The US Senate Armed Services Committee has vowed to scrutinize the alleged incident
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has lambasted the Washington Post after it alleged that he had ordered military units to “kill everybody” on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean in early September.
High-ranking members of the US Senate Armed Services Committee have said it will scrutinize the alleged incident.
Over the past few months, the US has amassed over a dozen warships and some 15,000 military personnel off the coast of Venezuela as part of its Operation Southern Spear, which is ostensibly directed against “narcoterrorists.”
US President Donald Trump has refused to rule out military action in the South American country. Caracas has consistently denied any involvement with drug traffickers.
In a post on X on Saturday, Hegseth wrote that “as usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.”
He did not deny the allegations outright, saying that “these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be lethal, kinetic strikes.”
“Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization,” the secretary added.
In a report earlier on Saturday, the Washington Post, citing anonymous sources “with direct knowledge of the operation,” claimed that Hegseth gave the order to “kill everybody” on a boat that was destroyed on September 2. The attack allegedly claimed the lives of all eleven people aboard.
According to the newspaper, since then, the US military has hit at least 22 more vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, killing another 71 alleged drug smugglers.
Late on Friday, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican Senator Roger Wicker issued a statement along with Democratic members of the committee, saying that they “take seriously the reports of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the SOUTHCOM region and are taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, US President Trump proclaimed the “airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety.”
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has characterized Trump’s remark as a “colonialist threat.”
Read more
November 30, 2025 at 03:46AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Local councils reportedly fear the move could trigger a surge in homelessness applications to a system already under heavy strain
Ukrainian immigrants risk losing their housing in Scotland as the government considers scrapping monthly “thank‑you” payments to hosts, the Daily Mail has reported. One Scottish host said they received a council letter asking for views on the payments ending.
More than 4.3 million Ukrainians have received temporary protection in the EU since 2022, including around 28,000 in Scotland. Across Europe, support for hosting Ukrainians has waned. In October, the European Commission told Kiev that the temporary protection scheme would not extend beyond March 2027, and several EU states have already cut assistance.
“We got a letter from the council, asking what we thought of the ‘thank you’ payments coming to an end. They asked if we would require our guest to leave, which we would never do. But others may not be so lucky,” one host told Daily Mail on Sunday.
Under the previous UK Conservative government, the “Homes for Ukraine” scheme provided hosts with £350 (around $440) a month, rising to £500 after a year. Scotland now follows the UK‑wide flat rate of £350. The alleged change appears to be specific to Scotland, where local councils oversee the scheme and warn it could drive a surge in homelessness applications.
Eurostat recently reported an increase in fighting‑age Ukrainian men entering the EU after Vladimir Zelensky eased travel restrictions for males aged 18 to 22. Ukraine’s military is under mounting strain as outflows of service‑age men deepen manpower shortages at home.
Several European countries have scaled back support. Poland, hosting at least 2.5 million Ukrainians, will provide welfare for only one more year, President Karol Nawrocki announced. Earlier, Warsaw tightened access to benefits amid broader discontent across the EU.
In Germany, newly arriving Ukrainians will, from April 2025, receive the lower asylum‑seekers’ allowance instead of the higher Bürgergeld, ending preferential treatment for new arrivals.
In the UK, media reports say authorities have increasingly refused long‑term protection or asylum claims from Ukrainians, arguing that western regions of Ukraine are now safe.
Across the Atlantic, around 200,000 Ukrainians in the US could lose legal status amid President Donald Trump’s border‑security crackdown, Reuters reported, citing internal government data.
Read more
November 30, 2025 at 01:59AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
If Andrey Yermak’s downfall allows Kiev to focus on ending the war, he will have rendered his country one selfless service
Andrey Yermak, longstanding head of Zelensky’s administration in Kiev (officially known as the Presidential Office) has fallen.
After being subjected to a long-overdue – and probably not very surprising – search of his premises by the special anti-corruption agencies NABU (think of it as Ukraine’s graft police) and SAPO (that would be the graft prosecutor), Yermak has lost his job.
As sometimes happens on such occasions, he may also have gotten quite drunk. At least that’s how a social media post by him read, where he mightily pitied himself and announced his departure for “the front.” They’ll be so relieved in the cold, wet dug-outs of collapsing Pokrovsk to hear that a pasty desk jockey in habitually crumpled fatigues is coming to their rescue. Not.
While he has not (yet) been officially charged, no one in Ukraine doubts that the trigger for Yermak’s come-uppance is a whole tangle of currently exploding corruption scandals that are so wild they are shaking even Ukrainian politics, as Moscow has noted correctly: There is the Energoatom con (or, as they say in Ukraine, “Mindichgate” – after another very, very close friend of Zelensky, Timur Mindich), where Yermak features as “Ali Baba” in the pertinent wiretaps. Linked to Mindichgate is the “Dynasty” elite real estate (really, palaces) and money laundering scheme. Make no mistake, all of this is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. In particular, the defense sector will prove a bottomless abyss of literally lethal corruption.
Last but not least, there are persistent and extremely plausible rumors that Yermak has, in effect, obstructed justice by sabotaging the investigations which have now done him in and was about to do so again. But, as Lenin used to say, “who, whom?” Or, as the English say, this time, the anti-graft cops got their retaliation in first.
The second-most-powerful man in the country after past-best-by-date President Vladimir Zelensky – and some speculate that Yermak was already overshadowing his own boss and close partner – was brought down by not one but a whole cluster of sleaze scandals! That, you may think, can’t be topped.
But this is the Zelensky regime, and yes, they can! This is even worse than it looks at first glance because Yermak was not merely the head of the presidential administration, which is officially Kiev’s single most powerful institution. More importantly, Yermak has also been the central organizer and enforcer of the Zelensky regime as a political machine, sleaze, pressure tactics, purges and all. Beyond that, even Western mainstream media have long picked up on the extremely close relationship between the two men “sleep[ing] near each other” in the bunker under the presidential offices, “unwind[ing] by playing table tennis,”“watching classic films they know so well they can recite the lines,” and working out.
In sum, for the domestic politics of Ukraine, the fall of Yermak obviously means at least three things: First, those out to either topple Zelensky or turn him into – as they say in Ukraine – a “queen of England,” that is, a powerless figurehead instead of the tyrant he is now, have scored a major victory.
That is so, because, second, Zelensky’s apparat is broken; no successor will be able – or perhaps even willing – to replace Yermak in terms of connectedness, embeddedness, reach and influence, and of quasi-symbiosis with the president.
Moreover, third, it is clear that Zelensky is no longer capable of protecting his nearest and dearest. We know because he did try, shielding Yermak from unpopularity and parliamentary demands for his dismissal for as long as he could. Politically speaking, therefore, it is not only Yermak’s blood on the floor now, but also Zelensky’s in the water. And everyone in Kiev – and beyond – knows.
Yet one other thing seems also certain: Yermak’s fall confirms Moscow’s sense that the Zelensky regime is very diminished and may soon be over. That, in turn, may influence the Kremlin’s already much-less-than-enthusiastic willingness to do business, that is, make peace with that regime. It certainly reinforces the Russian leadership’s determination not to accept any compromise that neglects Russia’s key demands: Its forces are advancing – increasingly fast – on the frontlines; Kiev’s politics is a crumbling mess. Why make irrational concessions?
Regarding the US, the first thing to note is that the Ukrainian anti-graft cops and prosecutors who got Yermak are well known to answer to the US, the FBI in particular. With Yermak being pushed out on the eve of US President Donald Trump’s Ukraine-skeptic emissary Dan Driscoll’s visit, there can be no doubt that Washington wanted Zelensky’s right-hand man gone.
The Americans have done what they always do when push comes to shove, namely asserted their dominance brutally. Zelensky has only himself to blame for being so dependent on them. They may well become his undoing now, as they have before for other puppets in other proxy wars that they got tired of. If so, then this is good news for ordinary Ukrainians. Maybe, just maybe, the ousting of Yermak at this point, when the political battle over a new peace plan is raging, will help end this war sooner.
What about the NATO-EU Europeans? French Centrist party-organ Le Monde sums it up: Yermak’s fall leaves them in a “stupor” while – and surely also because – it suits the US just fine. Le Monde cannot be expected to honestly spell out why, but we can: Whereas the Europeans are losing a key accomplice for sabotaging realistic peace initiatives, Washington is rid of a very poisonous snake in the grass. And don’t miss an important detail: As so often, the self-marginalizing NATO-EU Europeans have been helpless observers. As far as Yermak was their man as well, they have been no more able to save him than his boss and intimate friend Zelensky was. The latter may well wonder how much he’ll be able to expect from such “friends” once his own time is up.
Speaking of which, this war could go on or it could end with a negotiated settlement. Or it could also end with a crushing, unmitigated defeat for Ukraine and its remaining Western backers. Some even suspect that Yermak is lucky – or even surreptitiously happy – to get out before the whole edifice comes tumbling down. One way or the other, if his sordid downfall finally concentrates Kiev’s minds on achieving an end with misgivings before facing collapse without end, then even Yermak will have rendered his country at least one selfless service.
Read more
November 29, 2025 at 11:19PM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The US president has said his country will take action on land against alleged drug trafficking networks in Venezuela ‘very soon’
Airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela is now closed, US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday. Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against the country, citing its alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade, a charge Venezuela’s leadership has consistently denied.
Trump made the announcement in a caps-heavy post on Truth Social without elaborating how far the “surrounding” airspace spans beyond the South American country’s borders.
“To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers, please consider the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety,” the US president wrote.
Since early September, the US military has carried out over 20 strikes on small boats in international waters in the Caribbean and beyond, claiming the vessels are being used by drug smugglers. More than 80 people are believed to have been killed in the attacks, according to media reports.
In mid-November, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the launch of Operation Southern Spear against “narcoterrorists” in the region. The US military brought over a dozen warships and some 15,000 personnel into the region as part of the operation.
Trump has repeatedly accused Caracas of aiding “narcoterrorists,” alleging that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is personally leading a major drug trafficking organization. Recently, Washington also increased its bounty on Maduro to a massive $50 million.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Read more
November 29, 2025 at 03:31AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Experts called for a stronger global response and the balanced regulation of emerging technology at the international discussion forum
Cybersecurity and artificial intelligence were named critical to the future development of global society at the latest session of the Dialog international discussion club, which was held in the Russian city of Vladimir.
The meeting took place on Saturday at the campus of the Russian Presidential Academy in Vladimir, where Vyacheslav Kartukhin, the head of the institution, addressed attendees. The event brought together representatives from academia, the IT sector, and government agencies.
The first panel examined who ultimately governs the digital space - artificial intelligence or humans - and whether regulation can be introduced without restricting freedoms.
”Fraudsters operate with increasing sophistication across countries, and cybercrime schemes change constantly, so it is crucial to share expertise,” said Kartukhin, who is also the president of the club.
Elina Sidorenko, a member of the Russian presidential human rights council, said AI-driven cyber offenses are rising sharply worldwide. “Today AI makes it easier to carry out illegal activity and accelerates criminal intent many times over,” she added.
According to Interpol’s 2024 Global Cybercrime Assessment, worldwide financial losses from cybercrime exceeded $13 trillion, with AI‑assisted attacks among the fastest-growing threats. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) reported a 35% rise in AI-driven phishing and deepfake fraud over the past year. Beyond financial losses, cyber incidents increasingly target critical infrastructure, healthcare, and government services.
Sidorenko said the discussion club was becoming an important platform for international experts to address complex issues and develop approaches to cybersecurity. She added that Russia had long pushed for stronger international cooperation and pointed to the UN Convention on Cybercrime, signed in late October in Hanoi, Vietnam as a confirmation of that effort.
The convention, drafted with Russia’s involvement, is reportedly the first global agreement aimed at preventing, investigating and combating cybercrime.
Founded in November 2022, Dialog serves as an international forum for discussing social, economic, humanitarian, scientific, educational, and cultural issues. Its members include public figures, academics, and experts from Russia, China, India, Central Asia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and several African countries.
Read more
November 29, 2025 at 03:22AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
An ever-widening scandal has toppled a Zelensky ally, with major news outlets describing the situation as a crisis
Andrey Yermak has resigned as chief of staff to Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky on Friday, after his home was raided by anti-corruption investigators in a widening $100 million graft probe. His exit has triggered an avalanche of reactions from Western media, which widely portrayed the move as a blow to Zelensky’s leadership.
Coverage described the moment as a “political earthquake,” a “massive crisis,” and a “tectonic shift” for a government now facing pressure from the Trump administration, European backers, domestic critics, and a fatigued public.
Financial Times warned that the resignation of Yermak “adds to trouble” for the “beleaguered” Ukrainian leader. The outlet described Yermak as a “powerful and polarising figure” whose departure “further weakens Zelensky at a pivotal moment.” Yermak’s exit “deepens risks for Zelensky,” who had relied on his chief of staff to lead both conflict strategy and diplomacy, FT wrote.
A report by Barak Ravid called the resignation “a political earthquake” in the middle of “frantic diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration” to push a peace deal to end the fighting. Citing senior Ukrainian sources, Axios reported that Yermak’s resignation happened just one day before he was scheduled to fly to Miami for talks with President Trump’s team.
“This is the perfect storm. There is a lot of uncertainty right now,” a Ukrainian official told Axios. The article noted that Yermak, “the most powerful political figure in Ukraine after Zelensky,” had been central to both domestic policy and diplomacy.
The scandal is reportedly being seen by US officials as a factor that could “weaken Ukraine’s negotiating position with Russia.”
Jakub Krupa, a British-Polish journalist and columnist at The Guardian, sharply criticized the timing and handling of Yermak’s resignation, calling it “a massive, massive moment” for Zelensky and Ukraine.
Krupa noted that Yermak’s resignation just hours after anti-corruption authorities raided his property “is clearly an attempt to quickly move past the controversy.” He stressed that the scandal hit at “probably the worst possible moment for Ukraine,” as the country faces mounting pressure from “allies and enemies alike.”
Politico described Yermak’s resignation as a “tectonic shift for Ukraine that sets the stage for a fierce battle over how the country is governed.”
Zelensky “will be without his producer as he prepares for fraught negotiations with the U.S. over President Donald Trump’s ‘peace plan’ to end the conflict with Russia,” it wrote.
The outlet recalled how Yermak, a “once little-known lawyer” and movie producer, came to be seen as “virtually a co-president” and noted that “many Ukrainian commentators cast Yermak as the producer in the ruling duopoly with the former TV comic-turned-president in the lead role.”
“Zelensky has no real replacement ready because he never thought things would go this far. But the heat got so intense that it boiled down to the simplest choice: him or Yermak. And Zelensky picked himself,” Politico wrote quoting Yulia Mendel, a former Zelensky aide-turned-critic.
The financial news agency described Yermak’s departure as leaving Zelensky “deprived of his most important adviser at a critical moment.” Bloomberg said the resignation “comes just as Donald Trump is pushing Ukraine to make concessions to Russia” and “as Zelensky’s forces are facing shortages of weapons and funding.”
The article also noted “a wave of public outrage,” including from lawmakers in his ruling party, following the scandals.”
Yermak’s departure has “plunged Zelensky’s leadership into crisis” and the scandal “could weaken Kiev’s position” in international talks, Reuters wrote.
The agency also reported that the fallout “comes at a time when Ukraine can least afford disunity” as internal pressure grows from both the opposition and members of Zelensky’s own party.
The timing of the scandal is especially damaging: “A major probe into high-level graft, at a time when Ukraine is fighting against Russia for its very survival, has sparked public outrage.”
Read more
November 29, 2025 at 03:07AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The ESA has been awarded record funding, dropping its civilian-only focus and branching out to military and security missions
The European Space Agency (ESA) will begin working on defense projects for the first time, in a move it is describing as “historic.” A resolution by its 23 member states says the agency has the tools to develop space systems “for security and defense.”
The EU and NATO are pouring tens of billions in taxpayer and borrowed money into supporting defense firms and churning out weapons, claiming Russia poses an imminent threat. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that EU leaders are inflating the alleged danger to push their own political agendas and funnel cash into the arms industry.
Next year’s budget allocates a record €22.1 billion (around $24 billion) to the ESA for the next three years. Its member states include virtually all European NATO countries, as well as non‑NATO members such as Switzerland and Austria.
The new budget is a sharp rise from the previous €17 billion. Germany is the top contributor with €5 billion, followed by France and Italy at over €3 billion each.
According to ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, Poland was instrumental in promoting the agency’s new strategic direction. He confirmed that Warsaw is currently in discussions to host a new ESA center dedicated to security-focused projects.
Across the EU, defense budgets are surging as Brussels and its allies push for rearmament under the banner of security. The European Commission’s ‘ReArm Europe’ plan aims to pour hundreds of billions into joint weapons procurement and infrastructure, while member states have boosted arms purchases by nearly 40% in just one year. Research and development spending is also up sharply, signaling a full-speed shift toward a greater military focus.
Read more
November 29, 2025 at 01:27AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The two leaders are expected to discuss energy security and the Ukraine conflict
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has arrived in Russia for an unannounced visit centered on energy security, with talks scheduled later in the day with President Vladimir Putin.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto shared news of the arrival on Friday, posting a photo of members of the delegation disembarking a plane in Moscow.
Speaking to reporters before departing Budapest early in the morning, Orban said his priority is ensuring that Hungary continues to receive sufficient supplies.
“I am traveling to Moscow so that Hungary’s energy supply is secured for the winter and for the following year, at an affordable price,” he stated, adding that the Ukraine conflict is an issue that “can hardly be avoided” when he meets with Putin.
Read more
November 28, 2025 at 12:09AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
A US-based advocacy group is seeking a court order to bar the tech giant from misleading consumers over its DR Congo minerals supply chain
A US human rights group has sued Apple in Washington, accusing the tech giant of falsely assuring consumers that minerals used in its devices are responsibly sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and free of child labor.
International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) filed the case on Tuesday in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia under the city’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act.
In a press statement on Wednesday, IRAdvocates alleged that Apple’s cobalt and tantalum supply chains remain tied to forced and child labor, environmental damage, corruption and conflict in DR Congo and neighboring Rwanda, despite the company’s claims about “100% recycled cobalt” and rigorous traceability.
“We are bringing this lawsuit… to hold Apple accountable for misleading the public and profiting from human rights abuses in its supply chain,” IRAdvocates Executive Director Terrence Collingsworth said.
According to the organization, Apple’s cobalt suppliers include Anglo-Swiss multinational Glencore, which has pleaded guilty to bribery charges in the US and faced a nearly $900 million tax penalty in DR Congo, and Chinese firm Huayou Cobalt, whose “subsidiary operates artisanal mines rife with forced labor.”
The Central African country is the world’s leading producer of cobalt, a key component in batteries used in most consumer electronics, including mobile phones and electric vehicles. This is not the first time Apple has been dragged into court over minerals from DR Congo, which has been plagued by decades of violence in the east linked to dozens of armed groups fighting the government for resources.
Earlier this year, Belgium launched an investigation into allegations that the company manufactures its gadgets with “blood minerals,” after international lawyers representing the Congolese government filed complaints in France and Belgium in December 2024.
Apple has said it “strongly disputes” the allegations and told suppliers in 2024 to stop sourcing certain minerals from Congo and Rwanda. In France, prosecutors have dismissed the case, citing a lack of evidence.
IRAdvocates previously sued Tesla, Apple, and other tech companies over cobalt sourcing, but US courts dismissed that case last year. In its latest legal action, the group is seeking to bar Apple from “engaging in deceptive marketing and advertising.”
Read more
November 27, 2025 at 11:13PM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Leadership in military technology is a top priority, the president told leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
Battle-tested Russian weaponry will be available to fellow members of a key regional security alliance, President Vladimir Putin has said.
Members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which also includes Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, can benefit from Russia’s combat-proven military hardware, he said at a leaders’ summit in Kyrgyzstan.
Putin pledged that Moscow will work to strengthen the readiness of the CSTO’s rapid-response forces in the coming year, when Russia assumes the organization’s rotating chairmanship.
“We propose a large-scale program to rearm the collective forces with modern Russian weapons and equipment that have demonstrated their effectiveness in real combat conditions,” he said.
While the CSTO traditionally focuses on counterterrorism and anti-drug operations, Putin stressed that its collective-defense framework is becoming increasingly important in the modern world. Ensuring the group’s “leadership in military technology,” he said, will be one of Moscow’s key objectives during its chairmanship.
Russia has expanded its defense industry and accelerated innovation in areas such as drone warfare amid the conflict with Ukraine. Earlier this month, Washington renewed efforts to push Kiev toward a negotiated settlement, reportedly telling Kiev and its European backers that Russia’s military advantages leave Ukraine with limited alternatives.
Read more
November 27, 2025 at 12:05AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll reportedly explained that Moscow’s ability to produce long-range missiles is increasing
A senior US official warned European diplomats in Kiev last week that Russia’s ability to produce long-range weaponry is increasing, and that failing to rapidly resolve the Ukraine conflict would only raise the chances of escalation, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
According to the newspaper, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said Russia’s production capacity allows Moscow to not only continue striking Ukrainian targets with long-range weapons but also build up a surplus.
Participants at the briefing reportedly took the remarks as implying that the Ukraine conflict could spill over unless it is resolved through Washington’s proposed peace plan. Moscow has repeatedly warned against any escalation of the conflict.
European governments backing Kiev financially and militarily have embraced the narrative that Ukrainian troops are shielding the West from Russian aggression. Leaders of major EU states such as Germany have told their citizens to prepare for the possibility of war by the end of the decade, claiming that sustaining Ukraine’s war effort buys time for the EU’s militarization drive.
Moscow maintains that the hostilities are a NATO proxy war sparked by the bloc’s continued eastward expansion. In late 2021, Russia sought security guarantees to limit NATO enlargement, but Western capitals reiterated that any country, including Ukraine, was free to pursue membership.
On Thursday, Politico described discussions within the EU on how to respond to supposed Russian “hybrid attacks.” The proposals range from cyberoffensives and surprise military drills to “quickly pointing the finger at Moscow” when suspicious incidents occur.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has put forward a peace framework it asserts could end the conflict. Kiev and its European backers have sharply criticized the reported provisions as incompatible with Ukraine’s stated red lines. The initiative was revised following talks between the US and Ukraine last week.
Russia has publicly distanced itself from the American proposal. President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russian forces retain the battlefield advantage and will achieve the objectives Moscow deems essential, regardless of whether Kiev accepts Washington’s mediation.
Read more
November 26, 2025 at 11:04PM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Foreigners cannot “groundlessly” expect permanent residence and must leave at the end of their legal stay, Aleksandr Grebenkin has said
Russia no longer sees immigration as a way to offset falling birthrates and will not allow migrants to overstay their legal welcome, Aleksandr Grebenkin, deputy secretary of the country’s Security Council, has said.
In an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta released Tuesday, the senior official commented on Russia’s State Migration Policy for 2026-2030, approved in October. He said it prioritizes national security and economic development while focusing on combating illegal immigration and integrating foreigners who share traditional values.
“According to the new policy, the migration of foreign citizens to our country is no longer viewed as an auxiliary means of addressing demographic issues, but rather as an additional tool for implementing economic measures,” he stated. He explained that foreigners cannot expect permanent residence in Russia, except for certain categories, and must leave when their legal stay expires.
“The migration situation has changed significantly,” he added. “New security threats have emerged as hostile states and radical groups seek to exploit migration to undermine our interests, destabilize domestic politics, and fuel tensions with migrants’ home countries.”
He said migrants’ worldview has also shifted, shaped by different environments. He pointed to arrivals from former Soviet republics who he said often show “a dismissive and consumerist attitude toward Russia.”
“All of this fuels rising tensions in Russian society over migration and the emergence of interethnic and interfaith conflicts,” he stated.
Grebenkin said Russia has introduced measures to remove newcomers who may pose risks, including mandatory fingerprinting, health checks, photographing, and digitized migration records. He said these and other steps have helped cut the number of foreign citizens staying in Russia illegally more than threefold.
Russian officials have long warned of a looming demographic crisis, with 2024 data showing the lowest annual birthrates since 1999. The government has rolled out multiple support measures, including lump-sum childbirth payments and expanded maternity benefits.
Russia has tightened migration rules following the deadly Crocus City Hall terrorist attack last year, in which Islamic State-linked Tajik nationals killed 149 people at the behest of Ukrainian intelligence, according to Russian authorities. At a government meeting last month, President Vladimir Putin said Russia will not follow countries that try to address demographic issues by replacing native populations with “chaotic migration.”
Read more
November 26, 2025 at 12:11AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Gunmen attacked a government school in Kebbi State last week, abducting 25 students
All 24 schoolgirls abducted from a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria have been rescued after more than a week in captivity, the authorities have confirmed.
The girls were taken hostage on November 17 when gunmen raided the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga village, Kebbi State. Two staff members at the school were killed during the attack, according to the West African country’s police. Officials initially reported that 25 girls had been seized, but later clarified that one student managed to slip away from the gunmen within moments of the raid.
In a statement on Tuesday, a special adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said the “Kebbi incident triggered some other copycat kidnappings in Eruku in Kwara State and Papiri in Niger State.”
He said Tinubu expressed relief “that all the 24 girls have been accounted for” and urged the deployment of more troops to “vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping.” The president also praised security forces for their “swift response” to the attack but did not say how the girls were freed.
Africa’s most populous nation has seen a surge in deadly attacks and abductions in recent days, a crisis that forced President Tinubu to cancel his trip to South Africa to attend the just concluded G20 Summit.
Last Friday, armed men stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, seizing more than 300 pupils and 12 teachers in one of Nigeria’s largest mass kidnappings in years. On Sunday, the Christian Association of Nigeria said 50 students escaped their captors over the weekend, while the others remain missing. Last week, 38 people were abducted and two others were killed in an assault on the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku. The government said all the kidnapped churchgoers were freed on Sunday.
In a separate post on X late on Tuesday, Tinubu said he has ordered a full security cordon over the forests in Kwara State in response to the kidnappings and acts of terrorism. “The Air Force is to maintain continuous surveillance over the most remote areas, synchronizing operations with ground units to effectively identify, isolate, disrupt, and neutralize all hostile elements,” he wrote.
Read more
November 25, 2025 at 11:25PM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The Namibian regional councilor is expected to win again after a landslide victory in 2020, Bild has reported
A Namibian regional politician Adolf Hitler Uunona, named after the Nazi leader but who rejects any link to his ideology, is running for re-election in northern Namibia, the German tabloid Bild reported on Tuesday.
The 59-year-old member of the ruling left-wing SWAPO party is standing again in the Ompundja constituency in the Oshana region, where regional elections are scheduled for November 26. Uunona, who has served as a councilor in the area since 2004, is widely expected to keep his seat after winning about 85% of the vote in 2020, the paper said.
Uunona first drew international attention that year, when his full name was picked up by international media during the election. He has said his father deliberately named him after Hitler but likely did not understand the full history of the Nazi leader. “My father named me after this man. He probably didn’t understand what Adolf Hitler stood for. As a child, I saw it as a totally normal name,” the Namibian said at the time.
He stressed that he absolutely does not support Nazi ideology. “Only as I grew up did I realize: This man wanted to subjugate the whole world. I have nothing to do with any of these things.”
Namibia, formerly known as German South West Africa, was a German colony from 1884 until South African forces seized the territory in 1915 during WWI. The territory remained under South African administration until independence in 1990, but German influence from the colonial era endures in place names and personal names. First names such as Adolf remain relatively common among the older generations.
Read more
November 25, 2025 at 12:26AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Robert James Purkiss is fighting extradition in a London court as Kenya pursues him over the 2012 killing of Agnes Wanjiru
A former British soldier accused of murdering a Kenyan woman more than a decade ago has been refused bail by a London court as he fights extradition to the East African country for trial.
Robert James Purkiss, 38, has been on remand since his arrest earlier this month by the UK National Crime Agency in Tidworth, Wiltshire, after the Kenyan authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in September.
On Monday, prosecutors told Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where Purkiss is facing extradition proceedings, that he confessed to at least one fellow soldier that he killed Agnes Wanjiru in March 2012.
Wanjiru, a 21-year-old mother of a five-month-old baby, was found in a septic tank near the Lions Court Hotel in Nanyuki, the town that hosts the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). She had reportedly spent the night partying with British soldiers, and a postmortem recorded a stab wound and other injuries.
Joel Smith, a lawyer representing Kenyan prosecutors, said Purkiss showed one soldier the septic tank where Wanjiru’s body was later discovered and later told another soldier that he killed her after “sex that went wrong,” Reuters reported.
The ex-soldier, however, “vehemently denies” the charges and has received funding from Britain’s Ministry of Defense toward his legal costs, according to British media.
Last week, Purkiss told the Daily Mail that he “did not kill Agnes Wanjiru.”
“I do not believe I ever met her either, neither would I joke about killing a woman. I only heard about the incident weeks later when I was on a military exercise in Canada,” he added.
The case has strained relations between Nairobi and London. In November 2023, BATUK asked the Kenyan High Court to throw out the lawsuit, arguing that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction. However, in September, the UK Defense Ministry pledged to help Wanjiru’s family receive justice.
BATUK has for decades faced allegations of abuse in Kenya, including torture, sexual violence, and environmental damage. In August, the UK agreed to pay £2.9 million ($3.77 million) in compensation to be shared among thousands of locals affected by a 2021 wildfire which was sparked during an army training exercise in Lolldaiga.
Read more
November 24, 2025 at 11:16PM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The move reflects an effort to pursue agreements reached between Lukashenko and Trump, Minsk has said
Minsk has released 31 Ukrainian citizens from detention in a “goodwill gesture” linked to ongoing engagement efforts between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his US counterpart, Donald Trump.
In a statement on Saturday, Lukashenko’s presidential press secretary Natalia Eismont announced that he had pardoned Ukrainians who had been convicted of criminal offenses in Belarus at the request of Kiev and in order to further the agreements he had reached with Trump.
She described the move as a “gesture of goodwill” guided by humanitarian principles, saying it “aims to create the conditions for resolving the armed conflict in the neighboring state,” and added that the group was being handed over to Ukraine “right now.”
According to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 31 civilians, both men and women, were returned from Belarus after serving sentences ranging from two to 11 years. It went on to thank Trump for his “fruitful work in returning Ukrainian civilians and military personnel from Belarus and Russia.”
Belarusian officials have not detailed the exact charges the 31 detainees faced, though previous media reports indicated that some had been suspected of “extremism” and espionage.
In addition, Lukashenko pardoned two Roman Catholic priests, Andrzej Juchniewicz and Henryk Okolotowicz, who had been convicted of serious crimes against the state. Eismont said the decision “was made at the request of Pope Leo XIV … as a gesture of goodwill,” citing mercy, humanism and the desire to develop relations with the Holy See.
In September, Lukashenko pardoned 52 prisoners, including several opposition activists who were serving lengthy prison sentences for organizing the 2020 riots, as well as those indicted on “extremist” charges.
The move followed Lukashenko’s meeting with a US delegation in Minsk, while Washington eased some sanctions on Belarus, including lifting restrictions on the state airline Belavia. Later the same month, the Belarusian leader pardoned another 25 detainees.
In June, Lukashenko also pardoned 14 detainees, mostly foreign citizens, including those from Poland and the US. The release coincided with the visit of Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy, to Belarus.
Read more
November 24, 2025 at 12:10AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
A similar sabotage attack in May claimed the lives of seven civilians
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has thwarted an alleged Ukrainian-sponsored attempt to derail a train in Siberia’s Altay Region, the agency announced on Monday.
According to the FSB, two men acting on behalf of a “terrorist group and in coordination with Ukrainian special services” were intercepted last week while attempting to install a derailment device near a bridge along the rail line between Novoaltaysk and Biysk. The line carries both passenger and cargo traffic, the statement read.
The suspects reportedly opened fire on FSB officers during the nighttime operation and were killed by return fire. They were identified as local residents who, according to the agency, supported Kiev and had agreed to carry out an attack in exchange for money.
Russian officials have accused Ukraine of conducting numerous sabotage operations targeting railroad infrastructure. In May, a passenger train was derailed in Bryansk Region after an explosion on a bridge, killing seven civilians. Investigators said identical foreign-made explosives were used in several coordinated attacks linked to Ukrainian intelligence.
Moscow has warned that Kiev is increasingly turning to terrorism as its military position worsens on the battlefield. The Ukrainian government is also under intense political pressure at home over a sweeping corruption scandal and from abroad, over a US-backed peace proposal that reportedly requires major concessions from Kiev while offering Vladimir Zelensky and his inner circle immunity from prosecution.
Read more
November 23, 2025 at 11:05PM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The proposal could “form the basis” of a culminating diplomatic settlement, President Vladimir Putin has said
US and Russia are preparing to discuss Washington’s proposed peace plan for the Ukraine conflict, the New York Times reported on Sunday, citing an anonymous official.
Washington presented Kiev with the proposal last week, giving Ukraine until Thursday to accept. Russia has received the draft, but has not yet discussed it with the US in detail, President Vladimir Putin has said.
Kiev’s delegation met for talks with key European NATO backers in Geneva on Sunday, with a US team meeting planned for later in the day, Vladimir Zelensky’s top aide Andrey Yermak has confirmed.
Plans for separate negotiations with Russia regarding the peace plan are “underway,” the Times cited a US official as saying.
If Zelensky accepts the proposal after Sunday’s talks, US special envoy Steve Witkoff could then take the peace plan to Russian President Vladimir Putin, NYT columnist David Ignatius wrote, citing anonymous officials.
The Kremlin has confirmed that it is in contact with Washington and is ready to receive Witkoff at any time.
Moscow has not received any new modifications or updates to the US peace plan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
After Ukraine’s Western European allies publicly declared themselves opposed to the current draft, the Kremlin stressed that it would not engage in “megaphone diplomacy” on the matter.
While the plan has not been made public, multiple outlets have reported that it includes clauses which Kiev and its European sponsors previously rejected, such as Ukraine abandoning its ambition to join NATO and downsizing its military.
Washington’s proposed peace plan will yield an end to the hostilities, Keith Kellogg has said
Washington is “very close” to helping broker an end to the conflict in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump’s envoy Keith Kellogg said in an interview with Fox News on Saturday, adding that Trump is determined to bring it to a close.
Washington presented Kiev last week with a new proposal for ending the conflict with Moscow, and urged Ukrainian officials to respond by Thursday. The proposed 28-point plan reportedly includes multiple clauses repeatedly refused by Kiev and its Western European backers, such as Ukraine giving up on its NATO aspirations, a withdraw from parts of Donbass still under Kiev’s control, and limiting the size of its armed forces.
US talks on the proposed peace plan began Sunday in Geneva with Ukrainian and Western European officials. A Russian delegation is not expected to take part, but consultations with American counterparts should be expected “very soon,” according to Reuters.
“In the military, we always say the last 10 meters to an objective are always the hardest to get to. We’re at the last two meters, we’re almost there” the envoy said.
On Thursday, Ukraine’s UN mission rejected several key clauses reportedly included in the plan. Deputy Permanent Representative Kristina Gayovishin said Kiev would “never recognize” any formerly Ukrainian territory as part of Russia.
Kellogg described Ukraine’s public position, including its refusal to acknowledge territorial losses, as “posturing.”“I hear what she is saying,” he said of Gayovishin, “but it’s part of their posture, and they need to make a smart decision.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the US plan is a revised version of a proposal drafted after his meeting with President Trump in Alaska. He added that Moscow has received the text but has not yet discussed it “in detail.”
The US submitted the plan as Zelensky’s legitimacy at home has been significantly undermined by a corruption scandal that involved his inner circle, while Ukrainian forces at the front have faced a series of setbacks.
President Trump said on Saturday that Zelensky can “continue to fight his little heart out” should he refuse the proposed peace plan to settle the conflict.
Read more
November 23, 2025 at 04:35AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Brussels has put forward its own conditions for an end to hostilities
The EU has reportedly rejected the Ukraine peace deal drafted by the White House, putting forward its own set of conditions for a potential agreement.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on Sunday as US officials were discussing Washington’s proposal with EU and Ukrainian representatives in Geneva, Switzerland.
The US had submitted its plan to both Moscow and Kiev earlier this week. The contents of the document have not been officially disclosed to the public.
Media outlets have claimed that, among other things, it calls upon Kiev to withdraw troops from the part of Russia’s Donbass it still controls, downsize its military, and shelve its NATO aspirations in exchange for Western security guarantees.
In a statement published on X, von der Leyen specifically rejected all those conditions. “We have agreed on the main elements necessary for a just and lasting peace and Ukraine's sovereignty,” she stated, adding that Ukraine’s borders cannot be changed “by force” and that no limitations can be placed on Kiev’s military.
The European Commission president also demanded that the EU play a central role “in securing peace for Ukraine” and that Kiev be allowed to join it.
On Saturday, Bloomberg reported that the EU was seeking to essentially rewrite the US plan by disguising major changes to it as “constructive updates.” The bloc was also reportedly trying to “buy Ukraine more time” and postpone the American deadline.
Trump had said earlier that Kiev has to accept the proposal by Thursday, November 27. Vladimir Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine was facing a choice between accepting “28 difficult points” or the risk of losing its “key partner” and enduring a “hard winter.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Moscow had received the American plan, adding that it could serve as “the basis of a final peace settlement” but has yet to be discussed “in detail.”
Read more
November 23, 2025 at 04:23AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Media earlier claimed the Palestinian militant group had told the US the truce with Israel was over
Reports that Hamas is ready to resume military operations in Gaza are fake, a member of the movement’s political bureau said on Saturday. He went on to accuse Israel of fabricating the claims.
According to earlier media reports, the Palestinian militant group told US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza had ended, citing repeated violations by Israel.
“Reports from Israeli sources that Hamas informed Witkoff the agreement had ended are false,” Izzat Al-Rishq said, according to several Middle East media outlets.
“Israel is reportedly manufacturing pretexts to evade the agreement and return to a campaign of destruction. It is the party that systematically breaches the ceasefire on a daily basis,” the official claimed.
The agreement, signed in Sharm el-Sheikh by Trump and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, is aimed at halting hostilities in Gaza following months of intense fighting. The peace deal called for Israel to withdraw from parts of the enclave and for Hamas to release 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday that West Jerusalem had conducted strikes in Gaza, killing five Hamas officials. He claimed that the strikes were in response to a breach of the truce by Hamas – a claim the group has denied.
In its latest statement, Hamas reportedly called on mediators and the US administration to intervene and ensure that Israel abides by the terms of the agreement.
At least 342 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza since the ceasefire came into force, according to local officials.
Israel launched its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave in response to a surprise attack by Hamas in October 2023, which killed 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. The Hamas-run Gaza health authorities report that the ensuing Israeli operations have killed more than 69,500 Palestinians.
Read more
November 23, 2025 at 02:09AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
That’s because Zelensky’s speech was clearly designed to allow for several mutually contradictory interpretations: Was it an attempt to prepare the ground for, in essence, accepting the plan, even though its opponents caricature it as Ukraine’s de facto capitulation? Is the real message, on the contrary, that Zelensky will try to persuade Washington to add conditions that will sink the plan, while blaming Russia? Or is the beleaguered Ukrainian leader really just playing for time and desperately casting about for options, testing the public mood at home and reactions abroad?
Yet one thing is certain, although it was hidden in plain sight: Zelensky’s address was sensational – and that is no hyperbole – because of what he chose not to say. Namely, “no.”
Zelensky could easily have reiterated Kiev’s traditional “red lines.” Indeed, Ukraine’s UN representative has just done so. But, as the important Ukrainian publication Strana.ua noted, Zelensky did not say a word about, for instance, joining NATO. He also did not reiterate the usual refusal to surrender territory that Russia has not yet occupied.
Instead, Zelensky belabored generalities which were wide open to divergent readings and even more divergent practical applications, such as the terms of his official oath of office and the notion that Ukraine’s national interest must be taken into account. Spin 101, really.
Above all, Zelensky belabored the conveniently vague and elastic idea of “dignity.” Again and again, he reassured his audience that, no matter what happens, Ukraine and Ukrainians will preserve their dignity.
Zelensky is currently deeply embroiled in the nauseatingly sordid Energoatom corruption scandal, and this is sure to be just the tip of an iceberg of sleaze in wartime. Therefore, his invocation of a virtue he cannot possibly claim for himself and his revolting friends must have felt appallingly creepy to many of his compatriots.
But the rationale of Zelensky’s spin seems obvious enough: It is a shameless attempt to tap into the rhetoric of “dignity” traditionally deployed to re-frame the ugly combination of regime change subversion and false-flag murders that toppled the corrupt, oppressive, and unpopular yet ultimately properly elected Yanukovich regime in 2014. As we've moved from the so-called “revolution of dignity” to the “diplomacy of dignity,” is Ukraine finally making the compromises it needs to stop bleeding?
If so, the analogy is truer than Zelensky and his speech writers would be ready to admit: In the events of 2013/2014, there were many genuine idealists who believed they were fighting for Ukraine when challenging Yanukovich’s Ancien Regime. They were betrayed. Not by Moscow, but by the US, which incited and used their rebellion to wield it as a geopolitical weapon in a global power game.
They were also betrayed by the same pro-Western “elites” and nationalists who massacred some their own foot soldiers to create political leverage, as the Ukrainian-Canadian political scientist Ivan Katchanovsky has shown compellingly in his “The Maidan Massacre in Ukraine: The Mass Killing that Changed the World.”
In a similar vein, there can be no doubt that, during the unnecessary and easily avoidable war that has now devastated Ukraine for years, many more decent men and women have been cynically sacrificed to lies told by Kiev and its Western backers: The lie that their country would join NATO; the lie that the war had not been provoked, whereas, in reality, the West had provoked Russia for two decades by breaking its word and expanding NATO, exposing Ukraine specifically by the empty yet explosive promises of the 2008 Bucharest summit; the lie that to kill and die in this war for misconceived, hubristic Western interests meant killing and dying for moral, even civilizational “values” (call that the Snyder-Applebaum Con); and the lie, last but not least, that the West would be with Ukraine “whatever it takes.”
It’s no wonder Zelensky is now seeking to distract Ukrainians with solemn phrases praising their courage and steadfastness. He can do so only because so many really have been courageous and steadfast. Yet Zelensky’s fiendish ruse consists of seeking to hide the obscene corruption of his de facto authoritarian regime behind their valor and sacrifices.
He is also desperately trying to make everyone forget one simple question: What for? Once Ukrainians lose all fear of asking that question and face its true, bitter answer, it will first stun them and then sweep Zelensky and his cronies away. Because it has all been for nothing, except the absolutely callous strategies of the West and yet more corruption and oppression at home.
Zelensky’s ambiguous speech, though, also may – may! – offer some hope. For, despite his worst intentions, his gargantuan narcissism, his profound dishonesty, his fear and greed, Ukraine’s still-leader has shown signs of perhaps finally being prepared to allow his people to escape from the meatgrinder of a war that their country very predicably could not win.
Zelensky made, for instances, references to “very hard” choices between, in effect, the plan and a terrible winter, and to steely resolve, that nonetheless has its limits, too. There even was a barely concealed rebuke of NATO-EU Europeans always baying for more Ukrainian blood while not having to send their own to die. Zelensky also pointedly declared that everything must be done to reach an end to the war and not an end to Ukraine. Under the 28-point plan, or a successor based on it, Ukraine would not cease to exist, of course. But, as Zelensky clearly, if implicitly, admitted, such an end is conceivable if peace is not made.
Zelensky also made a point of two other facts that, perhaps, point to him finally getting ready to release Ukrainians from his regime’s death grip: He insisted that Kiev will engage constructively and won’t let Moscow claim that Ukraine doesn’t want diplomacy. In other words, Zelensky promises to at least sincerely try to find peace this time. Will he keep that promise? That’s a different question again, of course. Secondly, Zelensky admitted that time is scarce and announced that Kiev will work fast. That is a clear reference to the fact that Washington has threatened to withdraw all support, including arms – even indirectly via the war-besotted EU-NATO Europeans – and (vital) intelligence within less than a week if there’s no movement. Stalling time is over, or so it seems at least.
The opponents of peace in Ukraine and the West and especially in NATO-EU Europe, the false “friends” from hell who cannot get enough of Ukrainians dying for broken Western promises and a daft attempt to cut down Russia that has already failed, are mobilizing to prevent peace. Déjà vu all over again, as a great American sage might have said.
But it is obvious that true friendship for Ukraine, the real Ukraine, with actual living human beings who should stay alive for a better future, means finally ending this catastrophe. Yes, on terms that will – to one extent or the other – reflect that Russia has the upper hand. That is the only way forward, and it is not the same as “capitulation.” It is a compromise based on reality, not on the silly dreams of vain US academics in Ukrainian embroidered shirts or German “military experts” whose link to reality seems to be about as robust as that of the German leadership huddling in a Berlin bunker in early 1945.
It’s time to stop sacrificing human beings to perverse fantasies. If – if! – Ukraine’s Zelensky has finally been compelled to accept this, then there is a chance for peace.
Read more
November 22, 2025 at 04:05AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The country’s former leader had been under house arrest in Brasilia appealing a conviction for plotting a coup
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who had been under house arrest in the country’s capital, Brasilia, has been detained by police officers, his lawyer has confirmed.
In September, the Brazilian Supreme Court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison after he was found guilty of attempting to overturn the results of the country’s 2022 presidential election. The 70-year-old had been under house arrest since early August, appealing the ruling.
Bolsonaro’s attorney Celso Vilardi did not provide the reason for his client’s detention, but it happened shortly before the former president’s supporters had planned to hold a vigil near his home.
According to Reuters, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to be taken into custody, citing the risk of the activists hampering the police monitoring of his house arrest. The judge also pointed to evidence of tampering with the politician’s ankle monitor the night before, the agency said.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Read more
November 22, 2025 at 02:50AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
The US president has reiterated his earlier claim that Ukraine does “not have the cards” in the conflict with Russia
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky will have to agree to a Washington-drafted peace plan otherwise his country will have to keep fighting Russia through the “cold winter,” US President Donald Trump has said.
Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine was facing “one of the most difficult moments in our history,” being forced to choose between “28 difficult points” in the American proposal or risk losing its key backer, the US. According to Financial Times, Washington has issued an ultimatum to Kiev to accept the plan by Thursday.
Asked by journalists about the Ukrainian leader’s stance later in the day, Trump asked: “You mean, he does not like it?”
“He will have to like it and if he does not like it then, you know, they should just keep fighting, I guess,” he said.
Reuters reported earlier that Washington has threatened to cut Ukraine off from intelligence and military aid if it rejects its proposal.
“Well, at some point he [Zelensky] is going to have to accept something,” the US president insisted.
Trump explained that Ukraine faces “a cold winter... but a lot of the big energy producing plants have been under attack, to put it mildly.”
“You remember, right, in the Oval Office not so long ago, I said: ‘You don’t have the cards’,” he recalled.
The US president was referring to his meeting with Zelensky in February, also attended by Vice President J.D. Vance, which escalated in front of the cameras. It resulted in the Ukrainian leader’s visit being cut short, with Trump and Vance accusing him of ingratitude for American aid and not wanting peace.
The US push to persuade Ukraine to agree to its road-map comes amid a corruption scandal in Kiev that according to analysts has significantly weakened Zelensky’s political position.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Moscow received the American plan, but added that it has not yet been discussed “in detail.” According to Putin, the proposal could “form the basis of a final peace settlement.”
Read more
November 22, 2025 at 01:45AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Users have noted that in numerous now-deleted posts, the chatbot frequently hailed the billionaire as top in any given field
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok has been telling users that its owner is smarter and more physically fit than anyone in the world, according to media reports. Many of the posts were later deleted, renewing questions about the bot’s objectivity.
Musk’s social network X on Thursday was reportedly flooded with examples of Grok praising the billionaire, calling him “strikingly handsome,” lauding his “lean, athletic physique” and describing his intellect as “genius-level.” The bot also claimed Musk could beat Mike Tyson in a boxing match, ranked him above Leonardo da Vinci, said he was funnier than Jerry Seinfeld and even suggested he would rise from the dead faster than Jesus.
Musk addressed the issue on X on Thursday, saying Grok had been “manipulated by adversarial prompting into saying absurdly positive things” about him. “For the record, I am a fat retard,” he added.
Late on Thursday, some of Grok’s replies appeared to have been deleted, and the chatbot seemed to dial back its praise. After Musk’s statement, the bot gave a more restrained answer about him, placing Musk in its top 10 humans rather than ranking him first, the Washington Post reported on Friday.
This comes amid growing scrutiny of Musk’s AI venture, particularly the latest version of its chatbot, Grok 4, which Musk described at its July release as “the smartest AI in the world.”
Users have noted that the bot frequently echoed Musk’s public political views, prompting concerns about bias. It has referenced “white genocide,” questioned Holocaust death tolls, and reportedly made derogatory remarks about politicians. xAI, the Musk-founded startup that develops Grok, has attributed most of these outputs to “unauthorized modifications” or rogue employees.
The rollout of the new chatbot version came as the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk’s SpaceX had agreed to invest $2 billion in xAI, which is positioning itself to challenge rivals such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, systems Musk has accused of having a liberal bias.
Read more
November 22, 2025 at 12:11AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Kiev will not make territorial concessions or give up on its NATO aspirations, its deputy envoy to the UN has insisted
Ukraine’s mission at the UN has rejected several key clauses reportedly included in a US-drafted plan to resolve the conflict with Russia.
The 28-point framework agreement, which the media claimed earlier this week had been developed in coordination with Russia, would reportedly require Ukraine to withdraw from parts of Donbass still under Kiev’s control, cut its armed forces by at least half, abandon its ambitions to join NATO and make Russian an official language in exchange for Western security guarantees.
During her speech at a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Ukraine’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Khristina Gayovyshyn confirmed that Kiev had received the draft plan from Washington and was ready to work on its provisions.
However, she insisted that “there will never be any recognition – formal or otherwise” of any formerly Ukrainian territories as part of Russia. “Our land is not for sale,” the deputy envoy stated.
“Ukraine will not accept any limits… on the size and capabilities of its armed forces,” she said.
Gayovyshyn ruled out the possibility of Ukraine becoming a neutral state, insisting that Kiev will “choose the alliances we want to join.”
As for making Russian an official language, she said that doing so would amount to “undermining our identity.”
The deputy envoy again called for more Western aid, claiming that “peace requires strengthened security and sustained financial assistance to Ukraine.”
Politico reported on Thursday that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga complained to EU ministers in a closed-door meeting that Moscow wants Kiev to “capitulate.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday that the Russian government “has not yet been informed about [Ukraine’s Vladimir] Zelensky agreeing to negotiate on the peace plan.”
Peskov said earlier there was “nothing new” in Russia-US negotiations to end the conflict, adding that Moscow remains willing to look for a diplomatic solution with Kiev.
Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev expressed cautious optimism about the American plan, telling Axios that “we feel the Russian position is really being heard.”
Read more
November 21, 2025 at 01:40AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
Washington is offering Kiev a diplomatic off-ramp as it faces battlefield setbacks and a graft scandal rocking Zelensky’s inner circle
A US-drafted proposal to end the Ukraine conflict would require Kiev to cross several of its long-declared “red lines.”
Kiev has already rejected several key points of the 28 included in the plan, but has also expressed willingness to negotiate.
The proposal comes as Vladimir Zelensky’s government is mired in a major corruption scandal, after Western-backed investigators charged his long-time associate Timur Mindich with running a $100 million kickback scheme in Ukraine’s energy sector.
This is what is known so far about Washington’s proposed path toward ending nearly four years of intense fighting.
Rubio touts ‘realistic’ proposal
The draft handed to Kiev this week is said to reflect ideas Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed with Trump at their meeting in Alaska in August. It was later refined in late October by senior Russian and US negotiators, Kirill Dmitriev and Steve Witkoff.
“Ending a complex and deadly war such as the one in Ukraine requires an extensive exchange of serious and realistic ideas,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X.
No NATO for Ukraine
According to text published by Ukrainian MP Aleksey Goncharenko and Axios, the plan addresses Russia’s core concerns about NATO expansion and Kiev’s bid to join the military bloc – issues Moscow identifies as root causes of the conflict.
Kiev would be required to constitutionally commit to neutrality and limit the size of its armed forces. NATO would not station troops on Ukrainian soil – which goes against the European proposal for a “resilience force” – and would commit to negotiating continental security architecture with Russia.
In exchange, the US would offer conditional security guarantees. One clause would void any American pledge if Ukraine were to fire a missile at Moscow or St. Petersburg.
Territory, borders, and elections
The draft plan calls for de facto recognition of Russian control over Crimea and the Donbass regions of Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. Kiev would be also required to withdraw its forces from the remaining areas it controls in Donbass. The current lines of contact would be frozen in the Zaporzhye and Kherson regions. Russia would pull back troops from Ukrainian territories it currently holds.
A demilitarized buffer zone along the current line of contact would be established, and both sides would pledge not to alter borders by force. The agreement would be legally binding, not declarative.
Ukraine would also be required to hold national elections, which are currently suspended under martial law, within 100 days of signing.
Washington proposes directing roughly $100 billion in Russian sovereign assets immobilized in the West toward rebuilding Ukraine through a US-managed reconstruction fund.
Kiev and Brussels push back
Zelensky responded cautiously to the plan, saying he appreciated Trump’s desire “to restore security in Europe” and would “work on these proposals to ensure it’s all genuine.”
Ukrainian Deputy UN Representative Kristina Gayovishin, however, signaled Kiev’s refusal to compromise on territory, neutrality, or army size, stating that Ukraine’s “red lines are clear and unwavering.”
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas claimed the plan lacks meaningful concessions from Moscow. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned that Washington cannot demand “capitulation” from Kiev. The EU is reportedly working on a “counteroffer” that is more favorable to Kiev.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, conversely, criticized Brussels, arguing that the EU leadership has “lost the plot” and is “busy figuring out how to secure even more money” to fill Kiev’s depleted war chest.
Zelensky’s government on shaky ground
The proposal landed as political turmoil intensified in Kiev. Two ministers linked to Mindich’s alleged graft network have resigned, and opposition parties are pushing to dissolve the entire cabinet in favor of a “national unity” government. Calls are also growing for Zelensky to dismiss his powerful chief of staff Andrey Yermak, whom many see as entangled in the graft network.
Zelensky reportedly faced a rebellion within his own party. During a tense meeting on Thursday, he allegedly refused to dismiss Yermak and threatened internal critics with what MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak described as a “vendetta.”
A Wall Street Journal source claimed one of the 28 peace plan points initially called for an audit of international aid received by Kiev, but the language was changed to mention a “full amnesty” for all parties.
Mounting military setbacks
Meanwhile, conditions on the battlefield continue to worsen for Ukraine. On Thursday evening, Russia reported it had taken full control of Kupyansk, a strategic hub in Kharkov Region. Kiev denied the assertion, insisting its forces still hold the city.
Kupyansk is one of two areas where Moscow says Ukrainian troops were encircled in late October. Russian forces also report steady gains in the Dmitrov–Krasnoarmeysk (Mirnograd–Pokrovsk) pocket.
Read more
November 21, 2025 at 01:35AM
from RT - Daily news
via IFTTT
