“They’ve left me behind,” American Paul Whelan says from Russian prison after failed bid to secure release

“They’ve left me behind,” American Paul Whelan says from Russian prison after failed bid to secure release

Paul Whelan, an American who’s been imprisoned in Russia for 5 years on espionage charges that both he and the U.S. government dismiss as baseless, has said it’s “unfathomable” that the Biden administration has “left me behind” while other Americans have been freed in prisoner swaps. Whelan told CBS News’ partner network BBC News in … Read more

A pro-peace Russian presidential hopeful submits documents to register as a candidate

A pro-peace Russian presidential hopeful submits documents to register as a candidate

A Russian politician calling for peace in Ukraine presented documents Wednesday to Russia’s Central Election Commission to register as a candidate for the country’s 2024 presidential election. Regional legislator Yekaterina Duntsova hopes to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin, promoting her vision of a “humane” Russia “that’s peaceful, friendly and ready to cooperate with everyone on … Read more

Western monopoly in AI ‘dangerous, and unacceptable’, says Russia’s Vladimir Putin

Western monopoly in AI ‘dangerous, and unacceptable’, says Russia’s Vladimir Putin

 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a plan to endorse a national strategy for the development of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that it’s essential to prevent a Western monopoly.  Speaking at an AI conference in Moscow, Putin noted that “it’s imperative to use Russian solutions in the field of creating reliable and transparent artificial intelligence systems that … Read more

Russia Claims 13 Ukrainian Drones Destroyed Over Crimea, Moscow

Russia Claims 13 Ukrainian Drones Destroyed Over Crimea, Moscow

Russia said it repelled Ukrainian drone attacks over several parts of Crimea, outer Moscow and two border regions on Sunday. Crimea has been targeted by Ukraine throughout Russia’s offensive but attacks there have recently intensified as Kyiv vows to recapture the Black Sea peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. And since Ukraine launched its counter-offensive … Read more

France’s Africa Allies are Dropping Like Flies

France’s Africa Allies are Dropping Like Flies

Idea Generation: Mike Amiri Mike Amiri was raised in Los Angeles’s most famous neighborhood, Hollywood, during the excess of the ’80s hair metal scene. The son of Iranian immigrants, he was transfixed by the music, culture and fashion coming out of clubs like the Roxy. So when he launched his eponymous luxury brand in 2013–with … Read more

US, Europe Switch Russian Nuclear Fuel for New Mexico Uranium

US, Europe Switch Russian Nuclear Fuel for New Mexico Uranium

In a remote, dusty corner of New Mexico, so near to the Texas border that if you wander too close your smartphone changes time zones, sits a pristine factory that is the best chance for the US to wean itself off an addiction that few knew it had: uranium enriched in Russia. Outside the $5 … Read more

China’s defense minister Li Shangfu warns against ‘playing with fire’ on Taiwan during Russia meeting

China’s defense minister Li Shangfu warns against ‘playing with fire’ on Taiwan during Russia meeting

CNN  —  China’s defense minister Li Shangfu on Tuesday warned against “playing with fire” when it comes to Taiwan in a veiled jab at the United States as he addressed a security conference in Russia. Speaking at the Moscow Conference on International Security, Li said attempts to “use Taiwan to contain China,” would “surely end … Read more

Aeroflot to Increase Flights to Maldives and Sri Lanka

Aeroflot to Increase Flights to Maldives and Sri Lanka

Dark/Light Mode (15/08/23)  Aeroflot has confirmed plans to increase the frequency of flights between Moscow and two island nations in the Indian Ocean. The airline will increase flights SU320/321 to Malé, the capital of Maldives, from the current schedule of four per week to seven per week, effective 1 October 2023. Three additional flights, SU324/SU325, … Read more

Russia court sentences Alexey Navalny, jailed opposition leader and Putin critic, to 19 more years in prison

Russia court sentences Alexey Navalny, jailed opposition leader and Putin critic, to 19 more years in prison

A Russian court on Friday issued its verdict in a new case against jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny, convicting the politician of promoting “extremism” and extending his time in prison by 19 years, according to Russian state media and his own team.  Navalny, who emerged as the most outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin’s government … Read more

China’s Yuan (CNY) Replaces Dollar (USD) as Most Traded Currency in Russia

China’s Yuan (CNY) Replaces Dollar (USD) as Most Traded Currency in Russia

China’s yuan has replaced the US dollar as the most traded currency in Russia, a year after the invasion of Ukraine led to a slew of Western sanctions against Moscow. The yuan surpassed the dollar in monthly trading volume in February for the first time, and the difference became more pronounced in March, according to … Read more