dismissed Kiev’s plan, which does not take into account the “realities on the ground.” Putin reiterated Moscow’s perception of the upcoming Swiss event as a mere ruse by Kiev and the West. The president also emphasized that Moscow remains ready for peace talks that would consider Russian interests.]]>
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<title>Russia may lay new oil pipeline to China – Putin</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/business/597793-putin-oil-pipeline-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/business/597793-putin-oil-pipeline-china/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647557985f5404ef2309205.jpg" /> The planned Russia-China mega gas pipeline project could see an extra conduit laid for crude oil, President Vladimir Putin has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597793-putin-oil-pipeline-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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A conduit for crude could be added to the planned mega gas pipeline, the president has said
The planned mega pipeline project that will carry natural gas from Russia to China could see an extra conduit laid for crude oil, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
Moscow and Beijing are nearing a deal on the construction of a mega gas pipeline known as the Power of Siberia 2. It will transport up to 50 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Yamal Region in northern Russia to China via Mongolia.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday during a two-day trip to China, Putin said it may be possible to lay an oil pipeline next to the new gas route.
”Various routes [for Russia’s oil to reach China] are available, one of them is the route through Mongolia. It is possible to lay both gas and oil pipes in the same corridor. Experts should decide how best to proceed,” Putin said in the Chinese city of Harbin.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597749-russia-china-new-gas-pipeline/">Russia and China could sign major energy deal – deputy PM</a></figcaption>
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Russia has traditionally supplied oil to China via the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline, via transit through Kazakhstan, and by tankers. Moscow also plans to develop railways as another means of transporting crude to the Chinese market.
Energy negotiations between Moscow and Beijing are not limited to the mega gas pipeline, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said on Thursday. “There are other new projects,” he added without elaborating further.
Russia became China’s largest oil supplier last year. Beijing imported a record amount of discounted Russian oil in 2023, taking advantage of Moscow’s push to find new buyers following the implementation of Ukraine-related Western sanctions.
For more stories on economy & finance visit <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">RT's business section</a>]]>
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<title>EU bans major Russian language media outlets</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597794-eu-bans-russian-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597794-eu-bans-russian-news/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66475c4c2030276f9329c637.jpg" /> The EU has banned from broadcasting four additional news outlets, which it accuses of spreading Russian propaganda <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597794-eu-bans-russian-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Brussels has gagged four additional news media as it allegedly fights propaganda
The European Council has banned four more media outlets from reporting to audiences in the EU over allegations that they spread Russian propaganda. 
Prior to Friday’s announcement, Brussels had already barred several Russia-associated media from engaging with audiences in member states since the Ukraine conflict escalated into open hostilities in February 2022. Even platforming content from the targeted organizations is illegal in the bloc. 
The new additions to the blacklist announced on Friday include the relatively small Czech-based portal Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, a leading Russian news agency, and the veteran newspapers Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 
The latter is the official paper of the Russian government, which prints new laws, presidential decrees, and other executive documents to formally announce them to the general public, before they can enter force. 
The council has claimed that the crackdown on Russian news is necessary to counter a “systematic, international campaign of media and information manipulation, interference and grave distortion of facts” about the Ukraine conflict.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/586763-europe-powerless-russian-propaganda/">EU ban on RT and Sputnik has failed – media</a></figcaption>
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The European Commission, the executive body of the bloc, has hailed the news, declaring that Russia poses an increasing threat to the EU’s “democratic societies” ahead of elections to the European Parliament next month. 
“The sanctions do not target freedom of opinion,” it claimed, citing the fact that the gag order does not prevent journalists working for the four outlets from carrying out other activities in the EU. 
Moscow has accused Brussels of duplicity and attacking freedom of speech with its restrictions. The campaign to undermine the work of Russian news organizations long predates the Ukraine conflict and is aimed at preventing European citizens from hearing opinions that their governments deem undesirable, Russian officials have claimed.]]>
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<title>Ukraine was warned about Russia’s Kharkov offensive – Guardian</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597792-ukraine-warned-kharkov-offensive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597792-ukraine-warned-kharkov-offensive/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664754ae2030276fff2360c3.jpg" /> The UK warned Ukraine about Russia’s offensive in Kharkov Region, but it failed to set up defenses, The Guardian reports <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597792-ukraine-warned-kharkov-offensive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Despite the advance notice from the UK, Kiev’s defense lines on the border were “thin to absent,” the paper said
The UK warned Ukraine ahead of the Russian offensive in Kharkov Region, but Kiev failed to prepare for the attack that resulted in Moscow’s troops making rapid gains, The Guardian reported on Thursday, citing sources.
British intelligence provided Ukraine with advance warning about the attack, according to one of the newspaper’s sources, although he did not say how much time Kiev had to prepare.
However, the alert had followed a public warning by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March, saying Moscow could move to establish a “cordon sanitaire” in Kiev-controlled territories to protect civilians in Russian border regions, particularly in Belgorod, from indiscriminate Ukrainian artillery and drone bombardment.
Given that Ukrainian officials had also reported a concentration of Russian troops in the area ahead of the offensive, “it might have been expected that the attack would be swiftly repulsed,” The Guardian said.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597781-russia-no-plans-capture-kharkov/">Putin reveals plans for Kharkov</a></figcaption>
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However, Ukrainian defensive lines “were thin to absent” in Kharkov Region, the paper said. As a result, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the capture of several border settlements in Kharkov Region in recent days.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recently admitted that Kiev was not ready to meet a large-scale Russian attack due to delays in Western arms shipments. He has canceled scheduled trips to Spain and Portugal, heading to Kharkov instead. Zelensky described the situation as “very serious,” but promised that Kiev was redeploying reinforcements to the area from other frontline sectors.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66436df185f5402a30557f97.jpg" alt="Ukrainian soldiers keep watch from a trench in Kharkov Region, Ukraine, March 10, 2024" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597583-ukraine-corruption-defense-kharkov/">Ukrainian military stole money intended for fortifications – local media</a></figcaption>
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On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Kiev to reassure Ukraine that it was “not alone” in the face of the Russian onslaught. He noted that the country was now going through its “critical moment” on the battlefield.
Echoing The Guardian report, some Ukrainian service members complained about the absence of fortifications and minefields in Kharkov Region, while local outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported that funds earmarked for creating defenses had simply been stolen. Ukrainian officials, however, have dismissed the narrative about the lack of defenses as “Russian propaganda” aimed at driving a wedge between local administrations and the top brass in Kiev.
On Friday, during his visit to China, Putin confirmed that Moscow’s combat operations in the region were aimed at creating a “cordon sanitaire,” stressing that his country had no plans to capture Kharkov, Ukraine’s second-largest city, at this point.]]>
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<title>Putin redirects questions about French troops in Ukraine to Macron</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597790-putin-macron-troops-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597790-putin-macron-troops-ukraine/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66474fab2030276f6f60d31d.jpg" /> Inquiries about French military plans should be addressed to Paris not Moscow, the Russian president told reporters <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597790-putin-macron-troops-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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France’s president is the one who gives orders to his nation’s army, the Russian leader told reporters
Questions about any deployment of French troops to Ukraine should be addressed to the commander-in-chief of that country, Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference in China on Friday.
The French leader has tried to maintain what he terms “strategic ambiguity” about possibly putting boots on the ground in Ukraine. This approach was first announced in late February when, after hosting a pro-Kiev gathering in Paris, he declared that he did not rule out such a deployment.
Putin was about to wrap up the press conference when a reporter raised a question about French troops being sent to Ukraine.
“I am not the president of France, am I? Why do you ask me?” he retorted, but the reporter insisted on receiving an answer.
“You get him to answer your question first: whether troops would go there or not. And then we will consider possible consequences of such a move,” Putin suggested.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597619-sweden-ukraine-troop-deployment/">New NATO member has no plans to send troops to Ukraine</a></figcaption>
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Macron has argued that keeping the Russian leadership guessing on the issue was essential to France's approach to the Ukraine conflict. Paris is a key donor of weapons to Kiev and claims that preventing a Russian victory is essential for French national security. On Tuesday, the Elysee Palace announced that more assistance will be arriving in Ukraine soon.
Kiev’s forces have suffered a series of setbacks on the battlefield this year, following last year’s failed counteroffensive that sought to break through Russian defense lines using Western-provided heavy weapons. Last Friday, Moscow ramped up its pressure by launching an operation in the northern Kharkov Region, which has put Ukrainian defenses “on the edge,” according to Kiev’s military command.
During the same press conference, Putin said the Russian military had no intention of capturing Kharkov, Ukraine’s second-largest city, but is acting to create a buffer zone to prevent Ukrainian cross-border attacks with artillery and drones. Russia’s Belgorod Region, which borders Ukraine, has been regularly subjected to shelling by Kiev’s forces, including the city of Belgorod itself.]]>
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<title>Russia, China pledge to counter ‘cancel culture’</title>
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<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597783-china-russia-counter-cancel-culture/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647395685f5404ea44c6b9c.jpg" /> Russia and China have pledged to fight ‘cancel culture’ following Thursday’s meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597783-china-russia-counter-cancel-culture/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Moscow and Beijing have also said they expect to further expand cross-cultural ties
Russia and China have pledged to deepen cultural ties between the two nations and to fight ‘cancel culture’ following Thursday’s meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in Beijing.
It marks Putin’s first state visit since he took office for the fifth time earlier this month. The Russian leader said that “based on the multipolar realities,” the partnership between Russia and China is “one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage.”
In a joint statement on Thursday, Moscow and Beijing agreed to “take the acknowledgement of cultural and civilizational diversity” as the basis for “furthering dialogue, cooperation and experience exchange.” The two countries also vowed to “counter the politicization of culture, attempts at ‘cancelling the culture’ of certain countries and peoples.” According to the document, they will oppose any approaches based on “discrimination, xenophobia and cultural dominance.”
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/596895-switzerland-cancels-russian-opera-singer/">Swiss city cancels Russian opera star’s concert</a></figcaption>
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Russia and China also pledged to expand cross-cultural ties and amplify the exposure of each nation’s people to the other’s art, museums, and cinema.
Speaking in late February, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the “destructive line of Western elites to isolate Russia, including in the global informational and cultural spaces, and the general drive to ‘cancel’ everything even remotely connected to our nation has suffered a complete failure.”
In a statement marking Russia’s assumption of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)’s rotating presidency at the start of the year, the Kremlin named “resisting external destructive influence” on member states as one of its priorities. Moscow cited in particular “attempts to cancel the culture” of a particular people, or its contribution to global heritage, as an example of such malign influence.]]>
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<title>Putin responds to Kiev’s ‘peace formula’ ultimatum</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597785-putin-zelensky-peace-formula/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597785-putin-zelensky-peace-formula/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66473dea203027076661de26.jpg" /> Russian President Vladimir Putin has rebuked Kiev’s attempts to sell its so-called ‘peace formula’ to the world <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597785-putin-zelensky-peace-formula/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Russia won’t be pressured diplomatically, just as it cannot be defeated on the battlefield, the president has said
Russia will not yield to ultimatums from Ukraine and its Western backers as they try to gain diplomatically what they have failed to gain militarily, President Vladimir Putin has said.
In mid-June, Switzerland will host an international conference to discuss Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s so-called “peace formula.” Russia was excluded from the event.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Putin reiterated Moscow’s perception of the upcoming event as a mere ruse by Kiev and the West.
”They want to gather as many nations as possible, convince everyone that the best proposal is the terms of the Ukrainian side, and then send it to us in the form of an ultimatum,” he said. “Is that the way one negotiates seriously? Certainly not.”
Russia and Ukraine had a preliminary agreement on a peace deal in 2022 which would have been beneficial for both sides, Putin noted. But after the general terms were negotiated, Kiev backtracked and declared it would be seeking a military victory instead. The attempt to force its demands on Moscow will fail just as the attempt to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia has failed, Putin vowed.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597774-ukraine-situation-incredibly-dire/">Ukraine situation ‘incredibly dire’ – Washington</a></figcaption>
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The agreements made in Istanbul could serve as the basis for a future peace treaty, the Russian leader said. The benefits for Ukraine in the document were proposed by Kiev’s side, presumably with Western consent, if not authorship, Putin suggested. However, any future agreement “will have to take into account the realities on the ground,” he added.
Following the collapse of the peace talks in 2022, four regions of Ukraine held referendums in which they voted overwhelmingly in favor of breaking away from Kiev and joining Russia. The Ukrainian government has rejected the votes as a “sham.”
The Ukrainian ‘peace formula’ demands the return of the four regions and Crimea, which voted to become part of Russia in 2014, war reparations, a tribunal for the Russian leadership, and long-term global support for restoration of the country. Putin called it a “wish list” rather than a serious foundation for talks.
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<title>US ‘abuse’ of markets fueling inflation – Putin</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/business/597788-us-markets-abuse-putin-inflation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/business/597788-us-markets-abuse-putin-inflation/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647474285f54016052413d7.jpg" /> The West’s import bans and restrictions on numerous Russian and Chinese products will push up inflation, President Vladimir Putin has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597788-us-markets-abuse-putin-inflation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Restrictions on Chinese and Russian goods are “dishonest competition,” the president has said
The West’s import bans and restrictions on numerous Russian and Chinese products will drive up inflation in the US, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned.
The comments came during a press conference the Russian leader gave in the city of Harbin during his two-day trip to China.
Putin was referring to the escalating trade war between Washington and China, and to the sanctions imposed by the US, the EU, and their allies on a wide range of Russian products following the start of the Ukraine conflict. 
“They have imposed sanctions against [a variety of] goods. What will this lead to? To inflation in the United States, that’s what it will lead to. Because they will try to produce [the goods] themselves, on their own sites, pay wages to their own workers, using their own expensive metal, using their own expensive energy,” Putin said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.
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The US has previously placed bans and restrictions on imports of Russian energy resources and metals such as nickel, copper, and aluminum.
Washington also hiked tariffs on Chinese products earlier this week. Duties on electric vehicles (EVs) were quadrupled to over 100%, and new levies were imposed on computer chips, solar cells, and lithium-ion batteries. The White House claimed the new measures are intended to “protect American workers and businesses.” 
Putin suggested that the US imposed restrictions against Chinese car imports because the quality of vehicles from the Asian nation is improving, and that Washington wants to prevent strong competitors from entering the American market.
He described the US approach as “dishonest competition.” As soon as a new country emerges as a manufacturing power and becomes more competitive, it is suppressed in the US and in the EU alike, Putin argued.
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READ MORE: US bans import of Chinese ‘genocide’ cotton
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Such “abuse” of the market will create inflation, Putin stated, describing the decisions made by the West as “foolish.”  Inflation in the US and across the EU has hit its highest levels in decades over the past few years, fueled by restrictions against Russia, a leading energy exporter, and the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
For more stories on economy & finance visit <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">RT's business section</a>]]>
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<title>India to get Russian Igla-S systems – media </title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66473ec62030276fff2360b2.jpg" /> New Delhi is upgrading its air defense capabilities with Russia’s Igla-S systems; the second batch will be delivered in the coming weeks <a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597786-india-to-get-russian-igla-s/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Moscow is set to deliver another batch of man-portable air defense systems ordered by New Delhi in 2023 in the coming weeks 
India is set to receive the next batch of Russian Igla-S short range man portable air defense systems (MANPADS) by the end of May to early June, as the payment issues that delayed the delivery have been resolved, The Hindu reported on Thursday, citing sources.
Moscow and New Delhi signed a contract for the supply and licensed manufacturing of Igla-S MANPADS in India last year, Rosoboronexport, Russia’s main arms export body, announced. The weaponry is being assembled in India by Adani Defense Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL) under technology transfer from Rosoboronexport. While the missiles will be imported, some parts of the system such as sights, launcher, and battery will be assembled or manufactured in India by Adani defense, a source told The Hindu.
The first batch of 24 systems and 100 missiles was delivered to the Indian Army in April, The Print reported. In 2021, India already purchased two dozen Igla-S systems under its emergency procurement program, though the current order is larger, according to reports.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.11/thumbnail/655366dc20302740c31eec30.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO. A Russian serviceman holds a 9K38 Igla infrared homing surface-to-air missile during a military sports event ahead of the Paratroopers' Day at Rayevsky military range, in Krasnodar region, Russia." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/587239-india-russia-igla-s-missile-system/">Russia and India sign deal on Igla-S missiles – TASS</a></figcaption>
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The Igla-S, which is designed to bring down enemy aircraft or small-sized air targets such as cruise missiles, is meant to replace the outdated Soviet-era Igla-M systems used by India since the 1980s. The Igla-S, with an interception range of up to 6km, is a significant upgrade over the previous modification. It includes a 9M342 missile that can be mounted on various platforms, effectively increasing its range and capability against smaller targets. The system is believed to be crucial for strengthening India’s air defense arsenal, as the country continues to consolidate its position along the border with China, an area marked by sporadic clashes and persistent tensions.
India decided to procure the latest version of the Igla-S MANPADS in 2018. Russian systems were selected over French and Swedish competitors in a bidding process; however, the deal was not signed as some of the bidders challenged the tendering procedures. The deal was estimated at $1.5 billion at the time. 
India’s latest order of Russian MANPADS is part of a broader planned initiative, executed under India’s Very Short Range Air Defense System (VSHORAD) procurement program, launched in 2010 with the goal of procuring 5,000 missiles, 258 single launchers, and 258 multi-launchers. While India is updating its inventory through imports from various sources, which apart from Russia include the US and Israel, it is advancing its indigenous VSHORADS missile programs developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
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Meanwhile, the payment issues which had reportedly held up the deal have been resolved, official sources who were not named told The Hindu. Media reports earlier this month suggested that Russian companies trading with the South Asian country are finally able to find ways to utilize Indian rupees accumulating on their special accounts in Indian banks, which was made possible after certain regulatory measures. 

Russia continued to be India’s main weapons supplier from 2019-2023 and accounts for 36% of its arms imports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Where India Meets Russia – We are now on WhatsApp! &lrm;Follow and share RT India in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6XvWh7IUYZaRQrlU3y">English</a> and in <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7ALQtK0IBcl7uI7O3v">Hindi</a> ]]>
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<title>Flight club: Why Indians overseas are so desperate to travel home to vote</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647283285f5404fc3204d5a.jpg" /> Indian citizens living abroad have been mobilized into an effective force by PM Modi, and are returning home to vote <a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597772-india-election-nri-voting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Non-Resident Indians, citizens worldwide who have been mobilized by the prime minister in foreign visits during his tenure, are flying back home to make a difference in closely fought elections
Non-Resident Indian Mahesh Murthy has lived in Hong Kong, the US, the Netherlands, and the UAE for over 15 years. But his Indianness hasn’t faded. Sitting 2,540km away in Dubai, he follows all political developments, government policy announcements, and the decisions that impact 1.44 billion Indians, every day. 
What he’s seen and heard over mainstream news and social media, and in conversations with friends and relatives, has helped shape his opinion about events in his motherland. Now, it’s showtime. 
Murthy is one of the many Indian citizens living abroad, commonly referred to as NRIs (Non-Resident Indians), who have flown into India from around the world to exercise their right to vote.
The 2024 Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) election is the first time that over 118,000 overseas Indians have registered to vote. A majority are from the five southern states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. This marks a 65% surge from the 2019 election. Thousands have arrived or will arrive shortly. Women account for 11%.
“I believe that the government’s role is solely to create the conditions and environment for its citizens to live up to their fullest potential,” Murthy told RT. “Healthcare, food, education, infrastructure, technology, and regulations that allow ease of doing business should be among the top priorities.” 
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This will be the fourth election Murthy has voted in. He traveled from overseas to vote in two of them, and was here for the May 13 vote in his hometown, Hyderabad, in Telangana. “Voting to me is exercising my right to help select my representative in the country,” says Murthy, who runs an ad agency and is an investor in many companies, including one in Hyderabad that builds satellites and space tech solutions.
Murthy grew up in a family whose members served in India’s armed forces. “Back then, religion, caste and language made little difference to us. Today’s India is very different,” says Murthy. 
<h2>Global Indians </h2>
Data analysis by the Election Commission of India shows that 74.9% of NRIs who newly registered to vote this time are from Kerala. Andhra Pradesh is next with 6.4%, Maharashtra with 4.7%, and Tamil Nadu and Telangana with 2.9% each. 
According to Ministry of External Affairs data, more than 30 million Indians are settled across the globe. Of these, nearly 13.5 million are NRIs, while the remaining are Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) – people who are not citizens of India but have Indian ancestry.
India has the biggest diaspora in the world, followed by Mexico, Russia, and China.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.04/thumbnail/6627780720302710c8433878.jpg" alt="India's Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi (C) along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (C, left) waves to supporters during a roadshow, before filing his nomination papers for the upcoming general elections, in Wayanad on April 3, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/596406-wayanad-rahul-gandhi-congress-kerala/">No Gandhi: India’s main opposition party is struggling. Here’s why</a></figcaption>
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In the 2014 election, when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, over 11,800 NRIs registered to vote, but less than 1% actually turned up. Similarly, in 2019, as many as 99,807 NRIs registered to vote, of which only 25,000 ended up doing so. 
Until 2010, NRIs were not eligible to vote. That year, the government amended a law allowing NRIs who had lived abroad for over six months to vote. Now, an NRI settled in a foreign land can get onto the electoral rolls in India. 
New Delhi’s outreach to the NRIs has changed, too. Modi interacts with the diaspora wherever he travels. In May 2023, the prime minister was welcomed to Sydney stadium by 20,000 cheering fans. Modi shared the stage with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “The last time I saw someone on the stage here was Bruce Springsteen and he didn’t get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got,” Albanese told the audience.
In June 2023, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre in Washington DC. The mega event began with award-winning singer Mary Millben performing India’s National Anthem.
Similarly, in February this year, Modi addressed thousands of Indians in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he inaugurated the grand Swaminarayan temple. The enthusiasm of the Indian diaspora was overwhelming, the Times of India reported, with the organizers having to close registration for the event when the numbers surpassed 65,000.
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A member of the media attempts to interview a person in the crowd as they await the start of the arrival ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House on June 22, 2023 in Washington, DC. U.S.

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<h2>Making a difference</h2>
Overseas voter Maruthi Prasad Surapaneni is excited to cast his vote. He is one of 1,500 NRIs who returned to Andhra Pradesh in the past month to do so. For them, it is an opportunity to vote in the state assembly election as well as the national parliamentary election at the same time, on May 13. 
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/596742-deepfakes-india-election/">Deepfake democracy: How AI is disrupting the biggest election on Earth</a></figcaption>
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“No one can match Modi, India needs him,” Prasad declared. He owns a restaurant and is involved in real estate in Melbourne, Australia, where he moved more than two decades ago.
“I have analyzed the performance of both center and state governments and I am here to do my bit in selecting good and capable leaders,” says Prasad. “Obviously, I want my state and country to grow in all spheres, especially investments, job opportunities and better infrastructure.”
NRI Gangadhar Gutta, 50, who has been based in Delaware in the US for the past 17 years, returned to Gudivada, Andhra Pradesh two weeks ago. “Like many Andhraites, I have come here to save democracy,” the IT professional says.
Soon after arriving, he went around town to speak with a cross-section of people to get a first-hand idea of how things are under the current government: “From what I saw and heard, there was nothing to be happy or feel good about. My vote will be my answer to all of that.”
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The indelible ink applied on the left hand's index finger is a mark of casting a vote in India.

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<h2>Foreign policy</h2>
Political analyst Rajalakshmi Joshi says the Indian diaspora is keenly looking at the elections primarily due to the ruling party’s foreign policy, which has an impact on Indians around the globe, particularly considering the migration policies where they live.
“These elections will determine India’s role in addressing regional and global challenges and the diaspora recognizes this,” she says.
Joshi says the prime minister also recognized early on the concerns of the diaspora, and his consistent outreach to it has been a feature of his foreign policy.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/india/597401-india-election-insta-influencers/">Like My Reel, Vote My Party: World’s biggest election is being dominated by local Instagram stars</a></figcaption>
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“Addressing tens of thousands of people of Indian origin in Australia, the US, the UAE, Japan and elsewhere, Modi has effectively created a novel tool of foreign policy, backed by enthusiastic supporters abroad,” she says.
India has deepened trade relations with Russia, while also continuing to improve ties with the US. “With high-octane, visible state visits and vital defense agreements, India’s relations with several countries today are closer than ever,” she adds.
“Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too has been on visits to universities and much publicized talks, with a lesser number of attendees in comparison, but both major parties have realized that their connection to the NRIs is vital to their support, monetarily and otherwise,” Joshi says.
To judge the impact overseas voters might have on the election, Joshi points to the winning margin in Kerala in 2019. Only five constituencies had winning margins of less than 50,000 votes, with two of less than 12,000. “But in a tightly-fought election, as might be the case in Kerala, with the United Democratic Front (led by the Congress) and the Left Democratic Front (led by the Communist Party of India – Marxist) in a bitter duel, every vote counts,” she says.
In other states, NRI votes could impact seats with a close margin, she predicts.
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People cheer and take pictures as France's President Emmanuel Macron and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi move past during a roadshow in Jaipur on January 25, 2024.

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Joshi says Modi’s target of 400+ seats has mobilized BJP workers across the globe to come to India to campaign and support the BJP. “There have been numerous rallies, marathons and walks in support of Modi in various cities of the US, the UK, Germany, the Philippines, the UAE, etc with the goal to see him as PM for the third consecutive time.”
While the BJP has hailed the 2024 Lok Sabha election as one “for the progress of the country with a vision for 2047,” the Opposition has given a call to “save democracy and protect the constitution.” “NRIs from both sides of the divide are hence queuing up,” the political analyst says.
That the number of overseas voters has increased tenfold in ten years is an indicator that the diaspora has woken up to the power of its vote. ]]>
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<title>Zelensky dismisses Macron’s Olympic truce proposal</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66473ad720302705bb3d9380.jpg" /> Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed a proposal to observe a truce during the Summer Olympics in France <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597784-zelensky-macron-olympic-truce/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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A ceasefire during the games is “unviable,” the Ukrainian president has said
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed as unfeasible the idea of an Olympic truce, days after French President Emmanuel Macron discussed it with him in a phone call.
Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics from July 26 through August 11. Macron has been advocating a ceasefire in all armed conflicts in the world during that period, particularly the one between Ukraine and Russia. He brought up the idea on Tuesday, when the two leaders discussed an incoming delivery of French weapons to Ukraine.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Zelensky said he was skeptical about the French proposal.
“A ceasefire would not prevent military hardware from getting closer and then turning the offensive on. I don’t understand the details. To me it sounds like an unviable story,” he was quoted by the press as saying.
In the early stages of the conflict, there were several attempts to suspend the fighting on specific dates, such as during major Orthodox Christian holidays. Both sides accused the other of violating such arrangements. Moscow is similarly reluctant to make a new attempt.
“Both our president and our military officials have pointed out that the Kiev regime usually uses such ideas and initiatives to regroup, rearm, etc. This certainly makes considering such initiatives much harder,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in mid-April.
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The UN General Assembly traditionally passes a resolution calling for a global truce during every Olympic Games. Those proposals have no enforcement mechanism and are often ignored by parties engaged in hostilities.
Zelensky arguably has more to win from a hypothetical ceasefire at this time. Russian forces have been gaining ground for months and have made a rapid advance in the northern Kharkov Region since last Friday. The US Department of State on Thursday described the situation as “incredibly dire” for Kiev.]]>
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<title>Majority of people in African state threatened by hunger</title>
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Zimbabwe’s government has vowed to work hard to prevent people from dying of starvation
More than half of Zimbabwe’s population will require food aid this year due to a severe drought that has caused widespread crop failure, the southern African nation’s government has announced.
Between May 2024 and March 2025, 6 million people in rural areas and 1.7 million in urban regions, totaling 51% of the country’s population, will need assistance, the cabinet said on Tuesday, citing a report by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZIMLAC).
The figure excludes an additional 4.5 million people who will require school meals, according to ZIMLAC. 
“Government is working hard to ensure that no one will die of hunger,” the cabinet stated in a message published on the website of the country’s Information Ministry. 
“Going forward, Zimbabwe’s food security thrust will center on the reduction of reliance on rain-fed food production by strengthening initiatives such as climate-proofed agriculture, with a focus on conservation agriculture and expanding the area under irrigation,” it added.
Zimbabwe is one of the southern African countries hardest hit by the El Nino-induced drought, which the government says is the worst it has experienced in 40 years. Zambia and Malawi are also facing food shortages this year. El Nino is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon that disrupts wind patterns, resulting in warmer ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific.
Most provinces in landlocked Zimbabwe have experienced crop failure since November, with hotter areas writing off harvests of corn and other staples.
The country declared a national state of disaster last month, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa announcing that his government needs $2 billion in aid to feed millions facing hunger.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/595356-zimbabwe-drought-hunger-crisis/">African state issues hunger alert</a></figcaption>
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According to the latest crop assessment presented to Zimbabwe’s cabinet this week, cereal production in the African country is expected to fall by 77% from 2,579,237 metric tons to 744,271 metric tons during the 2023-2024 summer season.
Apart from the impact on crop farming, the “El Nino-induced weather conditions on water supply and grazing availability for livestock have resulted in the loss of 9,941 cattle at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season,” the report stated.
The UN International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/zimbabwe/unicef-calls-usd-849-million-respond-el-nino-emergency-zimbabwe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">launched</a> an appeal seeking $84.9 million to provide life-saving interventions to 1.34 million Zimbabweans, including 866,000 children, describing the situation as a “complex humanitarian crisis.”
Zimbabwe was among six African countries that <a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/595430-russian-grain-somalia-wheat-needs/">received</a> 25,000 tons of humanitarian wheat from Russia in February as part of Moscow’s commitment to assisting food-insecure countries in fighting hunger.]]>
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<title>EU hits Meta with new investigation</title>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647357620302701f71d032c.jpg" /> The European Commission has opened formal proceedings against Meta over suspected failure to protect children <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597782-eu-meta-new-probe-children/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Facebook and Instagram could cause addictive behavior in children, the European Commission claims
The EU has launched a new investigation into Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over its alleged failure to protect children from harmful content.
The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm tasked with proposing new laws and policies, said on Thursday that it has opened formal proceedings to assess whether Meta may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) in areas linked to the protection of minors.
Adopted in 2022, the DSA aims to create a safer digital space where the fundamental rights of users are protected.
The commission is concerned that Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms and online interfaces “may exploit the weaknesses and inexperience of minors and cause addictive behavior, and/or reinforce so-called ‘rabbit hole effect,’” reads the commission’s press release.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/595489-meta-label-ai-content/">Meta to flag AI-generated content</a></figcaption>
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The ‘rabbit-hole effect’ refers to specific algorithms used by social media platforms. When a user looks at one piece of harmful content, the algorithms suggest more of the same, potentially leading them toward videos that become more extreme.
Meta’s age-verification tools may also not be “reasonable, proportionate, and effective” to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content, the press release stated.
The commission said it will now carry out an in-depth investigation as a matter of priority. The opening of formal proceedings empowers the EU executive arm to take enforcement steps such as adopting interim measures and non-compliance decisions.
Meta said it has “spent a decade developing more than 50 tools and policies” to protect children. The company wants “young people to have safe, age-appropriate experiences online,” Reuters quoted a Meta spokesperson as saying. Protection of children is a “challenge the whole industry is facing,” the statement added.
Both Facebook and Instagram have more than 45 million monthly active users in the EU. In April 2023, they were designated by the bloc as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs). As such, they have to comply with obligations set out in the DSA.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/business/597213-zuckerberg-acquisition-news-agency/">
READ MORE: Zuckerberg considered buying Associated Press – media
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The European Commission already opened a set of formal proceedings against Meta in April, looking into alleged deceptive advertising, political content, and election disinformation on Facebook and Instagram.
The probes come ahead of the vote for the European Parliament scheduled for early June. DSA violations can lead to fines of as much as 6% of a company’s annual global turnover.]]>
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<title>Russia-obsessed Western elites acting like delinquents – Moscow</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597779-ryabkov-western-elites-delinquents/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647294985f54016052413aa.jpg" /> Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryakbov has compared Western leaders to delinquent youths, full of spite towards Moscow <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597779-ryabkov-western-elites-delinquents/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Testing Russia’s resolve seems to be the life goal of some leaders in the West, Deputy Foreign minister Sergey Ryakbov has said
Some Western leaders are so obsessed with sticking it to Moscow that they’re behaving like delinquent youths who have no regard for the consequences of their actions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said.
He made the comment in an extensive interview with TASS on Friday, during which he discussed the poor state of US-Russia relations. Washington and its allies are “prepared to balance on the edge of direct armed conflict with us,” even though it undermines their national security, he added.
”There are plenty of people among those in power in the US and other key Western states, who are de facto provocateurs. They’ve made testing Moscow’s resolve the goal of their existence,” Ryabkov said.
Such individuals are political bullies, he added, describing them using a Russian term for delinquents and members of teen gangs who reject any kind of rules. They are preoccupied with crossing any red line drawn by Moscow, regardless of the risk of this brinkmanship, said the minister.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597520-sweden-host-us-nukes/">NATO’s newest member could host US nukes – PM</a></figcaption>
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Americans, in particular, seem to be hell-bent on irritating Russia, he claimed.
”As they please their own geopolitical notions, they bring closer the phase, in which holding control of events and preventing a catastrophic collapse would be very difficult,” said Ryabkov. “They live in a bubble and do not perceive outside signals that go against their preconceptions.”
The Russian diplomatic corps is therefore severely limited in how it can interact with Western governments, particularly those of NATO countries, he stated.
”What is happening in the Western direction is currently the job of the military and security officials. Diplomacy’s work there is, I would say, in a crisis-management mode, aimed at preventing an escalation into a really massive conflict,” Ryabkov said. The US-led bloc is “a group to which we feel not an ounce of trust, which triggers political and even emotional rejection” in Moscow.
This entrenched hostility is one of the reasons why claims that Russia could interfere in the US presidential election in November make no sense, according to the minister. He compared such statements to a vinyl record so overused that it can only produce noise when played.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/597364-west-russia-warnings-nuclear/">
READ MORE: Poke the bear and find out: Here’s why the West should finally listen to Russia’s warnings
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”As a matter of fact, it is irrelevant for us who the next US president will be,” he explained. “No chance for the improvement of the situation can be seen, considering the fundamental anti-Russian consensus of the American elites.”]]>
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<title>BRICS leaders won’t attend Zelensky’s ‘peace conference’ – media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597775-brics-leaders-swiss-peace-conference-not-coming/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647206920302705bb3d934b.jpg" /> Presidents of Brazil and South Africa will not attend a ‘peace conference’ on Ukraine in Switzerland, according to reports <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597775-brics-leaders-swiss-peace-conference-not-coming/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The Brazilian and South African presidents have decided not to participate in the event, which excludes Russia, according to reports

The leaders of Brazil and South Africa will not attend a conference on Ukraine to be hosted by Switzerland next month, reports have said.
The summit, scheduled for June 15-16 at the Burgenstock Resort near Lucerne, is expected to revolve around Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s proposed roadmap for ending the conflict with Russia. More than 160 countries have been invited to take part, including members of the G7, G20, BRICS, and the EU. Russia, however, has not been invited to the talks.
On Friday, South African presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told reporters that President Cyril Ramaphosa would not take part in the Swiss summit due to “constitutional processes” in his country following the presidential election.
His Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has also decided not to attend the event, due to it not including both sides in the conflict, CNN Brazil reported on Thursday.
According to the outlet, Bern extended an invitation via Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira during his bilateral meeting with Swiss Councilor Ignacio Cassis on April 30. A source close to Vieira told CNN that Cassis insisted on Lula’s presence at the conference, highlighting Brazil’s influence among developing nations.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66389f7d85f54010db39ae7b.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597051-ukraine-peace-conference-switzerland/">Swiss summit on Ukraine a ‘parody’ – Lavrov</a></figcaption>
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However, Lula decided that any Brazilian delegation at the summit will not be led by the president. In his opinion, it makes no sense to attend a meeting that leaves Russia out, the outlet said citing diplomatic sources.
China is another major BRICS member which presumably will ignore the Swiss meeting, according to Yury Ushakov, who is assistant to the Russian president for international affairs.
Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China on Tuesday, Ushakov told reporters that Moscow appreciates Beijing’s presumed decision not to participate in the event, which Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described as a “parody of negotiations.”
Switzerland has invited China to the Ukraine summit, but Beijing has yet to confirm whether it will send a delegation.
China has previously stressed that discussions on a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict must inevitably involve Russia.
Last month, President Putin said that he was ready for a diplomatic solution, but that holding negotiations without Moscow was “nonsense.” He emphasized that while Russia had not been invited to the Swiss summit, it was at the same time being stressed that “it’s impossible to resolve anything” without Russia.]]>
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<title>Putin reveals plans for Kharkov</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597781-russia-no-plans-capture-kharkov/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597781-russia-no-plans-capture-kharkov/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664731bd203027076661de1c.jpg" /> Russia has no intention of capturing the Ukrainian city of Kharkov, Vladimir Putin has said amid Moscow’s offensive in the region <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597781-russia-no-plans-capture-kharkov/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Russian combat operations are not aimed at capturing the city, the president has said
Russia has no intention of capturing the Ukrainian city of Kharkov, which is close to the Russian border, President Vladimir Putin has said. Moscow’s forces have been making notable gains in the area in recent days.
Speaking to reporters at the Harbin Institute of Technology during his two-day visit to China, Putin commented on Russia’s operations in Kharkov Region, asserting that Moscow is achieving success on the battlefield by acting “strictly according to plan.”
When asked about Russia’s goals there, Putin noted that Ukraine is to blame for recent fighting in the area, as it “unfortunately continues to shell residential blocks in the border areas, including Belgorod.”
“Civilians are dying out there. Everything is crystal clear. They are firing directly at the center of the city,” the president said, recalling that he had publicly warned Kiev that Russia would be forced to establish a “cordon sanitaire” in the areas under Kiev’s control if the attacks continued.
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This is what we are doing. As for [the capture of] Kharkov, there are no such plans for today.
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Russian forces went on the offensive in Kharkov Region last week, pushing Ukrainian troops back and capturing several border settlements. In light of this, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky canceled all upcoming foreign trips and traveled to Kharkov, Ukraine’s second largest city.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6644938c85f540174d0aec1f.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: A serviceman directs a 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer in the course of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, in Kharkiv region." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597626-latest-attack-russia-ukraine/">Here’s why Russia’s Kharkov offensive is far more than just a military setback for Kiev</a></figcaption>
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In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, he described the situation as “very serious,” stressing that Ukraine “cannot afford to lose” the city. Kiev also earlier announced the redeployment of reserves to this sector of the front.
In similar remarks, US Department of State spokesman Vedant Patel called the situation in the area “incredibly dire.” Several media reports suggested that the ease of Russia’s advance in Kharkov Region was due to Kiev’s failure to set up any proper defenses.
Putin first spoke of a “cordon sanitaire” back in March, following several particularly deadly attacks on Belgorod that left dozens of civilians dead. Russian border regions have also been the target of incursions by the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps and Russian Freedom Legion, which are composed of Russian defectors and fugitive neo-Nazis. Both groups have been designated terrorist organizations by Moscow.
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<title>Xi outlines solution to Ukraine conflict</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597770-xi-outlines-ukraine-solution/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597770-xi-outlines-ukraine-solution/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647298a85f540655e5e3ba9.jpg" /> Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for peace talks recognized by both Russia and Ukraine <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597770-xi-outlines-ukraine-solution/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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A new global ‘security architecture’ should be formed with peace talks involving Moscow and Kiev, the Chinese president has said
Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed that peace negotiations recognized by both Russia and Ukraine are the best way to end the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Speaking during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday at the Chinese leader’s residential compound at Zhongnanhai, Xi argued that the entire global security architecture must be amended in order to end the fighting and avoid similar hostilities in the future, according to the Xinhua news outlet.
Putin is on his first state visit to China since he took office for the fifth time earlier this month.
“China supports the timely convening of an international peace conference recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation by all parties, and fair discussion of all options,” Xi was cited as saying, adding that Beijing is willing to aid in brokering the peace talks.
The Chinese leader stressed that global powers “must address both the symptoms and the root cause [of the conflict], and we must consider both the present and the long term.”
“The fundamental solution to the Ukraine crisis is to promote the construction of a balanced, effective, and sustainable new security architecture,” he added.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664591f385f540457b7aaae2.jpg" alt="Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China in Beijing on May 16, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597690-putin-russia-china-no-threat/">Russia-China ties not a threat to other nations – Putin</a></figcaption>
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Beijing has repeatedly rejected Western pressure to join in the condemnation of Russia over the Ukraine conflict. Since last year, China has been promoting a peace formula consisting of 12 points, including the cessation of hostilities and unilateral sanctions, mutual respect for national security concerns and the sovereignty of nations, and the rejection of a ‘Cold War’ mentality.
Kiev has rejected the formula as unrealizable because it does not demand a retreat of Russian forces from territories Kiev claims as its own. Ukraine has long insisted that a peace settlement can only be achieved on its terms, which include a return of all former Ukrainian territories, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and an international tribunal for Russian leaders.
Kiev’s Western backers plan to hold a summit on the Ukraine conflict in Switzerland next month, to which Russia has not been invited. Beijing has yet to officially confirm whether it will send a delegation.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597690-putin-russia-china-no-threat/">
READ MORE: Russia-China ties not a threat to other nations – Putin
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Russia has welcomed China’s proposed peace formula from the start, having repeatedly stressed that it remains open to a political solution to the conflict. In an <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597617-russia-wants-sustainable-peace-ukraine/">interview</a> with Xinhua ahead of his visit to China, Putin said Beijing’s initiative showed “the genuine desire... to help stabilize the situation” in the region. He added that he would endorse the formula as it calls for a dialogue based on mutual consideration of the interests of all sides involved in the conflict, including Russia.]]>
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<title>Finland auctions off asylum seekers’ bicycles</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597771-finland-migrants-bikes-auctioned-off/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597771-finland-migrants-bikes-auctioned-off/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66470b6b85f5401605241384.jpg" /> Finnish authorities have auctioned off a hundred bicycles used by asylum seekers to cross the border <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597771-finland-migrants-bikes-auctioned-off/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The Nordic nation previously accused Russia of aiding illegal migrants in a bid to undermine the EU – a claim Moscow has strongly denied
Finnish authorities have auctioned off a hundred bicycles used by asylum seekers to cross the border with Russia. Authorities said that most migrants attempting to enter the Nordic country hailed from Africa and the Middle East. Helsinki shut down all crossings in December 2023 due to the volume of asylum requests.
The closure has since been extended indefinitely, with authorities recently suggesting that some crossings may reopen if the Finnish parliament gives the green light to temporary border legislation. If passed, the law would allow the government to “restrict the reception of applications” from asylum seekers attempting to enter from Russia.
The auction, featuring one hundred bicycles, was held by Finnish customs officials in the border village of Vaalimaa on Thursday. The first bike went for €70 ($76), though buyers were required to pay a 24% value added tax on top on the price.
Other examples attracted higher bids, with one person telling reporters that the €120 he shelled out was “quite a reasonable price” given the bike’s good condition. The highest bid recorded at the auction was about €160.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597163-finland-may-open-russia-border/">EU country could open border with Russia</a></figcaption>
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Most of the bicycles were Russian-made models seized in the fall of 2023. While some had clearly been in use for some time, others were in almost mint condition.
Having sold the first hundred, Finnish Customs is planning to organize similar auctions in the coming weeks, with all proceeds going to the government.
Asylum seekers attempted to cross the border on bikes since doing so on foot was not allowed. Once in Finland, most migrants chose to abandon their vehicles on the spot rather than have them cleared by customs.
Speaking last month, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo accused Russia of using “illegal immigrants against us,” and called for EU-wide “common solutions to stop this phenomenon.” Other Finnish officials have previously also pointed the finger at Moscow for last year’s migrant influx.
Russia has denied weaponizing migration, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accusing Helsinki of refusing cooperation between the countries’ border agencies.]]>
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<title>Over 100 Ukrainian drones downed over Russia – MOD (VIDEO)</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597776-hundred-ukrainian-drones-downed-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597776-hundred-ukrainian-drones-downed-russia/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664721d185f540655e5e3b9b.jpg" /> The Russian military has downed 102 Ukrainian drones over the southern part of the country and border regions, the Defense Ministry says <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597776-hundred-ukrainian-drones-downed-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Two people were killed in the strikes, however, including a child, while power outages and fires were reported in Sevastopol and Krasnodar Region
The Russian military has repelled several large-scale Ukrainian drone raids, shooting down 102 UAVs overnight, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said. The attacks, however, killed at least two people in Belgorod Region – including a four-year-old child – and caused a fire at an oil processing plant in Krasnodar Region.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, the ministry said Russian air defenses had thwarted a number of “terrorist attacks,” shooting down or intercepting 51 drones over Crimea and 44 drones over Krasnodar Region in the southern part of the country. Six more Ukrainian UAVs were downed over the border Belgorod Region and one over Kursk Region.
Russian naval aircraft and coastal patrols also destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned boats in the Black Sea, officials added.
In Belgorod Region, a kamikaze drone hit a civilian car, killing a woman and her four-year-old child, and injuring the other two passengers, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
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In the aftermath of the attack, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev reported blackouts in the Crimean city, noting that it will take an estimated 24 hours to restore operations at a local electric substation. Classes have been canceled in all schools and kindergartens, he added.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597751-black-sea-ukrainian-drones-sunk/">
READ MORE: WATCH Russian Navy destroy Ukrainian sea drones moving toward Crimea
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Meanwhile, Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said that falling drone debris resulted in fires in several locations. According to local authorities, a blaze broke out at an oil processing plant in the coastal city of Tuapse. Unverified footage from the scene shared by the Astra Telegram channel appears to show a major fire at the facility, with another Ukrainian drone crashing nearby.
Ukraine routinely launches drone attacks on Russian regions not far from its border, with many raids targeting civilians and critical infrastructure. Kiev has also recently ramped up its strikes on Russian oil facilities.]]>
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<title>Radio host suspended over call for assassination of EU state’s PM – media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597777-radio-host-belgium-assassination-prime-minister/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597777-radio-host-belgium-assassination-prime-minister/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66471d4185f5404fc3204d53.jpg" /> A radio host in Belgium has been suspended after reportedly calling on listeners to shoot the country’s prime minister <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597777-radio-host-belgium-assassination-prime-minister/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The statement was intended as a joke but was “misplaced,” the station has said
A radio host in Belgium has been suspended after allegedly calling for an assassination attempt against the country’s prime minister. The “misplaced statement” came shortly after Wednesday’s shooting of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
According to the Flemish public broadcaster VRT, the host at local radio station Waregem1 encouraged listeners to attack Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in response to the incident in Slovakia. 
“To all those who are considering shooting Alexander De Croo, but do not dare to do so because of that guy’s security. You see that it is possible to shoot a prime minister. So, I would say: go ahead,” VRT cited the host as saying.
The radio station admitted to a “misplaced statement” being made on air, adding that the employee in question had been immediately suspended.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646733485f540457b7aabc1.jpg" alt="Security personnel carrying Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico after he was shot in Handlova on May 15, 2024. © RTVS / AFP" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597753-media-justifies-slovakian-pm-assassination-attempt/">UK’s Sky News accused of ‘justifying’ Fico shooting</a></figcaption>
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“The presenter says he meant this in a playful manner, but it did not come across that way. He apologizes to the listeners and Waregem1. Waregem1 believes that he completely misjudged the timing and context,” the station said.
Prime Minister De Croo filed a complaint against the host to the police, the politician’s communications director, Barend Leyts, said on X (formerly Twitter). “Calling for violence is punishable,” he added.
Slovak Prime Minister Fico is in a stable but serious condition after being shot several times at close range in the town of Handlova. The suspect has been detained and charged with attempted murder. According to Slovak Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok, the suspect had political motives, among which was Fico’s decision to halt aid to Ukraine.]]>
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<title>Ukraine situation ‘incredibly dire’ – Washington</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597774-ukraine-situation-incredibly-dire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597774-ukraine-situation-incredibly-dire/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6647198e203027076661ddf3.jpg" /> The US Department of State has described the military situation in Ukraine as “incredibly dire” <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597774-ukraine-situation-incredibly-dire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Kiev’s forces have been rapidly losing ground to Russia in Kharkov Region
Ukraine is on the back foot in its conflict with Russia but renewed American military aid should turn the tide, a spokesman for the Department of State has said.
Kiev’s forces have experienced a series of setbacks on the battlefield in the east of the country over the past several months. They are now under increasing pressure in the north since Russia launched an offensive in Kharkov Region. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ukraine this week in a gesture of support.
”Obviously the situation is incredibly dire,” Department of State spokesman Vedant Patel told journalists on Thursday. “We know that this is a challenging time, but we are sure that military aid is also going to make a real difference on the battlefield.”
Blinken announced an additional package of weapons aid worth $2 billion during his visit, the official added.
According to Russian officials, Kiev had an opportunity to strike a peace deal with Moscow in 2022, under which it would have agreed to a neutral status and restrictions on the strength of its army in exchange for security guarantees. President Vladimir Zelensky instead chose to continue fighting, claiming that Western aid would allow his nation to capture all the territories that it considers its own.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597745-zelensky-blames-whole-world/">Zelensky blames ‘whole world’ for Ukraine’s failures in Kharkov</a></figcaption>
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The Ukrainian leadership has been blaming its military failures on a shortage of foreign donations, though officials have been careful not to call out the US specifically. When asked by ABC News on Thursday whether the situation in Kharkov was America’s fault, Zelensky said it was “the world’s fault” for supposedly giving Russia an opportunity to advance.
The flow of American weapons was interrupted last year due to partisan clashes in the US Congress over the White House’s request to appropriate an additional $61 billion in Ukraine spending. The standoff was resolved in April.
During his trip to Kiev, Blinken said the pause in supplies had been unfortunate, but added that Kiev should have been more swift in approving a radical change in mobilization rules. The reform passed last month was “a necessary one,” he said, urging Ukrainians to embrace the mandatory conscription.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597733-ukraine-draft-western-firms/">
READ MORE: Ukrainians who work for betting company shielded from draft – media
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In early May, the Russian Defense Ministry estimated that Ukrainian military losses this year alone had surpassed 111,000.]]>
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<title>Man missing for 26 years found alive in neighbor’s cellar</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/africa/597769-algerian-man-found-alive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/africa/597769-algerian-man-found-alive/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66470c6c20302705bb3d933d.jpg" /> Omar Bin Omran, missing since 1998, has been found alive just 200 meters from his childhood home in Algeria <a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/597769-algerian-man-found-alive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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A 61-year-old suspected of holding Omar Bin Omran captive has been arrested
An Algerian man has been discovered alive in his neighbor’s cellar after being missing for 26 years.
The family of Omar Bin Omran, who vanished in Djelfa, Algeria in 1998, was sure he had been killed during the Algerian Civil War, a decade-long conflict between the government and Islamist groups from late 1991 to 2002. Now 45, Bin Omran was found just 200 meters from where he grew up, rescued from a basement hidden beneath a hay-covered floor in his neighbor’s home.
The alleged captor, a 61-year-old doorman, was detained by police after he attempted to flee the scene. He is accused of holding Bin Omran captive and killing his dog, which had stayed near the location where its owner was hidden.
According to a court official, the public prosecutor’s office received a complaint from an unidentified source, reportedly the suspect’s brother, claiming a man was concealed within a sheepfold in the house. 
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/africa/597498-man-rescued-collapsed-building/">Survivor found five days after building collapse in South Africa (VIDEO)</a></figcaption>
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“On 12 May at 8pm local time, [they] found victim Omar Bin Omran, aged 45, in the cellar of his neighbor,” the official said.
Local media reports indicate that upon being rescued, Bin Omran said he often observed his family from a distance but was unable to cry out for help, believing he was under a “spell” cast by his captor.
His mother, who firmly believed her son was still alive, passed away in 2013 without knowing his true fate.
The investigation into the shocking case continues, with Bin Omran receiving both medical and psychological care. Authorities have vowed that the “perpetrator of this heinous crime” will face “severe” repercussions.
Families of Algerian war victims continue to demand justice for their missing and deceased relatives. The conflict claimed approximately 200,000 lives, and it is estimated that up to 20,000 individuals were abducted throughout the conflict.]]>
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<title>French police kill man in alleged synagogue arson attempt</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597762-french-police-shoot-dead-suspect-synagogue/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597762-french-police-shoot-dead-suspect-synagogue/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66470bbb20302705223e9040.jpg" /> A suspected arson incident at a synagogue in France has resulted in the death of the attacker, officials have said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597762-french-police-shoot-dead-suspect-synagogue/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The would-be attacker reportedly tried to start a fire and confronted officers with a knife
A man has been shot dead by French police after attempting to set fire to a synagogue in the city of Rouen on Friday morning, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has said.
The incident happened early in the morning, according to local media. Police spotted smoke coming from the synagogue building and discovered a man armed with a knife and an iron bar inside. The suspect approached the officers and was shot on the spot, reports have said.
Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol said no other people were hurt in the incident, which he described as leaving the local community “bruised and in shock.” Firefighters called to the scene have brought the situation under control, the official added.
The Rouen synagogue is in the city center, on the site of a former Jewish place of worship that was destroyed in a pogrom in the late 11th century and replaced with a Christian church.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6637315285f54010a8701f83.jpg" alt="A police vehicle sits in Times Square on January 31, 2024 in New York City." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597011-bomb-threats-nyc-synagogues/">Multiple bomb threats reported at NYC synagogues – officials</a></figcaption>
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The Jewish community eventually retook possession of the land and made several attempts to reestablish a synagogue. The current building was erected in 1950, after its previous incarnation was destroyed by a British bomb during World War II.
French officials have yet to identify the knifeman and his possible motives.
In early March, a 62-year-old man wearing a kippah was assaulted in Paris as he was leaving a synagogue. The attacker reportedly shouted ethnic slurs as he tackled the victim to the ground, before fleeing the scene on foot. French authorities have ramped up security around synagogues amid tensions over the conflict in Gaza.
The Interior Ministry reported a sharp rise of anti-Semitic incidents in France in 2023, after the attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in October and the Jewish state’s retaliatory military campaign in the enclave.]]>
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<title>Moscow and Beijing to reinforce ‘strategic energy alliance’ – Putin</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597761-russia-china-energy-alliance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597761-russia-china-energy-alliance/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646faa920302704f20bf58f.jpg" /> Russia-China energy cooperation has become a pillar of the global energy market, Vladimir Putin has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597761-russia-china-energy-alliance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Russia will continue to supply China with affordable electricity and heat, the president has said
Russia’s strategic energy ties with China are a boon for the global economy, President Vladimir Putin has said, adding that cooperation on this front will only gain momentum.
On Friday, the Russian leader attended the opening ceremony of the Russia-China EXPO, which is being held in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin from May 17-21. The event serves as a major platform for economic partnership, promoting business opportunities, investment, and technology exchange.
Addressing participants of the exhibition, Putin said both countries can be proud of their bilateral economic ties, as trade turnover has reached $240 billion. This cooperation, he added, boosts the economies of both powers, raises living standards, and promotes energy security.
The Russian leader singled out the latter, stressing that “our strategic alliance in the energy sector, which has become a robust pillar of the entire global energy market… will continue to grow stronger.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6645cfac2030276b8e43e4cc.jpg" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a signing ceremony following a meeting in expanded format at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597711-xi-putin-meeting-exemplary-relations/">Russia-China ties are model of relations between great powers – Xi</a></figcaption>
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Russia “is ready and able to reliably and without interruptions supply the Chinese economy, enterprises, cities, and towns with environmentally friendly, affordable energy, electricity, and heat,” he added.
The two countries also have strong industrial ties, with Chinese carmakers actively rolling out their products in the Russian market, while Moscow and Beijing are advancing joint civil aviation projects, Putin said.
After Western countries imposed unprecedented sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine conflict, Russian energy exports to the EU significantly plummeted. According to Eurostat, Russian oil and gas exports to the bloc amounted to more than €29 billion ($31.5 billion) in 2023, with overall trade turnover three times lower than in 2022.
However, Moscow ramped up energy deliveries to Asia, particularly China. According to Bloomberg, Russia became China’s biggest source of oil, exporting a record 107 million tons of crude in 2023, a quarter more than in 2022.]]>
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<title>US House pushes through bill to send arms to Israel</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597760-house-pushes-bill-arms-israel/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597760-house-pushes-bill-arms-israel/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646faed20302704f20bf592.jpg" /> House Republicans have passed a bill designed to force the White House to resume arms shipments to Israel <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597760-house-pushes-bill-arms-israel/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The Biden administration paused a delivery of heavy bombs to the Jewish state last week over fears they would be used in Rafah
The Republican majority in the House of Representatives has passed a bill designed to force shipments of US heavy munitions to Israel. The White House delayed a delivery of 2,000-pound bombs last week, amid fears they could be used in the Israeli operation in Rafah in southern Gaza.
The bill, dubbed the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, was passed 224 to 187, with Republican lawmakers voting overwhelmingly in favor, and all but 16 Democrats voting against. The document condemns the “Biden administration’s decision to pause certain arms transfers to Israel as Israel faces unprecedented threats.” It also proposes withholding certain funding to the Defense Department and State Department if the US doesn’t deliver the delayed heavy bombs.
The bill has largely been depicted as symbolic, given its chances of passing in the Democratic-majority Senate. Prior to the vote, the office of US President Joe Biden warned that he would veto the bill if it ended up at his desk. The administration “strongly opposes” the document, a statement added, claiming it would “undermine the president’s ability to execute an effective foreign policy” and potentially prohibit the US “from adjusting our security assistance posture with respect to Israel in any way.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6644ea1985f540170c5ee063.jpg" alt="EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597651-eu-israel-offensive-rafah-warning/">EU issues warning to Israel</a></figcaption>
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Biden warned Israel last week that he will not supply weapons and artillery shells if Israel expands its military operation deeper into Rafah. The overcrowded border town in southern Gaza was reported to be sanctuary to around 1.4 million Palestinians displaced by the Israel-Hamas war. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ordered people in southeastern parts of the city to evacuate last week, warning of upcoming strikes.
Around 450,000 people chose to evacuate, according to UN figures as of Tuesday. The agency’s coordination office also warned of “ground incursions and heavy fighting” in eastern Rafah, Gaza City, and the Jabalia refugee camp.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/597596-palestinians-flee-rafah-tanks/">
READ MORE: 450,000 Palestinians flee Rafah as Israeli tanks move in
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According to local health authorities, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since the onset of the conflict on October 7 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping more than 250.]]>
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<title>UK royal pledges not to buy any more fur</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597759-camilla-peta-no-more-fur/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597759-camilla-peta-no-more-fur/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646d81985f5404ef230917d.jpg" /> Buckingham Palace informed PETA that Queen Camilla will not buy any more fur garments for her wardrobe <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597759-camilla-peta-no-more-fur/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Animal rights group PETA has welcomed the decision by Queen Camilla
Queen Camilla of the UK royal family will not expand her wardrobe with any new items containing real fur, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) <a href="https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/queen-camilla-officially-fur-free-palace-confirms-to-peta-u-k/ " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> on its website on Wednesday.
The group said it had received a letter from Buckingham Palace stating that the queen “will not procure any new fur garments,” along with her “warmest wishes.”
The animal rights group welcomed the decision, saying it follows in the footsteps of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who made a similar pledge in 2019 – though she did not stop wearing items she already owned. Camilla’s letter to PETA does not rule this out either.
“PETA is toasting Queen Camilla with a glass of the finest claret for being a true queen,” founder Ingrid Newkirk declared. “It’s right and proper for the British monarchy to reflect British values by recognizing that fur has no place in society and it makes the Ministry of Defense’s use of real bear fur for the royal guard’s caps ever more preposterous and out of touch,” she said.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65bfb72e2030271d7a1876df.jpg" alt="Detained pigeon released, after getting clearance from Police dept, at BSPCA, on January 30, 2024 in Mumbai, India" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/591830-india-frees-suspected-spy-pigeon/">Suspected Chinese spy pigeon freed</a></figcaption>
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PETA says the use of real fur is cruel and unnecessary, given the existence of modern faux fur. The activist group has campaigned for decades to have the UK Defense Ministry end its use of bearskin for the iconic King’s Guards caps. Each cap takes at least one bearskin to produce, the organization says.
The group was founded in 1980, operating on the principle that “animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment,” and opposes what it refers to as “speciesism,” and a “human-supremacist worldview.” PETA has gained notoriety for its sometimes gruesome, headline-grabbing PR stunts, such as dressing members as meat products or handing out graphic comic books featuring skinned animals to children.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/577536-peta-founder-will-body-parts/">
READ MORE: PETA founder wants to be dismembered after death
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While the group claims to combat animal exploitation and harm, PETA has been slammed for the rate of euthanasia in their animal shelters. The group put down 74% of all cats and dogs that were taken to their Virginia shelter last year, an improvement over the 99% from several years before.]]>
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<title>Russia’s ‘first trans politician’ becomes a man again</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597757-russian-trans-politician-detransitions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597757-russian-trans-politician-detransitions/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646c41085f54050ea6cbb0e.jpg" /> The person described by the media as Russia’s first transgender politician has changed his mind about identifying as a woman <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597757-russian-trans-politician-detransitions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Roman Alyoshin says he has left politics and wants to become a priest
Roman Alyoshin, who was once described as Russia’s first openly transgender politician, has denounced his identification as a woman, and has apologized for his past lifestyle.
Alyoshin, who once went by the name Yulia, is the former head of the minor Civic Initiative party in the Altay Republic, Siberia. In 2023, he attempted to run for governor but dropped out after failing to collect enough signatures from municipal MPs in support of his candidacy. Alyoshin quit politics and largely stayed out of the public eye. His short campaign was covered by Western media, including the Washington Post and NBC News.
On Wednesday, Alyoshin updated his profile on Telegram, replacing a picture of himself with long blonde hair and in woman’s clothes with a selfie of himself with short hair and wearing pants and a hoodie.
“I realized that I am a man during the Great Lent. My mother told me that I was baptized when I was seven months old,” Alyoshin wrote, adding that he had been in a state of “mental turmoil.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664543e785f5401f15091232.jpg" alt="Transgender activists march in last July's Peru Pride Parade in Lima." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597682-peru-labels-transgender-mental-illness/">South American country labels transgenderism a mental illness</a></figcaption>
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“It’s difficult to transition from one psychological gender to another,” Alyoshin continued. “I went through the old photo books of my ancestors, prayed for them, and it helped me to assure myself that I am indeed a man.”
“I am a patriot of my country, that’s why I live in Russia. I apologize to all Russian people!” he added.
In an interview with local newspaper Barnfax, Alyoshin said he had become disappointed in “liberal ideology” and left his political party in early 2024. He now plans on getting a religious studies degree and wants to become a priest. According to the publication, Alyoshin now believes that the initial desire to identify as a woman was his punishment “for the sins of his ancestors.”
Russia effectively banned sexual reassignment surgery in July 2023. A year earlier, legislators expanded existing regulations to outlaw any “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.” In November 2023, Russia’s top court added “the international LGBT movement” to the list of banned extremist groups.]]>
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<title>Trump’s son-in-law to redevelop NATO-bombed buildings</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597758-kushner-belgrade-development-project/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597758-kushner-belgrade-development-project/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646b01c85f5404ea44c6b2c.jpg" /> The Serbian government has awarded a hotel project to ex-US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law at a site that was bombed by NATO in 1999 <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597758-kushner-belgrade-development-project/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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An investment group led by Jared Kushner has landed a deal to build a $500 million hotel in Serbia
Former US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and another former White House aide have landed a contract with the Serbian government to develop a luxury hotel on the site of a military complex that was bombed by NATO in 1999.
Belgrade signed a 99-year lease deal on Wednesday with Affinity Global Development, a Kushner-affiliated investment firm that boasts such backers as Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Working in partnership with Richard Grenell, who served as acting director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, Kushner plans to convert the heavily damaged former Yugoslav army headquarters into a $500 million hotel.
Grenell, then ambassador to Germany, was working as a special envoy to the Balkans in 2019, when he first suggested that US investors redevelop the bombed-out army complex. Kushner, who also has luxury hotel projects planned in neighboring Albania, said the redevelopment will “further elevate Belgrade into the premier international destination it is becoming.”
The Serbian project will also include apartments and retail space, as well as a memorial to the people killed during NATO’s bombing campaign. The agreement calls for redeveloping a three-block area and sharing profits with the Serbian government. The government will retain ownership of the site and will reportedly nullify the lease if the development isn’t completed on time.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/660887432030277f9a0cca22.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO. A row of US Army 25mm rounds of depleted uranium ammunition." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/595172-serbia-nato-depleted-uranium/">Toxic legacy: 25 years on, NATO bombing still haunts Serbia</a></figcaption>
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Opposition party politicians led a protest of the venture on Thursday, displaying signs saying, “Stop giving army HQ as a present to American offshore companies.” Lawmaker Dragan Jonic, who attended the protest, told reporters, “Somebody is trying to clear up the mess that they did, and they are not those who should do anything in this place.”
A Serbian official defended the Kushner-Grenell deal on Wednesday, saying in a statement, “The government of Serbia has chosen a reputable American company as a partner in this venture, which will invest in the revitalization of the former Federal Secretariat for National Defense complex.”
Kushner’s investment funds are funded primarily by foreign backers, including investors in Israel, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates. Critics have suggested that projects like the Serbian hotel create potential conflicts of interest because if Trump wins back the presidency, his foreign policy decisions could advance the financial interests of his family members.
Congressional Democrats called for an investigation of Kushner’s overseas ventures in March, after the New York Times reported on his development plans in the Balkans. “Jared Kushner is pursuing new foreign business deals just as Donald Trump becomes the presumptive Republican nominee for the presidency,” Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) and Robert Garcia (D-California) said in a statement in March.
Kushner has argued that as a private citizen, he is free to pursue overseas business opportunities, including those that involve foreign governments.
In 1999, NATO intervened in the conflict between the Serbian government and Albanian separatists in Kosovo. Western planes bombed targets in Serbia and Montenegro for 78 days, forcing Belgrade to withdraw police and the army from Kosovo. NATO-led peacekeepers were then deployed in the province.
The Western-backed Albanian authorities declared the independence of Kosovo in 2008. Serbia and a number of countries, including Russia and China, still consider Kosovo Serbian territory.]]>
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<title>US bans import of Chinese ‘genocide’ cotton</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597755-us-cotton-uighur-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597755-us-cotton-uighur-china/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66467b9185f5404ef230916b.jpg" /> Twenty-six companies sourcing textiles from Xinjiang have been blacklisted over alleged “forced labor” of Uighurs, which China denies <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597755-us-cotton-uighur-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The move is based on claims of forced labor by Uighurs in Xinjiang
The US has announced a ban on cotton imports from 26 Chinese companies that source it from Xinjiang, citing allegations of forced labor and genocide of the mainly Muslim Uighur minority there.
Washington has long accused Beijing of persecuting the Uighurs, which China has denied as complete lies and fabrications.
“The Department of Homeland Security will not tolerate forced labor in our nation’s supply chains,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Thursday, announcing the addition of 26 Chinese companies to the sanctioned blacklist under the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
Thursday’s announcement is “the largest ever one-time expansion” of the UFLPA blacklist and represents the commitment to “promoting accountability for the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uighurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups” in Xinjiang, according to the DHS. 
Five of the companies source cotton from Xinjiang, while 21 source and sell cotton on the wholesale market. The US has had a ban on Xinjiang-sourced cotton since 2021, when the UFLPA went into effect.
The law “is just an instrument of a few US politicians to disrupt stability in the Xinjiang province and contain China’s development,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told Reuters.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646784085f540655e5e3b54.jpg" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, May 16, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597754-china-russia-us-blunder/">‘Big blunder’ to let China and Russia get close – US strategist</a></figcaption>
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Congressman Chris Smith and Senator Jeff Merkley – the New Jersey Republican and the Oregon Democrat who chair the Congressional-Executive Commission on China – welcomed the DHS announcement, but called the current list “only a fraction of the businesses complicit in forced labor.” 
Merkley and Smith have demanded the DHS blacklist any company that makes goods for the US market from materials sourced in Xinjiang, including rayon, PVC and aluminum, among other things.
China has repeatedly denied US claims that it has established labor camps for Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in the province. Allegations of genocide in Xinjiang are “ridiculously absurd” and “a complete lie,” the current foreign minister, Wang Yi, said back in 2021. Beijing has also pointed out that the Uighur population has doubled from 5.55 million to more than 12 million in the past 40 years.]]>
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<title>Biden should have pardoned Trump – US senator</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597756-romney-says-biden-should-pardon-trump/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597756-romney-says-biden-should-pardon-trump/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646874d20302713601f7819.jpg" /> US Senator Mitt Romney, a critic of Donald Trump, has said President Joe Biden could have scored political points by pardoning his rival <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597756-romney-says-biden-should-pardon-trump/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Mitt Romney has argued that preventing prosecution of the former US president would have been politically savvy
US Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has suggested that President Joe Biden blundered politically by allowing his administration to prosecute Donald Trump, his hated Republican rival.
“Had I been President Biden, when the Justice Department brought on indictments, I would have immediately pardoned him,” Romney said in an MSNBC <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tg9jRkAOcs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">interview</a> aired on Wednesday. “I’d have pardoned President Trump. Why? Well, because it makes me, President Biden, the big guy and the person I pardoned a little guy.”
Romney, a former Republican presidential candidate who has clashed repeatedly with Trump, said Biden made an “enormous error” by allowing prosecutors to indict the ex-president last year for mishandling classified documents and trying to block the transfer of power after losing the 2020 election. The two federal cases are among four criminal indictments against Trump, who has accused Biden and his allies of using sham prosecutions to interfere in the 2024 presidential race.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664220f885f540136e5ca44a.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597519-biden-losing-swing-states-poll/">Trump leads Biden in five swing states – NYT poll</a></figcaption>
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“He should have fought like crazy to keep this prosecution from going forward,” Romney said. “It was a win-win for Donald Trump. Pressed on the principle of leaving prosecutorial decisions to the Justice Department, the senator said Biden should have led like former President Lyndon B. Johnson.
“I’ve been around for a while. If LBJ had been president, and he didn’t want something like this to happen, he’d have been all over that prosecutor saying, ‘You better not bring that forward or I’m gonna drive you out of office.’”
Romney, who was defeated by Barack Obama in the 2012 election, has announced plans to retire from the Senate in January 2025, when his term ends. He has criticized both Trump and Biden for running for the presidency again this year, saying they should instead make way for a younger generation of leaders.
Upon announcing his decision last September to leave the Senate, Romney scolded his own party’s voters for favoring Trump. “There’s no question that the Republican Party today is in the shadow of Donald Trump,” he said. “He is the leader of the greatest portion of the Republican Party. It’s a populist, demagogue portion of the party. Look, I represent a small wing of the party. I call it the wise wing of the Republican Party.”
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/582933-mitt-romney-announces-retirement/">
READ MORE: Former US presidential candidate announces retirement
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Romney, 77, is the son of a former Michigan Governor George Romney and made upward of $200 million during his career in the private-equity business. He was elected governor of Massachusetts in 2002. He has been a leading proponent of prolonging the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying that using Kiev’s forces to weaken the Russian military “is about the best national defense spending I think we’ve ever done.”]]>
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<title>‘Big blunder’ to let China and Russia get close – US strategist</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597754-china-russia-us-blunder/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597754-china-russia-us-blunder/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646784085f540655e5e3b54.jpg" /> The Biden White House has ruined decades of effort to keep the two countries apart, Michael Pillsbury has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597754-china-russia-us-blunder/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Decades of efforts by Washington have gone to waste, according to Michael Pillsbury
US President Joe Biden’s cabinet has made a major policy mistake by driving Russia and China into a strategic partnership, Heritage Foundation fellow Michael Pillsbury said on Thursday.
Pillsbury spoke to Fox and Friends as Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on his first foreign trip since inauguration.
“To draw, to push together two nuclear powers, Russia and China, it’s really a blunder of the highest order,” he told Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade.
According to Pillsbury, China spent much of the past 75 years in conflict with the Soviet Union, “so to see them come together like this to me is just shocking.” 
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It’s one of the biggest blunders we’ll see in my lifetime.
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Pillsbury has helped Washington formulate its China policy since the 1970s. He held a variety of posts at the Pentagon and as a staff member for the US Senate, before settling at China-centric desks at the Hudson Institute and later at Heritage.
It has long been a policy objective of Washington to keep China and Russia apart, starting with President Richard Nixon’s detente with Beijing in the 1970s. This policy was in effect as late as 2020, with President Donald Trump trying to use tariffs to pressure China into working with the US, noted Pillsbury.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664591f385f540457b7aaae2.jpg" alt="Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China in Beijing on May 16, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597690-putin-russia-china-no-threat/">Russia-China ties not a threat to other nations – Putin</a></figcaption>
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<a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597690-putin-russia-china-no-threat/"></a>“This would never happen under Trump,” he said. “This was one of Trump’s goals never to allow this to happen.”
When Kilmeade suggested that China “needs” the US and EU markets, so the West has leverage over Beijing, Pillsbury pointed out that this “simply isn’t happening under Biden.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597705-china-strong-enough-to-withstand-pressure/">also commented</a> on the US attempts to split China away from Russia. In an interview on Thursday, he said that China was “strong enough” to resist the “brazen” attempts at pressure.
China and Russia both “defend the principles of fairness and the democratic world order based on the multipolar realities and international law,” Putin <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597711-xi-putin-meeting-exemplary-relations/">said on Thursday</a>, adding that relations between the two countries “are not aimed against anyone.”
Putin described the Russo-Chinese cooperation as “one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage.”
Xi agreed, arguing that ties between Beijing and Moscow are a “model of relations between large powers and neighboring states, characterized by mutual respect, trust, friendship and mutual benefit.”]]>
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<title>UK’s Sky News accused of ‘justifying’ Fico shooting</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597753-media-justifies-slovakian-pm-assassination-attempt/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597753-media-justifies-slovakian-pm-assassination-attempt/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646733485f540457b7aabc1.jpg" /> British broadcaster Sky News has suggested that the shooting of Slovakian PM Robert Fico was to be expected, given his “pro-Russian” views <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597753-media-justifies-slovakian-pm-assassination-attempt/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The outlet has been called out for saying the attempted assassination of Slovakia’s “pro-Russian” PM was “not surprising”
British broadcaster Sky News has drawn criticism for suggesting that Wednesday’s attempted assassination of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was to be expected, given the politician’s controversial views and “pro-Russian” stance.
“It’s worth thinking about who this individual is,” a Sky News anchor said of Fico shortly after he was critically wounded while greeting supporters in the small town of Handlova. Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke replied, “That would make sense. Slovakia is a very conflicted place at the moment.”
Clarke, who also works as a security adviser to UK lawmakers, went on to note that Fico had pushed for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, rather than continuing to send weapons to Kiev. “He’s become very pro-Russian over the years,” the analyst said. “One wonders why and how, but maybe that’s his conviction.”
In fact, Clarke claimed, Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban “dig their toes in against aid to Ukraine or against any sort of sympathy with Kiev.” He added, “That’s very divisive in Slovakia. It’s divisive within the EU, so it’s not surprising that this sort of event might take place because it’s a very unhappy country at the moment, Slovakia.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66460b0f2030272d8c7de6b4.jpg" alt="Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597737-attack-slovak-robert-fico/">An EU country’s leader has been shot, and of course it has to be about Putin</a></figcaption>
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The suspected shooter – identified in media reports as 71-year-old Slovakian man Juraj Cintula – is a fierce critic of Fico’s Ukraine policies, Bratislava’s interior minister <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597727-fico-shooter-protest-suspension-ukraine-aid/">said</a> on Thursday. Fico won a third term as PM last year, after campaigning on a promise to push for forging a peace deal in Ukraine and halting arms shipments.
Independent journalist and RT contributor <a href="https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1790786078338580516" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Glenn Greenwald</a> blasted Sky News for its reporting on the attempted assassination. “Not only do they come close to justifying it because he opposes aid to Ukraine, but they also casually imply that he’s being paid by the Kremlin,” he said. “This casual accusation is so prevalent in the West, and toxic.”
Norwegian author and political scientist <a href="https://twitter.com/Glenn_Diesen/status/1790988110920040689" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Glenn Diesen</a> agreed, saying, “Sky News gets as close as they can to legitimize” the attack. “The media becomes more vile every day in their mission to fuel the war enthusiasm and smear anyone calling for a return to diplomacy and negotiations.”
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/591226-eu-take-cues-rt-borrell/">
READ MORE: EU media should learn from RT – Borrell
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Sky News was not alone in its unsympathetic tone regarding the shooting victim, UK podcast host Brendan O’Neill wrote on Thursday in <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-troubling-reaction-to-the-shooting-of-robert-fico/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Spectator</a>. “Across the broadcast media, there was a palpable coldness in the coverage of the Fico shooting,” he said. “The BBC has been at pains to remind us <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-69019121.amp">that</a> Fico is ‘divisive.’ Aren’t all politicians, by their nature, divisive, in that they divide public opinion? Even the ‘nice,’ anti-populist politicos no doubt preferred by BBC and Sky types get some people’s backs up.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Unsurprisingly, Sky News has literally justified the assassination attempt on Slovakian PM Robert Fico. Despicable ghouls. Reposting it, because the previous one has "mysteriously disappeared". <a href="https://t.co/JXPGJzgnTF">pic.twitter.com/JXPGJzgnTF</a>— Olga Bazova (@OlgaBazova) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlgaBazova/status/1790765583711297690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<title>Russia and China could sign major energy deal – deputy PM</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/business/597749-russia-china-new-gas-pipeline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/business/597749-russia-china-new-gas-pipeline/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66466050203027133a4df87b.jpg" /> A contract for the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline could be signed soon, according to Aleksandr Novak <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597749-russia-china-new-gas-pipeline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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President Vladimir Putin is on an official visit to the Asian country to discuss strategic cooperation
Moscow and Beijing could soon sign a contract for the construction of the mega pipeline Power of Siberia 2, which is slated to deliver Russian natural gas to China, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak has said.
Power of Siberia 2 is expected to allow for up to 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to be delivered annually from Yamal Region in northern Russia to China via Mongolia.
According to Novak, however, energy negotiations between Moscow and Beijing are not limited to Power of Siberia 2. “There are other new projects,” Novak revealed on Thursday in an interview with the TV channel Russia 1, without disclosing any details.
The statements come as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day official visit, later meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Putin and Xi are set to discuss bilateral ties and strategic cooperation between the two nations. About a dozen bilateral documents are expected to be signed during the visit, along with numerous commercial deals and regional agreements.
Russia currently supplies gas to China via Power of Siberia, a section of the so-called Eastern Route, under a bilateral 30-year agreement. Deliveries started in 2019, and the pipeline is expected to reach its full operational capacity of 38 bcm of natural gas annually by 2025.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/business/590072-gazprom-deliveries-china-new-level/">
READ MORE: Russian gas giant reveals surge in exports to China
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The pipeline’s operator, Gazprom, has exceeded its contractual obligations on a regular basis throughout the past year, with daily records reported frequently. The company is projecting that gas supplies to Russia’s leading trading partner will grow further thanks to soaring demand.
Once all pipelines are fully operational, the volume of Russian gas supplies to China could reach nearly 100 bcm annually.]]>
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<title>Opposition leader jailed for 42 years in Türkiye</title>
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<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597752-turkiye-jails-kurdish-leader/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664662de85f54050ea6cbaf4.jpg" /> Selahattin Demirtas and his closest allies have been found guilty of inciting a deadly riot at the height of the Syrian Civil War <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597752-turkiye-jails-kurdish-leader/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Selahattin Demirtas was found guilty of inciting a deadly riot at the height of the Syrian Civil War
A Turkish court has sentenced pro-Kurdish opposition leader Selahattin Demirtas to 42 years in prison over his role in stoking deadly protests over the conflict in Syria. More than a dozen of Demirtas’ political allies were also jailed. 
Demirtas was convicted of a total of 47 charges, Turkish media reported, including conspiracy, incitement of violence, disrupting state unity, and engaging in propaganda on behalf of a terror organization. At 51 years old, Demirtas will likely die in prison if his efforts to appeal the sentence are unsuccessful.
Demirtas was one of 108 people charged in the so-called Kobane Trial. The case centered on the Syrian city of Kobane, where Kurdish militants, and Islamic State (IS) jihadists were battling for control of the city in 2014. Demirtas accused Turkish troops – who at the time were trading cross-border fire with the Kurds – of standing by while IS besieged the city, and of preventing the Kurds from fleeing.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/527153-turkey-top-court-indictment-pro-kurdish-hdp/">Turkey’s top court accepts indictment to dissolve pro-Kurdish HDP party</a></figcaption>
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As the leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Demirtas called for protests in predominantly-Kurdish regions of southern Türkiye. The demonstrations quickly turned violent and resulted in 37 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Two months before the protests, Demirtas had finished third in Türkiye’s presidential election. He went on to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the presidency again in 2018, conducting his campaign from behind bars.
Of the 108 people charged with orchestrating or participating in the protests, 18 were jailed on Thursday. Charges were dropped against another 12, while 18 were freed awaiting further court dates and 72 remain at large. Former HDP co-leader Figen Yuksekdag was handed a 32-year sentence for similar charges to those brought against Demirtas.
Testifying last year, Demirtas described the case as “political revenge” and his alleged co-conspirators as “political hostages.” The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly demanded his release.
Ankara, on the other hand, views the HDP as an arm of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Türkiye, the US, and EU all consider a terrorist organization. The PKK has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since the 1980s, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/595648-turkiye-erdogan-era-over/">
READ MORE: Türkiye at a crossroads: Is the Erdogan era over?
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Proceedings are currently underway in Ankara to outlaw the HDP and to ban more than 450 of its members from politics. Despite condemnation from human rights groups, Turkish prosecutor Bekir Sahin stated in 2021 that the party’s dissolution was necessary as it had engaged in “activities aimed at destroying and abolishing the indivisible unity of the state.”]]>
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<title>WATCH Russian Navy destroy Ukrainian sea drones moving toward Crimea</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597751-black-sea-ukrainian-drones-sunk/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597751-black-sea-ukrainian-drones-sunk/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664655c720302713601f77f9.jpg" /> Russian helicopters have sunk at least 15 Ukrainian naval drones that were headed for Crimea, the defense ministry in Moscow has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597751-black-sea-ukrainian-drones-sunk/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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A total of 15 remotely piloted boats were sent to the bottom of the Black Sea
Helicopters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet have sunk more than a dozen remotely-piloted boats launched by Ukraine in the direction of Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
At least three groups of unmanned sea vessels (USV) were spotted on approach to the peninsula during the day. Naval attack helicopters were dispatched to deal with the threat and sank a total of 15 sea drones, the Russian military said.
The first attack happened around 2pm local time, according to the Defense Ministry. Helicopters of the Black Sea Fleet sank 11 drones using their on-board guns. One more drone was spotted and dispatched within the next hour as well.
Another attempted attack was detected around 7:30pm local time, when three USVs were detected approaching Crimea. They, too, were destroyed by Black Sea Fleet helicopters.
A minute-long video filmed by one helicopter crew was shared on Telegram later in the day, showing the destruction of several drone boats.
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Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks with sea and air drones, as well as long-range missiles provided by the US and its allies, as Russian troops continued to advance along the entire front line. Kiev has admitted that the situation is especially difficult in Kharkov Region, which Ukraine has used for months as a launching pad for drone and missile attacks on the Russian city of Belgorod. ]]>
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<title>Biden asserts ‘executive privilege’ over prosecutor’s tapes</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597750-biden-asserts-executive-privilege-over-prosecutor-interview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597750-biden-asserts-executive-privilege-over-prosecutor-interview/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66464d5285f54050ea6cbad3.jpg" /> Joe Biden has blocked US Republicans from getting his taped interview with the prosecutor who probed his mishandling of classified documents <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597750-biden-asserts-executive-privilege-over-prosecutor-interview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The US president has prevented lawmakers from hearing the interview that led to him being called “elderly man with a poor memory”
US President Joe Biden has declared executive privilege over a recording of his interview with the special counsel who probed his mishandling of classified documents, blocking Republican lawmakers from hearing the exchange that led to him being called a “well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.”
White House lawyer Ed Siskel <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24664104-2024-05-16-wh-counsel-siskel-to-comer-and-jordan-re-privilege" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">notified</a> US House investigators of Biden’s decision on Thursday, hours before Republicans were expected to recommend that Attorney General Merrick Garland be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the recording. Lawmakers had subpoenaed audio tapes from special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation of Biden, seeking to hear for themselves why the prosecutor concluded that a jury would find the president too forgetful to have intentionally mishandled state secrets.
Hur released a 345-page report on his investigation in February, saying he had decided against recommending criminal charges against Biden despite finding evidence that the career politician had “willfully retained and disclosed” classified information. One of the reasons he cited for the decision was that it would be difficult to prove Biden’s intent, given his mental state.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f0edea2030273a520f69df.jpg" alt="House Judiciary Committee member Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) questions former Special Counsel Robert Hur on Capitol Hill, March 12, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/594177-biden-poor-memory-hur/">Biden escaped prosecution on ‘senile cooperator theory’ – US lawmaker</a></figcaption>
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US House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Kentucky) insisted that the assertion of executive privilege won’t derail congressional investigations of Biden’s alleged misconduct. “It’s a five-alarm fire at the White House,” Comer said. “Clearly, President Biden and his advisers fear releasing the audio recordings of his interview because it will again reaffirm to the American people that President Biden’s mental state is in decline.”
Lawmakers have been given <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/full-text-robert-hur-biden-classified-documents-interview-pdf-rcna142956" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">transcripts</a> from Hur’s investigation, but House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the audio recordings would provide a “unique perspective.” He suggested that his committee will press forward with holding Garland in contempt of Congress, despite Biden’s invocation of executive privilege.
Under US law, executive privilege gives the president authority to withhold documents or information concerning certain confidential communications or matters pertaining to national security. Garland recommended the use of executive privilege over the Hur tapes, telling Biden that his interview fell “within the scope” of the law. He added that giving the recording to Congress would undermine the Department of Justice’s ability to conduct “similar high-profile investigations – in particular, investigations where the voluntary cooperation of White house officials is exceedingly important.”
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/592329-biden-old-escape-justice/">
READ MORE: Too old for the court, but not for the White House: Biden’s escape from justice is peak absurdity
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Biden and other Democrat politicians blasted Hur’s characterization of the president as forgetful, arguing that it was meant to undermine his reelection bid. The special counsel said White House lawyers pressured him to “revise” his description of Biden before releasing his report. During the interview with Hur, Biden couldn’t remember such facts as when he served as vice president and roughly when his son Beau died. He also mistook the year Donald Trump was elected president, and he couldn’t recall the term for “fax machine.”
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<title>EU still grants visas to 90% of Russian applicants – data</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597748-eu-russian-tourists-visas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597748-eu-russian-tourists-visas/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664642da85f54050ea6cbab7.jpg" /> Russia is in the top five countries for Schengen visa requests, with a 89.4% approval rate, EU statistics have shown <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597748-eu-russian-tourists-visas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Schengen rejections are up only slightly from 2022, new numbers show
Russia remained in the top five countries for Schengen visa applications in 2023 and almost 90% of the requests were approved, the European Commission has revealed.
The EU Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs published its annual <a href="https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/visa-applications-reach-103-million-eu-and-schengen-associated-countries-2024-05-15_en">report</a> on Wednesday, showing that 10.3 million applications for short-stay visas were filed in the last calendar year.
That is a 37% increase compared to the 7.5 million requests in 2022, but still far short of the 17 million applications in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions that accompanied it.
Russia was ranked second in 2022, with 687,239 requests, but slipped to fifth place last year with 520,387 applications, according to the EU. Slightly more requests were rejected last year, 10.6% compared to 10.2% the year before.
Russians had been the leader in Schengen applications before the pandemic, with over four million requests – and a rejection rate of only 1.5%. 
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6645203c85f5402a305580a5.jpg" alt="Signs for Russia's international news agency 'RIA Novosti' and 'Rossiya Segodnaya' seen at the 2018 St Petersburg International Economic Forum in St Petersburg, Russia, May 24, 2018" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597675-eu-sanctions-russian-news/">EU to sanction more Russian-language news outlets</a></figcaption>
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Several EU member states <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/560319-latvia-visas-ban-russians/">stopped issuing</a> Schengen visas to Russians in 2022, citing the Ukraine conflict, but the bloc has held off so far on imposing a visa ban in twelve rounds of sanctions against Moscow. One of the additional sanctions currently under consideration would <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/591140-russian-diplomat-schengen-restrictions/">restrict the movement</a> of Russian diplomats.
China rose to the top spot last year, with 1,117,365 requests, up from 22nd place in 2022. Türkiye ranked second with 1,055,885 requests, while India remained in third place with 966,687 applications in 2023. Morocco came in fourth with 591,401 applications.
Türkiye had a higher percentage of rejections than Russia at 16.1% in 2023, while a whopping 30.3% of all Iranian Schengen requests were turned down, according to EU statistics.]]>
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<title>IMF warns West against seizing Russia’s money</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/business/597744-imf-russian-assets-confiscation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/business/597744-imf-russian-assets-confiscation/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646434a20302759233177b5.jpg" /> Confiscation should be backed with a sufficient legal basis, according to the International Monetary Fund <a href="https://www.rt.com/business/597744-imf-russian-assets-confiscation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The move could undermine the global monetary system, according to the fund’s spokesperson
Western plans to either confiscate Russia’s frozen central bank reserves directly or use the profit they generate could undermine the global monetary system, the IMF has warned.
Western nations, particularly the US, UK and EU states, have blocked an estimated $300 billion in assets belonging to the Russian central bank since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
The US and a number of EU nations have advocated confiscating these assets to finance Ukraine’s defense and future reconstruction. However, France, Germany, and several other EU members have resisted those calls, warning that such a move could set a dangerous precedent and adversely affect the euro. Some Western countries proposed to appropriate only the interest accrued on the assets, but that approach is also fraught with legal difficulties. 
“It is important for the fund that any actions taken have a sufficient legal basis and do not undermine the functioning of the international monetary system,” IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozack said at a press briefing on Thursday when asked by RIA Novosti about the Western plans for the frozen assets.
Assessing the prospects for reaching an agreement about the Russian funds at the G7 level in light of the group’s upcoming ministerial meeting in Italy, Kozack emphasized that any decisions must be made in the appropriate courts and jurisdictions.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/business/596978-russia-frozen-assets-seizure/">G20 members lobby EU against seizing Russian assets – FT</a></figcaption>
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The IMF has repeatedly cautioned that Western plans to seize frozen Russian assets could entail unforeseen risks.
The push to seize the money, which has been led by the US, has caused a rift among the G7 and EU political elite. The US, which holds only $6 billion out of the $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, had long been pushing its allies for the outright seizure.
Some Western officials have backed the idea, suggesting transferring the funds to Ukraine, or at least using the interest generated by the assets. However, this approach has faced opposition from the European Central Bank and criticism from the IMF.
While Kiev’s Western backers generally agree that the frozen assets should be used to aid Ukraine, they are at odds about whether an outright seizure would be legal.
Moscow has repeatedly said that seizing its funds would amount to theft and would further undermine global trust in the Western financial system. Russia also warned that it would retaliate if such a step were taken.]]>
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<title>Slovak PM expected to survive assassination attempt – deputy</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597746-fico-shooting-attempt-survive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597746-fico-shooting-attempt-survive/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66462d942030272d480d513b.jpg" /> Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s condition is no longer life-threatening, his deputy Tomas Taraba has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597746-fico-shooting-attempt-survive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Robert Fico was gravely injured and was in surgery for hours after being shot on Wednesday
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is expected to survive after being critically injured in a “politically motivated” assassination attempt, according to his deputy Tomas Taraba.
Fico was shot several times at point-blank range on Wednesday following a government meeting in the small town of Handlova, some two hours from the capital Bratislava. After being rushed to a nearby hospital, the prime minister underwent a challenging five-hour surgery exacerbated by severe abdominal hemorrhage. However, Taraba indicated that as of Thursday afternoon, the Slovak leader’s life was no longer in danger.
“Fortunately, as far as I know, the operation went well, and I guess that at the end he will survive,” the deputy PM told the BBC.
The head of the hospital where Fico is being treated, Miriam Lapunikova, previously told reporters that his condition following the surgery was “stable yet serious.” She said he remains in intensive care.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6645fafb2030272d8c7de697.jpg" alt="Security personnel carrying Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico (C) towards a vehicle after he was shot in Handlova on May 15, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597727-fico-shooter-protest-suspension-ukraine-aid/">Fico shooter protested suspension of Ukraine military aid – Slovak interior minister</a></figcaption>
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Fico’s assailant was detained immediately following the gunfire. Slovak media identified him as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, a former security guard at a shopping mall and the author of several volumes of poetry. However, authorities have yet to issue any official confirmation regarding the shooter’s identity.
At a press briefing earlier on Thursday, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok described the attempt on Fico’s life as “politically motivated,” adding that the suspect was known to have taken part in anti-government protests in the past. According to Estok, the man closely followed domestic and international events and opposed some of Fico’s policies, including the suspension of arms shipments to Ukraine.
The minister also said that the alleged gunman has already been charged with premeditated attempted murder.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/597716-serbia-arrest-president-threat/">
READ MORE: Man arrested over ‘death threat’ to Serbian president
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Robert Fico is known as a euro-skeptic. He won the Slovak election in October last year on a promise to put the country’s interests first and to stop military aid to Ukraine. Despite broad Western condemnation of Russia over the Ukraine conflict, Fico has made an effort to maintain relations with Moscow and has repeatedly criticized EU sanctions policy.
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<title>US completes aid pier at Gaza beach</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597747-us-aid-pier-gaza/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597747-us-aid-pier-gaza/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66462f5085f540457b7aab83.jpg" /> The temporary dock was anchored in place days before the first aid deliveries are set to arrive <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597747-us-aid-pier-gaza/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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American troops did not enter Palestinian territory as the dock was installed, the Pentagon has said
The US military has completed work on a temporary pier to allow additional aid deliveries into Gaza, the Pentagon announced in a statement on Thursday. Meanwhile, the flow of aid into the besieged enclave is still being throttled by Israel’s refusal to open border checkpoints. 
The pier was anchored to the beach in Gaza on Thursday morning, US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement.
“As part of this effort, no US troops entered Gaza,” the statement read. “Trucks carrying humanitarian assistance are expected to begin moving ashore in the coming days. The United Nations will receive the aid and coordinate its distribution into Gaza.”
The pier was towed to Gaza from the Israeli port of Ashdod, around 30km north of the enclave. Construction on the project began almost two months ago, and the pier was originally scheduled to be in place at the beginning of this month, before inclement weather postponed the towing operation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">URGENT: The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/US?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#US</a> military has completed the installation of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaza?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaza</a> pier; with aid deliveries expected to start within days. <a href="https://t.co/cYqKqxJ8l8">pic.twitter.com/cYqKqxJ8l8</a>— Hala Jaber (@HalaJaber) <a href="https://twitter.com/HalaJaber/status/1791071165215019033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Aid arriving by sea will first be transferred from large ships to smaller vessels at a different offshore jetty, before being ferried to the pier and loaded onto trucks. From there, UN staff will transport the goods into Gaza for distribution. Hundreds of tons of aid currently sitting in Cyprus will arrive on the pier within days, US Agency for International Development (USAID) official Dan Dieckhaus told reporters on Wednesday. 
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6644c84e85f540174d0aec61.jpg" alt="A view of a damaged UN vehicle in front of a hospital as a United Nations (UN) employee was killed in an attack on a vehicle in Gaza on May 13, 2024." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597630-un-staff-killing-gaza/">UN launches probe after staff member killed in Gaza – Reuters</a></figcaption>
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Israel placed Gaza under a near-total siege following Hamas’ October 7 attack on the Jewish state. For most of the seven months since, the Israeli authorities have only permitted aid trucks to enter through two checkpoints: The Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, and the Kerem Shalom checkpoint at the borders of Gaza, Egypt, and Israel.
However, the Kerem Shalom crossing was shut earlier this month after Hamas fighters killed four Israeli soldiers in the vicinity, while the Rafah Crossing was closed following its seizure by Israeli forces several days later. The Rafah Crossing is still closed amid a diplomatic row between Israel and Egypt, and while the Kerem Shalom checkpoint is operational again, UN officials say that only a trickle of aid is being allowed through.
According to the most recent figures published by the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), just six trucks were allowed into Gaza on Sunday, down from 340 in a single day at the beginning of May. Aid agencies say Gaza’s 2.3 million people need around 500 truckloads of food, medicine, fuel, and other humanitarian supplies every day.
A UN-backed report warned in March that more than 70% of Gaza’s population are facing catastrophic hunger. “There is famine – full-blown famine – in the north, and it’s moving its way south,” UN World Food Program Director Cindy McCain told NBC News earlier this month.]]>
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<title>Pentagon sounds alarm over Ukraine corruption</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597741-pentagon-ukraine-corruption-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597741-pentagon-ukraine-corruption-report/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66462c262030272d8c7de6cd.jpg" /> The conflict with Russia has created new opportunities for bribes, kickbacks and theft in Ukraine, the Pentagon’s inspector-general has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597741-pentagon-ukraine-corruption-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Kiev has endemic and persistent problems with bribery, theft, and embezzlement the US military has said


The conflict with Russia has created new opportunities for bribes, kickbacks and theft in Ukraine, the US military’s inspector general told Congress in the quarterly report on the $113 billion in aid sent to Kiev.
Department of Defense Inspector General Robert Storch also serves as the special inspector for Operation Atlantic Resolve, the US-led operation to arm Ukraine.
“The ongoing war with Russia has created new opportunities for corruption, with several recent scandals within the defense sector revealing the misuse of wartime resources and weapons procurement funds,” the <a href="https://www.dodig.mil/In-the-Spotlight/Article/3777057/press-release-special-inspector-general-report-to-the-us-congress-on-operation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> said.
“Endemic corruption persists” in Ukraine, which remains “one of the least accountable governments in Europe,” according to the Pentagon’s inspector-general.
“Bribes, kickbacks, and inflated procurement costs are common risks for corruption within the Ministry of Defense,” leading to purchases of “inferior equipment” or “diversion of funds” intended for food and ammunition, according to the report.
<a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597583-ukraine-corruption-defense-kharkov"></a>
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66436df185f5402a30557f97.jpg" alt="Ukrainian soldiers keep watch from a trench in Kharkov Region, Ukraine, March 10, 2024" />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597583-ukraine-corruption-defense-kharkov/">Ukrainian military stole money intended for fortifications – local media</a></figcaption>
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Earlier this week, Ukrainian media reported the claims of one anti-corruption activist that Kharkov Region authorities embezzled or stole 7 billion hryvnias ($176.5 million) they were given to build fortifications along the border. The lack of defenses has resulted in Russian troops overrunning a dozen settlements in short order.  
No-bid contracts worth millions were given to cronies or freshly created companies run by people with criminal records, Martina Boguslavets wrote in Ukrainska Pravda.
According to the Pentagon, Transparency International ranked Ukraine 144th out of 177 countries back in 2014. Kiev has since improved, taking the 104th place out of 180 countries in the 2023 annual global Corruption Perceptions Index. 
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has investigated “several high-ranking officials in the government and judiciary accused of accepting bribes and embezzling worth more than $100 million,” Storch’s report said, citing the US State Department.
Washington has urged Kiev to expand anti-corruption measures by giving the NABU independent forensic capabilities and the ability to spy on Ukrainians independently of the SBU security service, Storch revealed.
The inspector-general’s report looked at the $113 billion in aid appropriated for Ukraine by the end of March 2024. Along with direct military and humanitarian aid to Kiev, this amount includes “security assistance to NATO allies and other partners, funding to support the US military presence in Europe, and the replenishment of military stocks provided to the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Storch noted.]]>
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<title>Germany reveals expulsion of Nazi symbol Ukrainian soldiers</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597743-germany-expels-ukrainian-troops-nazi-insignia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597743-germany-expels-ukrainian-troops-nazi-insignia/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664623b485f5401f150912d6.jpg" /> The German authorities say they have expelled seven Ukrainian troops undergoing military training in the country for sporting Nazi symbols <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597743-germany-expels-ukrainian-troops-nazi-insignia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The authorities say that troops sent to train in the country are warned on arrival against wearing such insignias

The German government revealed on Wednesday that it has expelled seven Ukrainian troops undergoing military training in the country for sporting Nazi symbols. Berlin, however, attempted to downplay the potential threat posed by Ukrainian far-right nationalists to any future peace process between Kiev and Moscow. 
According to the German military’s estimates, “around 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers were trained by German and multinational units on German soil in 2023.” Under the European Union Military Assistance Mission Ukraine (EUMAM UA) established in November 2022, German instructors and those from several other member states have trained Ukrainian military personnel. 
In a reply to an inquiry made by the right-wing Alternative for Germany Party (AFD), the German government wrote that “within the framework of training for the Ukrainian armed forces conducted by the Bundeswehr, seven cases have been established where soldiers were wearing far-right extremist symbols.”  
The document further revealed that these troops had been removed from the course and sent home.   
Incoming Ukrainian military personnel are warned against the use of Nazi insignias on arrival, the German government said.   
The reply noted that Berlin “sees no threat to a possible peace process in Ukraine [posed] by Ukrainian extremist nationalists.”  
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/663e388a85f54008a47f0e08.jpg" alt="Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597356-lithuanian-fm-nato-troops-deploy-ukraine/">Baltic state backs sending NATO troops to Ukraine</a></figcaption>
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“It is Russia’s imperialism that underlies the illegal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, and that threatens security in Europe,” the document said.   
Upon the launch of Russia’s military operation against the neighboring state in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin listed the “denazification” of Ukraine as one of Moscow’s main goals. Russian officials have for years expressed concern over the growing role of far-right elements within the Ukrainian government and military. 
Moscow has also claimed that some units within Kiev’s army are made up almost exclusively of neo-Nazis. 
Ukraine’s glorification of WWII-era nationalist partisans who collaborated with Nazi Germany, as well as Ukrainian SS units, has also been condemned not only by Russia, but also neighboring Poland. 
Despite these criticisms, monuments to honor these figures continue to be erected across Ukraine, with streets renamed after them in some cases as well.
 


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<dc:creator>RT</dc:creator>
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<title>Zelensky blames ‘whole world’ for Ukraine’s failures in Kharkov</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597745-zelensky-blames-whole-world/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597745-zelensky-blames-whole-world/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646285e2030272d480d5128.jpg" /> Russian forces have recently captured several settlements near Kharkov, gaining an upper hand in the region <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597745-zelensky-blames-whole-world/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Russian forces recently captured several settlements near the city, gaining an upper hand in the region
The whole world is to blame for Ukraine’s failure to stop Russia’s recent advances in Kharkov Region and must now help Kiev to change the situation, President Vladimir Zelensky told ABC News in an interview on Thursday.
It comes after Russian forces managed to capture several settlements near Ukraine’s second-largest city over the past week. Top military officials in Kiev have admitted that the situation is now “extremely difficult,” and that Ukrainian troops are struggling to hold ground due to being outgunned and outnumbered.
Asked if he believes Ukraine’s failures on the battlefield to be the fault of the US, Zelensky told ABC reporters that “it’s the world’s fault,” and accused the international community of giving “the opportunity for Putin to occupy.”
The Ukrainian leader said the country “cannot afford to lose Kharkov,” and that “the world can help” Kiev to hold on to the vital city in the country’s northeast.
“All we need are two Patriot systems,” Zelensky said, suggesting that “Russia will not be able to occupy Kharkov if we have those.”
The president also complained that funding that has been approved by the US for Kiev is not actually reaching the country and is instead being spent “in American factories, creating American jobs.”
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6644938c85f540174d0aec1f.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: A serviceman directs a 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer in the course of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, in Kharkiv region." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597626-latest-attack-russia-ukraine/">Here’s why Russia’s Kharkov offensive is far more than just a military setback for Kiev</a></figcaption>
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Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Kiev this week, assured the Ukrainian leadership that Washington was “actively and urgently” trying to source billion-dollar Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine. Last month, Zelensky insisted that Ukraine needs 25 such batteries but later revised that number to “at least seven.”
Each Patriot battery comprises a power plant, radar and control stations, truck-mounted missile launchers, and support vehicles, and costs around $1 billion. Ukraine is currently believed to possess at least three Patriots, one of which is stationed near the capital. Last year, one of these batteries was reportedly damaged or destroyed in a Russian hypersonic missile strike.
Moscow, meanwhile, has repeatedly stated that no amount of Western weapon systems can change the inevitable outcome of the conflict, and has warned that continuing to arm Ukraine will only prolong the bloodshed and increase the risk of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.]]>
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<dc:creator>RT</dc:creator>
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<title>An EU country’s leader has been shot, and of course it has to be about Putin</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597737-attack-slovak-robert-fico/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597737-attack-slovak-robert-fico/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66460b0f2030272d8c7de6b4.jpg" /> It seems to be more important that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is “pro-Russia” than the attack on him and the reason behind it <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597737-attack-slovak-robert-fico/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s “pro-Russia” stance seems to be more important than the fact that he was attacked and the reason behind it
Media can’t seem to decide whether it’s Putin’s friends or enemies who deserve to get shot. 
Populist and nationalist Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot during a domestic appearance on Wednesday, and was immediately transported to hospital. Before any further facts could be established, many press outlets had already framed a convenient narrative. 
“How Robert Fico turned Slovakia into one of Russia’s only allies,” read a <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/05/15/slovakian-prime-minister-roberto-fico-russia-allies/ " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">headline</a> London’s Telegraph, only subsequently mentioning that he was “reportedly in a life-threatening condition after assassination attempt.”
It appears that even political assassinations now take a backseat to the news that someone is supposedly Putin’s pal these days. So instead, the reader was drawn to the article about a Russian ally, only to be mugged by the subheading suggesting, “Yeah, and look where that friendship with Putin got him!”
That’s a 180-degree turn (or a “Baerbock 360” if you’re in Germany) from their usual hot take, which is that it’s usually Putin’s enemies who get killed. Now it’s his friends, too, apparently. 
In the time that it took for Fico to be admitted to hospital, the Western press had erased Slovakia’s sovereignty with the stroke of a pen. “Pro-Russia Slovak prime minister Robert Fico shot,” reported The <a href="https://www.thenational.scot/news/24322226.pro-russia-slovak-pm-robert-fico-shot-taken-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National</a> newspaper in Scotland.
“Europe on the edge as assassination attempt on pro-Putin Slovakian PM is branded ‘a wake-up call to the West,’” <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13423267/slovakia-prime-minister-robert-fico-shot-suspect-west-russia.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">headlined</a> Britain’s Daily Mail.
One might think this suggests that Europe is unnerved by someone trying to kill one of its elected leaders – that it would be a sad day for democracy and the rule of law. Nope, that’s not what they’re saying. “Fears grow Russian president will exploit the attack – as badly wounded man’s deputy insists he will SURVIVE gun attack,” the Daily Mail went on to explain.
Oh, so the real fear, they suggest, is that Putin might actually start dropping some inconvenient truths. Judging from the tone of the Western press, you’d think that Putin’s the big winner in all this and not the guy who actually survived being gunned down. 
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6645184d85f540174d0aecc5.jpg" alt="Slovak prime minister, Robert Fico speaks during a joint press conference after summit of the Visegrad Group (V4) in Prague." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597672-fico-slovak-pm-quotes/">‘No country should be punished for its sovereignty’ – Fico in quotes</a></figcaption>
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The incident risks drawing attention to the notion that the extremists are on the side of the establishment – something that Fico himself has pointed out routinely. He was elected prime minister last October, but it wasn’t his first rodeo, having been previously elected twice before. Speaking of which, if the EU is a tranquil garden, as chief diplomat Josep Borrell once said in comparing the bloc to the developing world, then Fico is a bucking bronco right in the center of it with his pragmatically populist and nationalist positions. Earlier this year, he <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-pm-promised-to-block-nato-entry-for-ukraine-said-it-must-cede-territory/ " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> he’d block Ukraine’s entry into NATO.
“The war in Ukraine didn’t start a year ago, it started in 2014, when Ukrainian Nazis and fascists started murdering Russian citizens in the Donbass and Lugansk,” Fico <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/slovakia-new-prime-minister-robert-fico-ukraine-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> last year. 
He’s been particularly vocal about the need for peace rather than continued war in Ukraine, but has nonetheless said, in the meantime, that Slovakia’s military industrial complex, like everyone else’s, can cash in on weapons sales to Ukraine – at least until they get around to listening to him on the need for a ceasefire. Still, the Slovakian government won’t be sending cash for military-related purposes over there, he’s said, citing rampant corruption.
More recently, Fico reacted to French President Emmanuel Macron’s obsession about some potential future troop deployment to Ukraine. Fico reminded Macron that Ukraine isn’t actually part of NATO, and therefore the alliance has no obligation to send troops there. As a matter of fact, he argued, Slovakia really has nothing to do with whatever’s going on between Ukraine and Russia. The neighbors are fighting, and he wants to mind his own business. But Macron is giving interviews, the latest one to The Economist, saying that if Russia breaks through Kiev’s front lines, then sending troops is a real possibility. Like, if my neighbors take their fight to the front lawn, well then I’ll have to just go over there maybe and throw a few punches myself. Except that his neighbors aren’t even just down the street.
Fico’s stance obviously leaves France and the rest of the EU in the awkward position of having to explain why exactly Ukraine is their problem if one of the EU countries bordering it has decided to just stay out the conflict. The best they’ve come up with so far is that if they can’t use Ukraine as a battering ram against Russia, then the next thing you know, Putin will be hanging out in Cannes and watching tennis at Roland Garros. 
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6644d5f185f54012775c77a8.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597654-robert-fico-slovakia-ukraine-russia/">Slovak PM Robert Fico: Noted critic of Western approach to Ukraine conflict</a></figcaption>
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So again, who are the real radicals? The bloc and their handmaidens in the Western press would have you believe that it’s Fico and not the Western establishment cronies he’s been challenging on every front. 
Earlier this month, Fico was railing about the EU to Azerbaijani TV during a visit there, complaining about the bloc’s intolerance of independent thought. During the presidential election in March, Fico’s political opponents were drumming up fear over citizens voting for his ally, Peter Pellegrini.
“The fear is that Pellegrini will act hand in hand with Fico’s direction of #foreignpolicy, which could have a devastating effect on Slovakia,” <a href="https://twitter.com/eduardheger/status/1770094268293447953" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tweeted</a> former prime minister Eduard Heger, described by Reuters as having started a “pro-Western party.” The people voted for Pellegrini anyway, despite all the fear-mongering over the potential result of their own exercise of democracy.
Now, some of Fico’s allies are straight up pinning this attack on the vibe that’s been created by opposition politicians and media rhetoric. Sometimes, though, a lunatic is just a lunatic. By using the Western establishment’s own standards of pinning responsibility for an act of violence on the ideology of a particular group – as they’re constantly doing with the right-wing – in this particular case, they’re the ones who have been fostering an anti-populist, anti-sovereignty radicalization on everything from climate change to the Ukraine conflict, and even on the Covid mandates which Fico actively <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqene5z41y0o.amp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">opposed</a> by heading up mass demonstrations against them. By their own measure, they’re long overdue for a good look in the mirror.]]>
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<title>Georgia accuses NATO countries of trying to orchestrate coup</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597729-georgia-foreign-agents-bill-nato/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597729-georgia-foreign-agents-bill-nato/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646219485f54050ea6cbaa8.jpg" /> European politicians joining protests in Georgia are seeking to overthrow the country’s government, its parliament speaker has said <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597729-georgia-foreign-agents-bill-nato/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The participation of foreign officials in an anti-government rally is unacceptable, the parliament speaker said
The participation of politicians from NATO countries in anti-government rallies in Tbilisi is a hostile step aimed at overthrowing the Georgian government, parliamentary chairman Shalva Papuashvili has said.
The statement comes as foreign ministers from Iceland, Lithuania and Estonia took part in a rally against the recently passed ‘foreign agents’ bill on Wednesday. The ministers, who arrived in Tbilisi to discuss the controversial law with the country’s government, were later seen addressing a crowd of protesters at the parliament building. 
“Addressing a rally of exalted youth, led by the radical opposition parties against the government, and calling them the ‘whole nation’ is something that you … would not expect from a foreign minister of an EU member state,” Papuashvili argued in a post issued on Thursday on X (formerly Twitter). 
“Some in the governments of our Baltic partners have been carried away a bit too much by their own rhetoric,” he added.
Papuashvili recalled that the Georgian government has proven its “commitment to European and Euro-Atlantic values and policies,” adding that “now, with [the] ever-elusive prospect of NATO membership amidst the regional geopolitical turmoil, Georgia has to deal with dramatic foreign challenges mostly on its own.”
He mentioned “unaccountable foreign money,” which he said flows freely into Georgia’s political system, including radical groups, claiming the new legislation on transparency in relation to foreign influence is intended to deal with this challenge.
Papuashvili suggested that those who are protesting against the legislation are affected by it. “Foreign dignitaries joining these protests, in blatant disregard of Georgia’s sovereignty and diplomatic practice, in the name of ‘democracy and human rights’, is hypocrisy at best, and subversion at worst,” he concluded.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597601-us-sanctions-georgia-foreign-agents-law/">US threatens NATO applicant with sanctions</a></figcaption>
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On Tuesday, the Georgian parliament passed the law on foreign agents at the third and final reading of the legislation, despite massive street protests and criticism from Western governments.
Officially titled ‘On the Transparency of Foreign Influence’, the bill would require Georgian non-profit organizations, media outlets and individuals that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as entities “promoting the interests of a foreign power,” as well as disclosing their income and donors. Refusal to do so will be punishable by a fine of up to $9,500.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has expressed support for the demonstrators and vowed to veto the bill. However, the move would be mostly symbolic as a presidential veto can be overridden by a simple majority in parliament.
The US and EU have criticized the proposal, claiming that it would complicate the work of many foreign NGOs. Brussels has warned Tbilisi that it could lose its EU candidate status if it passed the bill.
The head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mamuka Mdinaradze, has argued that the new bill was necessary to protect the country from foreign-funded protests, radical political parties, and propagandistic media.









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<title>France blames ex-Soviet republic for unrest in South Pacific</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597742-new-caledonia-france-riots-azerbaijan-involvement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597742-new-caledonia-france-riots-azerbaijan-involvement/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66461c332030272e0a441c74.jpg" /> Paris has accused Azerbaijan of playing a role in the violent protests in New Caledonia over constitutional reform <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597742-new-caledonia-france-riots-azerbaijan-involvement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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Azerbaijan’s parliament earlier recognized New Caledonia’s right to self-determination, sparking accusations of promoting separatism

Azerbaijan played a role in the protests over constitutional reform in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has claimed. 
Violence erupted earlier this week in the French Pacific territory, one of the few areas still under Paris’ control in the post-colonial era, leaving at least five people dead, including two police officers. 
The protests were sparked by a proposal by lawmakers in Paris to give French residents who have lived in New Caledonia for ten years the right to vote in the province. The initiative sparked fears that the votes of the indigenous Kanak people, who make up 40% of the archipelago’s population, could be diluted.
Asked on Thursday whether he believes Azerbaijan, China, or Russia are meddling in New Caledonia’s affairs, Darmanin pointed the finger at Baku. “It’s not a fantasy, it’s a reality,” the minister said, adding that “some of the Caledonian separatists made a deal with Azerbaijan.”
The post-Soviet republic is located around 14,000km from New Caledonia.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597712-france-sends-troops-new-caledonia/">France sends troops on 16,000km mission to quell unrest (VIDEOS)</a></figcaption>
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Last month, however, Azerbaijan’s parliament and New Caledonia’s congress signed a memorandum of cooperation in which Baku recognized the local population’s right to self-determination. Following the move, Darmanin accused Azerbaijan of supporting separatism on its territory and suggested that Baku was using tensions in the region to respond to France’s “defense of Armenians” who he said were “massacred” by the Azerbaijanis.
Baku has vehemently denied allegations of fostering separatism in New Caledonia, claiming that all insinuations about Azerbaijani interference are baseless.
In April, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada rejected claims of ethnic cleansing among Armenians, telling Darmanin that he “should not forget that as part of the colonial policy... [France] has committed crimes against humanity with respect to local peoples and brutally murdered millions of innocent people.”
Relations between France and Azerbaijan have been in a tailspin since Baku’s major military operation in the turbulent region of Karabakh in autumn 2023, which was condemned by Paris. Baku managed to regain control over the predominantly Armenian region, which broke away from Azerbaijan in the waning days of the Soviet Union, triggering a mass exodus of refugees from the area.
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<title>Ukrainians who work for betting company shielded from draft – media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597733-ukraine-draft-western-firms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597733-ukraine-draft-western-firms/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664609b72030275923317778.jpg" /> Employees of some non-essential companies in Ukraine are exempt from military conscription, according to a document published by an MP <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597733-ukraine-draft-western-firms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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An internal document listing conscription exemptions has been published by an MP who is unhappy with the decision
The Ukrainian government has granted mobilization exemptions to workers who do not appear to qualify as essential for a country at war, according to a document released by a member of parliament on Thursday, various outlets reported.
Update: Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Sviridenko wrote on Facebook on Thursday that, “due to the public backlash,” she had “canceled the order on exemptions” and that each case would be examined individually.
Ukrainian lawmaker Aleksandr Fedienko obtained the document produced last month by the Ministry of Economy. It names several companies whose employees are shielded from the draft. Examples include a sport betting-related concern and several businesses that have foreign owners.
The list includes ‘Favbet Tek’. FavBet is a major gambling operation in Ukraine, and the mentioned firm is believed to be providing it with IT services.
The local branch of the transnational American payment system Visa is also included, as is the Spanish-based courier service Glovo.
Another is AgriChain, an IT subsidiary of the Cyprus-registered Ukrainian agriculture giant Astarta. The Canadian holding Fairfax owns roughly a third of the latter, according to its website.
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.04/thumbnail/6620fec02030272c0058bb55.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Arnulf Damerau in 2017." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/596166-ukraine-gambling-investor-extortion/">Western tycoon claims Zelensky associates trying to extort millions of euros</a></figcaption>
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The list also includes an advertising agency and a single entry that seems to be defense-related – a firm making military equipment.
Fadienko, who sits on the parliamentary commission for digital transformation, said he released the document to highlight what he believes are misguided government rules for which businesses get to keep their employees. Communications companies do not get such protection and have been drained of personnel, he explained.
”They have no one to run around, doing repairs and changing batteries. The remaining workers refuse to go out, because they have no exemptions,” he said, referring to the risk of being caught by a conscription patrol on the street.
Ukraine is bracing for a radical change to its military system this month. The new rules are intended to boost mobilization rates by introducing harsh punishments for draft avoidance and imposing new responsibility on citizens to report their details to conscription offices.
The government and its Western backers claim that hundreds of thousands of people need to be drafted to relieve frontline troops. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the mobilization drive “a difficult decision, but a necessary one” during his visit to Kiev this week.
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READ MORE: Blinken tells Ukrainians to embrace conscription
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Multiple reports in Western media say the Ukrainian public is largely reluctant to heed the call to take up arms. In early May, Russia estimated that Ukrainian military losses this year alone had surpassed 111,000.]]>
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<enclosure url="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/664609b72030275923317778.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="123"/> <pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2024 14:15:54 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>RT</dc:creator>
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<title>Moscow to restrict construction of micro flats – media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/russia/597734-moscow-bans-micro-flats/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/russia/597734-moscow-bans-micro-flats/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646049f85f540655e5e3b13.jpg" /> Moscow plans to limit construction of micro-flats in line with the government’s new social development goals <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597734-moscow-bans-micro-flats/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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All newly built housing must be above the minimum size limit of 28 square meters

The city of Moscow may limit the construction of buildings containing so-called micro-flats, local news agencies reported on Thursday, citing an official letter sent to property developers. This follows an announcement last week by President Vladimir Putin of housing targets as part of the government’s new social development goals.  
The document circulated by Moskomexpertiza, the government body that oversees construction and pricing in the capital, reportedly noted that Russia’s Housing Code sets a minimum size limit of 28 square meters for an apartment to be suitable for residential purposes.   
The current levels of housing construction in Moscow, coupled with the targets set out in a Presidential decree mean that “deviation from the established size limit of apartments is prohibited,” the letter states, as quoted by RIA Novosti. The ban will not affect projects that were approved before May 7, it adds.  
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<img src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/663b60c5203027127d055212.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin." />
<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/597215-puring-national-development-goals/">Putin updates Russia’s national development goals</a></figcaption>
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Last week, President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to improve living conditions in the country. The aim is for there to be sufficient housing for each city dweller to have a minimum living space of 33 square meters by 2030 and 38 by 2036.   
Real estate experts point out that micro-flats have been highly popular in Moscow in recent years, especially among young adults.   
Apartments smaller than 28 square meters currently make up 15% of the total amount of housing for sale in new developments, the highest rate ever, TASS news agency cited Pavel Lutsenko, the head of real estate database ‘Mir kvartir’ as saying. The Moscow city government introduced the 28-meter limit to avoid a shortage of parking spaces and ensure access to schooling, he suggested.  
Micro flats have also proved a growing trend in other capitals, such as London. According to the British government standards, the minimum floor area for any new home should be 37 square meters. Yet micro flats as small as 19 square meters are allowed to be built. The average size of a purpose-built student accommodation in London is just over 13 square meters.
 




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<enclosure url="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/6646049f85f540655e5e3b13.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="123"/> <pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2024 14:08:27 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>RT</dc:creator>
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<title>‘Flesh-eating’ disease cases skyrocket in Japan – media</title>
<link><![CDATA[https://www.rt.com/news/597731-japan-deadly-disease-spreading/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS]]></link>
<guid>https://www.rt.com/news/597731-japan-deadly-disease-spreading/</guid>
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<![CDATA[<img alt="Preview" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66460fad85f5404ea44c6adc.jpg" /> Cases of a potentially deadly streptococcal toxic shock syndrome have hit a record high in Japan this year, NHK has reported <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597731-japan-deadly-disease-spreading/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>]]>
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The potentially deadly streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is spreading at a record pace this year, NHK has reported
Cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), a condition caused by a potentially deadly “flesh-eating” disease, are spreading at a record pace in Japan, public broadcaster NHK reported on Wednesday.
Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases has recorded about 801 cases of STSS this year, as of May 5. The figure is nearly three times higher than the infections recorded in the same period last year. In the first three months of this year alone Japan reported over 500 cases of STSS, data showed.
The syndrome, which has a fatality rate of up to 30%, happens when the infection spreads throughout the body. The bacterium has been dubbed ‘flesh-eating’ for causing necrosis of limbs and multiple organ failures, experts say. The symptoms caused by STSS include sore throat, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy. Clinicians warn that infections can occur via open wounds.
The virus mostly affects people in their thirties or older. In some cases, the disease can turn deadly, especially among elderly people, according to medics.
The cases in Japan are linked to a particular strain of group A Streptococcus called M1UK, medical experts say. This strain is considered highly transmissible and has been on the rise worldwide over the past few years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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<figcaption><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/597719-covid-new-variant-russia-not-detected/">No Covid FLiRT variants detected in Russia – watchdog</a></figcaption>
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In Japan cases of the disease are surging at a faster pace than they did last year, when the number of infected patients reached 941, which was the highest figure ever registered in the country, NHK reported.
In March, the surge in STSS cases reportedly led the North Korean football team to abruptly cancel a World Cup qualifier match in Japan, according to Reuters.
The disease is not a respiratory illness like pneumonia or Covid-19, so it is unlikely to lead to a pandemic situation, Hitoshi Honda, an infectious disease professor at Fujita Health University, told the outlet in March.
“This is a droplet infection,” Honda said. “Hand hygiene is extremely important for preventing invasive streptococcal infections.”
The reason for the skyrocketing spread of the infection is not clear, Japanese medical authorities say. But experts note that the number of strep throat cases has risen in Japan since anti-Covid measures were eased.
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<enclosure url="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.05/thumbnail/66460fad85f5404ea44c6adc.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="123"/> <pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2024 14:04:46 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>RT</dc:creator>
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