# cache

url: https://www.rt.com/rss/
title: RT
created_at: 2024-03-19 00:09:31
entries:
{"entries": [{"title": "EU candidate plans \u2018LGBT propaganda\u2019 bill", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "EU candidate plans \u2018LGBT propaganda\u2019 bill"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594458-gerogia-wants-lgbt-propaganda-ban/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8c85a85f5401d825bc279.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594458-gerogia-wants-lgbt-propaganda-ban/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594458-gerogia-wants-lgbt-propaganda-ban/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8c85a85f5401d825bc279.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Georgia needs to ban \u201cLGBT propaganda,\u201d the country\u2019s top MP has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594458-gerogia-wants-lgbt-propaganda-ban/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8c85a85f5401d825bc279.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Georgia needs to ban \u201cLGBT propaganda,\u201d the country\u2019s top MP has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594458-gerogia-wants-lgbt-propaganda-ban/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The ruling party of Georgia says that the measure will be supported by the public</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Mamuka Mdinaradze, who leads the Georgian Dream party in parliament, told reporters that the bill will be formally introduced this week.</p>\n<p>He accused LGBTQ advocacy group Tbilisi Pride and the UN of working behind the scenes to spread <em>&ldquo;propaganda&rdquo;</em> in the country.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Pride organized the training with the financing from the UN Development Fund. The officials from Pride claimed that it was a workshop to counter Russian disinformation, while the UNDP has said that it had funded workshops about minority rights,&rdquo;</em> the lawmaker said. <em>&ldquo;In fact, the topic of the conversation was the defense of pseudo-liberal propaganda.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Mdinaradze urged the UN and <em>&ldquo;other sponsors&rdquo;</em> not to <em>&ldquo;confuse the rights of minorities with the harmful consequences of LGBT propaganda.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Politicians from the ruling party have claimed that the proposed ban would receive broad support because it reflects the sentiment of the majority of the population.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"LGBTQ activists hold a demonstration march last June in New York City.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f0c0fe85f5404c24308acf.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594172-poll-drop-support-lgbtq-protections/\">Support for LGBTQ protections declines in US \u2013 poll</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;We are a conservative society with centuries-old culture and values,&rdquo;</em> Georgian Dream head Irakli Garibashvili said this month, adding that children and the traditional way of life must be protected from <em>&ldquo;brazen propaganda.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>In 2018, Georgia amended its constitution to explicitly define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. LGBTQ-themed events are regularly met with threats and counterprotests. Last year, the organizers canceled the annual gay pride festival in Tbilisi, citing security concerns.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Georgia applied to join the EU in 2022 and was granted the candidate status a year later. The European bloc&rsquo;s members have repeatedly condemned the violence against the LGBTQ community in the South Caucasus country. <em>&ldquo;Violence is simply unacceptable and cannot be excused,&rdquo;</em> the embassies of multiple European countries said in a joint statement issued after attacks on LGBTQ activists in Tbilisi in 2021.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 23:05:57 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 23, 5, 57, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Most Germans believe army can\u2019t defend them \u2013 poll", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Most Germans believe army can\u2019t defend them \u2013 poll"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594457-germans-no-confidence-army-defense/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8b4f685f5401dae7633e3.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594457-germans-no-confidence-army-defense/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594457-germans-no-confidence-army-defense/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8b4f685f5401dae7633e3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A vast majority of Germans do not trust their own military\u2019s capabilities when it comes to the national defense, a new survey has shown <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594457-germans-no-confidence-army-defense/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8b4f685f5401dae7633e3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A vast majority of Germans do not trust their own military\u2019s capabilities when it comes to the national defense, a new survey has shown <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594457-germans-no-confidence-army-defense/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Only 10% of Germans have confidence in the Bundeswehr\u2019s defense capabilities, a fresh survey has shown</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>A majority of Germans have little to no confidence in their military&rsquo;s ability to defend the nation in case of attack, according to a new survey. Three quarters of respondents said they don&rsquo;t believe in the Bundeswehr&rsquo;s capabilities, with only 10% feeling confident that they would be defended.</p>\n<p>As many as 30% of Germans feel <em>&ldquo;no confidence at all&rdquo;</em> that the Armed Forces would be able to stand up to a potential adversary, the poll, conducted by the Civey polling company on behalf of Focus magazine, found. Another 45% have <em>&ldquo;low confidence&rdquo;</em> in the military, while 15% were undecided. Only 2% said their trust remained <em>&ldquo;very high&rdquo;</em> while 8% said it was <em>&ldquo;rather high.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>In terms of funding, a strong majority&nbsp;(69%)&nbsp;of Germans said their army needed more money, with 64% saying Berlin should spend more than 2% of its GDP on national defense.</p>\n<p>Defense Minister Boris Pistorius argued last November that the Bundeswehr needs a thorough upgrade to become <em>&ldquo;war-capable.&rdquo;</em> According to the survey, some 73% of Germans agree with Pistorius&rsquo; plans, while 64% even backed the re-introduction of compulsory military service that was abolished in 2011.&nbsp;</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.12/thumbnail/6584630f85f5401e070ef603.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/589469-germans-ready-defend-country-survey/\">Only 17% of Germans ready to defend their country \u2013 survey</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Despite this, only half as many respondents (32%) said they were personally willing to take up arms and <em>&ldquo;actively participate in defensive combat operations&rdquo;</em> if their nation comes under attack. Some 44% said they would never take up arms under any circumstances.</p>\n<p>Germany&rsquo;s parliamentary commissioner for the Bundeswehr, Eva Hoegl, recently presented her annual report on the state of the national Armed Forces, admitting that the military is still suffering from thin ranks and inadequate equipment.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The Bundeswehr is aging and shrinking,&rdquo;</em> the commissioner said last week, adding that the dropout rate in the military was <em>&ldquo;still very high,&rdquo;</em> while the number of new applications was even lower than last year.</p>\n<p>The personnel and equipment shortages are being highlighted as Berlin continues to actively provide military aid to Kiev in its conflict with Moscow. Germany has emerged as the second biggest single military aid donor to Ukraine during the conflict, spending around $19 billion on arms for Kiev, according to the Kiel Institute for World Economy.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f0c51c85f5404bbb65024e.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594174-germany-huge-military-shortages/\">Germany reveals huge military shortages</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Chancellor Olaf Scholz has even vowed to double the military aid to Ukraine this year, with the policy sparking concerns among some MPs. In November 2023, MP Johann Wadephul warned that some <em>&ldquo;crucial&rdquo;</em> Bundeswehr units would last no longer than two days in battle.</p>\n<p>The Focus survey was conducted between March 11 and March 13 and involved 5,000 Germans aged 18 or older.&nbsp;</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:08:39 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 22, 8, 39, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Biden knew Israel was bombing indiscriminately \u2013 WaPo", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Biden knew Israel was bombing indiscriminately \u2013 WaPo"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594456-biden-israel-indiscriminate-bombing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8aa1485f54013eb6e5f1a.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594456-biden-israel-indiscriminate-bombing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594456-biden-israel-indiscriminate-bombing/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8aa1485f54013eb6e5f1a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US president was told in October that Israeli airstrikes were often carried out without \u201csolid intelligence,\u201d Washington Post claims <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594456-biden-israel-indiscriminate-bombing/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8aa1485f54013eb6e5f1a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US president was told in October that Israeli airstrikes were often carried out without \u201csolid intelligence,\u201d Washington Post claims <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594456-biden-israel-indiscriminate-bombing/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The US president was told in October that Israeli airstrikes were often carried out without \u201csolid intelligence,\u201d the newspaper claims</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The White House knew since late October that Israel was regularly bombing civilian targets in Gaza, but President Joe Biden continued to publicly defend the Israeli military&rsquo;s conduct, the Washington Post reported on Monday.</p>\n<p>On October 27, three weeks into Israel&rsquo;s war with Hamas, Biden&rsquo;s top foreign policy officials told a small group at the White House that <em>&ldquo;Israel was regularly bombing buildings without solid intelligence that they were legitimate military targets,&rdquo;</em> the newspaper wrote, citing three sources familiar with the meeting.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The officials also expressed concern that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had no clear plan for defeating the Palestinian militant group, with one source telling the Post that <em>&ldquo;from the very beginning, there&rsquo;s been a sense of us not knowing how the Israelis were going to do what they said they were going to do.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>At the time, the US was rushing military aid to Israel. Two weeks before the meeting, Biden visited the Jewish state and publicly declared that <em>&ldquo;as long as the United States stands&hellip;[Israel] will not be alone.&rdquo;</em> On the same day as the meeting, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US would not impose any <em>&ldquo;red lines&rdquo;</em> on how Israel conducted its military campaign.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Gaza\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f0bafc20302770fa53484c.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594167-us-arming-israel-gaza-aid/\">US senators urge Biden to stop arming Israel \u2013 NYT</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The meeting did little to change the rhetoric of Biden or his officials. The president didn&rsquo;t criticize Israel over the repeated bombing of a refugee camp in early November. Likewise, the White House publicly backed Israel&rsquo;s decision to bomb Gaza&rsquo;s largest hospital later that month, with Kirby telling reporters that Hamas had hidden a command center beneath the facility.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Behind the scenes, however, US officials worried that such a statement would be seen by the Israelis as a <em>&ldquo;green light&rdquo;</em> to attack the hospital, the Washington Post reported. Democratic Senator Chris van Hollen told the newspaper that there was <em>&ldquo;some disconnect&rdquo;</em> between what Kirby said and what US intelligence reports actually showed, without explaining further.</p>\n<p>Amid growing <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/590297-biden-heckled-gaza-ceasefire/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">discontent</a> from his own voters, Biden has since become more critical of Netanyahu. As early as January, the US president claimed that he was <em>&ldquo;quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza.&rdquo;</em> However, <em>&ldquo;When those conversations yielded little result, US officials offered few public rebukes and no evident consequences,&rdquo;</em> the Post&rsquo;s sources said.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"PM Benjamin Netanyahu at Kirya military base, Tel Aviv, Israel, October 28, 2023.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65ee1b7e203027475a7e9fd6.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594041-netanyahu-biden-wrong-rafah/\">Netanyahu hits back at Biden</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;At every juncture, Netanyahu has given Biden the finger,&rdquo;</em> van Hollen told Axios in January, declaring that the Biden administration is <em>&ldquo;pleading with the Netanyahu coalition, but getting slapped in the face over and over again.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Netanyahu announced on Friday that he had approved plans to attack the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Rafah is currently home to more than a million Palestinians displaced from other parts of the enclave, and Biden told MSNBC earlier this month that an Israeli operation there would cross a <em>&ldquo;red line.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Biden partially walked his comments back moments later, telling MSNBC that Netanyahu <em>&ldquo;has a right to defend Israel,&rdquo;</em> but must <em>&ldquo;pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 21:09:05 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 21, 9, 5, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Ex-Soviet state rejects \u2018pro-Russia\u2019 regional leader", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Ex-Soviet state rejects \u2018pro-Russia\u2019 regional leader"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594453-moldova-sandu-gagauzia-region/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f89f172030271b8615b6ca.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594453-moldova-sandu-gagauzia-region/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594453-moldova-sandu-gagauzia-region/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f89f172030271b8615b6ca.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Moldova\u2019s president has reportedly refused to include in her cabinet the head of the Gagauzia region, despite a legal requirement <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594453-moldova-sandu-gagauzia-region/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f89f172030271b8615b6ca.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Moldova\u2019s president has reportedly refused to include in her cabinet the head of the Gagauzia region, despite a legal requirement <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594453-moldova-sandu-gagauzia-region/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Moldova\u2019s President Maia Sandu is refusing to include an autonomous region\u2019s elected head in her cabinet, citing \u201ccriminal\u201d links</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Moldovan President Maia Sandu has refused to sign a decree appointing the head of the autonomous region of Gagauzia, Yevgenia Gutul, as a member of the government, as required by the country&rsquo;s legislation.</p>\n<p>This is according to news portal Gagauzinfo, citing a statement made on Monday by Sandu at a press conference in Moldova&rsquo;s capital Chisinau.</p>\n<p>Gagauzia, an autonomous region in southern Moldova, had elected Gutul &ndash; a member of the opposition Shor party &ndash; as its governor last May. Moldova&rsquo;s constitutional court later ordered the dissolution of the party.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;A person who works for a criminal group and not for the citizens of Moldova and the residents of the autonomy, and who makes declarations against her own country, has nothing to do in the government of Moldova,&rdquo;</em> President Sandu reportedly said, also calling for a legislative assessment of Gutul&rsquo;s statements.</p>\n<p>Commenting on a recent visit to Russia by Gutul, the Moldovan president claimed that Moscow <em>&ldquo;has made it clear that it is relying on criminal groups to destabilize the situation in Moldova.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Gutul traveled to Russia in February to ask President Vladimir Putin to support the region in the face of <em>&ldquo;illegal actions by Moldova&rsquo;s authorities.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Marcel Ciolacu addresses a press conference in Berlin, Germany, July 4, 2023\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f86fb72030272cfc3b2f6e.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594446-romania-moldova-ciolacu-sandu/\">EU applicant is dependent on us \u2013 Romanian PM</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The 37-year-old head of Gagauzia has been increasingly at odds with the pro-EU Sandu&nbsp;since her election last year as the region&rsquo;s leader. The refusal by the president to comply with a constitutional rule to include Gutul in the government was made on grounds of alleged irregularities in the election.</p>\n<p>Moldova, a small nation of 2.6 million located between Ukraine and Romania, has taken a distinctly pro-Western course since Sandu came to power in 2020.</p>\n<p>Sandu now plans to run for a second term in the presidential election this fall, promising to maintain her government&rsquo;s pro-Western trajectory and to make the country a full-fledged member of the EU by 2030. She also claimed that <em>&ldquo;the regime in Moscow is seeking to control&rdquo;</em> her state through interfering in elections, even attempting a coup.</p>\n<p>Russia has denied the allegations of meddling in the country&rsquo;s affairs and accused Sandu of provoking anti-Russia sentiment.</p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 20:44:23 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 20, 44, 23, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Taliban accuses Pakistan of bombing civilians", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Taliban accuses Pakistan of bombing civilians"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594455-taliban-pakistan-airstrike-attacks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f89c882030271ba1144767.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594455-taliban-pakistan-airstrike-attacks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594455-taliban-pakistan-airstrike-attacks/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f89c882030271ba1144767.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Taliban Islamists opened fire on Pakistani positions in response to a series of deadly airstrikes <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594455-taliban-pakistan-airstrike-attacks/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f89c882030271ba1144767.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Taliban Islamists opened fire on Pakistani positions in response to a series of deadly airstrikes <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594455-taliban-pakistan-airstrike-attacks/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>At least eight people were reportedly killed as the Afghan militants traded cross-border fire with the Pakistani military</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban government accused Pakistan of killing eight civilians in an air raid on Monday. The Islamist group responded by opening fire on Pakistani targets, allegedly wounding seven people.</p>\n<p>Pakistani jets <em>&ldquo;bombarded the homes of civilians&rdquo;</em> in the early hours of Monday morning, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. Mujahid said that the bombing killed eight people in the provinces of Paktika and Khost, both of which border Pakistan.</p>\n<p>The Pakistani Foreign Ministry did not comment on the alleged civilian casualties but said that the Pakistan Air Force had launched <em>&ldquo;intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations&rdquo;</em> against Taliban-sponsored terrorist groups operating in the two provinces. These groups include the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad says have used Afghanistan as a staging ground for attacks on Pakistani soil.</p>\n<p>The Taliban denies sheltering the TTP. While Hafiz Gul Bahadur once led a Taliban faction in Pakistan, his current relationship with Kabul is unclear.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Taliban supporters hold a parade to mark two years since the group&#039;s return to power, August 15, 2023, Kabul, Afghanistan.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65d4235d85f5401bed37abcc.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/592716-taliban-ditches-un-event/\">Taliban boycotts UN-sponsored meeting</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The most recent of these attacks was on Saturday, when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden truck into a military checkpoint in Pakistan&rsquo;s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A splinter group of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed seven Pakistani soldiers.</p>\n<p>Mujahid said that Taliban fighters responded to Monday&rsquo;s airstrikes by targeting Pakistani military outposts with heavy weapons. Pakistani officials told Al Jazeera that three soldiers and four civilians were wounded by mortar fire.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has a long experience of freedom struggle against the superpowers of the world, does not allow anyone to invade its territory,&rdquo;</em> the Taliban spokesman stated.</p>\n<p>Although an American ally, Pakistan <a href=\"https://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/afghan2/Afghan0701-02.htm\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">provided</a> military and financial aid to the Taliban before and during the US invasion of Afghanistan. That relationship has since soured, with Pakistan fencing up its side of the Afghan border and deporting hundreds of thousands of Afghans late last year. Tit-for-tat killings have become commonplace along the frontier since 2022, with the Pakistani government accusing the Taliban of sheltering terrorists and Kabul accusing Islamabad of violating Afghan sovereignty.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/588987-taliban-opium-production-ban/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Taliban winning war against opium trade \u2013 UN\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Not a single country officially recognizes the Taliban government, which took power in Kabul in 2021 during the final stage of the withdrawal of US troops. The UN does not recognize the group&rsquo;s authority over Afghanistan, and the Taliban has <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/592716-taliban-ditches-un-event/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">boycotted</a> power-sharing talks in Qatar.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:58:26 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 19, 58, 26, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russia thwarts Ukrainian incursion attempt with precision strike (VIDEO)", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russia thwarts Ukrainian incursion attempt with precision strike (VIDEO)"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594454-ukraine-incursion-attempt-russia-thwarted/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8942885f5401d8020d59f.png", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594454-ukraine-incursion-attempt-russia-thwarted/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594454-ukraine-incursion-attempt-russia-thwarted/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8942885f5401d8020d59f.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russian forces have stopped an incursion attempt by a Ukrainian unit with a FPV drone strike <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594454-ukraine-incursion-attempt-russia-thwarted/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8942885f5401d8020d59f.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russian forces have stopped an incursion attempt by a Ukrainian unit with a FPV drone strike <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594454-ukraine-incursion-attempt-russia-thwarted/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>A sabotage and reconnaissance unit was stopped while attempting to cross into Russia\u2019s Belgorod Region, according to the Defense Ministry</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Kiev&rsquo;s forces sought to mount a cross-border attack on Russia&rsquo;s Belgorod Region but were foiled in their efforts by border guards, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday. A sabotage and reconnaissance unit spotted near the border was hit in a drone strike, it added.</p>\n<p>The border guards detected the reconnaissance group&rsquo;s movements near the Ukrainian village of Lukashovka, located just a few hundred meters away from the border, the statement read. The Russians then hit the group with a first-person view kamikaze drone as they were about to get into an infantry fighting vehicle, it added.</p>\n<p>A video released by the Russian military shows the unmanned aerial vehicle hitting the crowd of Ukrainian servicemen squarely and leaving all but two of them lying on the ground. An infantry fighting vehicle, which was apparently ready to pick up the group, could then be seen hurriedly moving away, leaving both the injured soldiers and the two still on their feet behind.</p>\n\n            \n    \n\n<p>According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine lost eight soldiers, killed and wounded in the strike.</p>\n<p>The Ukrainian forces attempted a series of incursions into Russia&rsquo;s Belgorod Region and Kursk Region in mid-March. All those attacks were repelled, the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that no Ukrainian combatants were able to cross the border.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594264-ukrainian-incursion-kursk-region/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Kiev launches cross-border attack into Kursk Region \u2013 governor\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The Russian military also released several clips demonstrating the destruction of the Ukrainian equipment involved in those operations. The Defense Ministry said Russian security forces eliminated 234 fighters, seven tanks, three Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and two armored personnel carriers while repelling the mid-March incursions.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:28:43 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 19, 28, 43, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Musk mocks Boeing", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Musk mocks Boeing"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594440-musk-mocks-boeing-mechanical-troubles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8822985f54013eb6e5f04.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594440-musk-mocks-boeing-mechanical-troubles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594440-musk-mocks-boeing-mechanical-troubles/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8822985f54013eb6e5f04.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Tesla\u2019s CEO has shared a post poking fun at the embattled plane maker\u2019s mechanical issues <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594440-musk-mocks-boeing-mechanical-troubles/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8822985f54013eb6e5f04.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Tesla\u2019s CEO has shared a post poking fun at the embattled plane maker\u2019s mechanical issues <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594440-musk-mocks-boeing-mechanical-troubles/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The billionaire shared a screenshot of a satirical story highlighting the mechanical troubles with the US aerospace giant\u2019s aircraft</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has ribbed US aerospace giant Boeing by sharing a story which jokes that passengers could bring sharp hand tools like screwdrivers aboard their flights to assist with maintenance.</p>\n<p>The billionaire posted a screenshot from The Shovel, an Australian news satire site similar to The Onion, which declared that <em>&ldquo;Screwdrivers, drills now permitted on Boeing flights to allow passengers to help with maintenance.&rdquo;</em> The tongue-in-cheek story follows recent reports of mid-air malfunctions on Boeing airplanes.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Musk did not provide any description of the screenshot, which went viral after he posted it on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on March 17, receiving over 40 million views and 37,000 reposts. Internet users responded by posting their own memes exposing Boeing troubles.<br /><br />The US plane maker&rsquo;s production standards have come under increased scrutiny worldwide following a mid-air blowout on one of its 737 MAX 9 planes in January.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"zxx\"><a href=\"https://t.co/Z2UtwdHBJS\">pic.twitter.com/Z2UtwdHBJS</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1769197637440319718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>A US safety audit of Boeing&rsquo;s 737 MAX 9 manufacturing process has reportedly found dozens of quality-control shortcomings, including the use of dish soap and a hotel key card as makeshift tools. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified 97 <em>&ldquo;non-compliance&rdquo;</em> issues at Boeing and failed the aircraft maker on 33 out of 89 product audits, according to a recent New York Times report, citing relevant documents.</p>\n<p>The safety review was ordered after a January 5 Alaska Airlines flight bound for California from Portland, Oregon, had to turn back after a door panel blew off at 16,000 feet, injuring several of the 171 passengers aboard. The FAA temporarily grounded all 737 MAX 9 jets in the US for safety inspections. Alaska Airlines said it has found loose bolts on many of the Boeing planes in its fleet.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594170-faa-boeing-safety-audit-finds-multiple-failures/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Multiple \u2018non-compliance issues\u2019 exposed in Boeing safety audit \u2013 NYT\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Boeing passenger jets have been involved in several safety incidents this month. A 737 MAX 8 operated by United Airlines rolled off a runway and tilted onto its side after landing in Houston on March 8. A day earlier, an Osaka-bound Boeing 777 operated by United was diverted after a tire fell off its landing gear upon takeoff in San Francisco. At least 50 people on a Boeing 787 operated by Latam Airlines were injured on March 11 when the jet &ndash; heading to New Zealand from Australia &ndash; went into a sudden nosedive, slamming passengers into the ceiling, because of what the air carrier described as a <em>&ldquo;technical event.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The 737 MAX, Boeing&rsquo;s top-selling airliner, was grounded by aviation regulators around the world in March 2019, after crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed a combined 346 people. The planes were cleared to go back into service around two years later, following repairs to their flight control systems.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:31:56 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 18, 31, 56, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Rishi Sunak\u2019s father-in-law gifts $30 million in stock to infant grandson", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Rishi Sunak\u2019s father-in-law gifts $30 million in stock to infant grandson"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/india/594450-narayana-murthy-presented-company-shares/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f87efb2030272cfc3b2f82.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/india/594450-narayana-murthy-presented-company-shares/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/india/594450-narayana-murthy-presented-company-shares/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f87efb2030272cfc3b2f82.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, has presented company shares worth a fortune to a 4-month-old baby <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594450-narayana-murthy-presented-company-shares/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f87efb2030272cfc3b2f82.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, has presented company shares worth a fortune to a 4-month-old baby <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594450-narayana-murthy-presented-company-shares/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Billionaire Narayana Murthy has presented shares in his company to a 4-month-old baby, sparking controversy on social media</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Indian billionaire Narayana Murthy, the founder of the tech company Infosys, has gifted shares worth almost $30 million to his four-month-old grandson, local media reported on Monday, citing a stock exchange disclosure. The newborn is Murthy&rsquo;s third grandchild; his others&nbsp;being the two daughters of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty.</p>\n<p>A recent Infosys securities filing shows that Ekagrah Murty, the child of the Infosys founder&rsquo;s son Rohan, Akshata Murty&rsquo;s brother, owns 150,000 shares of Infosys, amounting to a 0.04 percent stake in the company.</p>\n<p>Infosys, which has a market capitalization of $81.52 billion as of March 15, and is the world's 205th most valuable company.</p>\n<p>According to Forbes, Narayana Murthy has an estimated net worth of $4.7 billion and is one of the wealthiest people in the country. Murthy&rsquo;s daughter Akshata, the wife of UK PM Sunak, holds shares worth 1.05% of the total paid up capital of Infosys. Sunak and his wife have an estimated worth of about &pound;529 million ($673 million), according to last year&rsquo;s Sunday Times rich list.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e9d90685f5405f83110c70.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/593928-uk-rwanda-asylum-exchange-plan-explained/\">\u2018A violation of human rights\u2019: Will the UK government get away with deporting asylum seekers to Africa?</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The wife of the Infosys co-founder, Sudha Murty, who was recently sworn in as a legislator in the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of India&rsquo;s parliament), holds a 0.83% stake in the company.</p>\n<p>This latest development has triggered a debate on social media as Murthy had recently suggested that young people in India should work at least 70 hours per week while lamenting the country&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;low work productivity.&rdquo;</em> At the time, many people criticized Murthy&rsquo;s views and raised concerns about disparities in earnings and the struggle to maintain a work-life balance. They highlighted the stark contrast between the expectations of the country&rsquo;s workforce and the corporate leaders who have profited from India&rsquo;s emergence as a global player.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://twitter.com/amrittkaal/status/1769681925977833577\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>&rdquo;Pretty sure he doesn&rsquo;t want his grandson to work for 16 hours a day,&rdquo;</em></a> one of the commenters wrote on X (formerly Twitter), reacting to the latest development. <a href=\"https://twitter.com/KeySelvaraj/status/1769689592356315626\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">&ldquo;Any gift for his employees who work 70 hours a week?&rdquo;</a>&nbsp;probed another user, taking a dig at Murthy over his previous comments.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><em><strong>Where India Meets Russia &ndash; We are now on WhatsApp! &lrm;Follow and share RT India in <a href=\"https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6XvWh7IUYZaRQrlU3y\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">English</a> and in <a href=\"https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7ALQtK0IBcl7uI7O3v\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Hindi</a>&nbsp;</strong></em></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:56:47 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 17, 56, 47, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "AI could poison Apple: Is the company\u2019s innovation engine running out of steam?", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "AI could poison Apple: Is the company\u2019s innovation engine running out of steam?"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/business/594040-apple-innovation-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f86f052030272c356a8354.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/business/594040-apple-innovation-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/business/594040-apple-innovation-crisis/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f86f052030272c356a8354.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Apple\u2019s stock price has slumped in recent months as the company falls behind its rivals in AI development <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594040-apple-innovation-crisis/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f86f052030272c356a8354.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Apple\u2019s stock price has slumped in recent months as the company falls behind its rivals in AI development <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594040-apple-innovation-crisis/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The company\u2019s stock has slumped in recent months as it loses ground to its rivals in technology development</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Since my October 2023&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/584085-apple-challenges-nokia-fate/\">warning</a>, Apple&rsquo;s stock price has defied the broader tech sector&rsquo;s upward trend fueled by the AI boom. While tech giants like Nvidia and Nasdaq are scaling new heights, Apple&rsquo;s stock has been on a concerning downward spiral for months. This slump comes despite the success of other companies heavily invested in Artificial Intelligence (AI), a sector where Apple seems to be lagging.</p>\n<p>Several factors contribute to Apple&rsquo;s woes. First, a potential sell-off by major shareholder Warren Buffett, who has been reducing his stake in Apple throughout 2023, could trigger a wider sell-off of the company&rsquo;s stock. Second, Apple has lost its top spot in market capitalization to Microsoft. Finally, the company is grappling with declining iPhone sales in China, a crucial market for its success.</p>\n<p>Apple, once a symbol of innovation, faces a complex set of challenges that have led to its recent stock decline. Here&rsquo;s a breakdown of the key factors at play:</p>\n<h2><strong>Sales Stagnation</strong></h2>\n<p>iPhone sales, the lifeblood of Apple&rsquo;s revenue, have plateaued. Market saturation and a lack of compelling features in newer models, compared to foldable phones offered by competitors, have dampened consumer upgrade desires.&nbsp;</p>\n<h2><strong>China Struggles</strong></h2>\n<p>Rising tensions between the US and China, coupled with the growing popularity of domestic brands like Huawei and Xiaomi, have eroded Apple&rsquo;s market share in this crucial market. Price sensitivity among Chinese consumers further complicates matters, as Apple&rsquo;s premium pricing strategy may not be sustainable.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Apple owns more than 50% market share in the U.S. and Japan and less than 20% in China and India - Statista <a href=\"https://t.co/ZjNoNir4J8\">pic.twitter.com/ZjNoNir4J8</a></p>&mdash; Russian Market (@runews) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/runews/status/1766776884312813776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 10, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p></p>\n<h2><strong>Innovation Lag</strong></h2>\n<p>Investor unease centers on Apple&rsquo;s perceived lagging commitment to artificial intelligence (AI). Rivals such as Google and Meta are making significant research and development (R&amp;D) investments in this burgeoning field, while Apple&rsquo;s Siri assistant pales in comparison in terms of functionality and user adoption. This lag raises concerns about Apple&rsquo;s ability to compete in an AI-driven future.</p>\n<h2><strong>The Buffett Factor</strong></h2>\n<p>Adding to investor concerns is the potential sell-off by major shareholder Warren Buffett. Berkshire Hathaway has been steadily reducing its stake in Apple throughout 2023. While Buffett&rsquo;s reasons remain undisclosed, some speculate it reflects concerns about Apple&rsquo;s slowing growth and lack of innovation in key areas like AI. A significant sell-off could trigger a domino effect, further depressing Apple&rsquo;s stock price.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Apple Insider Trading Alert \ud83d\udea8<br /><br />Chairman Arthur D. Levinson just dumped 100,000 <a href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">$AAPL</a> shares for a total value of roughly $18 million. Interesting trade with Apple trading at 4-month lows \ud83d\udc40<br /><br />Both Warren Buffett and Levinson are selling with shares facing a technical breakdown. <a href=\"https://t.co/Q6Yx5j2wlx\">pic.twitter.com/Q6Yx5j2wlx</a></p>&mdash; Barchart (@Barchart) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/Barchart/status/1763934787000213699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 2, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p></p>\n<h2><strong>Regulatory Pressures Mount</strong></h2>\n<p>Apple&rsquo;s dominance has attracted increasing regulatory scrutiny worldwide. The recent hefty &euro;1.8 billion ($1.97 bn) fine imposed by the European Union for stifling competition in its music streaming service exemplifies this trend. The EU accused Apple of deliberately withholding information about alternative, cheaper payment options for its Apple Music subscription, effectively forcing users to pay inflated commissions to Apple. This penalty serves as a warning, highlighting the growing global focus on curbing the power of tech giants and fostering a fairer playing field. Potential investigations into app store fees, which can reach up to 30% for some in-app purchases, and data privacy practices could further hinder Apple&rsquo;s growth and profitability. Apple needs to prioritize transparency and fair competition within its ecosystems.</p>\n<h2><strong>A Waning Innovation Engine?</strong></h2>\n<p>Apple&rsquo;s once-unrelenting innovation appears to be stalling. While competitors like Microsoft aggressively invest in AI, integrating the AI assistant Copilot into core productivity software like Word and Excel, Apple&rsquo;s progress in this crucial domain seems muted. This lag raises concerns about their ability to adapt in a rapidly evolving market. AI is poised to revolutionize numerous industries, from healthcare and manufacturing to finance and transportation. Falling behind could cost Apple dearly in terms of missed market opportunities and a decline in its reputation for cutting-edge technology. Investors seek a clear roadmap outlining Apple&rsquo;s AI strategy, potentially through strategic acquisitions of promising AI startups or increased in-house efforts focused on developing a robust AI ecosystem that rivals Google and Meta.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Innovation according to Apple <a href=\"https://t.co/mC3u98fX4M\">pic.twitter.com/mC3u98fX4M</a></p>&mdash; Russian Market (@runews) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/runews/status/1766779791724691904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 10, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>The iPhone, Apple&rsquo;s core product, has also encountered turbulence, highlighting the need for diversification and a renewed focus on innovation. The iPhone 15 launch, which was initially expected to be a major sales driver, was marred by overheating issues. These issues forced the phone&rsquo;s automatic shutdown feature to activate in some cases, leading to frustration and negative reviews from consumers. While iPhone 15 sales ultimately surpassed those of its predecessor, the iPhone 14, a concerning 1% decline in overall revenue was nevertheless recorded. This incident underscores the critical importance of rigorous quality control measures throughout the design and manufacturing process. Apple can ill-afford to compromise on user experience, especially in a highly competitive market where customer loyalty is paramount.</p>\n<p>Apple&rsquo;s overreliance on the iPhone for revenue generation has become a vulnerability. The smartphone market has reached a saturation point, with consumers holding onto their phones for longer periods before upgrading. This trend, coupled with the lack of groundbreaking features in recent iPhone iterations, has led to stagnant sales growth. To mitigate this risk, Apple needs to explore new avenues for growth beyond the iPhone.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Despite spending billions of dollars in the past 10 years, Apple has scrapped efforts to build its own self-driving electric car. <br /><br />The secretive project - known as 'Project Titan' - CNBC claim they\u2019ve pumped $30 billion into it last year alone. <br /><br />Mock up images by Vanarama. <a href=\"https://t.co/SNUtan5VUy\">pic.twitter.com/SNUtan5VUy</a></p>&mdash; Mr P\u00e5l Christiansen (@TheNorskaPaul) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/TheNorskaPaul/status/1764414719434047811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 3, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>The shelved &lsquo;Project Titan&rsquo; electric car project exemplifies a missed opportunity for Apple. While the self-driving car market is fiercely competitive, Apple&rsquo;s brand recognition and design expertise could have positioned them as a major player. The abrupt termination of the project raises questions about Apple&rsquo;s long-term commitment to innovation and their appetite for pioneering new technological frontiers. Investors are looking for a more aggressive approach to venturing into new markets with high-growth potential.</p>\n<h2><strong>Vision Pro Flop: Apple&rsquo;s Costly Gamble in a Fizzling Market</strong></h2>\n<p>The consumer VR market, once brimming with excitement, seems to be fizzling out. Early adopters are reportedly returning their VR headsets in droves. The current generation of VR headsets, including the rumored Vision Pro, are known for being bulky and uncomfortable, leading to complaints of nausea and fatigue during extended use. Furthermore, content libraries remain sparse, offering a limited selection of games and experiences that often fail to justify the hefty price tag. This lack of compelling content creates a vicious cycle, as limited user adoption discourages developers from investing in creating robust VR experiences. This trend casts a long shadow over Apple&rsquo;s much-hyped Vision Pro headset, raising serious questions about its potential success.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Look out for Dr. Strange over here <a href=\"https://t.co/TVyosd7d6M\">pic.twitter.com/TVyosd7d6M</a></p>&mdash; Russian Market (@runews) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/runews/status/1766784445401419837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 10, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>Despite all the problems, Apple retains a loyal customer base and a thriving Services business. To reclaim its tech throne, it needs a swift reboot. Prioritizing AI development and diversifying its product portfolio are paramount. The company must demonstrate a clear roadmap &ndash; a plan that leverages its strengths while adapting to the evolving tech landscape. Only by rekindling its innovative spirit can Apple recapture the magic that fueled its past success.</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:36:56 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 17, 36, 56, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "EU applicant is dependent on us \u2013 Romanian PM", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "EU applicant is dependent on us \u2013 Romanian PM"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594446-romania-moldova-ciolacu-sandu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f86fb72030272cfc3b2f6e.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594446-romania-moldova-ciolacu-sandu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594446-romania-moldova-ciolacu-sandu/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f86fb72030272cfc3b2f6e.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Moldova\u2019s \u201conly solution\u201d is further integration with Europe, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594446-romania-moldova-ciolacu-sandu/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f86fb72030272cfc3b2f6e.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Moldova\u2019s \u201conly solution\u201d is further integration with Europe, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594446-romania-moldova-ciolacu-sandu/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said neighboring Moldova\u2019s \u201conly solution\u201d is further integration with the bloc.</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has endorsed Moldova&rsquo;s pro-Western president&rsquo;s reelection campaign, declaring that the former Soviet state would not exist without support from Bucharest.</p>\n<p>Moldovan President Maia Sandu is seeking re-election this fall, promising to maintain her government&rsquo;s pro-Western trajectory and make the country a full-fledged member of the EU by 2030. Despite just 22% of Moldova&rsquo;s population expressing <a href=\"https://www.infotag.md/politics-en/310376/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">trust</a> in Sandu, she is backed by multiple EU leaders, including Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.</p>\n<p>Sandu&rsquo;s reelection <em>&ldquo;is the only solution for the Republic of Moldova to continue to have a European route,&rdquo;</em> Ciolacu told Romania&rsquo;s Digi24 news outlet on Sunday.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I want to remind you that Romanians live in the Republic of Moldova, only Romanians,&rdquo;</em> Ciolacu continued. <em>&ldquo;This state is sustainable thanks to the involvement of the Romanian state and of Romania. I think it is our duty as Romanians to continue to support our Romanians from the Republic of Moldova.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomes Moldova\u2019s PM Dorin Recean at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e9792985f540344152f35f.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593907-moldova-eu-nato-ukraine/\">Majority in ex-Soviet state oppose joining NATO \u2013 poll</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>More than 80% of Moldova&rsquo;s 2.5 million people speak Romanian as their mother language and roughly a quarter of the population hold Romanian passports. However, while Sandu has spoken favorably about the country&rsquo;s eventual unification with Romania, around <a href=\"https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/romanians-massively-oppose-unification-with-moldova:-poll\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">two thirds</a> of Moldovans oppose the idea. A majority of Moldova&rsquo;s population also opposes joining NATO, while only a slim majority supports EU membership, according to a <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593907-moldova-eu-nato-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">poll</a> carried out earlier this month.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Furthermore, the self-declared republic of Transnistria, located in eastern Moldova, is home to more than 200,000 Russian citizens. In 2006, 98% of Transnistrians voted to secede and pursue future integration with the Russian Federation.</p>\n<p>Transnistrian legislators last month called on Moscow to take <em>&ldquo;measures to protect Transnistria amid mounting pressure from Moldova.&rdquo;</em> The Kremlin promised to <em>&ldquo;carefully consider&rdquo;</em> the request.</p>\n<p>According to recent <a href=\"https://noi.md/md/politica/cine-ar-putea-deveni-viitorul-presedinte-al-republicii-moldova-sondaj\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">opinion polling</a>, Sandu&nbsp;is nech-and-neck with socialist rival Igor Dodon, who favors closer relations with Russia. While Moldovans once associated Sandu with liberalization and prosperity, they now associate her with <em>&ldquo;poverty, arrogance, and anti-democratic abuse,&rdquo; </em>Dodon said in December.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:35:06 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 17, 35, 6, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russia demands Germany recognizes siege of Leningrad as genocide", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russia demands Germany recognizes siege of Leningrad as genocide"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594444-germany-leningrad-blockade-genocide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f868a985f5401d8020d578.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594444-germany-leningrad-blockade-genocide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594444-germany-leningrad-blockade-genocide/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f868a985f5401d8020d578.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russia has demanded that Germany accept responsibility for the atrocities of the Third Reich <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594444-germany-leningrad-blockade-genocide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f868a985f5401d8020d578.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russia has demanded that Germany accept responsibility for the atrocities of the Third Reich <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594444-germany-leningrad-blockade-genocide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Moscow\u2019s embassy has demanded that Berlin accept responsibility for the atrocities of the Third Reich</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russia has issued a formal demand that Germany officially acknowledge the siege of Leningrad during World War II, and other atrocities committed by the Third Reich in the USSR, as acts of genocide.</p>\n<p>RT has seen a diplomatic note sent by the Russian Foreign Ministry to the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin in late February, in response to a statement released by Berlin on January 27, marking 80 years since the siege of Leningrad (present-day St Petersburg) was lifted.</p>\n<p>Berlin stated that it was <em>&ldquo;committed to ensuring that the memory of the atrocities of German war crimes in the Second World War is maintained and expressly acknowledges its historical responsibility for the crimes committed in Leningrad by the German Wehrmacht.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.01/thumbnail/65b53197203027125d7808a3.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/591373-no-more-nazism-putin/\">Putin vows to eradicate Nazism for good</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Russian diplomats, in response, pointed to the <em>&ldquo;contradictory nature of the German side&rsquo;s approach to the issue of officially recognizing crimes against humanity committed by Germany in the past as acts of genocide,&rdquo;</em> the document reads.</p>\n<p>Moscow noted that Berlin has already recognized its colonial-era crimes as genocide, but has yet to do the same with regards to the Leningrad blockade and other crimes against the people of the USSR.</p>\n<p>&rdquo;The Russian side insists on the official recognition by the German side of the atrocities of the Third Reich as acts of genocide,&rdquo; the note says.</p>\n<p>According to figures released by Russia&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry last month, Nazi Germany's blockade of Leningrad &ndash; which began on September 8, 1941 and lasted 872 days &ndash; resulted in the deaths of over one million people, half of the city&rsquo;s population. The invasion of the Soviet Union by Hitler&rsquo;s forces caused the deaths of over 13.6 million civilians.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:10:21 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 17, 10, 21, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Scholz won\u2019t congratulate Putin on election victory \u2013 Berlin", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Scholz won\u2019t congratulate Putin on election victory \u2013 Berlin"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594449-scholz-not-congratulate-putin-victory/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8735d85f54013eb6e5ef9.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594449-scholz-not-congratulate-putin-victory/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594449-scholz-not-congratulate-putin-victory/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8735d85f54013eb6e5ef9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The German government has denounced the Russian presidential vote as undemocratic, as Moscow brands criticism predictable and irrelevant <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594449-scholz-not-congratulate-putin-victory/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8735d85f54013eb6e5ef9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The German government has denounced the Russian presidential vote as undemocratic, as Moscow brands criticism predictable and irrelevant <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594449-scholz-not-congratulate-putin-victory/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Moscow has branded the West\u2019s criticisms of the Russian presidential elections as both predictable and irrelevant</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz will not send a message of congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election victory, which Berlin has branded as <em>&ldquo;undemocratic,&rdquo;</em> government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann told a media briefing on Monday.</p>\n<p>Putin won the ballot by a wide margin, receiving 87% of the votes, according to the Russian Central Election Commission. This year&rsquo;s vote also saw the highest turnout in Russia&rsquo;s modern history, which surpassed 74%.</p>\n<p>Hoffmann claimed that the vote was not democratic and <em>&ldquo;no real opposing candidates were allowed.&rdquo;</em> She went so far as to brand Russia a <em>&ldquo;dictatorship&rdquo;</em> ruled <em>&ldquo;in an authoritarian manner&rdquo;</em> by Putin, and added that Scholz shares such an assessment.</p>\n<p>Russia&rsquo;s election saw four candidates present on the ballot. Apart from Putin, who ran as an independent with support from three political parties, all other candidates were nominated by major parliamentary opposition parties: the left-wing Communist Party of Russia, the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) and the New People Party, which entered the State Duma in 2021.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: People vote during the 2024 Russian presidential election.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f88e902030272dea771365.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594422-putin-democratic-election-west/\">Putin brushes off Western election rebukes</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Berlin decried an alleged <em>&ldquo;climate of intimidation&rdquo;</em> and a lack of <em>&ldquo;freedom of expression&rdquo;</em> in Russia, as it justified Scholz&rsquo;s decision not to congratulate Putin on his landslidevictory.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We see this so-called election in Russia last weekend as neither free nor fair,&rdquo;</em> Hoffmann said, in a statement that was similar to one earlier offered by the US.</p>\n<p>She&nbsp;claimed it was&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;extremely problematic&rdquo;</em> that votes were also held in the four former Ukrainian territories &ndash; the two Donbass republics as well the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions &ndash; which joined Russia following a series of referendums in autumn 2022 that Kiev and its Western backers have not recognized.</p>\n<p>The Russian national election of 2024 prompted a flurry of critical statements in the West, which were dismissed by Moscow as expected but irrelevant. <em>&ldquo;This is not an opinion for us to heed,&rdquo;</em> Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Monday, referring to remarks made by Washington and other Western nations.</p>\n<p>Earlier, Putin himself responded to Western criticism of the election results, calling them <em>&ldquo;predictable,&rdquo;</em> considering that those nations <em>&ldquo;are fighting against us, including with arms,&rdquo;</em> referring to the West&rsquo;s constant stream of weapons deliveries to Ukraine.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:03:29 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 17, 3, 29, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Moscow slams OSCE for ignoring killing of Russian civilians", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Moscow slams OSCE for ignoring killing of Russian civilians"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594438-osce-ukraine-attacks-russian-cities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f850bc85f5401d8020d555.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594438-osce-ukraine-attacks-russian-cities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594438-osce-ukraine-attacks-russian-cities/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f850bc85f5401d8020d555.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The organization has demonstrated a biased approach to civilian deaths in Russia and Ukraine, Moscow\u2019s envoy says <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594438-osce-ukraine-attacks-russian-cities/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f850bc85f5401d8020d555.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The organization has demonstrated a biased approach to civilian deaths in Russia and Ukraine, Moscow\u2019s envoy says <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594438-osce-ukraine-attacks-russian-cities/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Russia\u2019s envoy urged the organization to force Kiev to abide by international rules</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The obvious lack of a reaction to Ukrainian attacks on Russian cities demonstrated by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has encouraged Kiev to keep killing civilians, Moscow&rsquo;s representative at the organization Alexander Lukashevich stated on Monday.</p>\n<p>The comments came as Ukraine intensified its attacks on Russia&rsquo;s border regions last week ahead of the country&rsquo;s presidential election, which took place Friday through Sunday. The attacks involved drone raids, artillery strikes and attempted ground incursions. The assaults on Russia&rsquo;s Belgorod Region alone have claimed the lives of 11 civilians, including children; 82 more were injured, according to the local health authorities.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The OSCE leadership is once again demonstrating biased approaches, continuing to divide people into categories and sorts and blatantly &lsquo;not noticing&rsquo; the victims of attacks carried out by the armed formations of the Kiev regime against peaceful residents of the Russian regions,&rdquo;</em> Lukashevich said in a statement posted on the official Telegram channel of the Russian mission.</p>\n<p>The official highlighted that the OSCE leaders had offered nothing but <em>&ldquo;politicized statements&rdquo;</em> to back Kiev&rsquo;s criminal regime, accusing the organization of demonstrating hypocrisy that <em>&ldquo;goes beyond all possible boundaries.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Lukashevich also urged OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ian Borg and Secretary General Helga Schmid to immediately condemn the intense, indiscriminate shelling of Russian cities by Ukrainian militant groups.&nbsp;</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593156-osce-violate-mandate-moscow/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>OSCE violating its mandate \u2013 Moscow\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>According to the envoy, the organization must call on the Ukrainian authorities and their sponsors from NATO to stop killing civilians, and immediately choose a political and diplomatic path to resolve existing tensions instead.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Silence and inaction by the OSCE leadership now will mean not only encouragement of attacks by the Kiev regime against the civilians of the Russian Federation, but also its personal responsibility for further armed escalation,&rdquo;</em> the diplomat concluded.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:20:37 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 16, 20, 37, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Ukrainian \u2018spy\u2019 arrested in EU state \u2013 media", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Ukrainian \u2018spy\u2019 arrested in EU state \u2013 media"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594442-ukrainian-spy-arrested-france/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f85b7420302722dd2430f7.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594442-ukrainian-spy-arrested-france/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594442-ukrainian-spy-arrested-france/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f85b7420302722dd2430f7.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> French police have reportedly arrested a Ukrainian national who allegedly used a drone to spy on a Russian vessel unloading ammonia <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594442-ukrainian-spy-arrested-france/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f85b7420302722dd2430f7.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> French police have reportedly arrested a Ukrainian national who allegedly used a drone to spy on a Russian vessel unloading ammonia <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594442-ukrainian-spy-arrested-france/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>A 33-year-old woman surveilled a Russian ship unloading ammonia at a \u201csensitive site\u201d in Normandy, France, Journal du Dimanche reports</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>French law enforcement have arrested a suspected Ukrainian spy who used a drone to snoop on a Russian merchant ship transporting fertilizers in the northern part of the country, Le Journal du Dimanche reported on Friday.</p>\n<p>According to the newspaper&rsquo;s sources within the police, a 33-year-old Ukrainian female was taken into custody after she remotely flew an unmanned aerial vehicle over the Borealis chemical plant in the Normandy riverside town of Grand-Quevilly, about 80 kilometers from the coast. The facility itself, which was described by the paper as <em>&ldquo;sensitive,&rdquo;</em> specializes in the production of fertilizers.</p>\n<p>The report said that the suspected spy &ndash; allegedly acting on behalf of Ukraine &ndash; was particularly interested in the <em>&ldquo;disembarkation of 11,000 tonnes of ammonia from a Russian cargo ship.&rdquo;</em> It also claimed that the woman was apprehended shortly after she was spotted by security guards at the facility, who called the police.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO. A baby stroller on a street in the center of Belgorod, Russia after a Ukrainian strike\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82d2685f5402d1b1b2dbf.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594428-belgorod-ukraine-attacks-casualties/\">11 dead after week of Ukrainian strikes on Russian region \u2013 official</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>No information on the suspect's possible relationship with Kiev, on what punishment she might face or details about the Russian ship were provided.</p>\n<p>Russia is one of the world&rsquo;s leading producers of ammonia, a substance that plays a crucial role in fertilizer production, which significantly improves crop yields. The issue of ammonia exports has come into the spotlight on several occasions during the Ukraine conflict, particularly after the key Tolyatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline was severely damaged in Kharkov Region. Moscow and Kiev have traded accusations over the incident.</p>\n<p>While the EU&rsquo;s unprecedented sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine conflict target a wide range of goods, Moscow&rsquo;s fertilizer exports have largely escaped any restrictions, provided that sanctioned persons are not involved. The bloc&rsquo;s sanctions also do not prohibit EU states from granting port access to Russian-flagged vessels for the purposes of importing or transporting agricultural products, including fertilizers and wheat.</p>\n<p>Despite recurring calls for the EU to become less dependent on Russian agriculture products, nitrogen imports into the bloc increased by 34% in 2022-23 compared to the previous period, with Russia accounting for around a third of the total growth, according to Eurostat.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:08:15 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 16, 8, 15, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Red Sea attacks halving Suez Canal trade", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Red Sea attacks halving Suez Canal trade"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594437-suez-canal-trade-halved/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f847122030272c9f2bdcb8.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594437-suez-canal-trade-halved/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594437-suez-canal-trade-halved/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f847122030272c9f2bdcb8.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> As Red Sea attacks halve trade via Suez Canal, shipping is diverted to route around South African Cape of Good Hope, IMF is reporting <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594437-suez-canal-trade-halved/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f847122030272c9f2bdcb8.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> As Red Sea attacks halve trade via Suez Canal, shipping is diverted to route around South African Cape of Good Hope, IMF is reporting <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594437-suez-canal-trade-halved/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The trade volume is being diverted from Suez to route around South Africa\u2019s Cape of Good Hope, the International Monetary Fund reports</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The Suez and Panama Canals have seen drops in trade of 50% and 32% respectively during January and February, compared with the same months in 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reporting.</p>\n<p>According to the fund&rsquo;s information, transit trade fell in the first two months of 2024 due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and to drought affecting the Panama Canal.</p>\n<p>Meanwhile, trade volume via the Cape of Good Hope, the most South-Western point of the African continent, went up by 74% in that same period.</p>\n<p>Attacks on vessels in the Red Sea region decreased traffic via the Suez Canal, a vital route between Asia and Europe that ordinarily handles about 15% of global maritime trade. Consequently, numerous shipping firms rerouted vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, lengthening average delivery times by over ten days.&nbsp;</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A fire aboard True Confidence bulk carrier as a result of a missile attack by the Houthis.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e9a3e685f54053e24ddf8c.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593916-houthis-yemen-fatalities-us/\">First fatalities confirmed in Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>A pronounced drought affecting the Panama Canal has compelled authorities to implement substantial limitations on daily ship transits since last October, impeding maritime trade at a crucial juncture where normally about 5% of global maritime trade traverses between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.</p>\n<p>Such measures have negatively impacted companies with constrained inventories, the IMF said.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The organization cautions against the potential impact of these disruptions on inflation rates due to rising shipping costs, as well as complications in global trade and economic activity statistics.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;If continued, the ripple effects of these disruptions could temporarily hamper some supply chains in affected countries and cause upward pressure on inflation [due to higher shipping costs],&rdquo;</em> it advised.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Reports on merchandise trade for January in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe have indicated a deceleration in import growth as a result of these problems in trading.&nbsp;</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:45:03 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 15, 45, 3, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "China comments on Swiss-proposed Ukraine peace talks", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "China comments on Swiss-proposed Ukraine peace talks"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594429-china-ukraine-peace-talks-switzerland/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8597385f5401d8020d568.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594429-china-ukraine-peace-talks-switzerland/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594429-china-ukraine-peace-talks-switzerland/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8597385f5401d8020d568.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Beijing is considering participating in a peace conference that Switzerland is proposing, according to China\u2019s ambassador in Bern <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594429-china-ukraine-peace-talks-switzerland/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8597385f5401d8020d568.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Beijing is considering participating in a peace conference that Switzerland is proposing, according to China\u2019s ambassador in Bern <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594429-china-ukraine-peace-talks-switzerland/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Beijing is considering taking part in event, according to its ambassador in Bern</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>China is examining the possibility of taking part in a proposed Swiss-hosted peace conference on the Ukraine conflict, Beijing&rsquo;s ambassador to Bern, Wang Shihting, told the daily Neue Zuercher Zeitung on Monday.</p>\n<p>Last month, Switzerland announced plans to organize a peace summit, which would take place <em>&ldquo;by the summer.&rdquo;</em> No specific date has been set, nor has a list of participants been revealed. However, Ukraine has indicated that Russia can only be invited if it agrees in advance to a litany of preconditions.</p>\n<p>Beijing has reportedly been pushing to have Moscow invited to the peace talks, with Wang saying on Monday that all parties must be involved to end the ongoing conflict. <br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The crisis must be prevented from getting even worse, or even getting out of control,&rdquo;</em> the envoy said, noting that China has already put forward a strategy for a political end to the conflict, and adding that Beijing has been following the Swiss proposal and is considering taking part.<br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The territorial sovereignty of all countries must be respected, and the UN Charter must be adhered to,&rdquo;</em> Wang stressed. <em>&ldquo;We should support Russia and Ukraine resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible so that the situation can be gradually de-escalated,&rdquo;</em> the diplomat recommended.</p>\n<p>Moscow has called the proposed peace conference plan <em>&ldquo;pointless&rdquo;</em> and indicated it has no intention of participating, even if officially invited.</p>\n<p>Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last week that the proposed forum would be dedicated to the promotion of the &lsquo;Zelensky peace formula&rsquo; which Moscow has panned as unrealistic.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova \u00a9 Sputnik\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f1e91c85f5402ef25b105e.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594221-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-switzerland/\">Russia says no to Switzerland \u2018peace conference\u2019</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Zelensky&rsquo;s plan includes the full withdrawal of Russian troops and a return to Ukraine&rsquo;s 1991 borders, holding Moscow accountable and forced to pay reparations, among other conditions. Kiev&rsquo;s basic demands remain the same, while legitimate Russian interests are being ignored, according to Zakharova. She insisted that Switzerland has <em>&ldquo;lost&rdquo;</em> its neutral status and cannot serve as a platform for peacekeeping efforts.</p>\n<p>Ukraine&rsquo;s Western backers insist that a peace settlement can only be achieved on Kiev&rsquo;s terms and have vowed to continue weapons deliveries for <em>&ldquo;as long as it takes.&rdquo;</em> Russia, meanwhile, has stressed that no amount of foreign aid will change the course of the conflict.</p>\n<p>Peace negotiations between Moscow and Kiev were held in Istanbul in the spring of 2022 but broke down, with each side accusing the other of making unrealistic demands. Russian President Vladimir Putin has since said that the Ukrainian delegation had initially agreed with some of Moscow&rsquo;s terms, but then abruptly reneged on the deal.</p>\n<p>The Kremlin has said that it remains open to discussions, but only if Kiev recognizes the <em>&ldquo;reality on the ground.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:15:56 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 15, 15, 56, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Israel wants new deal from Hamas \u2013 media", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Israel wants new deal from Hamas \u2013 media"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594441-israel-ceasefire-talks-mossad/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f856a985f54013eb6e5ecf.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594441-israel-ceasefire-talks-mossad/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594441-israel-ceasefire-talks-mossad/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f856a985f54013eb6e5ecf.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The country\u2019s top spy is en route to Qatar for talks with the militants, but government sources say a new agreement will take time <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594441-israel-ceasefire-talks-mossad/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f856a985f54013eb6e5ecf.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The country\u2019s top spy is en route to Qatar for talks with the militants, but government sources say a new agreement will take time <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594441-israel-ceasefire-talks-mossad/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The country\u2019s top spy is en route to Qatar for ceasefire talks with the militants</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Mossad chief David Barnea is traveling to Qatar to continue ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, but will not accept a deal proposed last week by the Palestinian militants, Israel&rsquo;s i24 News reported on Monday.</p>\n<p>Barnea, who heads the Israeli intelligence agency, will seek to renegotiate the <em>&ldquo;bad&rdquo;</em> deal put forward by Hamas, i24 reported, citing government sources. These same sources stressed that a new agreement is unlikely to be reached in Doha, with Hebrew news site Ynet quoting other government sources as saying that Barnea&rsquo;s team had requested <em>&ldquo;a significant amount of time&rdquo;</em> to draft a new arrangement.</p>\n<p>Hamas announced on Friday that it had presented its ceasefire <em>&ldquo;vision&rdquo;</em> to Qatari and Egyptian mediators. Reuters later revealed details of the Hamas proposal, which it said envisages a two-stage road-map toward ending the fighting.</p>\n<p>Hostilities would be paused during the first stage to allow the militants to release Israeli women, children, elderly, and sick hostages, in exchange for Israel freeing between 700 and 1,000 Palestinian prisoners from its jails, the news agency reported. With the exchange completed, a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal and permanent ceasefire would be agreed, after which all detainees from both sides would be released in the second stage of the plan.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f44bb62030273f441aa8b6.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594321-natanyahu-approves-rafah-operation/\">Israeli PM approves Rafah operation plan</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In a social media post later on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s office described Hamas&rsquo; demands as <em>&ldquo;unrealistic.&rdquo;</em> Netanyahu has maintained for months that Hamas must be completely <em>&ldquo;eliminated&rdquo;</em> and its members prevented from having any say in governing post-conflict Gaza.</p>\n<p>Netanyahu&rsquo;s office also said on Friday that he had approved plans to attack the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. With more than a million Palestinians driven into Rafah by Israeli attacks on other parts of the enclave, an assault on the city <em>&ldquo;could lead to a slaughter&rdquo;</em> of civilians, the UN has <a href=\"https://twitter.com/UNReliefChief/status/1757478710960066854\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">warned</a>.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Israel has been waging a relentless air and ground campaign against Gaza for more than five months, following Hamas&rsquo; surprise attack on the Jewish state on October 7, which saw 1,100 people killed and 250 taken hostage. Israeli forces have since killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the latest figures from the Gaza Health Ministry.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:13:34 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 15, 13, 34, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Kremlin denies Navalny swap talks with West", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Kremlin denies Navalny swap talks with West"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594439-navalny-swap-putin-peskov/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f84b3685f5402d1b1b2de8.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594439-navalny-swap-putin-peskov/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594439-navalny-swap-putin-peskov/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f84b3685f5402d1b1b2de8.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> There were no negotiations between Russia and the West on exchanging opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Dmitry Peskov has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594439-navalny-swap-putin-peskov/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f84b3685f5402d1b1b2de8.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> There were no negotiations between Russia and the West on exchanging opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Dmitry Peskov has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594439-navalny-swap-putin-peskov/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>There were no negotiations about exchanging the opposition figure before his death, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin did not say there were negotiations with the West on swapping Alexey Navalny before the opposition figure&rsquo;s death in a penal colony last month, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov clarified on Monday.</p>\n<p>Speaking to his supporters after the preliminary results were announced in Russia&rsquo;s presidential election late on Sunday, Putin revealed that several days before Navalny had died, a suggestion had been made to exchange him for Russian prisoners being held by the US and its allies.</p>\n<p>The idea came from <em>&ldquo;some of my colleagues&hellip; not members of the administration,&rdquo;</em> Putin stressed. <em>&ldquo;The person who talked to me did not even finish the phrase. I said &lsquo;I agree.&rsquo; But what happened, happened,&rdquo;</em> he added, stating that his only condition had been that Navalny did not return to Russia.</p>\n<p>When asked to comment on Putin&rsquo;s remarks, Peskov replied that the president only <em>&ldquo;said that one person put forward an idea about exchanging Navalny, to which he potentially agreed and immediately told the person who put forward such an idea about it.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76c2420302732d8688e7d.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594398-putin-speks-on-navalny/\">Putin reveals he agreed to swap Navalny</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;Putin did not say that negotiations were held on this matter,&rdquo;</em> the spokesman emphasized.</p>\n<p>Peskov noted that the president had refrained from mentioning the person&rsquo;s name who came up with the idea of the swap or any other details regarding it.&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;Accordingly, I cannot do this either,&rdquo;</em> the spokesman added.</p>\n<p>The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), an NGO formerly headed by Navalny, previously claimed that the opposition figure was due to be swapped for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian national convicted of the murder of a former Chechen militant commander in Germany in 2021. Talks on the issue were <em>&ldquo;at the final stage,&rdquo;</em> according to the NGO.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Maria Pevchikh, the current head of FBK, has suggested that Navalny was <em>&ldquo;killed&rdquo;</em> to prevent the swap. Moscow has rejected the allegations, calling for patience until the end of the official investigation into his death. &nbsp;</p>\n<p>Navalny, who had been serving a lengthy sentence due to violations of the terms of a previous fraud sentence and <em>&ldquo;extremist activities,&rdquo;</em> died at a penal colony in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region on February 16.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593539-alexey-navalny-buried-in-moscow/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Alexey Navalny buried in Moscow\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The prison authorities said the 47-year-old suddenly fell ill after a walk and collapsed, with efforts to resuscitate him failing. According to FBK, the death certificate provided to Navalny&rsquo;s mother said he had died of natural causes.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:06:54 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 15, 6, 54, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Modi hails \u2018special\u2019 relations after Putin victory", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Modi hails \u2018special\u2019 relations after Putin victory"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/india/594434-modi-congratulates-putin-election/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f83ff22030272caa6c0e77.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/india/594434-modi-congratulates-putin-election/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/india/594434-modi-congratulates-putin-election/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f83ff22030272caa6c0e77.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Indian PM said that he would work to further strengthen the already \u201ctime-tested\u201d relationship between Moscow and New Delhi <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594434-modi-congratulates-putin-election/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f83ff22030272caa6c0e77.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Indian PM said that he would work to further strengthen the already \u201ctime-tested\u201d relationship between Moscow and New Delhi <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594434-modi-congratulates-putin-election/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Indian PM has congratulated the Russian president after he won a fifth term in office</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was re-elected and secured a fifth term in office yesterday. Modi hailed the <em>&ldquo;special and privileged&rdquo;</em> relationship between the two BRICS nations.</p>\n<p>With all ballots counted by Monday morning, Putin had won 87% of the vote, with voter turnout at an unprecedented 77%.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Warm congratulations to [His Excellency] Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation,&rdquo;</em> Modi wrote on X on Monday. <em>&ldquo;Look forward to working together to further strengthen the time-tested Special &amp; Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia in the years to come.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Moscow and New Delhi developed a close relationship during the Cold War. This persisted after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, with both sides describing it as a <em>&ldquo;special and privileged strategic partnership.&rdquo;</em> Russia supplies more than a third of India&rsquo;s weapons and a third of its crude oil, while the overall volume of trade between the two countries is at an <em>&ldquo;all-time high,&rdquo;</em> Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced in December.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f71ff385f5406c861633aa.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594390-putin-win-presidential-election/\">Putin scores historic win in Russian presidential election \u2013 official results</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>India refused to impose sanctions on Russia in response to the Ukraine conflict, despite pressure from its Western powers. Senior diplomats in New Delhi have vehemently defended the country&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;pragmatic&rdquo;</em> decision and <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/593911-india-doesnt-need-certificate-from-west-russia/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">cited</a> historical ties as a key reason for maintaining close trade and diplomatic relations with Moscow.</p>\n<p>Following his electoral victory, Putin has also received messages of congratulations from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a host of other leaders from post-Soviet republics, the Caribbean, and Latin America.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>No NATO or EU leaders have congratulated the Russian president. Writing on Telegram on Sunday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the West&rsquo;s antagonism toward Russia had helped unify the country and aided Putin in securing a landslide victory.</p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:08:42 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 14, 8, 42, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Trump considering bringing back Manafort \u2013 WaPo", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Trump considering bringing back Manafort \u2013 WaPo"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594433-manafort-trump-campaign-wapo/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f83f2920302722dd2430d9.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594433-manafort-trump-campaign-wapo/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594433-manafort-trump-campaign-wapo/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f83f2920302722dd2430d9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Trump campaign may hire Paul Manafort to conduct fundraising, the Washington Post has claimed, citing sources <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594433-manafort-trump-campaign-wapo/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f83f2920302722dd2430d9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Trump campaign may hire Paul Manafort to conduct fundraising, the Washington Post has claimed, citing sources <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594433-manafort-trump-campaign-wapo/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The pardoned ex-lobbyist could be given a fundraising role for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, sources have claimed</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Donald Trump could hire former lobbyist Paul Manafort for his presidential election campaign, sources have told the Washington Post. Manafort was convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion in 2018 after being linked to the &lsquo;Russiagate&rsquo; saga, before being pardoned by Trump as he was leaving office.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Citing anonymous sources, the newspaper reported on Monday that presumptive Republican nominee Trump appreciates Manafort&rsquo;s personal loyalty and intends to entrust him with raising funds for his bid for a White House return in November&rsquo;s election.</p>\n<p>The move, however, <em>&ldquo;would likely revive discussion of Russia&rsquo;s involvement in the 2016 election,&rdquo;</em> the Post claimed. Manafort formerly served as chairman of Trump&rsquo;s 2016 campaign before being dismissed over allegations of illegal lobbying.</p>\n<p>He had spent years as a Republican operative before becoming a lobbyist for foreign clients. Manafort was later accused of neglecting to register as foreign agent and fraudulently hiding profits from the US tax authorities.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: US President Barack Obama and CIA Director John Brennan, December 14, 2012 in Washington, DC.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65cce04685f5403eff585521.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/592439-cia-russiagate-illegal-trump/\">US spies behind \u2018Russiagate\u2019 conspiracy \u2013 report</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Manafort emerged as a key target for attacks on the Trump campaign in 2016 due to the fact that Viktor Yanukovich, the Ukrainian president ousted in 2014 in the US-backed armed coup in Kiev, had been among his clients.</p>\n<p>Western media widely described Yanukovich as <em>&ldquo;pro-Russian&rdquo;</em> due to his voter base in the predominantly ethnic-Russian eastern part of Ukraine and his reluctance to integrate with the EU at the expense of tariff-free trade with Moscow.</p>\n<p>Yanukovich employed Manafort&rsquo;s services to improve his government&rsquo;s standing with the West. The American engaged the bipartisan lobbying apparatus in Washington, working with major firms such as the Podesta Group, which is closely linked to the Democrats. Co-founder John Podesta had a senior position in Hillary Clinton&rsquo;s 2016 campaign.</p>\n<p>Manafort came to the attention of special counsel Robert Mueller, who was charged with investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential vote. While the probe failed to produce charges against Trump for supposedly colluding with Moscow, Manafort&rsquo;s conviction was played up by media hostile to the then-president as circumstantial evidence that such a link existed.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593275-cia-fbi-worried-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Trump plans to \u2018reform\u2019 CIA and FBI \u2013 Politico\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Trump pardoned Manafort in December 2020, just as his term in office was about to end. The Republican publicly praised his <em>&ldquo;brave&rdquo;</em> former campaign staffer in an interview in 2018, comparing him favorably to another ex-associate, long-time personal lawyer Michael Cohen. The same month, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations related to payouts to adult film actress Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair she had with Trump.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:07:42 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 14, 7, 42, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Kremlin clarifies Putin\u2019s \u2018cordon sanitaire\u2019 idea", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Kremlin clarifies Putin\u2019s \u2018cordon sanitaire\u2019 idea"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594436-kremlin-putin-ukraine-cordon-sanitaire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f845ef2030272cfc3b2f2f.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594436-kremlin-putin-ukraine-cordon-sanitaire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594436-kremlin-putin-ukraine-cordon-sanitaire/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f845ef2030272cfc3b2f2f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories is intended to prevent further Ukrainian strikes on Russia, the Kremlin has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594436-kremlin-putin-ukraine-cordon-sanitaire/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f845ef2030272cfc3b2f2f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories is intended to prevent further Ukrainian strikes on Russia, the Kremlin has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594436-kremlin-putin-ukraine-cordon-sanitaire/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>A buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories would prevent Ukraine from launching strikes on civilians, Dmitry Peskov has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russia may need to establish a buffer zone with Ukraine to ensure the safety of Russian regions that are often subject to Kiev&rsquo;s deadly and indiscriminate artillery and drone attacks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.</p>\n<p>During his victory speech after the conclusion of the presidential election on Sunday night, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that Moscow could at some point be forced to <em>&ldquo;create a certain cordon sanitaire&rdquo;</em> in Kiev-controlled territories in light of the <em>&ldquo;tragic events&rdquo;</em> which have happened in regions bordering Ukraine.</p>\n<p>This security zone, he said, <em>&ldquo;would be quite difficult for the adversary to overcome with its weapons, primarily of foreign origin.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Speaking to reporters on Monday, Peskov explained that Russia <em>&ldquo;would take measures to safeguard [its] territories&rdquo;</em> from Ukrainian drone and artillery strikes on settlements, residential blocks and critical civilian infrastructure.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian Uragan multiple rocket launchers pictured near the town of Avdeevka on March 8, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4745b2030273f7714e93c.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/\">Long-range strikes, drone warfare and border escalation: Key events of the week in Russia-Ukraine conflict (VIDEOS)</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The only way to make those areas safe, he continued, is to create <em>&ldquo;some kind of corridor, some kind of&hellip; buffer zone that [would put] out of reach any means that the enemy might use to launch strikes.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Russian border regions are regularly attacked by Ukraine; many of the strikes target civilian infrastructure, resulting in dozens of deaths. Long-range Ukrainian raids sometimes reach as far as Moscow and St. Petersburg, several hundred kilometers from the front line.</p>\n<p>Kiev&rsquo;s forces have also launched ground incursions into Russian territory. The most recent such raid targeted the Kursk and Belgorod border regions last week. Moscow has described the attempt to breach the border as a total failure, saying the attacking forces lost over 1,500 soldiers and dozens of armored vehicles.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:00:48 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 14, 0, 48, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "EU announces $8 billion aid package for Egypt", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "EU announces $8 billion aid package for Egypt"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594435-eu-egypt-cooperation-aid-package/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8428585f5401d825bc20c.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594435-eu-egypt-cooperation-aid-package/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594435-eu-egypt-cooperation-aid-package/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8428585f5401d825bc20c.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Human rights groups criticize an EU deal with Egypt covering areas including migration, due to run until 2027 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594435-eu-egypt-cooperation-aid-package/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8428585f5401d825bc20c.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Human rights groups criticize an EU deal with Egypt covering areas including migration, due to run until 2027 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594435-eu-egypt-cooperation-aid-package/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Human rights organizations have criticized the agreement in six areas, including migration</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The European Union (EU) has announced an aid package worth &euro;7.4 billion ($8 billion) for Egypt, aimed at stabilizing the North African nation&rsquo;s economy and reducing migrant flows to Europe.</p>\n<p>The deal was signed on Sunday in Cairo at a ceremony attended by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the leaders of Belgium, Italy, Austria, Cyprus, and Greece.</p>\n<p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen <a href=\"https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1769385069032968213?s=52&amp;t=02cuDCWt5DYG9gxU3piiTA\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">described</a> the scheme as a <em>&ldquo;strategic and comprehensive partnership&rdquo;</em> that will allow the bloc to work with Egypt in six areas, including politics, security, energy and trade.</p>\n<p>The EU-Egypt Joint Declaration involves grants and loans over the next three years for the Arab League&rsquo;s most populous country, which is grappling with near-record inflation and other economic pressures.</p>\n<p>According to an EU document, &euro;5 billion has been set aside for concessional loans and &euro;1.8 billion for investments, with an additional &euro;600 million to be provided as grants, including &euro;200 million for migration management.</p>\n<p>Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni <a href=\"https://x.com/giorgiameloni/status/1769469233816080701?s=52&amp;t=02cuDCWt5DYG9gxU3piiTA\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">said</a> the agreement marks <em>&ldquo;significant steps towards an integrated partnership&rdquo;</em> to address regional challenges and combat illegal migration flows.</p>\n<p>The deal comes amid widespread concerns that Israel&rsquo;s expected ground offensive on Gaza&rsquo;s southernmost town of Rafah will force thousands of people to cross into Egypt&rsquo;s Sinai Peninsula.</p>\n<p>While the Egyptian coast has not been a major transit point for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean into the EU, where governments have struggled to stem inflows, it is under migratory pressure from the region. According to the Egyptian authorities, the country is hosting 9 million migrants, with 480,000 registered from 62 countries, most of whom are civilians fleeing armed conflict in Sudan, according to a recent UN report.</p>\n<p>The Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos have seen a significant increase in migrant arrivals, largely from Egypt, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, in recent months.<br /><em></em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO. Israeli tank on the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur war. October 1973.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65df58f42030275fca4a67ad.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/593302-egypt-israeli-forces-invade-rafah/\">The Last Stand: Israel is very close to breaking a key accord that defined the Middle East</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;We must prevent the opening of new migration routes, and we will work very closely with Egypt to ensure that this will be achieved,&rdquo;</em> Reuters cited Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as saying.</p>\n<p>However, international organizations have criticized the pact, with Human Rights Watch <a href=\"https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/03/15/eu-deal-egypt-rewards-authoritarianism-betrays-eu-values\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">describing</a> it as a <em>&ldquo;flawed&rdquo;</em> deal and claiming that the <em>&ldquo;EU&rsquo;s cash-for-migration-control approach&rdquo;</em> exposes it to complicity in abuse.</p>\n<p>Meanwhile, el-Sisi, who <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/588874-egyptian-president-reelection-bid/\">won</a> a third term as president last December, called it a <em>&ldquo;paradigm shift&rdquo;</em> in the Egypt-EU partnership. The Egyptian leader has been pursuing increased investment, including from Russia, in a bid to address economic challenges. In January, Cairo joined the BRICS group, along with UAE, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Iran.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:46:02 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 13, 46, 2, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "EU state praises India for freeing ship from Somali pirates", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "EU state praises India for freeing ship from Somali pirates"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/india/594431-india-rescue-mv-ruen-somali-pirates/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f837312030272c9f2bdc96.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/india/594431-india-rescue-mv-ruen-somali-pirates/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/india/594431-india-rescue-mv-ruen-somali-pirates/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f837312030272c9f2bdc96.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Indian Navy has rescued a Bulgarian merchant vessel hijacked by pirates in December <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594431-india-rescue-mv-ruen-somali-pirates/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f837312030272c9f2bdc96.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Indian Navy has rescued a Bulgarian merchant vessel hijacked by pirates in December <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594431-india-rescue-mv-ruen-somali-pirates/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The South Asian country\u2019s navy has rescued a Bulgarian merchant vessel that was under the control of hijackers for three months</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Bulgaria has thanked India for freeing a merchant vessel hijacked by Somali pirates in December amid ongoing turmoil in the Red Sea region. The ship, the MV Ruen, had seven Bulgarian nationals on board. <br /> <br />The EU nation&rsquo;s foreign minister, Mariya Gabriel, <a href=\"https://twitter.com/GabrielMariya/status/1769318796013994464\">thanked the Indian Navy</a> for its <em>&ldquo;support and great effort&rdquo;</em> in a message on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. <em>&ldquo;We continue to work together to protect [the] lives of the crew,&rdquo;</em> wrote Gabriel, who also serves as deputy prime minister. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar responded by saying <em>&ldquo;that is what friends are for.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;<br /> <br />India&rsquo;s INS Kolkata warship intercepted the Ruen on March 15, three months after it had been hijacked by pirates. <em>&ldquo;In a reckless hostile act, the pirates shot down a drone and fired at the Indian Naval warship. In a calibrated response [in accordance with] International Laws, Kolkata disabled the ship&rsquo;s steering system and navigational aids, forcing the pirate ship to stop,&rdquo;</em> the navy said <a href=\"https://indiannavy.nic.in/content/anti-privacy-operations-against-pirate-ship-mv-ruen-indian-navy\">in a statement.</a><br /> <br />After hours of negotiations, all 35 pirates were <a href=\"https://twitter.com/indiannavy/status/1769036561163702518\">forced to surrender</a> and 17 crew members were safely evacuated, the statement added. The vessel, which is managed by Bulgarian company Navigation Maritime Bulgare, was cleared of <em>&ldquo;illegal arms, ammunition and contraband&rdquo;</em> and brought to India with 37,800 tons of cargo worth around $1 million. The rescue mission was conducted almost 2,600km west of the Indian coast.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WATCH</a> | Airdropping of Marine Commandos and their equipment from a C-17 transport aircraft in the Arabian Sea for action against pirates on a vessel MV Ruen over 2600 km from Indian shores. <a href=\"https://t.co/WoqFWOjJev\">pic.twitter.com/WoqFWOjJev</a></p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1769350555808210962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p><br />The development comes amid an expanded role for the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea region. The area has witnessed turmoil in recent months, with rising instances of piracy and attacks by Yemen&rsquo;s Houthi rebels, who have vowed to target any vessel linked to Israel passing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping lanes.</p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the US and its allies have carried out airstrikes against the Houthis in retaliation.Earlier this month, the same Indian warship rescued another vessel, the Liberia-owned True Confidence, after it was hit by missiles fired by the Houthis, killing three people.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Indian Navy Warship INS Kolkata arrives at Hamad Port during the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition &amp; Conference (DIMDEX) in 2022.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.12/thumbnail/658184ca85f54020c9780bab.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/589325-india-sends-warships-to-yemens/\">India sends warships to Yemen\u2019s coast amid Red Sea tensions</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The Kolkata also assisted the Liberia-flagged container MSC Sky II, which caught fire after being hit by a projectile near the port city of Aden.</p>\n<p>New Delhi has deployed around a dozen warships in the Gulf of Aden and the northern and western Arabian Sea regions. The South Asian nation, which could lose $30 billion in exports for the fiscal year ending March due to the Red Sea crisis, has vowed to become a <em>&ldquo;net security provider&rdquo;</em> in the region. <br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The Indian Navy continues to ensure safety and security of the mariners in the Indian Ocean Region,&rdquo;</em> Defense Minister <a href=\"https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1769224442922865058\">Rajnath Singh said </a>following the rescue of the Ruen.</p>\n<p><em><strong>Where India Meets Russia &ndash; We are now on WhatsApp! &lrm;Follow and share RT India in&nbsp;<a href=\"https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6XvWh7IUYZaRQrlU3y\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">English</a>&nbsp;and in&nbsp;<a href=\"https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7ALQtK0IBcl7uI7O3v\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Hindi</a>&nbsp;</strong></em></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:00:24 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 13, 0, 24, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Oil prices hit four-month high", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Oil prices hit four-month high"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/business/594420-oil-price-four-month-high/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f835fa85f5401d8020d535.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/business/594420-oil-price-four-month-high/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/business/594420-oil-price-four-month-high/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f835fa85f5401d8020d535.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Oil prices soared to $86 on Monday amid strong economic data from China and Ukraine\u2019s drone attacks on Russian oil refineries <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594420-oil-price-four-month-high/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f835fa85f5401d8020d535.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Oil prices soared to $86 on Monday amid strong economic data from China and Ukraine\u2019s drone attacks on Russian oil refineries <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594420-oil-price-four-month-high/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Brent futures topped $86 per barrel on Monday</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Crude prices soared to $86 per barrel on Monday, hitting a four-month high, with industry experts attributing the surge to China&rsquo;s strong economic data and Ukraine&rsquo;s drone attacks on Russian oil refineries.</p>\n<p>Global benchmark Brent futures have risen by 4% since last week to trade at $86 per barrel as of 9:45 GMT, while the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was above $81.</p>\n<p>Oil prices have hit their highest levels since November after China&rsquo;s macro-economic data exceeded expectations, adding to optimism over Beijing&rsquo;s economy, market analysts say.</p>\n<p>Prospects for global trade have also picked up according to Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, the world&rsquo;s fifth-largest ocean carrier, despite China&rsquo;s stuttering recovery and ongoing disruptions to commercial shipping via the Red Sea.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We also see that inventories are depleted in many cases and so far we&rsquo;ve seen a good recovery after Chinese New Year,&rdquo;</em> Jansen told CNBC on Monday.</p>\n<p>Analysts also suggested that recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries have heightened geopolitical risks, pushing crude prices up.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Ukrainian UAVs targeted several Russian oil refineries on Saturday, the latest series of strikes on energy facilities.</p>\n<p>The attacks targeted plants in Russia&rsquo;s Samara region, more than 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. A processing unit caught fire on the territory of Rosneft&rsquo;s refinery in Syzran, according to regional governor Dmitry Azarov. The plant&rsquo;s capacity is 8.5 million barrels annually, or about 170,000 barrels per day. An attempt to strike a second refinery in Novokuibyshevsk was intercepted, the governor added.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.01/thumbnail/65a104b685f5402c8a031b00.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/590508-oil-prices-surge-yemen/\">Oil prices jump after US-UK airstrikes on Yemen</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Another drone attack occurred at the Slavyansk-on-Kuban oil refinery in Russia&rsquo;s southern Krasnodar Region, with no casualties or injuries on the ground, according to local authorities.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The strikes on Russian refineries added $2 to $3 a barrel of risk premium for crude last week, which remains in place as we start this week with more attacks over the weekend,&rdquo;</em> Vandana Hari, founder of Vanda Insights in Singapore, told Bloomberg on Monday.</p>\n<p>The advance in crude prices has also been underpinned by OPEC+ production cuts, and economists&rsquo; expectations of a global deficit this year.</p>\n<p>OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, agreed in October 2022 to cut output by 2 million barrels per day (equivalent to 2% of global supply) until the end of 2023. The group later agreed to extend the curbs to the end of 2024, in an effort to balance out the market.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>For more stories on economy &amp; finance visit <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">RT's business section</a></strong></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:43:14 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 12, 43, 14, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Putin scores historic win in Russian presidential election \u2013 official results", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Putin scores historic win in Russian presidential election \u2013 official results"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594390-putin-win-presidential-election/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f71ff385f5406c861633aa.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594390-putin-win-presidential-election/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594390-putin-win-presidential-election/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f71ff385f5406c861633aa.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Vladimir Putin has been re-elected as President of Russia, according to official results announced by the state election commission <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594390-putin-win-presidential-election/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f71ff385f5406c861633aa.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Vladimir Putin has been re-elected as President of Russia, according to official results announced by the state election commission <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594390-putin-win-presidential-election/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The incumbent head of state has also attracted a record share of the total poll, securing a fifth term in office</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Vladimir Putin has been re-elected as Russia&rsquo;s president, according to the&nbsp;official results of the country&rsquo;s presidential vote, published on Monday by its Central Election Commission (CEC).</p>\n<p>Putin has claimed 87.28% of the vote, a record share of votes, winning his fifth term in office by a landslide. Putin&rsquo;s candidacy was supported by over&nbsp;75 million voters.</p>\n<p>Putin&rsquo;s opponents in the 2024 race, Communist Party candidate Nikolay Kharitonov, Vladislav Davankov of the New People party, and&nbsp;Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democrats secured 4.31%, 3.85%&nbsp;and 3.20%&nbsp;respectively.</p>\n<p>Putin was first elected president in 2000 and served two consecutive four-year terms until 2008. He subsequently became prime minister under Dmitry Medvedev, who was Russia&rsquo;s president from 2008&ndash;2012. During Medvedev&rsquo;s time in office, he extended the presidential term to six years. Putin replaced Medvedev in office, becoming the head of state once again in 2012 and getting re-elected in 2018. As part of major constitutional reform in 2020, Russia amended its election regulations, <em>&ldquo;nullifying&rdquo;</em> Putin&rsquo;s previous terms and enabling him to run for office again this year.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7abd285f5401d8020d4e3.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594403-putin-victory-speech-recap/\">Putin\u2019s dream, Russian unity, conflict with NATO: Key takeaways from victory speech</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In his address to voters ahead of the vote, Putin encouraged Russians to take part in the election, noting that <em>&ldquo;each vote is valuable and significant&rdquo;</em> and that the outcome of the election will <em>&ldquo;shape the country&rsquo;s development for years to come.&rdquo;</em> He also acknowledged that Russia is going through a <em>&ldquo;difficult period,&rdquo;</em> facing problems <em>&ldquo;in almost all areas&rdquo;</em> due to Western sanctions imposed over the Ukraine conflict. He urged Russians to <em>&ldquo;continue to be united and self-confident&rdquo;</em> in order to overcome these challenges.</p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s election has been marked by a record-high voter turnout. According to CEC data, it topped&nbsp;74%, exceeding the figure for the 2018 elections (67.47%). The highest turnout, of over 90%, was recorded in the Chechen Republic, the Kemerovo region, and in the Republic of Tyva. Presidential elections were also organized for the first time in Russia&rsquo;s new regions &ndash; the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People&rsquo;s Republics, as well as in Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:29:24 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 12, 29, 24, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Putin brushes off Western election rebukes", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Putin brushes off Western election rebukes"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594422-putin-democratic-election-west/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f88e902030272dea771365.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594422-putin-democratic-election-west/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594422-putin-democratic-election-west/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f88e902030272dea771365.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western criticisms of his latest electoral win <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594422-putin-democratic-election-west/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f88e902030272dea771365.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western criticisms of his latest electoral win <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594422-putin-democratic-election-west/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Don\u2019t expect a standing ovation from nations that seek to contain Russia, the president told supporters</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Western criticism of the Russian political system and its elections as supposedly undemocratic&nbsp;is hypocritical and irrelevant to the nation, President Vladimir Putin has told the media after securing a new term in office.</p>\n<p>The Russian leader urged the citizens who cast their votes for him not to heed the statements coming from the US and its allies in the wake of his victory. Speaking at a press conference overnight, after his win was confirmed on Sunday evening, he said the negative reaction that branded the election as neither free nor fair was <em>&ldquo;predictable.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;What did you expect? For them to stand up in applause or something? They are fighting against us, including with arms,&rdquo;</em> he said.</p>\n<p>According to Putin, the verbal attacks are really directed not at him personally, but at <em>&ldquo;the forces that stand behind me, which seek to strengthen Russia, to improve its sovereignty, defense, and economic independence.&rdquo;</em> Meanwhile, foreign critics seek to contain the nation, he claimed.</p>\n<p>During the conference, NBC correspondent Keir Simmons questioned the legitimacy of the Russian election, citing several points of contention between the Washington and Moscow.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f79d3e20302732d8688e8d.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594402-russian-election-critics-zakharova/\">Moscow responds to West\u2019s election criticism</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Putin stated that the US has its own issues, considering that one of the leading presidential candidates, whom he did not identify, is being attacked by the courts &ndash; which he described as <em>&ldquo;the application of the administrative resource through the judicial system.&rdquo;</em> He called the situation <em>&ldquo;laughable&rdquo;</em> and <em>&ldquo;a worldwide shame&rdquo;</em> for America.</p>\n<p><em>&rdquo;I have every reason to believe that no democracy, at least when it comes to electoral campaigning, can be seen in some Western nations, including the US,&rdquo;</em> Putin stated.</p>\n<p>Similarly-worded statements disparaging the Russian election came from a number of Western countries. For example, Latvian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in a statement that his government does not consider the <em>&ldquo;falsified and simulated procedure an election,&rdquo;</em> but rather <em>&ldquo;a tragic farce.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The Kremlin dismissed the accusations coming from some Western states. <em>&ldquo;If we talk about the illegitimacy of elections in our country, then we should probably talk about the illegitimacy of those 87 percent of the votes of the population&hellip;that were cast for President Putin. This is absurd,&rdquo;</em> spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a media briefing.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594423-xi-putin-congratulation-reelection/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Xi congratulates Putin on election victory\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The heads of state of China and India as well as a number of leaders from Central Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and other parts of the world have already congratulated Putin on his landslide win, according to the Kremlin and their public statements.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:10:31 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 12, 10, 31, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "11 dead after week of Ukrainian strikes on Russian region \u2013 official", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "11 dead after week of Ukrainian strikes on Russian region \u2013 official"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594428-belgorod-ukraine-attacks-casualties/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82d2685f5402d1b1b2dbf.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594428-belgorod-ukraine-attacks-casualties/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594428-belgorod-ukraine-attacks-casualties/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82d2685f5402d1b1b2dbf.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> 11 died in Ukrainian strikes in past week and 82, including children, were injured, Belgorod Region health minister Andrey Ikonnikov reports <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594428-belgorod-ukraine-attacks-casualties/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82d2685f5402d1b1b2dbf.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> 11 died in Ukrainian strikes in past week and 82, including children, were injured, Belgorod Region health minister Andrey Ikonnikov reports <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594428-belgorod-ukraine-attacks-casualties/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>82 people, including children, have sustained injuries, health minister of Belgorod Region Andrey Ikonnikov said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Over the past week, Kiev&rsquo;s attacks on Russia&rsquo;s Belgorod Region, which borders Ukraine, have resulted in the deaths of 11 civilians, including children, while 82 more have been injured, regional health minister Andrey Ikonnikov reported on Monday.</p>\n<p>Ukraine intensified its attacks on Russia&rsquo;s border regions last week ahead of the presidential election in Russia, which was held Friday through Sunday. The attacks involved drone raids, artillery strikes and attempted ground incursions.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Overall, between March 12-18, we had 93 casualties. 11 of them died,&rdquo;</em> Ikonnikov told a department meeting, as quoted by TASS news.</p>\n<p>According to the minister, of those who sustained injuries, 41 are currently in hospital of which nine are in serious-but-stable condition. He noted that some require <em>&ldquo;longer treatment&rdquo;</em> and may have to be relocated from regional hospitals to a federal health center.</p>\n<p>Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported later on Monday that Russian air defense systems had repelled another Ukrainian attack. However, Kiev&rsquo;s forces managed to land a direct hit on a residential building, resulting in the deaths of two people. Four others, including a little girl, were injured in this attack, Gladkov said.</p>\n<p>Belgorod Region, like other Russian border regions, has come under repeated Ukrainian fire since the launch of Russia&rsquo;s military operation in February 2022, with attacks intensifying over the past week.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council via videolink on February 15, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f46897203027412445230f.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/\">\u2018Neo-Nazi Kiev regime\u2019 tried to disrupt Russian elections \u2013 Putin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin has noted that if such attacks from the Ukrainian side continue, he would consider the option of creating a restricted &lsquo;sanitary zone&rsquo; on the territory of Ukraine, from which it would not be possible to target Russian regions.</p>\n<p>Aside from drone and artillery strikes, which, Moscow claims, often involve Western-supplied weaponry, Kiev&rsquo;s forces have recently also attempted several incursions into Russia&rsquo;s border regions. The latest was repelled on Saturday, with Russia&rsquo;s Defense Ministry reporting that a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group had tried to break into the village of Kozinka in Belgorod Region, located just over a kilometer from the border.</p>\n<p>Cross-border incursions have also been attempted in other villages in Belgorod Region as well as in Kursk Region, according to the Defense Ministry, which reported that Kiev has suffered over 1,500 casualties in the failed attacks and lost dozens of pieces of equipment, including several tanks and armored personnel carriers.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:09:39 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 12, 9, 39, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Iran inks $13 billion worth of new oil deals", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Iran inks $13 billion worth of new oil deals"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/business/594418-iran-inks-billion-oil-contracts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82e1285f5401d825bc1de.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/business/594418-iran-inks-billion-oil-contracts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/business/594418-iran-inks-billion-oil-contracts/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82e1285f5401d825bc1de.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Iran is planning to increase daily oil production by signing new deals worth $13 billion for the development of the country\u2019s biggest fields <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594418-iran-inks-billion-oil-contracts/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82e1285f5401d825bc1de.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Iran is planning to increase daily oil production by signing new deals worth $13 billion for the development of the country\u2019s biggest fields <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594418-iran-inks-billion-oil-contracts/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Contracts with domestic energy firms are aimed at boosting daily production in major fields of the sanctions-hit country</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Iran&rsquo;s energy companies were granted their biggest contracts in the past decade on Sunday, as Tehran seeks to boost output at major oil fields, state media have reported.</p>\n<p>Deals worth $13 billion, aimed at developing deposits and increasing production by as much as 350,000 barrels per day, were signed in the presence of Oil Minister Javad Owji and National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Managing Director Mohsen Khojastehmehr.</p>\n<p>The contracts were signed two days before the 73rd anniversary of the sector&rsquo;s nationalization. Iranian oil fields had previously been operated by the British-controlled Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.</p>\n<p>The move is expected to help Tehran leverage local resources to develop the energy sector. Last week, Iran said it had awarded $20 billion in contracts to domestic companies to ramp up production from the offshore South Pars gas field in the Person Gulf, shared with Qatar.</p>\n<p>The output increase will be focused on six fields, including Azar, Azadegan, the country&rsquo;s biggest deposit, and Masjed Soleyman, the oldest producing deposit in the Middle East. The first two are shared with Iraq along Iran&rsquo;s western and southwestern borders.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO. An international oil tanker passes through the Suez canal, December 2004\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.01/thumbnail/65a0c6b585f54065fa6357b3.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/590496-iran-confirms-retaliatory-strike-tanker/\">Iran confirms \u2018retaliatory\u2019 oil tanker seizure</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Tehran&rsquo;s pivot to local energy firms gained momentum back in 2018, when most multinationals quit the country&rsquo;s energy market after former US President Donald Trump torpedoed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), by unilaterally ending Washington&rsquo;s participation.</p>\n<p>The Islamic Republic holds the world&rsquo;s third-largest proven oil reserves, behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, according to the International Energy Agency (EIA), which ranked the nation as the seventh-biggest crude producer of 2022.</p>\n<p>Iran produced 2.99 million barrels of oil daily last year, 440,000 more than in 2022, according to the EIA, which predicts a further rise of 160,000 barrels in 2024. Nikkei Asia reported earlier this year that crude oil exports from Iran surged 50% in 2023 to a five-year high of about 1.29 million barrels per day, with most supplies being shipped to China.</p>\n<p><strong>For more stories on economy &amp; finance visit <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">RT's business section</a></strong></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:07:13 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 12, 7, 13, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "NATO\u2019s biggest European base to be built next to Ukraine \u2013 media", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "NATO\u2019s biggest European base to be built next to Ukraine \u2013 media"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594424-nato-base-romania-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f820f020302736f24025af.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594424-nato-base-romania-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594424-nato-base-romania-ukraine/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f820f020302736f24025af.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> NATO\u2019s new base in Romania will be \u201cthe size of a small town,\u201d Euronews has reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594424-nato-base-romania-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f820f020302736f24025af.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> NATO\u2019s new base in Romania will be \u201cthe size of a small town,\u201d Euronews has reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594424-nato-base-romania-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The facility in Romania will be \u201cthe size of a small town,\u201d Euronews has reported</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Romania has started work on rebuilding an airbase that will become the largest NATO facility in Europe, according to Euronews. The base is located near the city of Constanta on the Black Sea, around 130km from the border with Ukraine.</p>\n<p>When the expansion of the Mihail Kogalniceanu Romanian Air Force 57th Air Base is complete, it will be able to permanently host around 10,000 NATO servicemen and their family members, the broadcaster reported on Saturday.</p>\n<p><em>\"In the new geopolitical context, with a war on the border, the development of the base thus strengthens NATO&rsquo;s eastern flank,&rdquo;</em> Euronews said, referring to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.</p>\n<p>The extensive project, which will cost Bucharest &euro;2.5 billion ($2.7 billion), includes a new runway, aircraft hangars, fuel depots, and ammunition stores, it said. The base will also feature accommodation for personnel, schools, kindergartens, shops, and even its own hospital.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Klaus Iohannis poses for a photograph during a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 14, 2021\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f085c585f5404bbb65022f.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594164-romania-president-nato-secretary/\">Romanian president enters race for NATO leadership</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The facility is located at the Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport near the port city of Constanta on the Black Sea. There are currently 5,000 NATO soldiers, mainly American, stationed at the facility.</p>\n<p>The basic infrastructure for the expansion is being set up on site, Euronews said, adding that the eventual plan is to connect the existing runway at the base with a new one and to link it with the infrastructure of the international airport.</p>\n<p>It did not provide a deadline for the completion of the project.</p>\n<p>Moscow has consistently warned the US and its allies against NATO&rsquo;s eastward expansion and military buildup near Russia&rsquo;s borders. Preventing Kiev from joining the bloc was among the main goals of the military operation launched against Ukraine in 2022, the Russian leadership has explained.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Troops from NATO states operating in Ukraine \u2013\u00a0Putin\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that he <em>&ldquo;doubts that anyone is interested&rdquo;</em> in a direct military confrontation between Moscow and NATO, as that scenario would mean <em>&ldquo;we&rsquo;ll be one step away from World War III.&rdquo;</em> He cautioned, however, that <em>&ldquo;everything is possible in the modern world.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:56:50 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 11, 56, 50, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russian forces strike meeting of top Ukrainian commanders \u2013 MOD", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russian forces strike meeting of top Ukrainian commanders \u2013 MOD"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594426-ukrainian-commanders-meeting-strike/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82cc385f54013eb6e5eab.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594426-ukrainian-commanders-meeting-strike/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594426-ukrainian-commanders-meeting-strike/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82cc385f54013eb6e5eab.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian Defense Ministry has reported hitting a high-profile meeting of Ukrainian commanders <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594426-ukrainian-commanders-meeting-strike/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f82cc385f54013eb6e5eab.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian Defense Ministry has reported hitting a high-profile meeting of Ukrainian commanders <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594426-ukrainian-commanders-meeting-strike/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Senior officials from the Security Service of Ukraine were targeted in the attack, the Russian military reported</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russian forces have struck a location where Ukrainian security and defense commanders were holding a meeting, the Defense Ministry claimed on Monday.</p>\n<p>The attack was mentioned in passing in the ministry&rsquo;s daily briefing to the press. It said military commanders and their counterparts from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) were present. The meeting was mentioned among targets chosen for Russian warplanes, missile strikes and artillery in the past 24 hours.</p>\n<p>No additional details about the purported strike were immediately available from either side of the armed conflict.</p>\n<p>SBU agents play a crucial part in launching drone attacks against Russia, according to Ukrainian media and some official statements made by agency officials. A drone attack on an oil refinery in Krasnodar Region on Sunday morning was attributed to its operatives, as a recent example. The raid caused a fire and reportedly caused one of the employees to die from a heart attack.</p>\n<p>Following the 2014 armed coup in Kiev, the SBU and its military counterpart, the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) were reformed by the CIA to serve the goals of Washington&rsquo;s hybrid conflict with Russia, according to reports in the US press. Ukrainians with Western training also staged targeted assassinations of officials in the Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics prior to their accession to the Russian Federation.</p>\n<p>Drone operations and other forms of sabotage were reportedly incorporated into the SBU&rsquo;s operations against Russia after open hostilities between the two nations erupted in February 2022.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594158-ukraine-orthodox-journalists-raided/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Ukrainian secret police targets Christian journalists\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The agency is also playing a key role in the crackdown on suspected Russia sympathizers at home, such as parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church who have refused to recant and convert to a Kiev-friendly denomination.</p>\n<p><strong></strong></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:27:05 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 11, 27, 5, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russian election observers from Africa share impressions", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russian election observers from Africa share impressions"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594421-russia-presidential-elections-africa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f81a9985f5402d1b1b2da6.png", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594421-russia-presidential-elections-africa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594421-russia-presidential-elections-africa/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f81a9985f5402d1b1b2da6.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Election observer from Uganda Edson Rugumayo, MP, has shared his insights on the Russian voting system <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594421-russia-presidential-elections-africa/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f81a9985f5402d1b1b2da6.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Election observer from Uganda Edson Rugumayo, MP, has shared his insights on the Russian voting system <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594421-russia-presidential-elections-africa/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The government aids every vulnerable person, including the disabled and the elderly, in exercising their right to vote, Edson Rugumayo from Uganda told RT</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russia ensures that all citizens have&nbsp;the opportunity vote in presidential elections, Ugandan election observer and member of the country's parliament Edson Rugumayo has&nbsp;noted in an exclusive interview with RT.</p>\n<p>Rugumayo was commenting&nbsp;on the Russian presidential elections, which took place between March 15 and 17, stressing how the electoral commission had assisted vulnerable individuals in exercising their right to vote.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;If it [the citizen] is an elderly person, if it is a disabled person, they can still exercise their right to democracy by making sure that the ballot box is taken to them, and their vote will be guaranteed and delivered,&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;Rugumayo said.</p>\n<p>He believes there&rsquo;s much to learn from the Russian voting system, <em>&ldquo;especially the integration of e-voting into the democracy.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The voting stations have demonstrated their transparency; they are covered by CCTV cameras 24 hours a day, the Ugandan election observer pointed out.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Talking about Russian President Vladimir Putin&rsquo;s speech prior to election day, the observer claimed the country&rsquo;s leader <em>&ldquo;was not championing anything.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi during a family photo opportunity for heads of delegations of countries taking part in the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f19ff585f540750f33462b.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594206-putin-dispels-russia-africa-anti-french-sentiments/\">Russia not responsible for anti-French sentiment in Africa \u2013 Putin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;He [Vladimir Putin] says this is an opportunity for you to vote for the candidate of your choice and exercise your freedom,&rdquo;</em> Rugumayo added.</p>\n<p>Another observer at Russia&rsquo;s 2024 presidential elections, <a href=\"https://rumble.com/v4jnnh5-process-is-effective-and-efficient-election-is-transparent-elizabeth-wangar.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Elizabeth Wangari Njuguna</a>, who leads the women&rsquo;s wing of the Nairobi Entrepreneurship Community in Kenya, noted that e-voting had helped to prevent the long lines she has seen in Kenya&rsquo;s elections.</p>\n<p>Njuguna told RT about the voting process for people with disabilities. <em>&ldquo;There are portable ballot boxes that are taken home for those people who are disabled and unable to go to the polling station.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I was fortunate enough to actually see one re-brought back with the votes cast, and the lady cut the seal and took the votes out and packed them in a sealed &ndash; she sealed them and put them in the safe. It was transparent, I have a video with it,&rdquo;</em> she stated.</p>\n<p>Gabonese election observer <a href=\"https://rumble.com/v4jmx62-this-election-is-very-transparent-gabonese-election-observer.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Christian Bongo</a>, who heads his nation&rsquo;s Housing Guarantee Fund, pointed out that Russian poll workers were doing their duty in&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;calm and without any pressure.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>He stated that when it comes to the Western critics, we <em>&ldquo;never hear anything good about Russia ...[or] &hellip; about Putin.&rdquo;</em> The West has a <em>&ldquo;Russophobic ideology, this narrative that&rsquo;s been pushed by the politicians and by their press as well.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Bonga University President <a href=\"https://rumble.com/v4jnt0q-this-is-the-best-example-ethiopian-observer-on-russias-electoral-process.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Petros Woldegiorgis</a> from Ethiopia, another one of 1,000 international election observers from 105 countries, said Russian elections are <em>&ldquo;extremely surprising &hellip; well planned &hellip;[and] well organized.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Vladimir Putin has secured 87.3% of the vote with almost all ballots counted, winning his fifth term in office amid a record-high turnout of over 74% of Russia&rsquo;s 112.3 million voters, according to the Central Election Commission.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:12:55 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 11, 12, 55, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Xi congratulates Putin on election victory", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Xi congratulates Putin on election victory"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594423-xi-putin-congratulation-reelection/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f81e2b20302736f4359d0f.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594423-xi-putin-congratulation-reelection/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594423-xi-putin-congratulation-reelection/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f81e2b20302736f4359d0f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Vladimir Putin\u2019s re-election is further proof the Russian president enjoys powerful public support, Xi Jinping says, sending congratulations <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594423-xi-putin-congratulation-reelection/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f81e2b20302736f4359d0f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Vladimir Putin\u2019s re-election is further proof the Russian president enjoys powerful public support, Xi Jinping says, sending congratulations <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594423-xi-putin-congratulation-reelection/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Chinese leader says he is sure that Russia will be able to achieve even more success under the president\u2019s continued rule</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Chinese leader Xi Jinping has congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on his historic landslide victory in Russia's presidential election, which has paved the way for his fifth term in office.</p>\n<p>According to the Central Election Commission, with almost all ballots counted, Putin had 87% of the votes. Voter turnout, unprecedented in the country&rsquo;s modern history, exceeded 77%.</p>\n<p>In a letter quoted by Beijing&rsquo;s foreign ministry on Monday, the Chinese leader noted that Putin&rsquo;s victory is proof that he enjoys the support of the Russian people, and expressed confidence that under his leadership, Russia <em>&ldquo;will be able to make greater achievements in national development.&rdquo;</em> Xi added that China attaches great importance to vibrant bilateral ties.</p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that Beijing hoped that Russian-Chinese cooperation <em>&ldquo;will continue to move forward&rdquo;</em> under the strategic guidance of the two residents. <em>&ldquo;China and Russia are each other&rsquo;s largest neighbors and comprehensive strategic partners in the new era,&rdquo;</em> Lin added.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7abd285f5401d8020d4e3.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594403-putin-victory-speech-recap/\">Putin\u2019s dream, Russian unity, conflict with NATO: Key takeaways from victory speech</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>During his victory speech on Sunday night, Putin pointed out that Russia-China ties are a <em>&ldquo;stabilizing factor&rdquo;</em> for the entire framework of international relations, expressing hope that these bonds would be maintained, in no small part due to <em>&ldquo;our good personal relationship with the president of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The two countries have for decades enjoyed close economic and political ties, with Beijing refusing to support unprecedented Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine conflict. The deep partnership between the two countries was further underscored by Xi&rsquo;s historic visit to Moscow last March. Putin reciprocated, traveling to Beijing in October.</p>\n<p>Xi was not the only world leader to congratulate Putin on his re-election. He was joined by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a host of leaders from post-Soviet republics, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Western countries have not sent any congratulatory messages to Putin amid the stand-off over Ukraine, with many calling the election <em>&ldquo;unfair,&rdquo;</em> a charge denied in Moscow.</p>\n<p>However, Leonid Sevastyanov, the head of the World Union of Orthodox Old Believers, who says he is in contact with Pope Francis, noted that the pontiff had also congratulated Putin on his landslide victory.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:03:49 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 11, 3, 49, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Kiev\u2019s ambassador to Sweden incensed by prostitution joke", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Kiev\u2019s ambassador to Sweden incensed by prostitution joke"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594416-sweden-brothels-ukrainians-ambassadors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8064a85f5402d1b1b2d91.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594416-sweden-brothels-ukrainians-ambassadors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594416-sweden-brothels-ukrainians-ambassadors/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8064a85f5402d1b1b2d91.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A Swedish comedy show aired by broadcaster SVT has angered Ukrainian Ambassador Andrey Plakhotnyuk <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594416-sweden-brothels-ukrainians-ambassadors/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f8064a85f5402d1b1b2d91.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A Swedish comedy show aired by broadcaster SVT has angered Ukrainian Ambassador Andrey Plakhotnyuk <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594416-sweden-brothels-ukrainians-ambassadors/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>A Swedish journalist suggested that Ukrainian women stand out at brothels during a satirical show about immigrants</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Kiev&rsquo;s envoy to Stockholm was infuriated by a talk show which was aired by the public broadcaster SVT last week in which a journalist, Elaf Ali, poked fun at Ukrainian prostitutes. Ali later responded to the complaints by suggesting that Ukrainians should get thicker skin.</p>\n<p>Andrey Plakhotnyuk said Ali&rsquo;s remarks were <em>&ldquo;deeply offensive and completely unacceptable.&rdquo;</em> He demanded a public apology, both from her and SVT, venting his anger in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.</p>\n<p>The condemnation was over the&nbsp;first&nbsp;episode of a new immigration-themed satirical show, where Ali was one of the guests. Host Ahmed Berhan was testing participants&rsquo; knowledge of migrant communities in Sweden.</p>\n<p>Ali&rsquo;s joke came in response to a question about which country&rsquo;s nationals received the most residency permits in Sweden in 2022. That year, hostilities between Moscow and Kiev triggered a mass exodus of Ukrainians, both into Russia and the European Union.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.11/thumbnail/6568f4ec20302760f72ec490.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/588295-kyrgyzstan-orders-brothels-closure/\">Ex-Soviet state orders closure of \u2018all brothels\u2019</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The journalist mused that since many Ukrainians are blonde and blue-eyed, the influx was hardly noticeable in the Nordic nation, except in brothels. Most people who claimed asylum in Sweden in the past decade come from the Middle East, including Syria, Iraq (Ali&rsquo;s home country), Iran and Afghanistan, as well as Somalia in Africa, according to national statistics.</p>\n<p>The journalist responded to criticisms with a short statement, noting that of the three targets of her jokes during the show, who were an imam living in the Swedish city of Malmo, Ukrainians and Somalis, only the Africans didn&rsquo;t attack her later online. They may have not watched the episode, she added.</p>\n<p>Ali also shared a post defending herself, which explained the joke: <em>&ldquo;We are more willing to open our country to Ukrainian refugees than to others fleeing from war, but at the same time &hellip; we treat them as badly as others.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>SVT said disciplinary action against the journalist was out of the question, since her speech was protected by Swedish law. The show is meant to satirize stereotypes about ethnicity and culture in a way that is <em>&ldquo;on the fringe of what is socially acceptable,&rdquo;</em> editor Christina Hill said.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594233-denmark-plans-to-draft-women-into-military/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>EU state may conscript women\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Stockholm pioneered a scheme in 1999, under which prostitution is legal, but the purchase of sex is criminalized. Women selling sex are mostly foreigners, according to the national agency which is tasked with tackling prostitution and human trafficking. Sweden&rsquo;s policy is that prostitution is always a form of exploitation and should not be regarded as a profession.</p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 10:27:32 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 10, 27, 32, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "African state brings back death penalty", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "African state brings back death penalty"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594419-drcongo-reinstates-death-penalty/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80f1220302738704e24e5.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594419-drcongo-reinstates-death-penalty/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594419-drcongo-reinstates-death-penalty/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80f1220302738704e24e5.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Authorities in DR Congo say removing a moratorium on the death penalty will help the war-torn nation deal with decades of terrorism <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594419-drcongo-reinstates-death-penalty/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80f1220302738704e24e5.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Authorities in DR Congo say removing a moratorium on the death penalty will help the war-torn nation deal with decades of terrorism <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594419-drcongo-reinstates-death-penalty/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The DR Congo government says the measure will help the war-torn nation deal with decades of terrorism</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The Democratic Republic of the Congo has lifted a moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place for more than two decades, in response to recurring armed conflicts and militant attacks.</p>\n<p>The decision, announced on Friday by the central African nation&rsquo;s Ministry of Justice, said the pause on capital punishment since 2003 had guaranteed impunity for offenders.</p>\n<p>The eastern part of DR Congo has been plagued with decades of conflict, linked to dozens of armed groups, including M23, whose deadly <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/592073-dr-congo-residents-flee-rebel-attacks/\">attacks</a> in recent weeks have displaced thousands. The Tutsi-led group has reportedly laid siege to several communities in the troubled region, controlling about half of North Kivu province. Congolese authorities, a group of UN experts, and Western governments, including the US, have accused Rwanda of arming the M23 insurgents to fight in DR Congo, a claim the east African country has consistently <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/592688-rwanda-condemns-us-comments-dr-congo-armed-conflicts/\">denied</a>.</p>\n<p>The death penalty is often handed down in the DR Congo, but no offender has been executed in over 20 years, and their sentences are typically commuted to life in prison. Last October, a military court in the former Belgian colony <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/584421-congolese-mp-death-sentence/\">sentenced</a> Edouard Mwangachuchu, a member of the National Assembly, to death, on charges including treason and involvement with the M23 rebel movement.</p>\n<p>While announcing the reinstatement of the death penalty last week, Congolese Justice Minister Rose Mutombo said domestic hostilities are <em>&ldquo;often orchestrated by foreign states, which sometimes benefit from the complicity of some of our compatriots.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The resumption of executions will allow authorities to rid the <em>&ldquo;country&rsquo;s army of traitors, on the one hand, and stem the resurgence of acts of terrorism and urban banditry,&rdquo;</em> the minister wrote.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Pakistani peacekeepers dismantle their infrastructures before loading them army trucks at the United Nations Organization Mission for the Stabilization of the Congo (MONUSCO) base in Kamanyola, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on February 28, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e1d56120302711ab591709.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/593531-un-shuts-first-drcongo-military-base/\">UN peacekeepers begin leaving conflict-torn African state</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Capital punishment will be imposed on individuals accused of espionage, participation in banned groups or insurgency movements, treason, or genocide, among other crimes, according to the statement.</p>\n<p>The decision has sparked widespread condemnation, with local human rights movement Lucha calling it <em>&ldquo;unconstitutional&rdquo;</em> and claiming it <em>&ldquo;opens a corridor to summary executions&rdquo;</em> in a country with a <em>&ldquo;defective&rdquo;</em> justice system.</p>\n<p>Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International&rsquo;s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said reinstating executions in DR Congo is a <em>&ldquo;gross injustice&rdquo;</em> to those sentenced to death and shows a <em>&ldquo;callous disregard&rdquo;</em> for the right to life.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 10:06:36 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 10, 6, 36, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Ukraine won\u2019t extend Russian gas transit deal \u2013 official", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Ukraine won\u2019t extend Russian gas transit deal \u2013 official"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/business/594404-ukraine-russia-gas-transit-deal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80dbf85f5401d825bc1c1.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/business/594404-ukraine-russia-gas-transit-deal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/business/594404-ukraine-russia-gas-transit-deal/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80dbf85f5401d825bc1c1.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Kiev has no plans to negotiate a new contract on Russian gas transit, its energy minister has announced <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594404-ukraine-russia-gas-transit-deal/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80dbf85f5401d825bc1c1.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Kiev has no plans to negotiate a new contract on Russian gas transit, its energy minister has announced <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594404-ukraine-russia-gas-transit-deal/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The current contract between Moscow and Kiev expires in 2024\u00a0</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Kiev has no plans to prolong gas transit to the EU from Russia when the current contract expires this year, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said on Sunday.</p>\n<p>Brokered by the EU, the five-year deal, signed in 2019, provides for Russian energy giant Gazprom to transit 65 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas through Ukraine in 2020, and 40 bcm annually between 2021 and 2024.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I can confirm that we have no plans to enter into any additional agreements or extend this [current] agreement,&rdquo;</em> Galushchenko said.</p>\n<p>A stress test of Ukraine&rsquo;s gas system has proved it <em>&ldquo;can function without transit,&rdquo;</em> the official claimed. Kiev is boosting its energy security and independence by increasing domestic gas production, Galushchenko added.</p>\n<p>The decision to dump the gas transit deal would mean that one of the last remaining routes for Russian gas to flow to the EU will close, depriving Ukraine of billions of dollars in fees.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>\n<p>Prior to March 2022, the EU received most of its natural gas from Russia through Ukraine&rsquo;s pipeline network. However, sanctions against Moscow and the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline led to a dramatic reduction in supplies and frenzied stockpiling in the EU in 2022.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Ukraine&#039;s Prime Minister Denis Shmigal\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e5cfd785f5406fa444721e.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/593744-ukraine-russia-gas-transit-eu/\">Ukraine names condition for continued Russian gas transit to EU</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said in February the bloc has <em>&ldquo;no interest to prolong the trilateral gas transit agreement with Russia&rdquo;</em> as the bloc plans to completely phase out energy imports from Russia by 2027. &nbsp;</p>\n<p>Russian gas is still being transported to the bloc, however, even though transit flows have been less than 40% of the contracted volume since 2022. Countries such as Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic remain heavily dependent on imports from Russia through Ukraine.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>\n<p>Moscow would use alternative routes and sea-borne deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG) if Ukraine scraps the pipeline deal, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in January. He noted that Russia is ready to hold talks with the EU on alternative options for natural gas supplies. &nbsp;</p>\n<p>Bloomberg wrote in January that even without a new deal, Gazprom could maintain supplies to willing EU buyers by booking short-term capacity in Ukraine via capacity auctions. &nbsp;</p>\n<p>Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal announced earlier this month that Kiev would continue the transit of Russian natural gas through its territory to Western Europe after 2024 only if EU countries ask it to do so.</p>\n<p><strong>For more stories on economy &amp; finance visit <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">RT's business section</a></strong></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 09:56:53 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 9, 56, 53, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Foreign students attacked in India over Ramadan prayer", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Foreign students attacked in India over Ramadan prayer"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/india/594415-foreign-students-attacked-in-india/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7ff8e203027370122d01b.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/india/594415-foreign-students-attacked-in-india/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/india/594415-foreign-students-attacked-in-india/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7ff8e203027370122d01b.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> At least two foreign students were injured in a clash at Gujarat University allegedly over Ramadan prayers <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594415-foreign-students-attacked-in-india/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7ff8e203027370122d01b.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> At least two foreign students were injured in a clash at Gujarat University allegedly over Ramadan prayers <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594415-foreign-students-attacked-in-india/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Police have identified around 25 people who broke into a university campus in Gujarat</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p></p>\n<p>At least two international students were injured in a mob attack in western India&rsquo;s Gujarat state, allegedly for offering namaz (a form of worship performed by Muslims) on campus. Police have identified around 25 people responsible for the violence and have arrested two individuals in connection with the case.</p>\n<p>The incident took place in Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat, on Saturday night when Muslims across the world held Taraweeh prayer sessions, which are performed during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Around a dozen students had gathered to offer namaz in a Gujarat University dormitory when a mob armed with sticks and knives broke in, NDTV reported.</p>\n<p>Video clips of the skirmish, which have been doing the rounds on social media, show an altercation that ended in a brawl. The attackers allegedly damaged bikes, broke laptops, and wrecked rooms before leaving the scene, just as the police arrived.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">India, Gujrat<br /><br />10-12 students from many countries including Africa, Uzbekistan, Tanzania and Afghanistan were offering Taraweeh (Namaz) in the International Hostel of Gujarat University when goons from a Hindu organization attacked them with weapons in the name of Ram (1/2) <a href=\"https://t.co/Gz9sM5BcRA\">pic.twitter.com/Gz9sM5BcRA</a></p>&mdash; Al Faris Al Nayhan (@AlFarisEmirati) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/AlFarisEmirati/status/1769150476505997649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 16, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>A student from Afghanistan who spoke to the media said that five students, including one each from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Turkmenistan and two from African countries, were injured in the clash. The police later told the media that the students from Sri Lanka &amp; Tajikistan were hospitalized.</p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1769255304703713548?t=HToLrHfXUpNBJGLBcyCPpg&amp;s=08\">Gyanender Singh Malik</a>, Ahmedabad&rsquo;s Commissioner of Police, around 20-25 people broke into the dormitory, questioning the students why they were conducting prayers there, and not in the mosque. This led to a verbal altercation and later a fight. Police took <em>&ldquo;swift action&rdquo;</em> and complaints have been registered against 20-25 people, he added. On Sunday, police arrested two of the accused under several sections of India&rsquo;s penal code.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">An incidence of violence took place at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad yesterday. State government is taking strict action against the perpetrators. <br /><br />Two foreign students were injured in the clash. One of them has been discharged from hospital after receiving medical attention.\u2026</p>&mdash; Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1769313903199306094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>Around 300 international students are studying at Gujarat University, according to reports in the Indian media.</p>\n<p>Vice-chancellor Neerja Gupta said that Gujarat University will hold orientation sessions for its overseas students to train them in <em>&ldquo;cultural sensitivity&rdquo;</em> in the wake of the incident. <em>&ldquo;When you go abroad, you must learn cultural sensitivity,&rdquo;</em> she was quoted as saying by NDTV.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/593204-lions-named-sita-akbar-india/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Lions named after Muslim ruler and Hindu goddess spark controversy\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The students alleged that they had gathered inside the dormitory to offer a Ramadan prayer as there was no mosque on campus.</p>\n<p>The External Affairs Ministry of India commented on the incident on Sunday, stating that it was <em>&ldquo;in touch&rdquo;</em> with the Gujarat government, which is <em>&ldquo;taking strict action against the perpetrators.&rdquo;</em> In a post on X, the ministry&rsquo;s spokesperson asserted that one of the victims had been discharged from the hospital after receiving medical attention.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><em><strong>Where India Meets Russia &ndash; We are now on WhatsApp! &lrm;Follow and share RT India in <a href=\"https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6XvWh7IUYZaRQrlU3y\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">English</a> and in <a href=\"https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7ALQtK0IBcl7uI7O3v\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Hindi</a>&nbsp;</strong></em></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 09:26:15 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 9, 26, 15, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "North Korea fires ballistic missiles as Blinken visits South \u2013 media", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "North Korea fires ballistic missiles as Blinken visits South \u2013 media"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594417-north-korea-ballistic-missiles-blinken/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80606203027374172b5f6.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594417-north-korea-ballistic-missiles-blinken/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594417-north-korea-ballistic-missiles-blinken/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80606203027374172b5f6.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Pyongyang has reportedly fired short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters as the top US diplomat visited Seoul <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594417-north-korea-ballistic-missiles-blinken/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f80606203027374172b5f6.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Pyongyang has reportedly fired short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters as the top US diplomat visited Seoul <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594417-north-korea-ballistic-missiles-blinken/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The reported test comes after Pyongyang decried the latest joint drills held by the US and South Korea</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Monday, the Yonhap News Agency has reported, citing senior South Korean military officials. The launches were carried out as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Seoul for a state visit.</p>\n<p>The ballistic missile tests, Pyongyang&rsquo;s first in two months, were detected between 7:44am and 8:22am local time, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated. The missiles traveled around 300km and landed in the East Sea (also known as the Sea of Japan), they added.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;North Korea fired at least three missiles, and their trajectories were similar to those of [the] KN-24,&rdquo;</em> a senior military official was quoted as saying. The KN-24 is a solid-fuel ballistic missile with a range of up to 410km and an estimated payload of 400-500kg.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We strongly condemn North Korea&rsquo;s latest missile launch, which is a clear provocation that seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,&rdquo;</em> the JCS said.</p>\n<p>The Defense Ministry in Tokyo confirmed the launch, saying all three missiles had traveled about 350km before landing in waters outside Japan&rsquo;s exclusive economic zone, which extends 370km from the coast. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the tests, adding that Japan was analyzing them while working with the US and South Korea.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Joint US-South Korea air drill on April 14, 2023 at an undisclosed location in South Korea.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e6fb002030274c993e5af3.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593787-north-korea-condemns-us-south-korea-drills/\">North Korea condemns latest US-South Korea drills</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The launches come after South Korea and the US wrapped up large-scale annual joint military drills earlier this month. The 11-day Freedom Shield exercises on the Korean Peninsula reportedly involved twice the number of troops compared to 2023 and carried out roughly double the number of field-training drills.</p>\n<p>North Korea branded the exercises <em>&ldquo;reckless&rdquo;</em> and a <em>&ldquo;further escalation of military threats,&rdquo;</em> claiming they were preparation for <em>&ldquo;an invasion attempt.&rdquo;</em> Earlier this month, Pyongyang warned the US and South Korea to stop any further <em>&ldquo;provocative and destabilizing&rdquo;</em> actions, adding that <em>&ldquo;a nuclear war may be ignited even with a single spark.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Blinken arrived in Seoul on Monday to attend the Summit for Democracy conference hosted by President Yoon Suk Yeol. The event, an initiative of US President Joe Biden, is reportedly aimed at discussing ways to stop democratic backsliding and the erosion of rights and freedoms worldwide. Blinken is expected to meet his South Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, during the visit.</p>\n<p><strong><em>Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!</em></strong></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 09:18:56 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 9, 18, 56, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Here\u2019s how a joint African military force can do what the West couldn\u2019t", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Here\u2019s how a joint African military force can do what the West couldn\u2019t"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594306-sahel-security-joint-force-help/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f425a920302741244522e3.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594306-sahel-security-joint-force-help/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594306-sahel-security-joint-force-help/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f425a920302741244522e3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Alliance of Sahel States\u2019 newly formed joint forces will be effective only if a complex approach is taken by the three nations <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594306-sahel-security-joint-force-help/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f425a920302741244522e3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Alliance of Sahel States\u2019 newly formed joint forces will be effective only if a complex approach is taken by the three nations <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594306-sahel-security-joint-force-help/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Sahel States\u2019 newly formed joint forces will be effective only if a complex approach is taken by the three nations</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The Sahel states have been facing numerous security challenges in recent years, such as terrorist threats, intercommunal conflicts, drug and arms trafficking, and difficulties relating to governance and economic development.</p>\n<p>In light of this, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), represented by new leaders Assimi Go&iuml;ta in Mali, Ibrahim Traor&eacute; in Burkina Faso, and Abdourahamane Tiani in Niger, decided to establish a common force to enhance their capacity to combat threats and ensure the region&rsquo;s security. The chiefs of staff of the three nations&rsquo; armies announced this on 6 March. The joint force will be led by Niger.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Several reasons motivated this initiative. First of all, the Sahel countries have observed the inability of national armed forces to address these security challenges alone, mainly due to their limited resources and lack of coordination. By establishing a common force, they hope to pool their efforts and resources to better combat terrorist groups and other threats facing the region.</p>\n<p>The establishment of a joint AES force to address security challenges is a significant and necessary initiative in a region which faces many security challenges, such as terrorism, organized crime, and armed conflicts, often inspired by imperialist powers like the United States and France. These powers have a vested interest in persistent instability in this part of the Sahel region, which is rich in natural resources.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO. ECOMOG soldiers on patrol look down a road in Monrovia.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f3062920302751723ce968.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594278-sahel-alliance-economic-bloc-sanctions/\">\u2018A threat to our countries\u2019: Why former French colonies decided to leave \u2018African version of EU\u2019</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The three countries in the AES &ndash; Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso &ndash; have experienced a rise in terrorism threats since 2011, following the NATO intervention in Libya that resulted in the killing of Colonel Gaddafi.</p>\n<p>In fact, the establishment of the Alliance itself (the three states signed a <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/588480-mali-burkina-faso-niger-alliance-formation/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">charter</a> in December 2023) already reflected a recognition of the need for Sahel countries to work together to ensure the security and stability of the region and to counteract any internal or external threat to their sovereignty. All three also cut military ties with France, citing meddling and the failure of French troops to defeat Islamic insurgencies in the region, despite more than a decade of involvement.</p>\n<p>The leaders of the Alliance understand the urgency and the fact that they cannot rely on Western countries like France and the United States, who do not really seem willing to help fight terrorism, but rather seek to preserve their own geopolitical agenda in Africa, as they already do in the Middle East.</p>\n<p>By establishing a common force, the Sahel states will be able to coordinate their efforts in a sovereign spirit, share information and resources, and carry out joint operations to combat security threats to their countries and to the region. Therefore, to work effectively, the Sahel states affected by this scourge must urgently adopt military agreements at the regional level with other Sahelo-Saharan countries or on the international scale with countries such as Russia, Iran, Turkey, etc., regarding specific acts of terrorism on their occupied territories.</p>\n<p>The Alliance of Sahel States must decide on a number of measures, sometimes coercive but mainly preventive, to combat insecurity and terrorism within the framework of the alliance. There is a need to implement sanctions targeting individuals or terrorist groups. Parliamentary resolutions are to be adopted to strengthen national legislative, judicial, police, and military mechanisms, so they can better prevent and combat the recruitment, organization, or financing of these terrorist groups. Additionally, efforts should be made to combat arms proliferation.</p>\n<p>Joint military operations among the Sahel states will also be required regularly instead of operations by American or French military forces in certain Sahel countries. Regional intelligence cooperation is essential, even if it remains sometimes non-existent in African countries affected by terrorism, or difficult due to underlying national interests.</p>\n<p>However, one of the major problems faced by the states of the region affected by insecurity caused by terrorist groups is that they have almost no internal or external intelligence services, nor powerful counterespionage capabilities to anticipate attacks on their territories or against their populations.</p>\n<p>Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger should also focus on this method, as terrorism cannot only be fought with military actions but also by infiltrating, tracking down accomplices, and neutralizing leaders through secret missions. The fight against terrorism will not be won as long as surveillance and intelligence means are entrusted to former colonial powers like France.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A supporter of the Alliance Of Sahel States (ASS) holds a placard reading &#039;only the struggle set free&#039; during a rally to celebrate Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Bamako on February 1, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65cb318285f54077fc35c2b7.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/592354-burkina-faso-mali-niger-exit-ecowas/\">NATO knock-out: A new African alliance is starting a revolution in the continent\u2019s geopolitics</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>There is one more important issue. While not forgetting social justice, in the fight against terrorism, a more comprehensive approach has to be taken through development plans, education, protection of property and population rights, and countering radicalization. If the Alliance of Sahel States and their regional partners do not address these crucial elements, the fight against terrorism and insecurity will lead to nothing but noise, posturing, and smoke and mirrors. The populations will continue to suffer, and territories occupied by the criminals will expand with each attack, despite the will of leaders and armies.</p>\n<p>All these things will also help strengthen the capacity of local security and defense forces to face the complex and transnational challenges threatening the countries of the region. The fact that this force is led by Niger, and this was decided with no conflicts, shows the willingness of alliance members to cooperate and share responsibility for ensuring the security of the region. It is important to note that setting up a common force led by Niger will not be without challenges. Political, cultural, and institutional differences between alliance members are to be overcome, as well as mobilizing the human and, most importantly, financial resources necessary to support this initiative in the long term, which will yield results if implemented effectively by the Sahel states.</p>\n<p>In conclusion, the establishment of a common force by the Alliance of Sahel States to address security challenges is a positive step in consolidating peace and security in the region. Hopefully, this initiative will contribute to strengthening regional cooperation and sovereignty, improving the security of the Sahel populations, and promoting economic and social development in the region.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 08:09:43 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 8, 9, 43, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "European NATO members \u20ac56bn behind on military spending \u2013 FT", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "European NATO members \u20ac56bn behind on military spending \u2013 FT"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594409-nato-europe-spending-germany/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7f42f85f5401d825bc1b0.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594409-nato-europe-spending-germany/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594409-nato-europe-spending-germany/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7f42f85f5401d825bc1b0.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Germany, Italy, Spain, and Belgium were the furthest from meeting the NATO spending goal in 2023, the Financial Times has reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594409-nato-europe-spending-germany/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7f42f85f5401d825bc1b0.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Germany, Italy, Spain, and Belgium were the furthest from meeting the NATO spending goal in 2023, the Financial Times has reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594409-nato-europe-spending-germany/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Germany, Italy, Spain, and Belgium reported the largest shortfalls last year, according to research</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>European members of NATO are &euro;56 billion ($61 billion) short of meeting the US-led bloc&rsquo;s minimum defense spending target, research for the Financial Times by Germany&rsquo;s Ifo Institute has suggested.</p>\n<p>Washington accounted for two-thirds of NATO&rsquo;s $1.3 trillion total spending in 2023, more than double the $393 billion jointly contributed by EU countries and the UK and Norway, the newspaper outlined on Saturday.</p>\n<p>According to the research, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Belgium were the furthest from meeting the bloc&rsquo;s goal of investing 2% of GDP in defense, which NATO members agreed in 2014 following the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine and Crimea&rsquo;s reunification with Russia.</p>\n<p>Berlin spent $15.2 billion less than required last year, while Rome, Madrid, and Brussels were $12 billion, $11.7 billion, and $5.1 billion behind respectively, Ifo&rsquo;s figures suggested.</p>\n<p>Italy, Spain, and Belgium were among the six EU nations with debt above 100% of their GDP last year, the FT noted.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: Italian M109 self-propelled howitzer is seen close to Kherson frontline, March 15, 2024\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f77b3b85f5401d825bc197.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/\">Troops from NATO states operating in Ukraine \u2013\u00a0Putin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The research showed that the overall shortfall in NATO spending by European countries has reduced by half over the past decade. The bloc has stated that it expects 18 of its 32 members to meet the 2% benchmark in 2024.</p>\n<p>Ifo economist Marcel Schlepper told the FT that some members might find it difficult to boost spending to the required level amid slowing economic growth in the EU. <br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Countries with high debt levels and high interest costs do not have much room to raise more debt, so the only real way to do it is to cut spending in other areas,&rdquo;</em> Schlepper explained. <em>&ldquo;This is not easy, as we saw when Germany tried to cut subsidies on agricultural diesel and the farmers came out in protest.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Former US leader Donald Trump, who pushed hard for EU countries to contribute more to NATO during his presidency, warned last month that he <em>&ldquo;would not protect&rdquo;</em> from Russia any members that fail to meet the 2% spending goal, should he win a second White House term in the November election. <br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I said you didn&rsquo;t pay, you&rsquo;re delinquent&hellip; In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay your bills,&rdquo;</em> Trump stressed.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594378-zelensky-greatest-salesman-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Zelensky \u2018one of the greatest salesmen in history\u2019 \u2013 Trump\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that he <em>&ldquo;doubts that anyone is interested&rdquo;</em> in a direct military confrontation between Moscow and NATO, as that scenario would mean <em>&ldquo;we&rsquo;ll be one step away from World War III.&rdquo;</em> He cautioned, however, that <em>&ldquo;everything is possible in the modern world.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 08:01:20 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 8, 1, 20, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Stepson of Ukraine\u2019s top general guards Russian consulate (IMAGES)", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Stepson of Ukraine\u2019s top general guards Russian consulate (IMAGES)"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594405-syrsky-stepson-russian-consulate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7ec2985f5401da67a0ce6.JPG", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594405-syrsky-stepson-russian-consulate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594405-syrsky-stepson-russian-consulate/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7ec2985f5401da67a0ce6.JPG\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The stepson of Aleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine\u2019s top general, said he was defending the Russian consulate in Sydney from election provocations <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594405-syrsky-stepson-russian-consulate/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7ec2985f5401da67a0ce6.JPG\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The stepson of Aleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine\u2019s top general, said he was defending the Russian consulate in Sydney from election provocations <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594405-syrsky-stepson-russian-consulate/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Ivan Syrsky was among a group of pro-Moscow activists in Sydney, who staged a counter-protest against a pro-Kiev crowd</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p></p>\n<p>The estranged stepson of Kiev&rsquo;s top general, Aleksandr Syrsky, made a show of support for Russia on Sunday, as pro-Ukraine activists in Sydney picketed Moscow&rsquo;s consulate.</p>\n<p>Ivan Syrsky and his half-brother Anton, who is the general&rsquo;s biological son, moved to Australia after their mother divorced General Syrsky. Ivan is now part of a pro-Russian activist movement led by Simeon &lsquo;Aussie Cossack&rsquo; Boikov.</p>\n<p>They gathered in front of the Russian diplomatic mission for a counter-protest against supporters of Ukraine. The consulate opened its doors to Russian nationals on Sunday, allowing them to vote in the presidential election. The &lsquo;cossacks&rsquo; said they were concerned over possible provocations by their opponents.</p>\n<p>Boikov was granted Russian citizenship last year, after what he claimed to be a pattern of persecution by the Australian government, and used his newly gained right to cast a vote. Syrsky Jr., whose citizenship application is pending, did not &ndash; a fact that he told journalists he found regrettable.</p>\n    <figure>\n        <img src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/original/65f80c6d20302738704e24e0.JPG\" />\n            </figure>\n\n<p><em>&ldquo;I would be very happy to take part in the elections, in the electoral process,&rdquo;</em> he said, while making a public call for the Russian president to grant him citizenship.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/592800-ivan-syrsky-aussie-cossack/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Stepson of Ukraine\u2019s top general says he wants Russian citizenship\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Over 2,000 people in Australia cast their votes in the Russian election, most of them in Sydney, according to the Russian embassy. There was a minor incident in the city, as <em>&ldquo;provocateurs&rdquo;</em> attempted to prevent Russians from entering the consulate, but they were swiftly removed with the help of the Australian police, it said.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:26:54 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 7, 26, 54, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Putin\u2019s dream, Russian unity, conflict with NATO: Key takeaways from victory speech", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Putin\u2019s dream, Russian unity, conflict with NATO: Key takeaways from victory speech"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594403-putin-victory-speech-recap/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7abd285f5401d8020d4e3.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594403-putin-victory-speech-recap/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594403-putin-victory-speech-recap/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7abd285f5401d8020d4e3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> President Putin has addressed Russian citizens after winning more than 87% of the vote. Read the key takeaways from his speech. <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594403-putin-victory-speech-recap/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7abd285f5401d8020d4e3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> President Putin has addressed Russian citizens after winning more than 87% of the vote. Read the key takeaways from his speech. <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594403-putin-victory-speech-recap/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The head of state thanked the people of Russia for their trust and support after the three-day electionx</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p><strong></strong>President Vladimir Putin has addressed the people of Russia following a historic election victory with over 87% of the vote in his favor, amid a record-high turnout. Here&nbsp;are the key takeaways from his speech and a question-and-answer session at&nbsp;campaign headquarters in Moscow on Sunday night.</p>\n<p></p>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Putin&rsquo;s dream&nbsp;</strong></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I dreamed of a strong, independent, sovereign Russia,&rdquo;</em> Putin told the audience, expressing his hope that the results of the vote <em>&ldquo;will allow us all, together with the Russian people, to achieve these goals.&rdquo;</em></p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Record election results</strong></p>\n<p>The citizens of Russia realize the dramatic situation the country is going through and understand that much depends on them, Putin said.<br /><em>&ldquo;Due to the current situation, due to the fact that we have to literally defend the interests of our citizens, our people with weapons in our hands, to create a future for the full-fledged, sovereign, secure development of the Russian Federation, our homeland.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;<br />This year&rsquo;s election was marked by a record-high voter turnout of over 74%, with Putin winning over 87% of the vote. The Russian president stressed that while the results would be good for a mono-ethnic state &ndash; for a multi-ethnic country like Russia they are <em>&ldquo;uniquely exceptional.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p></p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Future challenges</strong></p>\n<p>The Russian leader noted that while the country faces numerous challenges, its people will be up to the task if they remain united.<br /><em>&ldquo;We have a lot of tasks ahead of us. And when we are united, no one can intimidate or suppress us. No one succeeded at this before, it did not happen now and will never occur in the future.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594397-putin-russia-election-victory/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>People are the power in Russia \u2013 Putin\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;We have a huge development agenda, and people felt it in their hearts and came to create conditions for the development and strengthening of their Motherland...&nbsp;</em><em>the results of the election are a guarantee that these tasks will be accomplished and goals will be reached.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p></p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Border incursions &amp; &lsquo;cordon sanitaire&rsquo; in Ukraine</strong></p>\n<p>Russia has repelled multiple attempts by Ukrainian sabotage groups to break into its territory over the past week, with Putin saying that <em>&ldquo;the enemy has deployed a group of about five thousand people, and their losses are about 40%.&rdquo;<br /></em><em>&ldquo;And those who crawled into our territory were destroyed almost 100%... If the enemy likes a &lsquo;meat grinder&rsquo; &ndash; we even benefit from it.&rdquo;<br /></em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A Ukrainian tank destroyed during the counter terrorist operation to eliminate a sabotage group that had crossed into Russia&#039;s Belgorod Region, March 12, 2024\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f788f685f5401da67a0cb9.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594401-ukraine-sanitary-buffer-zone/\">Russia could establish \u2018cordon sanitaire\u2019 in Ukraine \u2013 Putin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Kiev claimed that the operation was staged by paramilitary units, which portray themselves as collaborator forces composed of Russian defectors and fugitive neo-Nazis. Putin likened the saboteurs to the Vlasov army collaborators who fought under German Nazi command during WWII.<br /><em>&ldquo;Those traitors, that scum fought on the side of Nazis, and now there are similar people who fight on the side of neo-Nazis,&rdquo;</em> the president stressed, adding:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;We all know how they ended up.&rdquo;<br /></em>In order to protect its people from cross-border Ukrainian strikes, Russia could at some point be <em>&ldquo;forced&rdquo;</em> to set up a buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories. The Russian forces would establish a <em>&ldquo;security zone that would be quite difficult for the adversary to overcome with its weapons, primarily of foreign origin,&rdquo;</em> if and <em>&ldquo;when we consider it appropriate,&rdquo;</em> Putin added.</p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Talks with Ukraine</strong></p>\n<p>Moscow has always favored peace talks, as long as the opponents are serious about establishing good neighborly relations in the long term, not just because <em>&ldquo;the adversary has run out of ammunition,&rdquo;</em> Putin said.<br />He&nbsp;added that Russia is ready to consider various scenarios, provided that they align with the national interest. But since Kiev barred talks with the current leadership in Moscow, and President Vladimir Zelensky has no intention to hold elections, it will require <em>&ldquo;painstaking research&rdquo;</em> to even figure out <em>&ldquo;who to negotiate with over there,&rdquo;</em> Putin noted.</p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Conflict with NATO</strong></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: Italian M109 self-propelled howitzer is seen close to Kherson frontline, March 15, 2024\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f77b3b85f5401d825bc197.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/\">Troops from NATO states operating in Ukraine \u2013\u00a0Putin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Weighing in on the possibility of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, Putin said that <em>&ldquo;anything is possible in the modern world&rdquo;</em> and warned that it <em>&ldquo;would be one step shy of a full-scale World War III.&rdquo;<br /></em><em>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that anyone is interested in that,&rdquo;</em> he added, stressing that Moscow was well aware of the US-led military bloc&rsquo;s push to deploy troops in Ukraine.<br />Putin noted that volunteer fighters from NATO states are facing extremely grim prospects, saying <em>&ldquo;there is nothing good in this, first of all for them, because they die there and in large numbers.&rdquo;</em></p>\n</aside>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 02:56:41 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 2, 56, 41, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Moscow responds to West\u2019s election criticism", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Moscow responds to West\u2019s election criticism"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594402-russian-election-critics-zakharova/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f79d3e20302732d8688e8d.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594402-russian-election-critics-zakharova/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594402-russian-election-critics-zakharova/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f79d3e20302732d8688e8d.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Western attempts to undermine Russia paved the way for Vladimir Putin\u2019s historic win in the presidential election, Moscow says <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594402-russian-election-critics-zakharova/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f79d3e20302732d8688e8d.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Western attempts to undermine Russia paved the way for Vladimir Putin\u2019s historic win in the presidential election, Moscow says <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594402-russian-election-critics-zakharova/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>NATO\u2019s crusade against Russia only helped President Putin secure a fifth term, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The West itself&nbsp;guaranteed&nbsp;Vladimir Putin&rsquo;s historic victory in the Russian presidential election by ensuring that NATO is perceived in the country as a dangerous enemy, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.</p>\n<p>The German Foreign Ministry called Russia's presidential election&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;neither free nor fair,&rdquo;</em> adding that its <em>&ldquo;result surprises no one,&rdquo;</em> a claim echoed by the White House on Sunday. Meanwhile, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps accused President Vladimir Putin &ndash; who has won by a landslide &ndash; of <em>&ldquo;stealing another election,&rdquo;</em> but vowed that the Russian leader <em>&ldquo;will not steal Ukraine.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Putin has secured 87.3% of the vote with almost all ballots counted, winning his fifth term in office amid a record-high turnout of over 74%, according to the Central Election Commission.&nbsp;Writing on Telegram on Sunday, Zakharova rebuffed Western accusations, suggesting that Western states and Berlin in particular simply could not tolerate the display of Russian unity.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76e9e20302733114aa577.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594400-putin-us-elections-democracy/\">US is not a democracy \u2013 Putin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Zakharova also recalled that Angela Merkel was elected Chancellor four times in a row while ex-Chancellor Helmut Kohl also stayed in power for 16 years.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The Germans themselves wondered whether such authoritarian personalism was in line with the German understanding of democracy,&rdquo;</em> Zakharova wrote.</p>\n<p>The spokeswoman noted that the only thing she could agree on with Berlin, about the election in Russia, was that there was <em>&ldquo;nothing surprising&rdquo;</em> about its results.&nbsp;</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><em>NATO barks at our country several times a day, threatens it, ignites conflicts along our borders&hellip; It&rsquo;s no surprise that the whole country united and fought back!</em></strong></p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>In a separate post, she responded to the UK defence secretary's claim that Putin <em>&ldquo;stole&rdquo;&nbsp;</em>the election, saying that Russia had stolen nothing, unlike the West.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t give anything of ours to them. So they got angry. They are accustomed to taking everything away from everyone by the right of &lsquo;exclusivity&rsquo;,&rdquo;</em> Zakharova said.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 01:49:24 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 1, 49, 24, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russia could establish \u2018cordon sanitaire\u2019 in Ukraine \u2013 Putin", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russia could establish \u2018cordon sanitaire\u2019 in Ukraine \u2013 Putin"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594401-ukraine-sanitary-buffer-zone/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f788f685f5401da67a0cb9.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594401-ukraine-sanitary-buffer-zone/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594401-ukraine-sanitary-buffer-zone/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f788f685f5401da67a0cb9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russia could create a buffer zone with Ukraine to protect itself from Kiev\u2019s strikes, President Vladimir Putin has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594401-ukraine-sanitary-buffer-zone/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f788f685f5401da67a0cb9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russia could create a buffer zone with Ukraine to protect itself from Kiev\u2019s strikes, President Vladimir Putin has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594401-ukraine-sanitary-buffer-zone/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Moscow must make it impossible for Kiev to attack with foreign-supplied long-range weapons, the president has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russia&nbsp;could <em><em>&ldquo;</em>at some point&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;set up a buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories in order to protect the Russian population from Ukrainian strikes, President Vladimir Putin told supporters&nbsp;and journalists early on Monday morning.</p>\n<p>The ongoing <em>&ldquo;tragic events&rdquo;</em> in Russian regions on the border with Ukraine could eventually <em>&ldquo;force&rdquo;</em><em>&nbsp;</em>Moscow&nbsp;to<em> <em>&ldquo;create a certain cordon sanitaire&rdquo;</em></em>&nbsp;in the areas still under Kiev&rsquo;s control, Putin said during a question-and-answer session in Moscow, shortly after it was announced that he is set to be reelected as president in a landslide victory.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Russian forces would establish a <em>&ldquo;security zone that would be quite difficult for the adversary to overcome with its weapons, primarily of foreign origin,&rdquo;</em> if and <em>&ldquo;when we consider it appropriate,&rdquo;</em> Putin added.</p>\n<p>Ukraine routinely launches artillery and drone strikes on Russian border regions, with many attacks targeting residential blocks, resulting in civilian deaths. Last week, Ukrainian forces also attempted to breach the border, attacking multiple locations along its frontier with Russia&rsquo;s Kursk and Belgorod regions.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f58ed02030272ea656882c.png\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594352-belgorod-ukraine-incursion-kozinka/\">Russia thwarts Ukrainian incursion attempt (DISTURBING VIDEO)</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Kiev claimed that the operation was staged by the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and Russian Freedom Legion,&nbsp;paramilitary units&nbsp;linked to the country&rsquo;s military intelligence agency. The units, which portray themselves as collaborator forces composed of Russian defectors, as well as fugitive neo-Nazis, are designated by Moscow as terrorist organizations.</p>\n<p>The Russian Defense Ministry&nbsp;has described the attempted raids as a total failure, saying that the attacking forces lost over 1,500 soldiers and dozens of armored vehicles.&nbsp;Putin likened the saboteurs to the Vlasov army collaborators who fought under German Nazi command during WWII.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Those traitors, that scum fought on the side of Nazis, and now there are similar people who fight on the side of neo-nazis,&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;the president stressed, further reminding of their fate.&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;We all know how they ended up.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>In late January, Putin already <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/591625-russia-expand-demilitarized-zone-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">proposed</a> setting up a large <em>&ldquo;demilitarized zone&rdquo;</em> in Ukraine to prevent long-range attacks on Russian territory. His comments came after two Ukrainian bombardments of Belgorod and Donetsk that killed more than 50 people.</p>"}], "published": "Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:23:19 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 18, 0, 23, 19, 0, 78, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "US is not a democracy \u2013 Putin", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "US is not a democracy \u2013 Putin"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594400-putin-us-elections-democracy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76e9e20302733114aa577.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594400-putin-us-elections-democracy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594400-putin-us-elections-democracy/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76e9e20302733114aa577.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the political situation in Washington has become a laughing stock of the rest of the world <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594400-putin-us-elections-democracy/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76e9e20302733114aa577.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the political situation in Washington has become a laughing stock of the rest of the world <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594400-putin-us-elections-democracy/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Russian leader has called the political situation in America a \u201ccatastrophe\u201d</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The US has become a global laughing stock by criticizing democratic processes in other nations while suppressing a presidential candidate in its own election, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has claimed.</p>\n<p>Speaking to journalists in Moscow early on Monday morning, shortly after preliminary results indicated he would be reelected with 87% of the vote in the Russian presidential election, Putin stated that the<em>&nbsp;&ldquo;whole world is laughing at what is happening&rdquo;&nbsp;</em>in the US.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We are behaving with more restraint than their opponents in other countries, but this is just a catastrophe, not a democracy &ndash; that&rsquo;s what it is,&rdquo; </em>the Russian leader added.</p>\n<p>Putin claimed that the current US administration is using all its resources to attack a candidate for this year&rsquo;s presidential election, seemingly referring to Donald Trump. The former US leader is facing a litany of lawsuits despite being the presumptive Republican nominee for the vote in November.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f1270c20302739b42a3187.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594180-putin-trump-sleepy-joe/\">Putin recalls how Trump asked him about \u2018Sleepy Joe\u2019</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In a pre-election interview earlier this week, Putin insisted that Russia does not meddle in foreign elections and will work with any elected US president.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s obvious to everyone that the American political system cannot claim to be democratic in any sense of the word,&rdquo;</em> he said in an interview with journalist Dmitry Kiselyov. Putin refused to comment further on the current presidential campaign in the US, but described the atmosphere as becoming <em>&ldquo;increasingly uncivilized.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 23:02:40 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 23, 2, 40, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Troops from NATO states operating in Ukraine \u2013\u00a0Putin", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Troops from NATO states operating in Ukraine \u2013\u00a0Putin"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f77b3b85f5401d825bc197.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f77b3b85f5401d825bc197.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> NATO troops are deployed in Ukraine but are dying in large numbers, Vladimir Putin has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f77b3b85f5401d825bc197.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> NATO troops are deployed in Ukraine but are dying in large numbers, Vladimir Putin has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594399-nato-ukraine-putin/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Soldiers from members of the bloc are dying in large numbers, the Russian president has claimed</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>It is no secret that fighters from NATO states&nbsp;are present on the ground in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed. He warned that these troops face extremely grim prospects.</p>\n<p>Speaking to his supporters and the media on Sunday night after his landslide presidential election victory, Putin stressed that Moscow is well aware of calls in the US-led military bloc to potentially deploy troops to Ukraine.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We hear both French and English speech there. There is nothing good in this, first of all for them, because they die there and in large numbers,&rdquo;</em> he said.</p>\n<p>Putin also weighed in on the potential for a full-scale conflict between NATO and Russia, warning that it could not be ruled out. <em>&ldquo;Anything is possible in the modern world&hellip; But everyone knows that this would be one step shy of a full-scale World War III. I don&rsquo;t think that anyone is interested in that.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"(L-R) French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin on March 15, 2024\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4938985f5406c38750b3a.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594326-macron-ukraine-troops-war/\">Western troops in Ukraine: How a big lie could lead to the biggest war</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>French President Emmanuel Macron suggested last month that the West&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;cannot exclude&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;the possibility of sending soldiers to aid Ukraine. He later described Russia as an <em>&ldquo;adversary,&rdquo;</em> insisting, however, that Paris is&nbsp;not <em>&ldquo;waging war on&rdquo;</em> Moscow.</p>\n<p>Commenting on Macron&rsquo;s remarks, Putin noted that while NATO troops in Ukraine are expected to act as an auxiliary force, helping Kiev train its military, <em>&ldquo;this is not much different from what mercenaries are doing there now.&rdquo;</em> Russia, he added, wants France not to escalate the conflict but to help find a peaceful solution to hostilities.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 22:29:25 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 22, 29, 25, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Putin reveals he agreed to swap Navalny", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Putin reveals he agreed to swap Navalny"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594398-putin-speks-on-navalny/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76c2420302732d8688e7d.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594398-putin-speks-on-navalny/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594398-putin-speks-on-navalny/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76c2420302732d8688e7d.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Vladimir Putin has said he was ready to approve the swap of Alexey Navalny for Russians held by West shortly before his death in prison <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594398-putin-speks-on-navalny/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76c2420302732d8688e7d.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Vladimir Putin has said he was ready to approve the swap of Alexey Navalny for Russians held by West shortly before his death in prison <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594398-putin-speks-on-navalny/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Russian president has said he was ready to exchange the opposition figure for prisoners being held in the West</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed that he agreed in principle to swap opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who died in&nbsp;a penal colony last month, for prisoners being held in the West.</p>\n<p>Speaking to supporters on Sunday, Putin said that senior Russian officials had floated the idea of a prisoner exchange a few days before Navalny&rsquo;s death. The&nbsp;activist passed away in February at the Polar Wolf colony inside the Arctic Circle, where he was serving a lengthy sentence on a number of charges, including those stemming from a fraud case.</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><em>The person who talked to me did not even finish the phrase. I said &lsquo;I agree.&rsquo; But what happened happened.</em></strong></p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>The president did not mention which or how many jailed Russian citizens could have been exchanged. He noted that the only condition for the swap would have been that Navalny would not return to the country and stay in the West.</p>\n\n    \n                    \n    \n\n\n\n\n<p>The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), an NGO formerly headed by Navalny, has previously claimed that the opposition figure was to be swapped for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian national convicted of murder in Germany in late 2021, and that talks on this were <em>&ldquo;at the final stage.&rdquo;</em> Maria Pevchikh, the current head of FBK, has also claimed that Navalny was killed to prevent the swap. Moscow has rejected all accusations on the matter, calling for patience until the end of the investigation.</p>\n<p>Putin&rsquo;s comments come as he secured a landslide victory in the presidential election, securing his fifth term in office with an estimated 87% share of the votes amid a 74&nbsp;percent turnout, according to the Central Election Commission.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 21:38:52 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 21, 38, 52, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "People are the power in Russia \u2013 Putin", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "People are the power in Russia \u2013 Putin"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594397-putin-russia-election-victory/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7626885f5401d8020d4d3.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594397-putin-russia-election-victory/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594397-putin-russia-election-victory/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7626885f5401d8020d4d3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> President Putin delivered a victory speech at his campaign headquarters after early results showed him securing a fifth term <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594397-putin-russia-election-victory/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7626885f5401d8020d4d3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> President Putin delivered a victory speech at his campaign headquarters after early results showed him securing a fifth term <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594397-putin-russia-election-victory/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The president has won re-election by a historic landslide</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Vladimir Putin has given a victory speech at his campaign headquarters in Moscow, after preliminary results from the Russian presidential election showed him securing a fifth term with over 87% of the vote.</p>\n<p>Speaking in front of his supporters on Sunday night, Putin stressed that the <em>&ldquo;only source of power in the country is the Russian people,&rdquo;</em> adding that the vote of every citizen counts when its comes to charting the nation&rsquo;s course.</p>\n<p>The Russian leader noted that while&nbsp;the country faces numerous challenges, its people will be up to the task if&nbsp;they remain united.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;No matter who and how they would try to intimidate and suppress us, our will, our consciousness&hellip; Nobody in our history has ever succeeded, won&rsquo;t succeed now or in the future. Never.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n    \n                    \n    \n\n\n\n\n<p>Putin went on to thank Russian citizens for the trust they have placed in him. <em>&ldquo;I will do my best to solve the tasks set before the country and achieve the goals we all consider to be of the highest priority.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76beb20302732d8688e7a.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594394-russian-elections-projected-win/\">Putin set for landslide win \u2013 Russia\u2019s election commission</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>This year&rsquo;s election was marked by record-high turnout. According to Central Election Commission (CEC) data, it topped 74%, exceeding the figure for the 2018 election (67.47%). The voting took place for the first time in Russia&rsquo;s new regions &ndash; the Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics, as well as in Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, which voted overwhelmingly to join Russia in the fall of 2022.</p>\n<p>Putin specifically praised the Russian military for risking their lives on the frontlines to protect the country&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;so-called new, but in fact historic territories.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>According to the CEC, almost 95% of the votes had been counted as of&nbsp;1am Moscow time, and Putin was leading the race with an estimated 87.3%.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 20:57:05 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 20, 57, 5, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russian presidential elections 2024: New voting options, record turnout", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russian presidential elections 2024: New voting options, record turnout"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594396-presidential-elections-options-record-turnout/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f754d320302735a2148566.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594396-presidential-elections-options-record-turnout/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594396-presidential-elections-options-record-turnout/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f754d320302735a2148566.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The 2024 presidential election in Russia saw record turnout and featured a new three-day voting window, as well as the option to vote online <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594396-presidential-elections-options-record-turnout/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f754d320302735a2148566.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The 2024 presidential election in Russia saw record turnout and featured a new three-day voting window, as well as the option to vote online <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594396-presidential-elections-options-record-turnout/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Incumbent President Vladimir Putin appears to be heading for a landslide victory, with the last polling stations now closed</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russia has concluded voting in the seventh presidential election of its modern history. This time voting was held over three days and saw four new Russian regions &ndash; Kherson and Zaporozhye, as well as Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics &ndash; taking part.</p>\n<p>Ballot papers offered a choice of four candidates. Apart from the incumbent leader, Vladimir Putin, all other candidates were nominated by their parliamentary parties. President Vladimir Putin, who ran as an independent, was expected to win by a wide margin, according to exit polls.</p>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Record turnout</strong><br /><br />A record number of people have voted in this election. More than 74% of Russia&rsquo;s 112.3 million voters cast their ballots between March 15 and 17, the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Sunday. This is the highest engagement in the nation&rsquo;s modern history, unseen for more than two decades.<br /><br />A previous similar turnout was recorded in 1991 at the first and only presidential elections in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, when Russia was still a part of the USSR. At that time, around 74% of voters turned out to cast their vote.<br /><br />The average turnout at the presidential elections in modern Russia ranged between 64% and 69%. The ballot held in 2018 had a turnout of around 67%.</p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>First vote in new territories</strong><br /><br />It was the first time people in the Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics (DPR and LPR), as well as in Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, were able to take part in Russian presidential elections. All four regions joined Russia after referendums in September 2022.<br /><br />The new territories demonstrated high turnout figures at the vote, which amounted to 83.7%, 85%, 87% and 88%, for the Kherson, Zaporozhye, LPR and DPR, respectively.<br /><br />No voting was held in the provincial capitals of Kherson and Zaporozhye, which are controlled by the Ukrainian military.</p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>New rules &amp; voting options</strong><br /><br />It was also the first time presidential elections in Russia were held over three days, for twelve hours daily between March 15 and 17. The new voting window was adopted by lawmakers and signed by President Putin in 2020. The decision was justified by the need to provide people with a wider range of options for <em>&ldquo;exercising their voting rights.&rdquo;</em> Russians could cast their ballot at any time between 8am and 8pm local time on any of the three days.<br /><br />Residents of almost 30 Russian regions, including Moscow, also had the opportunity to vote online. In the Russian capital, residents whose identities had already been verified with various state online services could do that right away by using the federal or local electronic services portal.<br /><br />In other regions, a preliminary request was required. A state online voting monitor reported that more than 4.7 million people registered for electronic voting, and 94% of these exercised their rights online.</p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Election disruption attempts</strong><br /><br />This year&rsquo;s ballot also saw sporadic attempts to interfere with the work at polling stations. Almost 30 such cases in a total of 20 Russian regions saw perpetrators attacking ballot boxes, according to CEC head Ella Pamfilova. In eight cases, suspects tried to set the boxes on fire; in other instances, there were attempts to pour dyed liquids inside the boxes.<br /><br />The attacks resulted in a total of 214 ballots being <em>&ldquo;irreversibly damaged,&rdquo;</em> Pamfilova revealed. In St Petersburg, a young woman threw a Molotov cocktail at a polling station entrance. The incident resulted in no casualties, and the perpetrator was detained at the scene and placed into custody. She now faces charges of disrupting the election process, which on conviction carry penalties ranging from a hefty fine to up to five years behind bars, depending on the severity of the offense.<br /><br />In the Russian city of Perm, another activist set off a powerful firecracker in a building where a polling station was located. The explosion prompted the evacuation of some 50 people. The perpetrator ended up being the only person injured in the incident. According to the local authorities, she suffered an injury to her arm and was hospitalized. The local media described her condition as critical.<br /><br />Russian electoral commissions in Kherson Region and Zaporozhye Region also reported several Ukrainian attacks targeting polling stations, including drone strikes and shelling. The attacks led to some injuries, the reports said.</p>\n<p></p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Candidates</strong><br /><br />The current election is the fifth for Russia&rsquo;s incumbent leader, Vladimir Putin. As of 2018, he was running as an independent while also enjoying the support of several political forces, including the governing United Russia party and the opposition party Fair Russia-For Truth, as well as the Rodina party. Much of his program was outlined in his recent address to the Federal Assembly. Putin&rsquo;s major policy goals include fighting poverty, supporting families with children, and strengthening Russia&rsquo;s economic independence.<br /><br />The Communist Party nominated Nikolay Kharitonov, a veteran politician who already ran for president in 2004 but lost to Putin and took second place at that time. At this year&rsquo;s elections, he was running with a program including a progressive tax scale, abolishing taxes for low-income citizens, and lowering the retirement age.<br /><br />The right-wing Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) was represented by its new leader, Leonid Slutsky, who took over after the passing in 2022 of its long-time head, Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Seen as hawkish, Slutsky advocates closer cooperation with Asian countries while considering the West to be a threat. He is also calling for tighter control over <em>&ldquo;foreign agents&rdquo;</em> and for accelerating Russia&rsquo;s military campaign against Ukraine.<br /><br />The fourth candidate on the ballot was Vladislav Davankov, an MP and a member of the New People Party created in 2021. Although his political career started only three years ago, Davankov joined the budget and tax committee and also became a State Duma vice chairman under United Russia&rsquo;s Vyacheslav Volodin. Last year, the politician ran for the Moscow mayor&rsquo;s office but finished only fourth with 5.34% of the vote. His presidential program is centered on peace and negotiations, with the caveat <em>&ldquo;on our terms, not a step back.&rdquo;</em></p>\n</aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Projected results</strong><br /><br />Exit poll data published by the Russian state statistics agency VCIOM suggests that Putin will claim a landslide victory and gain around 87% of the votes. Kharitonov was projected to take second place with 4.6%. Davankov was likely to follow closely behind with 4.2%. Slutsky was on course to end up fourth, with 3%. R roughly half of all ballots have been counted.<br /><br />With over&nbsp;94% of all ballots counted, Putin gets more than 87% of the votes. Kharitonov and Davankov enjoy around 4% support each, and Slutsky is backed by some 3% of the voters.</p>\n</aside>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 20:54:34 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 20, 54, 34, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russian election clerk killed in Ukrainian shelling \u2013 authorities", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russian election clerk killed in Ukrainian shelling \u2013 authorities"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594393-election-official-killed-ukraine-attack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f733f02030272904039570.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594393-election-official-killed-ukraine-attack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594393-election-official-killed-ukraine-attack/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f733f02030272904039570.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ukrainian shelling has killed an election official in the Russian city of Berdyansk in Zaporozhye Region, authorities say <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594393-election-official-killed-ukraine-attack/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f733f02030272904039570.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ukrainian shelling has killed an election official in the Russian city of Berdyansk in Zaporozhye Region, authorities say <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594393-election-official-killed-ukraine-attack/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Kiev attacked Russian port city of Berdyansk, with significant difficulties reported elsewhere in frontline areas, a senior official says</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>A Ukrainian artillery attack has killed a female official overseeing the presidential election in Russia&rsquo;s Zaporozhye Region, Alexandr Gorovoy, the First Deputy Interior Minister, has said. Moscow had warned that Kiev would stop at nothing to derail the vote.</p>\n<p>Speaking at the Central Election Commission on Sunday, Gorovoy shared the news that Kiev&rsquo;s attack had killed a voting member of the electoral commission in the port city of Berdyansk, some 100 kilometers from the frontline. He gave no further details about the tragedy.</p>\n<p>Zaporozhye Region, along with three other former Ukrainian territories, overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in autumn 2022. Neither Kiev nor its Western backers have recognized the results of the referendums.</p>\n<p>Gorovoy also noted that election authorities at local level encountered significant difficulties in other frontline areas, including the cities of Kamenka-Dneprovskaya and Energodar. Both are located on the left bank of the Dnepr River, the latter also being home to Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, the largest such facility in Europe.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A woman votes at a polling station during the presidential election in Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia region, which became part of Russia.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5aad885f540791c736369.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594358-ukraine-attacks-russian-polling-stations/\">Ukraine attacking Russian polling stations \u2013 officials</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In those areas, according to the first deputy interior minister, election commissions had to be relocated along with all documents.</p>\n<p>On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukraine would orchestrate <em>&ldquo;a number of criminal, demonstrative armed acts&rdquo;</em> to intimidate Russian voters. On Sunday morning, local authorities in Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions reported strikes on polling stations that left several people injured.</p>\n<p>Casting of ballots in the presidential election took place between March 15 and 17. With an overall turnout of more than 74% and nearly half of the votes counted, incumbent Vladimir Putin looks widely expected to win a landslide victory.</p>\n<p>According to Russia&rsquo;s Central Election Commission, Putin is for now leading the race with an estimated 87% share of the votes, with Nikolay Kharitonov of the Communist Party and Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party trailing behind at around 4% each. Leonid Slutsky, of the Liberal Democrats, has received 3.1% of the vote so far.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 20:18:59 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 20, 18, 59, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Timofey Bordachev: The West loves democracy until it gets results it doesn\u2019t like", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Timofey Bordachev: The West loves democracy until it gets results it doesn\u2019t like"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594395-western-interference-in-russian-elections/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f73db620302735a2148559.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594395-western-interference-in-russian-elections/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594395-western-interference-in-russian-elections/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f73db620302735a2148559.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US and its allies have tried to manipulate this country\u2019s politics since the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594395-western-interference-in-russian-elections/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f73db620302735a2148559.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US and its allies have tried to manipulate this country\u2019s politics since the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594395-western-interference-in-russian-elections/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The US and its allies have tried to manipulate this country\u2019s politics since the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>One of the most curious cases in the turbulent history of post-Cold War US-Russian relations is the decision of the US authorities to reduce financial aid to Moscow after the free elections to the State Duma in 1993 gave a significant number of seats in the new Russian parliament to representatives of the former ruling Communists and the nationalist LDPR. This direct reaction by Washington to the results of the popular will in a foreign country was a perfect example of how the West views the nature of, and challenges facing, democratic institutions in countries it considers dependent on it.</p>\n<p>This is how the US and Western Europe perceived Russia in the 1990s, and all that was expected of its legislators was that they should unconditionally fulfil the function assigned to them in the plans of their overseas curators. It should be noted that such expectations were understood - the parliaments and governments of all the so-called post-communist countries faithfully did what they were told.</p>\n<p>Disappointment at the unexpected results of the Russian elections yielded to resentment of the Russian authorities, who, the US believed, were unwilling to do everything in ways that were the most convenient for the West. With the launch of substantive discussions on NATO&rsquo;s eastward enlargement the following year, 1994, the collapse in relations had begun.</p>\n<p>During the period of its global dominance, the West has demonstrated an incredible number of examples of bad faith towards the principles that emerged within its own political civilization. It is therefore surprising that the rest of the world continues to look to democracy as the most reliable way of ensuring the stable functioning of social institutions. Especially considering that the Americans and Western Europeans themselves have done their best to convince us that democracy and elections are instruments of political manipulation and have no intrinsic value. In the Western worldview, these institutions, firstly, always correlate their decisions with the country&rsquo;s position in world affairs and, secondly, provide opportunities for external control over elites and governments.</p>\n<p>The mutual observation of electoral processes and the assessment of their quality in general is one of the most controversial issues in relations between states. Firstly, because it is very difficult to reconcile with the fundamental principle of state sovereignty, which is enshrined in the UN Charter and constitutes the foundation of the international order.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A woman votes at a polling station during the presidential election in Luhansk, Luhansk People&#039;s Republic, Russia.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f41f7485f5406aef56bcfe.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594293-russian-presidential-election-2024/\">\u2018This time the campaign has had a referendum-like nature\u2019: Your guide to Russia\u2019s 2024 Presidential Election</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Independent states should have absolutely no need for their internal political processes to be the subject of foreign attention. In classical international politics, there is no such thing as &lsquo;recognizing&rsquo; anything that happens inside a state: everyone defines their own internal ideas of justice, and the rest of us have to take note of them.</p>\n<p>However, the dramatic history of the twentieth century led most countries to accept the need for the additional international legitimation of their democratic process. This delicate form of mutual intervention in internal affairs came into use after the Second World War.</p>\n<p>The main formal reason why the Western countries decided to group together was the use of democratic processes in the rise to power in Germany and Italy in the 1920s and 1930s of the forces that then became the initiators of the war.</p>\n<p>Gradually, most Western countries lost their sovereignty as a result of the creation of the NATO military bloc, the Council of Europe and the subsequent beginning of European integration. More generally, external legitimacy - recognition by others - has historically been an important source of the state&rsquo;s right to communicate with its peers.</p>\n<p>But this practice has not been followed everywhere. For example, only 40 foreign observers were present at the last presidential election in the United States in 2020, but no one questioned the legitimacy of the result. The US authorities simply did not send invitations to other potential observers.</p>\n<p>During the 2012 US presidential and congressional elections in several states, OSCE observers were banned from approaching polling stations on pain of imprisonment. Of course, these representatives of European states did not find any systemic violations at that time either.</p>\n<p>Americans are generally quite dismissive of the opinions of their allies. Since the only source of legitimacy in the US is (at least formally) the opinion of its own people, no one cares much about the attitudes of others and external recognition.</p>\n<p>It would be wrong to take a literal example from these cases, but there is nothing wrong with the practice of election observation itself. It promotes dialogue between civil societies, helps to create greater mutual trust and openness, and helps to protect the rights of national minorities representing neighboring states. However, this is only true as long as it retains its basic function and does not become an instrument of foreign policy. This is exactly what the whole practice of election observation and assessment of the quality of elections has become in the performance of Western countries since the end of the Cold War.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, third left, on a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f340c92030273eb0606b04.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594286-main-problem-eu-diplomacy/\">This is why EU diplomacy is practically dysfunctional</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The OSCE&rsquo;s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), established in 1990, set itself the direct task of <em>&ldquo;assisting&rdquo;</em> Russia and other former socialist countries in their transition to a democratic form of government. In other words, interference in internal affairs was proclaimed a perfectly legitimate activity. At the same time, Western institutions such as the Council of Europe and the European Union intensified their work in this area.</p>\n<p>In the case of the latter, the fact that the European Parliament regularly sends its observers to foreign elections and prepares reports on them seems completely absurd. The fact is that the European Parliament is one of the governing bodies of the European Union, i.e. a cooperation organization of a significant group of states. Through its functions, it is obliged to safeguard the interests of its citizens and governments, which decide on its powers and funding. It operates on the basis of the relevant articles of the EU treaties. It is absolutely incomprehensible why the MEPs express their opinion on internal politics in countries that have not signed these agreements. The purpose of their activities has always been clear &ndash;&nbsp;to create an opportunity for political pressure on the EU&rsquo;s partners in order to improve the bloc&rsquo;s own negotiating position.</p>\n<p>The situation has not been much different when it comes to the activities of those international organizations that are formally supposed to remain impartial. The fact is that in the OSCE or the Council of Europe, the NATO and EU countries were completely dominant in terms of numbers. Within a few years, they were able to monopolize their activities in the field of election observation in all other countries that acted alone. Quickly, the entire work of the OSCE and the Council of Europe in this area became a tool for the interests of a narrow group of powers.</p>\n<p>This destroyed the basic principle of mutual election observation formulated after the Second World War: the main advantage of foreign observers was that their attitude towards events was supposed to be neutral. Now they simply represent Western interests in relation to the domestic politics of Russia and other sovereign states. Not surprisingly, such election observation has gradually turned into a political game in which the outcome is determined not by the substance of the process, but by the balance of power between the West and its external partners.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The most difficult issue now is what to do with the institution of election observation - how to find a compromise between non-interference and indifference, which can, among other things, be to the detriment of one&rsquo;s own interests. Russia and other ex-Soviet states can maintain the practice of having their representatives present at each other&rsquo;s polling stations, for example.</p>\n<p>Between 500 and 1,000 observers from friendly countries and international organizations were present during the Russian presidential election this weekend, and that is probably for the best. Simply because there is nothing wrong with mutual openness and, under conditions of respect for sovereignty, it can provide a service that the West, which has turned election observation into an instrument of international politics, is unable to render.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 19:26:39 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 19, 26, 39, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Explosion rocks Russian polling station", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Explosion rocks Russian polling station"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594391-explosion-russia-polling-station/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f73e5285f5402d1b1b2d45.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594391-explosion-russia-polling-station/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594391-explosion-russia-polling-station/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f73e5285f5402d1b1b2d45.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A blast caused by a firecracker took place at a polling station in the Russian city of Perm, local media report <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594391-explosion-russia-polling-station/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f73e5285f5402d1b1b2d45.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A blast caused by a firecracker took place at a polling station in the Russian city of Perm, local media report <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594391-explosion-russia-polling-station/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>A 64-year-old woman set off a large firecracker, according to media reports</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>An explosion has taken place at a polling station in the city of Perm in central Russia, according to a local media report citing the region&rsquo;s Ministry of Territorial Security.</p>\n<p>According to reports, the blast took place late on Sunday, the final day of Russia&rsquo;s three-day nationwide presidential vote. It was caused by a large firecracker, set off by a 64-year-old woman in the polling station&rsquo;s restroom. The identity of the perpetrator has not been disclosed, but reports note that she sustained an injury to her arm and has been hospitalized. There have been no reports of other injuries so far.</p>\n<p>Eyewitnesses noted that the woman had been talking to someone on the phone prior to the explosion, but it is unclear whether the phone call was connected to the incident. Reports note that the woman came to the station with a package, but was cleared by the security guard to go inside.</p>\n<p>Around 50 people were evacuated from the building where the blast took place; police and emergency services have been called to the site.</p>\n<p>Since the start of the election this past Friday, Russian authorities have reported dozens of attempts in various regions to sabotage the voting process. The incidents range from people intentionally damaging ballots to vandalism and explosive devices targeting polling stations. Some of the detained perpetrators have reportedly said that they were instructed to commit the provocations by phone scammers, who claimed to have broken into their bank accounts and forced the people to carry out attacks to get their money back.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594340-election-day-protesters-face-severe-punishment/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Election disruptors facing severe punishment \u2013 official\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Four candidates are competing in this year&rsquo;s election: incumbent President Vladimir Putin, who is seeking a fifth term in office; Nikolay Kharitonov from the Communist Party; Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party; and Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democrats. The election has already clocked a record-high voter turnout, which topped 73% as of 8:30pm Moscow time, according to data from Russia&rsquo;s Central Election Commission.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 19:03:34 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 19, 3, 34, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Putin set for landslide win \u2013 Russia\u2019s election commission", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Putin set for landslide win \u2013 Russia\u2019s election commission"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594394-russian-elections-projected-win/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76beb20302732d8688e7a.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594394-russian-elections-projected-win/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594394-russian-elections-projected-win/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76beb20302732d8688e7a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Incumbent President Vladimir Putin is forecast to win by a large margin, with more than 99% of the votes counted so far\u00a0 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594394-russian-elections-projected-win/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f76beb20302732d8688e7a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Incumbent President Vladimir Putin is forecast to win by a large margin, with more than 99% of the votes counted so far\u00a0 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594394-russian-elections-projected-win/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>More than 99% of the votes have been counted so far, election commission says</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Incumbent President Vladimir Putin is expected to win this year&rsquo;s presidential election, with over 87% of the vote, Russia&rsquo;s Central Election Commission (CEC) has reported.</p>\n<p>According to the CEC, more than 99.5% of the votes have been counted as of 7am Moscow time and Putin is leading the race with an estimated 87.3%.</p>\n<p>His opponent from the Communist Party, Nikolay Kharitonov, is expected to come in second with 4.3%, followed by Vladislav Davankov of the New People party (3.8%) and Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democrats (3.2%).</p>\n<p>Exit polls earlier showed similar trends, with the head of state expected to win the election with 87.8%. The exit survey was conducted among 466,324 voters at polling stations across the country.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f7626885f5401d8020d4d3.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594397-putin-russia-election-victory/\">People are the power in Russia \u2013 Putin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>This year&rsquo;s election has clocked a historic high voter turnout, which topped 74%, according to data from the CEC.</p>\n<p>The processing of ballots has already ended in&nbsp;most Russian regions. Putin has gained 94.12% of the votes in Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republic (LPR) and over 95% in Donetsk People&rsquo;s Republic (DPR), two of Russia&rsquo;s new regions where citizens are voting for the first time.</p>\n<p>The results from the Republics of Tyva,&nbsp;Khakassia and Yakutia, the regions of Zaporozhye, Kherson&nbsp;and Khabarovsk, and from Chukotka Autonomous Region also show the serving president leading the four candidates, with roughly 90% of the vote.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 18:18:02 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 18, 18, 2, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Polling stations close in Russia\u2019s presidential election", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Polling stations close in Russia\u2019s presidential election"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594379-polling-stations-close-presidetial-election/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f703b585f5406c8616338f.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594379-polling-stations-close-presidetial-election/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594379-polling-stations-close-presidetial-election/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f703b585f5406c8616338f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Polling stations have closed in Russia\u2019s presidential election, with voter turnout hitting its highest level in more than two decades <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594379-polling-stations-close-presidetial-election/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f703b585f5406c8616338f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Polling stations have closed in Russia\u2019s presidential election, with voter turnout hitting its highest level in more than two decades <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594379-polling-stations-close-presidetial-election/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Voter turnout in the 2024 elections has surpassed that of the previous national ballot in 2018</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>More than 74% of Russia&rsquo;s 112.3 million voters had cast their ballots in the nation&rsquo;s presidential elections by the time polling stations closed on Sunday, the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) has reported. This election&rsquo;s voter turnout is a historic record for modern Russia.</p>\n<p>Voting was held over three days, between March 15 and 17, the first time Russia has arranged this. Polling stations were opened from 8am local time to 8pm on each of the three days. Voters in 29 out of 89 Russia&rsquo;s regions, including Moscow &ndash; the nation&rsquo;s most populous region, incorporating the capital city &ndash; also had an opportunity to vote online, in another first.</p>\n<p>According to the state online-voting monitoring portal, more than 4.7 million people applied for the right to cast their ballot online and ultimately over 90% did so. The 2024 election is also the first in which voters in four new Russian regions participated &ndash; Kherson and Zaporozhye, as well as Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics.</p>\n<p>The highest turnout at polling stations was reported in the regions of Chechnya (96%), Tuva (more than&nbsp;94%%), Kemerovo Region (94%) and Donetsk People&rsquo;s Republic (88.17%). Low turnouts were recorded in the Tomsk and&nbsp;Altai Regions&nbsp;as well as in Russia&rsquo;s Republic of Karelia, where it was still above 51%.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A woman votes at a polling station during the presidential election in Luhansk, Luhansk People&#039;s Republic, Russia.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f41f7485f5406aef56bcfe.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594293-russian-presidential-election-2024/\">\u2018This time the campaign has had a referendum-like nature\u2019: Your guide to Russia\u2019s 2024 Presidential Election</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Abroad, a total of 230 polling stations provided an opportunity for Russians living abroad to cast their ballots. According to the Russian foreign ministry, more than 125,000 Russians used this facility.</p>\n<p>Some sporadic attempts at disrupting the work of the polling stations occurred. About 30 of these were attempts to set ballot boxes on fire or to pour a dyed liquid into the box to destroy the votes in it, Russian media reported. According to the CEC, a total of 214 ballots were irreversibly damaged in those attacks. CEC head Ella Pamfilova also said that more than 280 hacking attacks on the online voting system have been repelled.</p>\n<p>This year voters had a choice of four candidates on their ballot papers. Apart from the incumbent, Vladimir Putin, all other candidates were nominated by parliamentary parties. As he did in 2018, Putin is running as an independent and has the support of three political forces: the governing United Russia party, the opposition party Fair Russia - For Truth, and the Rodina party.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian President Vladimir Putin votes online during the presidential election at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow, Russia.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4952b2030272d2a17d054.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594332-putin-votes-online/\">Putin casts online vote in Presidential elections (VIDEO)</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The Communist Party candidate was Nikolay Kharitonov &ndash; a veteran politician and, at 75, the oldest participant in the race. He was also a presidential candidate in the 2004 election and finished second, behind only Putin.</p>\n<p>The Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) nominated its new leader, Leonid Slutsky, as a candidate. He took over the reins of the party in 2022, when its long-time leader, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, died due to Covid-19 complications.</p>\n<p>The New People party, created ahead of the 2021 parliamentary election, nominated an MP from the State Duma, Vladislav Davankov. A member of the budget and tax committee, he also became a State Duma vice chairman under United Russia&rsquo;s Vyacheslav Volodin. At 40, Davankov is also the youngest candidate in the race.</p>\n<p>An exit poll conducted by Russia's statistics agency VCIOM showed Putin was leading by a wide margin, enjoying the support of some 87% of voters. Communist Nikolay Kharitonov is projected to take second place, with 4.6% of the votes. Vladislav Davankov is believed to have closely followed, with 4.2%, and Leonid Slutsky was on course to end up fourth, with 3%.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 18:04:44 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 18, 4, 44, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Zelensky \u2018one of the greatest salesmen in history\u2019 \u2013 Trump", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Zelensky \u2018one of the greatest salesmen in history\u2019 \u2013 Trump"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594378-zelensky-greatest-salesman-trump/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f700a92030273779726182.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594378-zelensky-greatest-salesman-trump/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594378-zelensky-greatest-salesman-trump/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f700a92030273779726182.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ex-president Donald Trump says he\u2019s blown away by Zelensky\u2019s ability to leave the US with up to $60 billion after every visit <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594378-zelensky-greatest-salesman-trump/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f700a92030273779726182.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ex-president Donald Trump says he\u2019s blown away by Zelensky\u2019s ability to leave the US with up to $60 billion after every visit <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594378-zelensky-greatest-salesman-trump/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The White House should stop giving Kiev cash and start lending it, the former US president has insisted</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner, has claimed that Vladimir Zelensky is one of the <em>&ldquo;greatest salesmen&rdquo;</em> he has ever known, as the Ukrainian head of state manages to leave Washington with pockets full of cash every time he visits the US.</p>\n<p>During a campaign rally in Vandalia, Ohio on Saturday, Trump also shared his views about providing billions of dollars in support to Kiev. The former president reiterated his earlier idea that the US should lend money to Kiev instead of simply handing it over.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We should loan them the money, not send them the money, so that if they do make it - they are against tremendous odds - they pay us back,&rdquo;</em> Trump said. <em>&ldquo;Loan them the money, let them be a little bit like they have to be a little nice... Loan them the money, don&rsquo;t just hand them a check for $60 billion,&rdquo;</em> he exclaimed.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I tell you, Zelensky is one of the greatest salesmen in history. Every time he comes to the country, he walks away with $50 or $60 billion,&rdquo;</em> Trump said.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never been able to do that. He's a much better salesman than me,&rdquo;</em> he added.</p>\n<p>Since the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, Washington has been Kiev&rsquo;s primary backer, having provided it with around $113 billion in military, economic, and humanitarian aid.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Republican presidential candidate, former US President Donald Trump gestures to supporters after speaking at a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, on February 14, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65cdd41c85f54015c60ffd45.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/592464-trump-force-ukraine-peace/\">Trump could force Ukraine to make peace \u2013 Bloomberg</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Trump, US President Joe Biden&rsquo;s presumptive Republican challenger in this November&rsquo;s election - said last week that NATO countries <em>&ldquo;laugh at the stupidity of the United States&rdquo;</em> for spending so much money on Ukraine, and must <em>&ldquo;pay their bills.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Biden is currently pushing Congress to pass a $95 billion foreign aid bill that includes more than $60 billion worth of additional military aid for Kiev. He has claimed that Ukraine would lose more territory to Russia if the bill is not approved. The administration&rsquo;s request - which was greenlit by the Senate - has stalled in Congress because of Republican opposition.</p>\n<p>On Tuesday, the Biden administration said that Washington would send a new military aid package to Ukraine worth $300 million.</p>\n<p>The White House also looked at options for seizing some $285 billion in Russian assets frozen in 2022 and using the money to purchase Ukraine weaponry.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 17:03:45 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 17, 3, 45, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Beijing waves goodbye to winter Russian-style", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Beijing waves goodbye to winter Russian-style"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594376-maslenitsa-celebrations-beijing-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6fa5885f5406c4d0acf69.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594376-maslenitsa-celebrations-beijing-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594376-maslenitsa-celebrations-beijing-china/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6fa5885f5406c4d0acf69.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian folk festival of spring, Maslenitsa, is being widely celebrated in China for the first time this year, Channel 1 is reporting <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594376-maslenitsa-celebrations-beijing-china/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6fa5885f5406c4d0acf69.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian folk festival of spring, Maslenitsa, is being widely celebrated in China for the first time this year, Channel 1 is reporting <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594376-maslenitsa-celebrations-beijing-china/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Maslenitsa is being widely celebrated in the Chinese capital this year for the first time, according to Channel 1</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Several thousand people in the Chinese capital, Beijing, have taken part in the celebration of Maslenitsa, the traditional Russian folk festival dedicated to winter&rsquo;s end and the arrival of spring, Moscow&rsquo;s Channel 1 has reported.</p>\n<p>The crowds who attended Beijing Exhibition Center on Friday witnessed performances by a Russian folk-music group and by male and female Cossack choirs. Among other arrangements, the artists sang the iconic &lsquo;Katyusha&rsquo; ballad in Chinese.</p>\n<p>Guests were served Russian pancakes, blini, with condensed milk and other toppings, a treat in the Maslenitsa tradition. The round, golden-hued pancake symbolizes the Sun awakening after its winter slumber. <em>&ldquo;Delicious! It&rsquo;s very delicious,&rdquo;</em> one of the Chinese visitors said in Russian.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.12/thumbnail/6569a59a2030274f0a7e7d1a.png\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/588317-vdnh-house-russian-cuisine/\">VDNH\u2019s \u2018House of Russian Cuisine\u2019 hosts gastronomic presentations by several Russian regions</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Maslenitsa celebrations usually conclude with the burning of a massive scarecrow, which represents winter. Although it was on display at Beijing Exhibition Center, the organizers refrained from setting the winter effigy on fire because the festivities are indoors.</p>\n<p>Maslenitsa is being widely marked in China for the first time as part of the Russian-Chinese Cross Years of Culture 2024-2025 joint initiative by the countries&rsquo; governments.</p>\n<p>In February, celebrations of Chinese New Year took place in the center of the Russian capital. <em>&ldquo;The residents of Moscow were very impressed. It was beautiful, colorful, and delicious, so we decided to make a reciprocal gesture,&rdquo;</em> Yulia Kapranova, the executive director of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Friendship, Peace, and Development, said.</p>\n<p>On Sunday, Maslenitsa events were also held in Xi&rsquo;an, a city of 12 million and the capital of China&rsquo;s Shaanxi Province.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 16:32:19 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 16, 32, 19, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Drone attacks military base in Transnistria \u2013 media", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Drone attacks military base in Transnistria \u2013 media"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594381-drone-attacks-military-base-transnistria/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f70cf2203027290403955d.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594381-drone-attacks-military-base-transnistria/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594381-drone-attacks-military-base-transnistria/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f70cf2203027290403955d.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A military base in the unrecognized republic of Transnistria has been attacked by a drone, local security forces told RIA Novosti <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594381-drone-attacks-military-base-transnistria/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f70cf2203027290403955d.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A military base in the unrecognized republic of Transnistria has been attacked by a drone, local security forces told RIA Novosti <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594381-drone-attacks-military-base-transnistria/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The attack has caused a fire but led to no casualties, the security ministry of the breakaway region of Moldova told RIA Novosti</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>A kamikaze drone has attacked a military base in Tiraspol, the capital of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria, the press service for the region&rsquo;s security ministry told RIA Novosti. The Sunday incident reportedly caused a fire but resulted in no casualties.</p>\n<p>Tiraspol is the capital of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria, an unrecognized republic that split from Moldova in the early 1990s.</p>\n<p>According to TASS, a military airfield was targeted in the attack. A helicopter stationed at the airfield was destroyed by the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the news agency added.</p>\n<p>The de facto authorities in Transnistria have so far not commented on the extent of the damage. The breakaway republic&rsquo;s state security ministry only confirmed that one of Tiraspol&rsquo;s military bases saw a fire caused by an <em>&ldquo;explosion,&rdquo;</em> which, in turn, was the result of a drone attack.</p>\n<p>Photos and videos that surfaced on social media show what appears to be the wreckage of a military helicopter, with its hull almost completely destroyed.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e84b95203027541d2711e9.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593863-europe-moldova-russia-accused-escalation/\">A frozen Eastern European conflict defrosts: Could this barely known region be the next Russia-NATO flashpoint?</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Transnistria&rsquo;s state security ministry alleged that the drone arrived from the so-called <em>&ldquo;Clover Bridge&rdquo;</em> area &ndash; a major multi-level highway junction located north of the city of Tiraspol and close to the Ukrainian border. The unrecognized republic&rsquo;s authorities have not named any suspects behind the incident so far. A criminal case has been opened into the attack.</p>\n<p>The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Transnistria and Moldova. In late February, Tiraspol <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593328-transnistria-moldova-economic-blockade/\">approached Moscow</a>, seeking aid amid what it called an <em>&ldquo;economic blockade&rdquo;</em> staged by Chisinau.</p>\n<p>A group of Transnistria&rsquo;s legislators also raised the issue with the UN Secretary General, the OSCE, the EU parliament, and other international bodies and organizations, urging them to put pressure on Moldova. Russia vowed to promptly review the request.</p>\n<p>Chisinau dismissed Tiraspol&rsquo;s claims as <em>&ldquo;propaganda&rdquo;</em> and denied any economic pressure against the breakaway republic.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 15:20:29 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 15, 20, 29, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russia downs Ukrainian helicopter (VIDEO)", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russia downs Ukrainian helicopter (VIDEO)"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594375-ukrainian-military-helicopter-destroyed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6fc4920302735d22a40b3.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594375-ukrainian-military-helicopter-destroyed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594375-ukrainian-military-helicopter-destroyed/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6fc4920302735d22a40b3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian military has destroyed a Ukrainian helicopter headed in the direction of the border village of Kozinki <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594375-ukrainian-military-helicopter-destroyed/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6fc4920302735d22a40b3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian military has destroyed a Ukrainian helicopter headed in the direction of the border village of Kozinki <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594375-ukrainian-military-helicopter-destroyed/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The aircraft was headed towards the Russian border village of Kozinka, according to the Defense Ministry</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russian forces have destroyed a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said on Sunday, sharing footage of the incident.</p>\n<p>The helicopter was reportedly headed toward the village of Kozinki, located in Russia&rsquo;s Belgorod Region, close to the border with Ukraine.</p>\n<p>Drone footage released by the Russian military shows the burning debris of the chopper after it was shot down near the settlement of Lukashovka using a Verba man-portable air-defense system.</p>\n<p>The past week has seen a major escalation on the Russia-Ukraine border, with Kiev&rsquo;s forces intensifying artillery and drone strikes on Russia and staging multiple attempts to breach the Kursk and Belgorod regions. Authorities in the Moscow, Krasnodar, Kaluga, Oryol, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Kursk and Belgorod regions reported that multiple drones have been shot down over the weekend. No casualties or major damage on the ground was detected.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p></p>\n<p>The escalation came ahead of the 2024 Russian presidential election, which kicked off on Friday and is due to end later today.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594365-ukrainian-drone-attack-intercepted/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Drone attack on Moscow repelled \u2013 mayor\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 15:08:05 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 15, 8, 5, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Here\u2019s what the ICC arrest warrant for Putin has accomplished in the past year", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Here\u2019s what the ICC arrest warrant for Putin has accomplished in the past year"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594370-icc-putin-arrest-warrant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6ec67203027353d6d8d76.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594370-icc-putin-arrest-warrant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594370-icc-putin-arrest-warrant/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6ec67203027353d6d8d76.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The final day of the Russian presidential election coincides with the anniversary of the utterly meaningless move against the incumbent <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594370-icc-putin-arrest-warrant/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6ec67203027353d6d8d76.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The final day of the Russian presidential election coincides with the anniversary of the utterly meaningless move against the incumbent <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594370-icc-putin-arrest-warrant/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The final day of the Russian presidential election coincides with the anniversary of the utterly meaningless move against the incumbent</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>One year ago, on 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) <a href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/03/17/world/russia-ukraine-putin-news?smid=url-share#the-international-criminal-court-issues-an-arrest-warrant-for-putin\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">issued two politically important &ndash; to put it neutrally &ndash; arrest warrants</a>, one for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the other for Maria Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children&rsquo;s Rights, a position within the Office of the&nbsp;President.</p>\n<p>The warrants reflected that the ICC, to be precise its Pre-Trial Chamber following the court&rsquo;s Prosecutor Karim Khan, <a href=\"https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-prosecutor-karim-khan-kc-issuance-arrest-warrants-against-president-vladimir-putin\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">found</a> what it considered <em>&ldquo;reasonable grounds to believe that President Putin and Ms. Lvova-Belova bear criminal responsibility for the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.&rdquo;</em> Khan further argued that <em>&ldquo;these acts&hellip; demonstrate an intention to permanently remove these children from their own country.&rdquo;</em> In sum, the arrest warrants depicted an extensive kidnapping operation during wartime.</p>\n<p>Public &ndash; and published &ndash; opinion in the West preponderantly <a href=\"https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-n-court-issues-arrest-warrant-for-russias-putin-and-another-kremlin-official-d3b9cb8e\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">celebrated</a> the warrants as not only justified but salutary. They were supposed to promote the protection of civilians during war and put pressure on Russia by increasing its international isolation, a geopolitical aim that the West was struggling to achieve.</p>\n<p>As the Wall Street Journal proclaimed, this was <em>&ldquo;the first time the leader of a nuclear superpower&rdquo;</em> was <em>&ldquo;called to account before the court, an independent institution established &hellip; to end impunity for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.&rdquo;</em> The American President, Joe Biden, thought the ICC operation made <em>&ldquo;a very strong point.&rdquo;</em> Not to be outdone, reliably extremist Senator <a href=\"https://x.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1638901097149464576?s=20\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Lindsey Graham</a> and equally reliably conventional publicist <a href=\"https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/fzgps/date/2023-03-26/segment/01\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Fareed Zakaria</a> both displayed historical illiteracy by absurdly claiming that Putin was copying Hitler. Historian here: Hitler&rsquo;s victims would have disagreed.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f05ffa85f5400eae1b9419.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594139-displaced-children-ukraine-russia/\">Displaced Ukrainian kids want to live in Russia \u2013 human rights boss</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Some Western commentators warned that the warrants were unlikely to be enforced and that convictions were even less likely. Yet such reservations did not challenge the overall Western consensus that the ICC move was both correct and, in some way, useful, even if mostly in a <em>&ldquo;symbolic,&rdquo;</em> that is, really, political manner.</p>\n<p>Russian officials, unsurprisingly, responded very differently. They rejected both the charges as&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;<a href=\"https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/17/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-iccs-arrest-warrant-for-putin\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">null and void</a>&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;and the jurisdiction of the ICC. Russia, like the US, is (after withdrawing in 2016) not a signatory state to the 1998 Rome Statute, on which the court is based. Hence, the decisions of the ICC have&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;no meaning for Russia,&rdquo;</em> as Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs put it. Russia even <a href=\"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-21/russia-defies-putin-arrest-warrant-opens-case-against-icc/102122508\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">started its own investigation</a> against members of the ICC, and later Graham.</p>\n<p>Russian commentators, as well as dissenting voices in the West, also denounced the ICC warrants as an abuse of judicial procedures for political purposes, amounting to a form of information war or lawfare against Russia. The <a href=\"https://thegrayzone.com/2023/03/31/iccs-putin-arrest-state-dept-report/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Grayzone&rsquo;s</em> Jeremy Loffredo and Max Blumenthal</a>, for instance, investigated the ICC&rsquo;s evidence and found that it was fundamentally flawed. Their work was thorough, and their findings were detailed as well as, for the ICC and Karim Khan personally, deeply embarrassing.</p>\n<p>The key point was that Khan had based much of his case on a report produced by the Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) at Yale University, an organization <em>&ldquo;funded and guided&rdquo;</em> by the US State Department&rsquo;s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, an entity the Biden administration established in May 2022 to advance the prosecution of Russian officials.&rdquo; In addition, the executive director of HRL, Nathaniel Raymond, started contradicting himself. Whereas he had initially made grandiloquent public statements in the Graham-Zakaria register &ndash; even including a bizarre reference to <em>&ldquo;genocide&rdquo;</em> &ndash; he greatly toned down his allegations once challenged by investigative reporters. No wonder, as the HRL report was weakly sourced, and its content actually contradicted Raymond&rsquo;s inflammatory rhetoric.</p>\n<p>In other words, the ICC prosecutor had relied on a tainted source that crudely served the information warfare purposes of Russia&rsquo;s main geopolitical opponent, to such a degree that even its executive director ultimately got cold feet. That this badly undermined Karim&rsquo;s case and his reputation as a professional needs no further belaboring. Washington will be Washington, but why should the ICC join it? If, that is, it seeks to be respected.</p>\n<p>In legal terms, the cases have already been shown to be shoddy. They are unlikely to succeed, and not only because of practical and political obstacles, but, more importantly, because there is much more politics than evidence behind them. In terms of those politics, ironically, they have also failed: The warrants have not led to or increased the isolation of Russia or its president. If they have weakened anything, then it is the standing of the ICC, and, in particular, of its Prosecutor Karim Khan. The ICC is already struggling with a deserved reputation as a willing tool of Western geopolitics, while turning a blind eye to the West&rsquo;s crimes. The attempt to engage in geopolitical lawfare on Russia during a Western proxy war against it has made this image problem worse. Whether a coincidence or not, the fact that one of the judges who issued the warrant for the Russian president <a href=\"https://menafn.com/1107963265/Judge-Seeking-Putins-Arrest-Elected-ICC-Head\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">has just become the ICC&rsquo;s new president</a> will only deepen this impression of bias.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f52b3c2030272e502dd413.png\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/shows/going-underground/594307-putin-president-elections-trenin/\">Putin stands for re-election as NATO pushes Russia to the brink of direct conflict (Dmitri Trenin)</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Yet what has recently cast an especially harsh new light on the ICC&rsquo;s campaign against Russia is a matter of comparison, namely between the ICC&rsquo;s treatment of Russia and of Israel. And, to get a popular piece of nonsense out of the way: comparison is not <em>&ldquo;whataboutism.&rdquo;</em> Justice, and that is what courts are supposed to be about, cannot exist without consistency. To assess consistency requires comparison. The cry of <em>&ldquo;whataboutism&rdquo;</em> is merely the last refuge of the special pleaders, that is, those who want bias and thus injustice as long as it favors their own side.</p>\n<p>As early as April 2023, another<em> </em><a href=\"https://thegrayzone.com/2023/04/13/nato-states-icc-prosecutor-putin/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Grayzone</em> piece of reporting</a> found that Khan was stalling <em>&ldquo;the ICC&rsquo;s case against Israel, frustrating human rights lawyers who represent the victims of grisly violence in the besieged Gaza Strip.&rdquo;</em> As critical lawyers pointed out even then, a court genuinely interested in the unlawful displacement of civilians, should have put decades of Israeli ethnic cleansing of Palestinians at the center of its activity.</p>\n<p>In addition, the ICC stopped investigating American war crimes in Afghanistan. The US, in return, started displaying a favorable attitude &ndash; and offering generous financial support &ndash; to the ICC, which, previously, it had threatened with invasion in case it should ever dare prosecute Americans.</p>\n<p>And all of that <em>before</em> Israel&rsquo;s current genocidal campaign in Gaza, which began after the Hamas attack in early October 2023. Tel Aviv and its Western supporters &ndash; in criminal terms, which do apply here, accomplices &ndash; have pretended Israel has responded with a <em>&ldquo;war&rdquo;</em> on Hamas. But, in reality, everything &ndash; explicit Israeli statements, tactics, and, last but not least, the open display of sadism by many of its soldiers and civilians as well &ndash; show conclusively that this is not <em>&ldquo;war,&rdquo;</em> terrible as the latter is. Instead, this is a genocide executed with the purpose of ethnic cleansing, to be precise, the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza (at least).</p>\n<p>Prompted by South Africa, even the International Court of Justice &ndash; in a sense, the ICC&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;sibling&rdquo;</em> organization &ndash; has already recognized that genocide is <em>at least</em> a plausible possibility. It is important to understand that ICJ cases take years to conclude. At this point, a finding of a plausible possibility of genocide is the worst imaginable outcome for Israel already. In view of the fact that Tel Aviv has since then resolutely disregarded all the instructions the ICJ issued to restrain its assault, it is all the more likely that, in the end, Israel will be fully convicted.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e83fa485f5402db44693ea.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593860-icc-arrest-warrant-invalid-kremlin/\">ICC arrest warrant for Russian commanders is invalid \u2013 Kremlin</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>And yet while the ICJ deals with cases between states, the ICC tries individuals &ndash; and has been conspicuous by its reticence to charge Israeli citizens. Critics have pointed out that the court and Khan himself have, once again, been very <a href=\"https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/iccs-karim-khan-centers-israelis-palestine-investigation\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">slow</a> in reacting to Israel&rsquo;s crimes. Mick Wallace, an Irish member of the European Parliament, has <a href=\"https://x.com/wallacemick/status/1764207034805653816?s=20\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">denounced</a> Khan as a <em>&ldquo;pawn of US Empire&rdquo;</em> who has displayed&nbsp; pro-Israeli bias and cannot <em>&ldquo;be trusted to deliver justice.&rdquo;</em> Only Khan&rsquo;s removal, says Wallace, could save the ICC from irrelevance. The BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) movement, a key player in Palestinian and international resistance to Israel, has even <a href=\"https://bdsmovement.net/news/karim-khan-qc-genocide-enabler-he-must-be-fired\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">accused Khan of being an accomplice</a> to Tel Aviv&rsquo;s genocide and, unsurprisingly, also called for him to be fired.</p>\n<p>Only recently, as we are now looking back on half a year of unrelenting Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians in Gaza (and, as a matter of fact, elsewhere, too) have Khan and the ICC slowly started stirring themselves. Yet even now their efforts appear disingenuous. For instance, when finally appointing a prosecutor to lead the investigation into Israel&rsquo;s actions against the Palestinians, Khan managed to find perhaps the worst candidate imaginable.&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/law/2024/mar/11/uk-lawyer-andrew-cayley-icc-investigation-alleged-war-crimes-palestinian-territories\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Andrew Cayley</a> is obviously well-embedded in the British establishment. He used to serve as the UK&rsquo;s chief military prosecutor. He is a committed and open Conservative, while claiming that that does not tarnish his objectivity. Last but not least, according to The Guardian, Cayley <em>&ldquo;played a key role in a process that resulted in&rdquo;</em> the ICC giving up on a <em>&ldquo;long-running investigation into allegations that UK military personnel committed war crimes in Iraq.&rdquo;</em> Ask yourself: If you were Palestinian, would you expect fair treatment from a man with this CV?</p>\n<p>As if to make things even worse for its own reputation, the ICC has recently added arrest warrants <a href=\"https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/international-criminal-court-issues-arrest-warrants-for-two-russian-commanders-3678750\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">against two high-ranking Russian officers</a>. In their case, the essence of the charges is that they are held responsible for attacks on infrastructure in Ukraine that, the court alleges, went beyond what humanitarian law permits. Really? The same court that has never issued similar warrants against US officers, while the comprehensive devastation of infrastructure &ndash; on a scale that Russia has not matched in Ukraine &ndash; is routine in American warfare? The same court that is dragging its feet over Israel&rsquo;s assault on Gaza, which is all about mass killing of civilians not <em>&ldquo;only&rdquo;</em> directly but by the deliberate and virtually total destruction and crippling of infrastructure?</p>\n<p>The ICC is neither promoting nor protecting human rights and international law. In reality, its obvious and indecently manifest political bias is undermining both. Is it possible that, one day, the ICC will change course, abandon its current role as an instrument of Western geopolitics, and finally do its job: pursue justice without bias? Maybe. No one knows the future. But one thing is predictable: If the ICC continues in what we might call the Khan mode of flagrant subservience, then it will become irrelevant, and soon.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 14:33:05 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 14, 33, 5, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "US prosecutors want 50-year sentence for Bankman-Fried", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "US prosecutors want 50-year sentence for Bankman-Fried"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594373-fifty-years-bankman-fried-ftx/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6e5bb85f5406c9324e706.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594373-fifty-years-bankman-fried-ftx/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594373-fifty-years-bankman-fried-ftx/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6e5bb85f5406c9324e706.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Sam Bankman-Fried, who was convicted on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy, faces decades in prison <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594373-fifty-years-bankman-fried-ftx/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6e5bb85f5406c9324e706.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Sam Bankman-Fried, who was convicted on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy, faces decades in prison <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594373-fifty-years-bankman-fried-ftx/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The FTX founder\u2019s sentencing hearing is scheduled for the end of this month</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Federal prosecutors have requested prison terms ranging from 40 to 50 years for Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, over mass fraud leading to the company&rsquo;s collapse.</p>\n<p>Lawyers have also asked that the defendant be ordered to pay $11 billion in restitution when he is sentenced on March 28 at the US District Court in Manhattan. The federal probation department separately recommended a 100-year sentence for Bankman-Fried, 32. He faces a maximum possible penalty of 110 years.</p>\n<p>In November, Bankman-Fried was found guilty on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy linked to his ill-fated cryptocurrency exchange, the world&rsquo;s second-largest at the time of its insolvency, and a related hedge fund.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;In every part of his business, and with respect to each crime committed, the defendant demonstrated a brazen disrespect for the rule of law,&rdquo;</em> prosecutors said in the <a href=\"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66631291/410/united-states-v-bankman-fried/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">filing</a> published on Friday. They added that Bankman-Fried&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;historic&rdquo;</em> crime involved over a million of potential victims and losses of more than $10 billion.</p>\n<p>They emphasized that the defendant <em>&ldquo;understood the rules, but decided they did not apply to him.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Bankman-Fried was arrested last December on a long list of fraud charges after his once-successful crypto exchange, FTX, abruptly filed for bankruptcy. Prosecutors said he embezzled $8 billion in customers&rsquo; money to make investments, buy real estate, and make up for losses at a separate hedge fund, among other things, for which he faced one count of wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/586463-bankman-fried-convicted-fraud/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Disgraced FTX founder convicted of fraud\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The government also alleged that Bankman-Fried borrowed large sums of money from FTX on behalf of his hedge fund, Alameda Research, and lied to auditors about the firm&rsquo;s risk management. The fund&rsquo;s former chief executive and Bankman-Fried&rsquo;s ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, has pleaded guilty to separate charges for her role in the scheme, and testified against Bankman-Fried during his trial.</p>\n<p><strong><em>Like this story? Share it with a friend!</em></strong></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 13:03:41 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 13, 3, 41, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Ukraine running out of air defense missiles \u2013 WaPo", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Ukraine running out of air defense missiles \u2013 WaPo"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594371-ukraine-air-defense-us/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6cdbd85f5406aef56bde8.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594371-ukraine-air-defense-us/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594371-ukraine-air-defense-us/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6cdbd85f5406aef56bde8.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ukrainian air defenses will soon be able to target only one in five incoming Russian missiles, the Washington Post has reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594371-ukraine-air-defense-us/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6cdbd85f5406aef56bde8.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ukrainian air defenses will soon be able to target only one in five incoming Russian missiles, the Washington Post has reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594371-ukraine-air-defense-us/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Kiev\u2019s forces will soon be able to target only one in five incoming Russian projectiles, the paper has reported</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Ukraine has told its Western backers that munitions for some of its air defense systems could be almost used up by the end of March, the Washington Post has reported, citing US officials.</p>\n<p>According to the sources, representatives of Kiev made the warning during a security conference last month, the paper wrote in an article on Friday.</p>\n<p>Ukrainian forces, which previously managed to shoot down four out of every five missiles fired by Russia, may soon be able to target only one in five, one of the officials claimed.</p>\n<p>The lack of air defense missiles is going to <em>&ldquo;have a significant effect on life in Ukraine&rsquo;s urban centers,&rdquo;</em> the source said.</p>\n<p>Russia has been carrying out a large-scale missile and drone campaign against Ukrainian military targets, defense-industrial complex facilities and critical infrastructure since the fall of 2022. Russia Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said previously that the aim of the attacks was to <em>&ldquo;crush Ukraine&rsquo;s military potential.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f3169e85f5402ed0417191.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594282-nato-putin-historic-mistake/\">NATO chief warns allies against \u2018historic mistake\u2019</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>On Wednesday, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said that a US-supplied Patriot air defense system had been destroyed by Russian forces in Ukraine&rsquo;s Kharkov Region. Last week, it published a video of a successful strike on a Soviet-era S-300 air defense system deployed by Ukraine in Russia&rsquo;s People&rsquo;s Republic of Donetsk.</p>\n<p>The US officials who talked to WaPo warned of <em>&ldquo;catastrophic breakdown of Ukrainian lines in the grimmest contingency and the likelihood of massive casualties in the best&rdquo;</em> if Kiev does not get more military assistance from Washington.</p>\n<p>The administration of US President Joe Biden has been trying to push through another $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine since October last year, but has so far been unable to break the resistance of hardline Republicans, who are demanding increased funding to secure the border with Mexico.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594176-pentagon-ukraine-drawdown-weapons/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Ukraine\u2019s ammo shortage hurting US strategy \u2013 White House\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Moscow has repeatedly warned that deliveries of weapons to Kiev by the US, EU and their allies will not prevent it from achieving the goals of its military operation and will only prolong the fighting, and may increase the risk of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO. According to Russian officials, the provision of arms, intelligence-sharing, and training of Ukrainian troops means that Western nations have already become de-facto parties to the conflict.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 12:52:41 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 12, 52, 41, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russian forces liberate another settlement in Zaporozhye region \u2013 MOD", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russian forces liberate another settlement in Zaporozhye region \u2013 MOD"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594372-mirnoye-liberated-zaporozhye-region/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6d8c02030272fce1cabdc.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594372-mirnoye-liberated-zaporozhye-region/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594372-mirnoye-liberated-zaporozhye-region/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6d8c02030272fce1cabdc.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The village of Mirnoye in Zaporozhye Region has been liberated, Russia\u2019s Defense Ministry has announced <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594372-mirnoye-liberated-zaporozhye-region/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6d8c02030272fce1cabdc.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The village of Mirnoye in Zaporozhye Region has been liberated, Russia\u2019s Defense Ministry has announced <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594372-mirnoye-liberated-zaporozhye-region/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The village of Mirnoye was secured as a result of successful offensive actions, Moscow has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The Russian military has taken the village of Mirnoye in Zaporozhye Region from Ukrainian forces, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.</p>\n<p>The settlement was <em>&ldquo;liberated as a result of successful offensive actions&rdquo;</em> by the units of the Vostok (East) group of forces, the military said in a statement on Sunday.</p>\n<p>Mirnoye, which translates into English as &lsquo;peaceful,&rsquo; had a population of about 500 before the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.</p>\n<p>The village is located 14 kilometers southwest of the town of Guliaipole. and 77 kilometers southeast of the city of Zaporozhye. Both Guliaipole and Zaporozhye remain under Ukrainian control.</p>\n<p>The ministry also said that several attempts by Ukrainian saboteurs and reconnaissance groups to enter Russian territory have been repelled in Belgorod Region over the past 24 hours.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Long-range strikes, drone warfare and border escalation: Key events of the week in Russia-Ukraine conflict (VIDEOS)\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Ukrainian troops have been trying to cross into Russia in the area on an almost a daily basis over the past week, but all of their attacks have been intercepted. Kiev has lost more than 1,500 troops and dozens of military vehicles in the process, including tanks and APCs, according to Moscow.</p>\n<p>President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with national media on Wednesday that Russia&rsquo;s forces have recently been <em>&ldquo;moving forward along the whole frontline&rdquo;</em> in the Ukraine conflict.</p>\n<p>In February, the Russian military captured Avdeevka, a major Ukrainian stronghold in Russia's People&rsquo;s Republic of Donetsk, while also taking control of a number of smaller settlements in other locations.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 11:27:21 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 11, 27, 21, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Only 40 Russians will compete in Olympics - IOC", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Only 40 Russians will compete in Olympics - IOC"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594369-ioc-russia-athletes-paris-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6cceb203027241e5bf9c3.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594369-ioc-russia-athletes-paris-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594369-ioc-russia-athletes-paris-games/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6cceb203027241e5bf9c3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Only 40 athletes from Russia may take part in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, according to IOC VP John Coates <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594369-ioc-russia-athletes-paris-games/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6cceb203027241e5bf9c3.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Only 40 athletes from Russia may take part in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, according to IOC VP John Coates <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594369-ioc-russia-athletes-paris-games/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The International Olympic Committee has barred Russia from sending a unified team due to the conflict with Ukraine</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The number of Russians participating at the Paris Games under a neutral flag could be as low as 40, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President John Coates said in an interview with Sunday&rsquo;s edition of Sydney&rsquo;s Daily Telegraph.</p>\n<p>In December, the IOC barred Russia from sending a unified team to the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, citing the ongoing military conflict with Ukraine. Athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus can still participate, but only as &lsquo;Individual Neutral Athletes&rsquo;.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The issue is how many of them are going to be there too, because they&rsquo;re not going to be in any team sports because they can&rsquo;t compete as Russia,&rdquo;</em> Coates told the newspaper.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;And then anyone who is prepared out of the Russian military clubs, they&rsquo;re not going. I don&rsquo;t know, but obviously some athletes might choose not to go if they&rsquo;re not competing for Russia,&rdquo;</em> he said, adding that media reports assuming that the number of those coming <em>&ldquo;might be as little as 40&rdquo;</em> are close to the truth.</p>\n<p>The top official stressed that he might not be right.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian athletes at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, February 23, 2014.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65c6e3b285f540538068661f.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/592213-slovakia-dont-ban-russians-olympics/\">Banning Russians devalues Olympics \u2013 EU state\u2019s PM</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Following the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the IOC recommended that athletes from Russia and Belarus, Moscow&rsquo;s key ally, should not be allowed to compete in international events.</p>\n<p>In September, however, IOC President Thomas Bach said athletes from those countries could be allowed to take part in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris under a neutral flag and on the condition they <em>&ldquo;do not support the war and are not linked to the military, or to other services.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Commenting on the decision, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that such policies could end up burying the Olympic movement, insisting that <em>&ldquo;sport is outside of politics.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The IOC has yet to announce whether Russian and Belarusian athletes can take part in the Opening Ceremony under the neutral flag. They are expected to decide on the matter at their next session, later this month. Earlier this month, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said that Russian and Belarusian Paralympic athletes will not take part in their Opening Ceremony on August 28.</p>\n<p><strong><em>Like this story? Share it with a friend!</em></strong></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 11:24:12 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 11, 24, 12, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "EU state urges UK to introduce conscription", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "EU state urges UK to introduce conscription"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594367-latvia-uk-nato-conscription-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6b34585f5406c38750bdd.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594367-latvia-uk-nato-conscription-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594367-latvia-uk-nato-conscription-russia/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6b34585f5406c38750bdd.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The UK and other NATO allies should consider conscription to deter Russia, Foreign Minister of Latvia has suggested <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594367-latvia-uk-nato-conscription-russia/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6b34585f5406c38750bdd.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The UK and other NATO allies should consider conscription to deter Russia, Foreign Minister of Latvia has suggested <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594367-latvia-uk-nato-conscription-russia/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Latvian foreign minister says the UK should reinstate mandatory military service to deter Russia</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Britain and other NATO allies should consider military conscription to counter the supposed threat from Russia, the Latvian foreign minister told The Telegraph in an interview published on Saturday.</p>\n<p>Latvia reintroduced compulsory military service earlier this year, in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, to increase the size of its <em>&ldquo;active and ready reserve.&rdquo;</em> The updated rules oblige all male Latvian citizens aged 18 to 27 to complete one year of service, including those living abroad.</p>\n<p>When asked whether the UK and other countries should follow suit, Krisjanis Karins said: <em>&ldquo;We would strongly recommend this. We are developing and fleshing out a system of what we call a total defense involving all parts of civil society.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The Latvian diplomat also urged London to raise its defense spending to 3% of gross domestic product, describing the move as <em>&ldquo;inevitable.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>NATO countries should consider a <em>&ldquo;total defense&rdquo;</em> model in which large numbers of citizen-soldiers could be potentially called up at short notice, according to the minister.</p>\n<p>Latvia has borrowed elements from the Finnish conscription system, which <em>&ldquo;could be a very good model for many of us,&rdquo;</em> Karins said, adding that Finland has a small standing army, <em>&ldquo;but a very large, very well-trained&rdquo;</em> war-time reserve <em>&ldquo;so they can easily call up a 250,000 trained military&rdquo;</em>.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"British Army personnel march in a gay pride parade in London, Britain, July 1, 2023\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.01/thumbnail/65b178ea20302722882cc281.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/591231-uk-army-conscription-russia/\">UK should train \u2018citizen army\u2019 to fight Russia \u2013 general</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In January, the UK Chief of the General Staff, Patrick Sanders, called for <em>&ldquo;training and equipping&rdquo;</em> civilians for a potential call-up in the event of a direct conflict with Russia. However, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insisted that there are no plans to introduce conscription.</p>\n<p>Britain&rsquo;s army, navy, and air force had 184,865 active-duty personnel as of late 2023, the lowest figure since the end of the Napoleonic wars. The army has seen its headcount shrink from more than 100,000 in 2010 to 75,983 at the end of last year.</p>\n<p>Latvia has been on the frontline of the West&rsquo;s confrontation with Moscow along with Estonia and Lithuania since the launch of Russia&rsquo;s military operation in Ukraine. The former Soviet republic, which shares a 284-kilometer border with Russia, joined the EU and NATO in 2004, and abolished conscription in 2006. The Latvian armed forces have served in US-led overseas expeditions, including Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.</p>\n<p><strong><em>Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!</em></strong></p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 09:18:41 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 9, 18, 41, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Trump warns of \u2018bloodbath\u2019 if he loses", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Trump warns of \u2018bloodbath\u2019 if he loses"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594368-trump-bloodbath-us-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f69e2d85f5406c86163363.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594368-trump-bloodbath-us-china/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594368-trump-bloodbath-us-china/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f69e2d85f5406c86163363.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US might never have another election if Donald Trump doesn\u2019t win the vote in November, the former president has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594368-trump-bloodbath-us-china/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f69e2d85f5406c86163363.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US might never have another election if Donald Trump doesn\u2019t win the vote in November, the former president has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594368-trump-bloodbath-us-china/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The US might never have another election if he doesn\u2019t win in November, the former president has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Former US President Donald Trump has warned of a <em>&ldquo;bloodbath&rdquo;</em> for the American automobile industry and the country as a whole if he doesn&rsquo;t win a second term in the US election on November 5.</p>\n<p>Trump made the remark during a rally in Vandalia, Ohio on Saturday while speaking about his plans to protect US carmakers from Chinese competition.</p>\n<p>The former president addressed China&rsquo;s leader Xi Jinping from the stage, saying that <em>&ldquo;you and I are friends, but&hellip; those big monster car manufacturing plants that you&rsquo;re building in Mexico right now&hellip; you&rsquo;re going to not hire Americans and you&rsquo;re going to sell the cars to us, no.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you&rsquo;re not going to be able to sell those cars if I get elected,&rdquo;</em> the presumptive Republican nominee in the election added.</p>\n<p>Trump urged Americans to vote for him in the fall, saying: <em>&ldquo;Now, if I don&rsquo;t get elected, it&rsquo;s going to be a bloodbath for the whole &ndash; that&rsquo;s gonna be the least of it. It&rsquo;s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That&rsquo;ll be the least of it.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"US President Donald Trump meets China&#039;s President Xi Jinping in Beijing on November 9, 2017 \u00a9 AFP / Fred Dufour\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4b23d2030272d6d5c149a.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594335-trump-cia-china-influence-campaign/\">Trump ordered CIA operation against China \u2013 report</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Later in his address, he also cautioned the crowd that <em>&ldquo;if this election isn&rsquo;t won, I&rsquo;m not sure that you&rsquo;ll ever have another election in this country.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s speech that evening was mostly improvised as he complained about not being able to use the teleprompter due to strong winds. <em>&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t read this damn teleprompter. This sucker is moving. Like reading a moving flag in a 35-mph wind,&rdquo;</em> the 77-year-old said.</p>\n<p>The team of US President Joe Biden interpreted Trump&rsquo;s mentioning of a <em>&ldquo;bloodbath&rdquo;</em> as a threat of <em>&ldquo;political violence&rdquo;</em> from their rival. <em>&ldquo;He wants another January 6, but the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge,&rdquo;</em> Biden&rsquo;s campaign spokesman James Singer said in a statement.</p>\n<p>Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt responded to the accusations later on Saturday, telling CNN that <em>&ldquo;crooked Joe Biden and his campaign are engaging in deceptively out-of-context editing.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594215-vote-for-trump-vote-for-putin-clinton/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>\u2018A vote for Trump is a vote for Putin\u2019 \u2013 Hillary Clinton\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Leavitt clarified that the former president was speaking exclusively about the country&rsquo;s car manufacturing industry. <em>&ldquo;Biden&rsquo;s policies will create an economic bloodbath for the auto industry and autoworkers,&rdquo;</em> she said.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 07:46:17 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 7, 46, 17, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "France to propose \u2018Olympic ceasefire\u2019 for Ukraine conflict \u2013 Macron", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "France to propose \u2018Olympic ceasefire\u2019 for Ukraine conflict \u2013 Macron"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594366-france-to-propose-olympic-ceasefire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f676aa85f5406c3c5c20e1.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594366-france-to-propose-olympic-ceasefire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594366-france-to-propose-olympic-ceasefire/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f676aa85f5406c3c5c20e1.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The French president has pledged to advocate for a pause in Russia-Ukraine hostilities during the Summer Olympics <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594366-france-to-propose-olympic-ceasefire/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f676aa85f5406c3c5c20e1.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The French president has pledged to advocate for a pause in Russia-Ukraine hostilities during the Summer Olympics <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594366-france-to-propose-olympic-ceasefire/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The ancient tradition of a truce during the games was originally implemented to ensure safe travel for pilgrims and athletes</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will propose a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine during the Summer Olympic Games, set to take place in Paris between July 26 and August 11.</p>\n<p>In an interview with Ukrainian media on Saturday, Macron was asked whether France, as the host of the games this year, will follow tradition and seek <em>&ldquo;a ceasefire during the Olympics.&rdquo;</em> The journalist was apparently referring to the Olympic Truce, a period of conflict cessation which historically began seven days before the games and ended seven days after so that the athletes could safely travel to and from the Olympics.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;It will be requested,&rdquo;</em> the French leader responded.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The rule of the host country is to move in step with the Olympic movement,&rdquo;</em> the French leader said when asked about his views on the situation in which Russian athletes are allowed to participate under a neutral flag.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&rdquo;This is a message of peace. We will also follow the decision of the Olympic Committee,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The International Olympic Committee (IOC) originally banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing internationally, following the escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine in February 2022. Last year, however, the blanket ban was reconsidered by the organization, and conditions were set to allow individuals, but not the teams, to participate provided that they do so under a neutral flag.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The decision prompted an outcry from Kiev, with President Vladimir Zelensky calling for a complete boycott of the games. However, Ukraine later softened its stance and permitted its athletes to compete as long as the Russians and Belarusians were only present as neutral athletes.&nbsp;</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/581241-ukraine-paris-olympics-russia/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Ukraine to compete at 2024 Olympics on one condition\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>While Moscow condemned the IOC&rsquo;s requirements, calling them <em>&ldquo;unreasonable, legally void and excessive&rdquo;</em>,&nbsp; the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, confirmed on Thursday that this year&rsquo;s Olympics in Paris would not be shunned, despite the restriction.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We will never take the path of boycotting (the Games). We will always support our athletes,&rdquo;</em> he told RIA Novosti.</p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 06:59:03 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 6, 59, 3, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Drone attack on Moscow repelled \u2013 mayor", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Drone attack on Moscow repelled \u2013 mayor"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594365-ukrainian-drone-attack-intercepted/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f65b4385f540791c7363a9.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594365-ukrainian-drone-attack-intercepted/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594365-ukrainian-drone-attack-intercepted/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f65b4385f540791c7363a9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> At least four Ukrainian drones have been destroyed en route to Moscow , Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said in the early hours of Sunday <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594365-ukrainian-drone-attack-intercepted/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f65b4385f540791c7363a9.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> At least four Ukrainian drones have been destroyed en route to Moscow , Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said in the early hours of Sunday <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594365-ukrainian-drone-attack-intercepted/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Several Ukrainian UAVs have been shot down outside the Russian capital, Sergey Sobyanin has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>At least four Ukrainian drones were downed while heading to Moscow in the early hours of Sunday, according to Mayor Sergey Sobyanin.</p>\n<p>The Defense Ministry said some 35 UAVs were intercepted overnight, as Kiev&rsquo;s forces continue to target Russian infrastructure and border towns.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The Russian Defense Ministry&rsquo;s air defenses in the Domodedovo district have repelled a drone attack on Moscow,&rdquo;</em> Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed on Telegram around 4:40am Sunday morning, noting that two hostile targets were downed in the area. Two more UAVs weve intercepted in the Ramensky and Stupino districts, Sobyanin added an hour later.</p>\n<p>No damage was inflicted and no one was hurt in the areas where the debris fell, the official said,&nbsp;adding that the emergency services were responding to the incidents. Moscow&rsquo;s Domodedovo airport, located to the south of the capital, also reported no irregularities in its operations.</p>\n<p>Around the same time, several Ukrainian drones attempted to strike an oil refinery in the town of Slavyansk in Russia&rsquo;s Krasnodar Region, causing a fire that was quickly contained, according to local authorities. While there were no direct casualties in the strike, one person died in a suspected heart attack during the incident, emergency services said.</p>\n<p>Authorities in the Kaluga, Oryol, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Kursk and Belgorod regions also reported drone downings overnight, with no casualties or major damage on the ground. In total, Russian air defenses had intercepted some 35 drones by 7am, according to the Defense Ministry.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Russian Uragan multiple rocket launchers pictured near the town of Avdeevka on March 8, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4745b2030273f7714e93c.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/\">Long-range strikes, drone warfare and border escalation: Key events of the week in Russia-Ukraine conflict (VIDEOS)</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The past week in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been marked by a major escalation&nbsp;on the border areas between the two countries, as Kiev&rsquo;s forces staged multiple attempts to breach the Kursk and Belgorod regions. The attacks came ahead of the 2024 Russian presidential election, which began&nbsp;on Friday.</p>\n<p>Starting from Tuesday, Ukrainian forces staged attempts to breach the Russian border, attacking multiple locations along its frontier with Russia&rsquo;s Kursk and Belgorod regions, coupled with a sharp uptick in suicide-drone attacks and waves of UAVs apparently targeting oil refineries and fuel depots.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 02:49:36 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 2, 49, 36, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "This new trade route could revolutionize Russia-India trade and strategic partnership", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "This new trade route could revolutionize Russia-India trade and strategic partnership"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/india/594354-india-russia-maritime-route/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6506385f5406c4d0acf46.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/india/594354-india-russia-maritime-route/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/india/594354-india-russia-maritime-route/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6506385f5406c4d0acf46.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Red Sea crisis has shifted attention to the Eastern Maritime Corridor for faster and safer transport of coal, oil and fertilizers <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594354-india-russia-maritime-route/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6506385f5406c4d0acf46.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Red Sea crisis has shifted attention to the Eastern Maritime Corridor for faster and safer transport of coal, oil and fertilizers <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594354-india-russia-maritime-route/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Red Sea crisis has shifted attention to the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) \u2013 the proposed trade route for coking coal, crude oil, LNG, fertilizers and containers</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The trajectory of India&rsquo;s oil demand growth reflects the shifting contours of the global energy landscape. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) estimates India&rsquo;s oil demand in 2024 at <a href=\"https://www.business-standard.com/economy/news/india-s-oil-demand-growth-expected-to-remain-strong-in-fy24-analysts-124010200924_1.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">5.59 million b/d</a>, a marginal rise from 5.37 million b/d in 2023.</p>\n<p>India&rsquo;s oil imports reached unprecedented levels in January 2024, with inbound shipments of&nbsp;<a href=\"https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/oil-gas/asia-crude-oil-imports-start-2024-strongly-as-india-leads-russell/articleshow/107313048.cms?from=mdr\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">5.33 mb/d</a>, a significant jump from 4.65 million bpd in December 2023.</p>\n<p>Russia&rsquo;s role in India&rsquo;s oil imports remains significant &ndash; contributing over 35% of total crude imports in <a href=\"https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/no-disruption-in-oil-flows-to-india-says-hpcl-head/articleshow/107207714.cms\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">2023</a>, amounting to 1.7 million bpd, as reported by S&amp;P Global. Russia has maintained its position as India&rsquo;s top supplier, despite a notable decline in oil imports from Russia for the second consecutive month in January 2024 amidst the backdrop of sanctions. According to LSEG data, imports from Russia decreased by 4.2% to <a href=\"https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-oil-imports-from-russia-hit-12-month-low-in-january-as-sanctions-bite-4976620\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">1.3 mb/d</a>, while Vortexa&rsquo;s data showed a more significant decline of 9% to <a href=\"https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-oil-imports-from-russia-hit-12-month-low-in-january-as-sanctions-bite-4976620\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">1.2 mb/d</a>. The drop particularly impacted the supply of the light sweet Sokol grade.</p>\n<p>The increased appeal of Russian crude to Indian refiners, despite tightening sanctions, is compounded by escalating tanker premiums due to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea region. The crisis has disrupted global shipping and supply chains, impacting commodities and crude oil prices. The Suez Canal is one of the most vital links for international shipping &ndash; based on data from <a href=\"https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/18/business/red-sea-disruption-oil-gas-prices/index.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Kpler</a>, typically, 10-12% of worldwide crude exports and 14-15% of oil product exports, including gasoline and diesel, transit through the Red Sea. Moreover, <a href=\"https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1145902\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">UNCTAD</a> reports that the most significant impact has been observed in liquefied natural gas carriers, which have ceased operations entirely since January 16, 2024.</p>\n<p>This underscores the need for resilient trade mechanisms to navigate unforeseen crises, shaping the future of trade relations. India, heavily reliant on the Suez Canal for trade with Europe, West Asia, and Africa, faces significant repercussions from the Red Sea crisis, given that approximately 60% of its crude oil imports come from the Middle East.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"India&#039;s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on board INS Vikramaditya to inaugurate a naval base in Minicoy on March 6, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65eb024785f54053e24ddfd9.jpeg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/593956-indias-powerplay-in-indo-pacific/\">India\u2019s powerplay: The tide is turning in the Indo-Pacific</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>This crisis has not only heightened India&rsquo;s energy and security concerns but has also escalated transportation costs and time. It&rsquo;s estimated that the closure of the Suez Canal could inflict daily losses of around <a href=\"https://www.freightagentonline.com/blog/indian-exporters-watch-as-ships-avoid-the-suez-canal-due-to-rising-freight-costs\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">$200 million</a> on India&rsquo;s trade.</p>\n<p>Additionally, the conflict has driven up <a href=\"https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/red-sea-and-ship-of-state/articleshow/106872135.cms\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">shipping expenses</a> by 40-60%, leading to a substantial surge in rates for transporting 20-ft containers to Europe and the US, now priced at an average of $2,000, up from $500 prior to the crisis. Similarly, <a href=\"https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/red-sea-and-ship-of-state/articleshow/106872135.cms\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">freight rates</a> for shipping containers to Saudi Arabia have doubled, climbing from $700 to $1,500.</p>\n<p>The Red Sea crises, therefore, has shifted attention to the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) &ndash;&nbsp; the proposed trade route, especially for coking coal, crude oil, LNG, fertilizers and containers, connecting the Indian port of Chennai and the Russian port of Vladivostok, passing through the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, the Malacca Strait, the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. The route was used by the two countries during Soviet era, but as trade volumes decreased post 1990s, the route was practically dormant.</p>\n<p>Today, the EMC is becoming pivotal for the future development of bilateral ties.</p>\n<p>At present, Russian vessels and shipments going through the Suez Canal route are not the primary focus of these attacks. Nonetheless, the diversion of ships away from the Suez Canal and Red Sea, opting instead for longer routes around the southern tip of Africa, has resulted in extended voyages. Consequently, this redirection has led to a scarcity of vessels and an increase in freight rates.</p>\n<p>In this context, the EMC has several advantages over the existing routes for India-Russia trade (apart from Red Sea route those are the Cape of Good Hope route and the North Sea route). The <a href=\"https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/bilateral-trade-between-india-and-russia-likely-to-increase-this-year-sonowal/107138869\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">EMC</a> offers a significant reduction in both cargo transit time between India and the Far East of Russia, potentially up to 16 days, and in distance by up to 40%, promising substantial efficiency gains in transportation.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/bilateral-trade-between-india-and-russia-likely-to-increase-this-year-sonowal/107138869\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Currently</a>, the route from Mumbai to of St. Petersburg, Russia, via the Western Sea Route and Suez Canal spans 8,675 nautical miles or 16,066 km. In contrast, the distance from Chennai to Vladivostok via the EMC is significantly shorter, at only 5,647 nautical miles, or 10,458 km. This translates to substantial savings of 5,608 km in distance, promising significant reductions in logistical costs and enhancing the efficiency of cargo transportation between the two nations.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udd39\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf3 &amp; \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddfa fortifying mutual trade &amp; commerce<br />\ud83d\udd39Eastern Maritime Corridor unlocking opportunities <br />\ud83d\udd39Chennai-Vladivostok sea route (EMC) to reduce transit time from 40 days to 16 days <br />\ud83d\udd39<a href=\"https://twitter.com/PortofChennai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@PortofChennai</a> opens trade opportunities in Southeast Asia\ud83d\udd39Access to Russia\u2019s Far East <a href=\"https://t.co/zS7MKcSucO\">pic.twitter.com/zS7MKcSucO</a></p>&mdash; Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (@shipmin_india) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/shipmin_india/status/1704327981584576585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 20, 2023</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>The EMC is not only a trade route, but also a strategic corridor that can enhance cooperation between India and Russia in the energy sector, as well as in other areas such as the Arctic and the North Sea route (NSR).</p>\n<p>The Arctic region is a key area for Russia&rsquo;s economy, <a href=\"https://www.netl.doe.gov/node/3337\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">holding</a> about 13% of the world&rsquo;s undiscovered oil and 30% of its undiscovered gas. India has shown significant interest in investing in Arctic projects and using the NSR, which is a shorter and cheaper path to Europe and North America than the Suez Canal route.</p>\n<p>As for investments, India has been actively involved in the Arctic region for years. For instance, in the first seven months of 2023, India accounted for 35% of the eight million tons of cargo handled by the <a href=\"https://www.thehindu.com/business/india-accounts-for-35-of-cargo-handled-by-murmansk-this-year/article67198820.ece\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Murmansk port</a>, which is about 2,000 km north of Moscow.</p>\n<p>India and Russia have already taken some steps to operationalize the EMC. In September 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin launched the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor during their <a href=\"https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-the-sea-route-from-chennai-to-vladivostok-5969578/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">annual summit</a> in Vladivostok.</p>\n<p>The EMC is a game-changer for India-Russia trade, as it offers a new and viable route for their energy and economic cooperation, amid the Red Sea turmoil. It can also boost the strategic partnership and mutual interests of the two countries, as they seek to diversify their markets and sources, and to counter the challenges posed by the sanctions and the crisis. It can revolutionize India-Russia trade, and pave the way for a more stable and prosperous future for both countries.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 02:09:14 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 2, 9, 14, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Zelensky\u2019s draft leaving Ukrainian villages without men \u2013 WaPo", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Zelensky\u2019s draft leaving Ukrainian villages without men \u2013 WaPo"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594363-ukrainian-villages-no-men-draft/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f642892030272c684aad49.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594363-ukrainian-villages-no-men-draft/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594363-ukrainian-villages-no-men-draft/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f642892030272c684aad49.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> In some Ukrainian settlements, most of the men have been either killed, wounded, or have gone missing, the Washington Post claims <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594363-ukrainian-villages-no-men-draft/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f642892030272c684aad49.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> In some Ukrainian settlements, most of the men have been either killed, wounded, or have gone missing, the Washington Post claims <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594363-ukrainian-villages-no-men-draft/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Military recruiters are \u201cgrabbing anyone they can,\u201d locals told the outlet</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Some Ukrainian villages and small towns have lost most of their adult males&nbsp;due to the aggressive mobilization tactics of army recruiters, as they struggle&nbsp;to refill the ranks of depleted forces, according to a report by the Washington Post.</p>\n<p>In an article published on Saturday, the outlet <a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/15/ukraine-village-mobilized-men-war/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">detailed</a> the plight of the village of Makov, in the Khmelnitsky region of Western Ukraine, where virtually every man of fighting age has been killed, wounded, or gone missing, with the remaining few being hunted down by draft officers.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just a fact, most of them are gone,&rdquo;</em> Larisa Bodna, deputy director of the local school, which keeps a database of students whose parents are deployed, told the outlet.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;People are being caught like dogs on the street,&rdquo;</em> noted another resident, whose husband was forcefully drafted last year, despite a medical condition that was meant to exempt him from military service. <em>&ldquo;The whole village was taken this way,&rdquo;</em> her mother-in-law added.&nbsp;</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian students and cadets in front of a monument to Taras Shevchenko in Odessa.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65d5a61f20302723fe0f0015.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/592823-ukraine-draft-dodgers-universities/\">Children of draft dodgers may be barred from Ukrainian universities \u2013 MP</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The newspaper noted that a sense of resentment is steadily growing among the civilian population, with the majority feeling that their men have been targeted disproportionately, compared to larger cities, where it is easier to go into hiding. Residents say that even those already serving in the army, and young people below the draft age, are being stopped and questioned on the streets. Multiple videos of troops forcing men into vehicles have surfaced online in recent months, sparking rumors of kidnappings, contributing to panic among locals.</p>\n<p>Ukraine announced a general mobilization shortly after the start of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, but thousands of men have since managed to flee. Following the failed counteroffensive in the summer of last year, Kiev was desperate to replenish its ranks, seeking to mobilize up to 500,000 new recruits.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: A Ukrainian assault infantry unit member.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f1a73885f5402e0766bfe4.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594207-ukraine-draft-reform-ft/\">Ukraine needs massive mobilization to relieve frontline troops \u2013 FT</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In late January, Ukrainian lawmakers passed the first reading of a revised mobilization bill aimed at increasing the military ranks by lowering the conscription age from 27 to 25 and tightening draft conditions.</p>\n<p>The Russian military <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593255-shoigu-ukrainian-military-losses/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">estimated</a> Kiev&rsquo;s casualties at over 444,000 &ndash; killed or severely injured &ndash; as of the end of February. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593145-zelensky-gives-ukraine-casualty-estimate/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">claimed</a> last month that only 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in two years of hostilities with Russia, a figure that even journalists sympathetic to the Ukrainian cause have called implausibly low.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 02:09:13 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 2, 9, 13, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Musk building huge spy satellite network \u2013 Reuters", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Musk building huge spy satellite network \u2013 Reuters"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594364-musk-starshield-spy-satellites/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6417085f5406c86163346.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594364-musk-starshield-spy-satellites/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594364-musk-starshield-spy-satellites/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6417085f5406c86163346.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Elon Musk\u2019s Starshield project will reportedly allow the US military to track their targets in real time almost anywhere around the globe <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594364-musk-starshield-spy-satellites/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6417085f5406c86163346.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Elon Musk\u2019s Starshield project will reportedly allow the US military to track their targets in real time almost anywhere around the globe <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594364-musk-starshield-spy-satellites/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>SpaceX reportedly signed a $1.8 billion contract with US intelligence services back in 2021</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Elon Musk&rsquo;s secretive Starshield project will allow the US military to track targets and support American and allied ground forces in real time almost anywhere on Earth, Reuters has reported, sharing new details of the billionaire&rsquo;s dealings with the Pentagon.</p>\n<p>SpaceX has been launching prototype military satellites alongside <em>&ldquo;civilian&rdquo;</em> payloads on Falcon 9 rockets since at least 2020, before eventually securing a lucrative $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in 2021, Reuters <a href=\"https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/musks-spacex-is-building-spy-satellite-network-us-intelligence-agency-sources-2024-03-16/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">wrote</a> on Saturday, citing five unnamed sources familiar with the project.</p>\n<p>The vast constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites will be able to track targets on the ground in real time nearly anywhere worldwide, the sources claimed. One of them boasted that Starshield would ensure <em>&ldquo;no one can hide&rdquo;</em> from the US government.&nbsp;The system also reportedly aims to be <em>&ldquo;more resilient to attacks&rdquo;</em> by rival space powers.</p>\n<p>It remains unclear how many Starshield satellites are currently operational and when the system is expected to fully come online, with SpaceX and the Pentagon ignoring Reuters&rsquo; requests for comment. The NRO claimed&nbsp;it&nbsp;is developing <em>&ldquo;the most capable, diverse, and resilient space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system the world has ever seen,&rdquo;</em> but refused to comment on SpaceX&rsquo;s role in the project.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a batch of Starlink satellites lifts off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 21, 2022.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.09/thumbnail/65165b2385f54014bd5dbafc.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/583746-pentagon-musk-satellite-deal/\">Pentagon discloses military deal with Elon Musk</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The SpaceX CEO previously acknowledged the development of the military alternative to the <em>&ldquo;civilian&rdquo;</em> Starlink system, saying in September that it would be <em>&ldquo;owned by the US government&rdquo;</em> and controlled by the Department of Defense.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Starlink needs to be a civilian network, not a participant to combat,&rdquo;</em> Musk said, referring to the use of the satellites in Ukraine throughout the conflict with Russia.</p>\n<p>Musk donated around 20,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine shortly after Russia launched its military operation in February 2022. Since then, Kiev&rsquo;s troops heavily relied on the system to maintain communications and operate combat drones along the front line.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"File photo\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65c95bd2203027044c17721c.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/592286-musk-denies-selling-starlink-to/\">Musk denies providing Starlink to Russia</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>While pledging support for Ukraine, Musk has repeatedly said he favors a peaceful resolution of the conflict.&nbsp;The billionaire has come under fire from US officials after refusing Kiev&rsquo;s demands to use the Starlink network to aid strikes on Russia&rsquo;s Black Sea Fleet. In turn, Musk argued that activating Starlink in Crimea would be in breach of US sanctions. In the absence of any direct orders from the US leadership, SpaceX opted not to contravene regulations despite Kiev&rsquo;s request to do so, the tycoon explained.</p>\n<p>Earlier this month, US lawmakers reportedly launched another probe into SpaceX, after Ukrainian claims that Russian troops had allegedly used Starlink satellite service on the conflict frontline. Musk has denied the allegations, insisting that <em>&ldquo;no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia.&rdquo;</em> The Kremlin has also insisted that the Russian military has never ordered Starlink terminals.</p>"}], "published": "Sun, 17 Mar 2024 01:09:51 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 17, 1, 9, 51, 6, 77, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russia creating \u2018new global majority\u2019 \u2013 Presidential hopeful to RT", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russia creating \u2018new global majority\u2019 \u2013 Presidential hopeful to RT"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594361-slutsky-new-global-majority/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6008885f5406c38750bb2.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594361-slutsky-new-global-majority/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594361-slutsky-new-global-majority/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6008885f5406c38750bb2.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russia has become one of the centers in the emerging multipolar world and has already formed a new global majority, Leonid Slutsky tells RT <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594361-slutsky-new-global-majority/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f6008885f5406c38750bb2.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Russia has become one of the centers in the emerging multipolar world and has already formed a new global majority, Leonid Slutsky tells RT <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594361-slutsky-new-global-majority/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Modern global politics can only be multipolar, Russian presidential hopeful Leonid Slutsky believes</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russia is playing a crucial role in the emergence of the new multipolar world and has already become one of its centers of power, presidential hopeful Leonid Slutsky believes.</p>\n<p>Slutsky spoke to RT on Saturday,&nbsp;on teh second day of&nbsp;the country's three-day presidential poll. The politician, who leads Russia&rsquo;s right-wing Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), is seeking the top office alongside three other candidates - incumbent President Vladimir Putin, Nikolay Kharitonov, and Vladislav Davankov.</p>\n<p>With an election reportage blackout period in place, the conversation revolved around more global issues the country is facing now and will face in the future than around the candidate himself.</p>\n<p>Russia is playing a crucial role in making the world multiploar, having already become one of the important centers in it, Slutsky has said.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;[Russia], today, has in fact already created a new global majority on the planet. This is not the Anglo-Saxon majority, the new global majority is the global South, Africa, Latin America. These are many, many nations of larger Eurasia that are against the unipolar world order, where all the decisions, on how life goes in one or another country are being made in Washington,&rdquo;</em> the candidate explained.</p>\n<p>The emerging multipolar world is bound to become a more fair and equal place, where any country regardless of its size, cultural background or anything else, will be able to decide its destiny, Slutsky believes.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The global politics of the new century can only be multipolar,&rdquo;</em> he stressed.</p>\n<p><strong>WATCH full interview below:</strong></p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 22:10:03 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 22, 10, 3, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "African state scraps military ties with US", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "African state scraps military ties with US"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594362-niger-scraps-us-military-agreement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f620d32030272ce1450527.png", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594362-niger-scraps-us-military-agreement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594362-niger-scraps-us-military-agreement/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f620d32030272ce1450527.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The post-coup government in Niamey has decided to revoke an agreement which allowed American military personnel to operate in Niger <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594362-niger-scraps-us-military-agreement/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f620d32030272ce1450527.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The post-coup government in Niamey has decided to revoke an agreement which allowed American military personnel to operate in Niger <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594362-niger-scraps-us-military-agreement/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Niger has denounced \u201cwith immediate effect\u201d a defense pact that allows Washington to operate a $100 million drone base</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Authorities in Niamey have decided to revoke an agreement with the US which allowed&nbsp;American&nbsp;military personnel and the Pentagon's civilian contractors to operate in the West African state, a spokesman for the post-coup government announced on national television.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland officially denounced&hellip; the military cooperation agreements linking the country to the United States of America,&rdquo;</em> spokesman Colonel Amadou Abdramane said in a statement on Saturday night.</p>\n<p>The decision comes just days after a senior US delegation, which included the chief of US Africa Command, General Michael Langley, wrapped up a three-day visit to the African state. The US team met several top Nigerien officials, including PM Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine&nbsp;&ndash; apparently seeking to negotiate a renewal of the deal &ndash;&nbsp;but <a href=\"https://www.barrons.com/news/us-team-leaves-niger-after-talks-with-junta-officials-d9d243eb\">failed</a> to secure a meeting with the country's leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Niger regrets the intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and types of partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism,&rdquo;</em> Abdramane said.&nbsp;The spokesman&nbsp;added that the American delegation&nbsp;has behaved in breach of&nbsp;diplomatic protocols, and did not even inform the hosts about their agenda and the date of&nbsp;their arrival.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"fr\">\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddea D\u00e9nonciation des accords militaires<br /><br />Le Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie a officiellement d\u00e9nonc\u00e9 ce samedi 16 mars 2024 les accords de coop\u00e9ration militaire liant le pays aux Etats-Unis d'Am\u00e9rique.<br /><br />Cette d\u00e9cision d'une port\u00e9e consid\u00e9rable a \u00e9t\u00e9 annonc\u00e9e\u2026 <a href=\"https://t.co/YNS6rl3swz\">pic.twitter.com/YNS6rl3swz</a></p>&mdash; Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie (@NIGER_CNSP) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/NIGER_CNSP/status/1769109629470921108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 16, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>Niger&rsquo;s new government, which has been in power since the ouster of pro-Western President Mohamed Bazoum&nbsp;last July, has taken a number of steps to cut ties with Niamey&rsquo;s former military partners. The coup leaders have cited the Bazoum government&rsquo;s alleged failure to combat Islamist terrorists in the Sahel, despite the presence of foreign forces, including French troops, as the reason for the military takeover.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.01/thumbnail/65a7971120302711694c0f20.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/590787-russia-niger-military-partnership/\">Russia strikes African military cooperation agreement</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>France completed the withdrawal of its troops from Niger in December, after the leadership in Niamey cut ties with the&nbsp;former colonial rulers and ordered their forces to leave.</p>\n<p>However, Washington <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/589124-us-plans-niger-security-partnership-resumption/\">said</a> that disengagement from Niger was not an option for the US, claiming it will forge <em>&ldquo;pragmatic&rdquo;</em> relations with the new military authorities &ndash; despite joining France and other Western allies in suspending aid to Niamey.</p>\n<p>The United States currently has around 648 troops in Niger, mostly stationed at a $100-million desert drone base in Agadez, after <em>&ldquo;<a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/582615-pentagon-niger-reduction-troops/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">repositioning</a>&rdquo;</em> some of&nbsp;its servicemen from the capital Niamey back in September.&nbsp;Since then, US drone flights in Niger have been <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/582992-pentagon-niger-drone-flights/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">limited</a> to intelligence-gathering purposes with armed <em>&ldquo;counterterrorism&rdquo;</em> missions largely remaining on hold, according to the Pentagon.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/592354-burkina-faso-mali-niger-exit-ecowas/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>NATO knock-out: A new African alliance is starting a revolution in the continent\u2019s geopolitics\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In January, Russia and Niger agreed to develop <em>&ldquo;bilateral military and military-technical cooperation&rdquo;</em> and work together to stabilize security in the West African Sahel region, following talks in Moscow between Nigerien defense chief Salifou Modi and his Russian counterparts.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 21:34:41 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 21, 34, 41, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "NATO troops in Ukraine could trigger WWIII \u2013 Italy", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "NATO troops in Ukraine could trigger WWIII \u2013 Italy"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594360-italy-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5ffb42030272e6a30d086.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594360-italy-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594360-italy-ukraine-nato-troops/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5ffb42030272e6a30d086.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Deploying NATO troops into Ukraine to fight Russia risks triggering Third World War, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594360-italy-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5ffb42030272e6a30d086.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Deploying NATO troops into Ukraine to fight Russia risks triggering Third World War, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594360-italy-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Going into a war with Russia risks triggering a global conflict, the Italian foreign minister warns</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Deploying troops of the US-led NATO bloc to battlefields in Ukraine might result in an all-out global conflict, effectively a Third World War, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said. He has ruled out any possibility that his country&rsquo;s forces will somehow end up deployed to support Kiev&rsquo;s fight.</p>\n<p>The minister made the remarks on Friday during an interview on the sidelines of the LetExpo show in Verona. Asked about the prospect of NATO troops ending up in such a deployment, Tajani spoke out against the idea.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I think that NATO shouldn&rsquo;t enter Ukraine. It would be a mistake. We need to help Ukraine defend itself, but entering the country to wage war against Russia means risking World War Three,&rdquo;</em> the diplomat stated.</p>\n<p>Tajani ruled out any possibility of Italy&rsquo;s own troops ending up in Ukraine. Asked about other NATO nations sending their troops to prop up Kiev in its fight against Moscow, particularly France, the minister said he hoped <em>&ldquo;it doesn&rsquo;t happen.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"y Christian Liewig - Corbis\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4c0992030272cd1049df2.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594334-macron-crimea-russia-ukraine/\">Macron wants Crimea seized from Russia</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The statements from Tajani come after French President Emmanuel Macron again brought up the topic of sending Western soldiers to Ukraine, in a fresh interview with broadcasters TF2 and France 2.</p>\n<p>Macron bluntly described Russia as France&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;adversary,&rdquo;</em> insisting, at the same time, that Paris has not been <em>&ldquo;waging war on Russia&rdquo;</em> but merely <em>&ldquo;supporting&rdquo;</em> Kiev in the conflict. Regarding the potential troop deployment, he refused to say anything concrete, insisting he wanted to maintain a <em>&ldquo;strategic ambiguity&rdquo;</em> and that he had his own <em>&ldquo;reasons not to be precise.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The prospect of sending Western troops into Ukraine was first mulled by the French president in late February, when he said the idea could not be <em>&ldquo;excluded&rdquo;</em> entirely. The remarks prompted a wave of denials from fellow members of the US-led bloc, with its major participants repeatedly rejecting the idea. Minor states of the alliance, however, including new member Finland, backed Macron&rsquo;s take on the issue.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 20:24:00 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 20, 24, 0, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "The EU adopts a \u2018Media Freedom\u2019 law, where \u2018freedom\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean what you think it does", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "The EU adopts a \u2018Media Freedom\u2019 law, where \u2018freedom\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean what you think it does"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594355-eu-media-freedom-act/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5c32685f540791c736377.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594355-eu-media-freedom-act/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594355-eu-media-freedom-act/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5c32685f540791c736377.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Media Freedom Act that\u2019s now part of EU law is, like most of Brussels\u2019 virtue signaling, almost the opposite of what its name heralds <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594355-eu-media-freedom-act/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5c32685f540791c736377.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Media Freedom Act that\u2019s now part of EU law is, like most of Brussels\u2019 virtue signaling, almost the opposite of what its name heralds <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594355-eu-media-freedom-act/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The act, like most of the bloc\u2019s virtue signaling, is the opposite of what its name ought to herald</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The EU&rsquo;s new <em>Media Freedom Act</em> has now been <a href=\"https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19014/media-freedom-act-a-new-bill-to-protect-eu-journalists-and-press-freedom#:~:text=Under%20the%20new%20law%2C%20adopted,editorial%20decisions%20will%20be%20banned.\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">voted into law</a>, with 464 votes for, 92 against, and 65 abstentions.</p>\n<p>There are some news outlets whose coverage of the vote I&rsquo;d like to see. Like RT&rsquo;s, where you&rsquo;re reading this right now. But anyone who&rsquo;s viewing this from inside the European Union&rsquo;s bastion of democracy and freedom is likely doing so via a VPN connection routed through somewhere outside the bloc, to circumvent its press censorship.</p>\n<p>Nothing in this new law suggests that this will change, or that there will be increased access to information and analysis for the average person. Such improved freedoms might lead to people making up their own minds rather than having various flavors of a similar narrative served up for mass consumption. As has become par for the course in so-called Western democracies, inconvenient facts and analysis will still be dismissed as <em>&ldquo;disinformation&rdquo;</em> and criticism of the establishment still qualified as an effort to sow division &ndash; as though dissent itself wasn&rsquo;t supposed to be proof of a healthy and vibrant democracy.</p>\n<p>So, now that we&rsquo;ve gotten out of the way any hope of lifting the EU&rsquo;s top-down censorship in the absence of due process, exactly what kind of lip service does this new law pay to the lofty notion of media freedom?</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65eaeb7d2030276e94081873.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593963-ukraine-to-spend-millions-russian-media-jamming/\">Ukraine to spend millions of dollars blocking Russian TV</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>No spying on journalists or pressing them to disclose their sources. Well, unless you&rsquo;re one of the countries that lobbied to be able to keep doing this &ndash; like France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden, and Finland &ndash; so basically, a quarter of EU countries. Oh, but they have to invoke national-security concerns in order to do so. Which, as we know, they&rsquo;re very discerning about. Like, they didn&rsquo;t at all implement a virtual police state and&nbsp;<a href=\"https://jacobin.com/2021/10/emmanuel-macron-policing-powers-law-state-of-emergency-anti-anarchist-villainous-laws-vaccine-mandates-covid\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">extend its powers</a>&nbsp;under the guise of fighting a virus with which French President Emmanuel Macron kept saying they were <em>&ldquo;at war.&rdquo;</em> Nor did Amnesty International&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2017/01/dangerously-disproportionate/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">point out</a>&nbsp;the sweeping <em>&ldquo;Orwellian&rdquo;</em> trend across Europe, at least as far back as 2017, of exploiting domestic terrorist attacks to permanently embed what were supposed to be extraordinary powers into criminal law, via measures like <em>&ldquo;overly broad definitions of terrorism.&rdquo;</em> So, no doubt they&rsquo;ll be equally reasonable when slapping the <em>&ldquo;national security threat&rdquo;</em> label on a journalist whose work they want to peek at.</p>\n<p>At least now, under this new law, they do have to fully inform any targeted journalist of the steps being taken against them.</p>\n<p>Another thing that changes is that there&rsquo;s to be a centralized database into which <em>&ldquo;all news and current affairs outlets regardless of their size will have to publish information about their owners,&rdquo;</em> according to an EU press release. May we propose a first candidate for that? The NGO Reporters Without Borders has praised this new law as a <em>&ldquo;major step forward for the right to information within the European Union.&rdquo;</em> The same NGO also just launched a <a href=\"https://rsf.org/en/rsf-officially-launches-svoboda-satellite-package-provide-independent-journalism-russian-speaking\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>&ldquo;Svoboda&rdquo;</em></a> (Russian for <em>&ldquo;freedom&rdquo;</em>) satellite package eventually consisting <em>&ldquo;of up to 25 independent Russian language radio and television channels&rdquo;</em> aimed at Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltics. The launch took place at the EU parliament, in the presence of EU <em>&ldquo;values and transparency&rdquo;</em> commissioner (yes, that&rsquo;s a real title), Vera Jourova, who&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/03/13/eu-parliament-votes-to-protect-media-freedom-and-limit-spying-on-reporters\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">has said</a>&nbsp;in support of the new media law that <em>&ldquo;it is a threat to those who want to use the power of the state, also the financial one, to make the media dependent on them.&rdquo;</em> But she&nbsp;<a href=\"https://rsf.org/en/rsf-officially-launches-svoboda-satellite-package-provide-independent-journalism-russian-speaking\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">has also said</a>&nbsp;about this new Russia-targeting initiative that the EU state needs to <em>&ldquo;use all possible means to ensure that their work, that facts and information can reach Russian-speaking people.&rdquo;</em> This is the same person who advocated in favor of banning Russia-linked media outlets in the EU.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65e082ef85f5407a5316a982.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593422-assange-gaza-west-disregard-law/\">There are chilling parallels between the suffering of Julian Assange and Gaza civilians</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Anyway, you first, guys. Show everyone else how it&rsquo;s done. Also, does this mean that all financial interests in the form of advertising spending will also have to be declared by corporate media? Because state-backed media platforms are already transparent; it&rsquo;s the much more discretionary interests underpinning the more commercial platforms that tend to be much less obvious to audiences. Audiences may not know or understand, for example, why a particular corporate media outlet might focus on a particular nation state with softball interviews, travel pieces, and fluffy documentaries, and treating it with kid gloves in news coverage, when in reality the same country is pumping a ton of ad revenues into the place.</p>\n<p>In any case, Queen Ursula von der Leyen&rsquo;s battalion of bureaucratic desk jockeys is set to grow in ranks now with a new <em>&ldquo;European Board for Media Services&rdquo;</em> coming online as a result of the new law. Because freedom isn&rsquo;t going to police itself, pal.</p>\n<p>The name itself <em>Media Freedom Act</em> really is the first clue that it&rsquo;s probably not all that much about freedom. Kind of like how the <em>&ldquo;European Peace Facility&rdquo;</em> fund is used to buy weapons, or the <em>&ldquo;election&rdquo;</em> of the handpicked EU Commissioner is really just what any normal country would call a confirmation vote.</p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s a pretty safe bet that whenever the EU kicks the virtue-signaling into overdrive, using feel-good language to sell it, the reality is probably the opposite of what&rsquo;s advertised.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 17:15:17 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 17, 15, 17, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Hungary blasts \u2018leftist activist\u2019 speech by US envoy", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Hungary blasts \u2018leftist activist\u2019 speech by US envoy"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594357-us-envoy-leftist-activist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5ca1485f5406c38750bac.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594357-us-envoy-leftist-activist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594357-us-envoy-leftist-activist/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5ca1485f5406c38750bac.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> US envoy to Hungary David Pressman accuses Prime Minister Viktor Orban of jeopardizing democracy and of alienating Hungary\u2019s NATO partners <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594357-us-envoy-leftist-activist/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5ca1485f5406c38750bac.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> US envoy to Hungary David Pressman accuses Prime Minister Viktor Orban of jeopardizing democracy and of alienating Hungary\u2019s NATO partners <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594357-us-envoy-leftist-activist/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>A long list of grievances presented by the US ambassador has attracted a frosty reception in Budapest</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>A keynote speech by the US ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, sounded more like a <em>&ldquo;leftist activist&rdquo;</em> talk than a statement <em>&ldquo;worthy of an ambassador,&rdquo;</em> State Secretary at Budapest&rsquo;s foreign ministry Tamas Menczer has said.</p>\n<p>Pressman delivered the controversial speech on Thursday at the Central European University (CEU) in the capital at an event to mark the 25th anniversary of Hungary&rsquo;s accession to the US-led NATO bloc.</p>\n<p>The envoy gave a long list of grievances plaguing ties between Washington and Budapest, ranging from Hungary&rsquo;s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict to its refusal to allow US troops stationed in the country to get local license plates for their family vehicles.</p>\n<p>Budapest is now finding itself <em>&ldquo;increasingly isolated&rdquo;</em> from the NATO <em>&ldquo;community of democracies,&rdquo;</em> the ambassador claimed, insisting that links between the two countries should not depend on their <em>&ldquo;temporary&rdquo;</em> leaders.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We should be mutually concerned for the well-being of democratic values, institutions, and of our relationship &ndash; regardless of who has the privilege of temporarily leading either of our governments,&rdquo;</em> the envoy stated.</p>\n<p>Pressman also took personal jabs at Prime Minister Viktor Orban, criticizing him for viewing the US as Hungary&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;adversary,&rdquo;</em> as well as accusing the country&rsquo;s government of interfering <em>&ldquo;in a very blatant way&rdquo;</em> in the internal affairs of others, <em>&ldquo;all while decrying foreign interference here at home.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman attends an LGBT pride parade in Budapest.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f438ce2030273fc4105b61.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594312-us-ambassador-hungary-orban/\">US issues veiled threat to Hungary</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;PM Orban, who on the one hand baselessly claims the US government is trying to overthrow his government, publicly calls for the political defeat of the President of the United States and actively participates in US partisan political events,&rdquo;</em> Pressman stated.</p>\n<p>The envoy also appeared to issue a thinly-veiled threat aimed at the Orban government, stating that while it <em>&ldquo;may want to wait out the United States government, the United States will certainly not wait out the Orban administration.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;While Hungary waits, we will act,&rdquo;</em> Pressman warned.</p>\n<p>The speech was poorly received in Budapest, with Foreign Ministry State Secretary Menczer taking to Facebook to criticize the American envoy, suggesting his hostile remarks were not appropriate for his role at all, as international relations should actually be based on <em>&ldquo;mutual respect.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Hungary has always had great respect for the United States, and it always will. However, today&rsquo;s speech was not a speech worthy of an ambassador, but rather a speech by a leftist political activist,&rdquo;</em> Menczer wrote.</p>\n<p>Pressman has been US ambassador to Hungary since late 2022, repeatedly finding himself at odds with the local government and making harsh statements about its policies. In January, for instance, he accused Budapest of harming the entire NATO bloc while helping Moscow with its actions.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 16:35:34 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 16, 35, 34, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Ukraine attacking Russian polling stations \u2013 officials", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Ukraine attacking Russian polling stations \u2013 officials"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594358-ukraine-attacks-russian-polling-stations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5aad885f540791c736369.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594358-ukraine-attacks-russian-polling-stations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594358-ukraine-attacks-russian-polling-stations/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5aad885f540791c736369.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Local officials in Kherson and Zaporozhye regions have reported Ukrainian attacks on polling stations amid the Russian presidential election <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594358-ukraine-attacks-russian-polling-stations/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5aad885f540791c736369.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Local officials in Kherson and Zaporozhye regions have reported Ukrainian attacks on polling stations amid the Russian presidential election <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594358-ukraine-attacks-russian-polling-stations/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Election authorities in Kherson Region and Zaporozhye Region have reported strikes that left several people injured\u00a0\u00a0</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Russian electoral commissions in Kherson Region and Zaporozhye Region have reported several Ukrainian attacks on polling stations which have opened for the ongoing presidential vote.</p>\n<p>On Saturday morning, Ukrainian forces dropped an explosive device from a drone, targeting a polling station in Blagoveshchenka, a village in Zaporozhye Region, a local electoral official, Natalya Ryabenkaya, told TASS.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>She claimed that it was <em>&ldquo;some phosphorus ordnance,&rdquo;</em> citing Russian military personnel that had arrived at the scene. The attack did not cause any casualties or material damage.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We won&rsquo;t be intimidated, we will be receiving people, all citizens who wish to vote,&rdquo;</em> the official told the news agency.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n    <figure>\n        <img src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/original/65f5c22d2030272eea05bca2.jpg\" />\n                    <figcaption>\n                \n                <span class=\"copyright\">\n                      \u00a9&nbsp; Social network                                                        </span>\n            </figcaption>\n            </figure>\n\n<p>On Friday, Kherson Region&rsquo;s election commission said that Ukrainian forces shelled buildings in the city of Kakhovka as well as Brilevka, a village, where an unspecified number of people were injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Unfortunately, the citizens&rsquo; freedom to vote is like a bone stuck in the throat of the Kiev regime,&rdquo;</em> the commission wrote on Telegram. Officials also vowed to continue their work and ensure that locals <em>&ldquo;can vote on such an important day&rdquo;</em> despite the <em>&ldquo;enemies&rsquo; attempts to intimidate us.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Minutes later, the officials reported that an improvised explosive device had been detonated in a trash can outside a polling station in the city of Skadovsk, with the incident resulting in no casualties.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>According to local authorities, the turnout in Kherson Region on Saturday, the second day of voting, reached 77%. Over 72% of eligible voters have cast their ballots in Zaporozhye Region.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The two formerly Ukrainian regions joined Russia in late 2022 following referendums, along with the Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>\u2018Neo-Nazi Kiev regime\u2019 tried to disrupt Russian elections \u2013 Putin\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The ongoing presidential election spans three days, commencing on March 15 and concluding on March 17. Alongside the incumbent head of state, Vladimir Putin, three other candidates are vying for the nation&rsquo;s highest office - Leonid Slutsky, Nikolay Haritonov, and Vladislav Davankov.</p>\n<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 16:09:27 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 16, 9, 27, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "\u2018Occupy Brussels\u2019 \u2013 Orban", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "\u2018Occupy Brussels\u2019 \u2013 Orban"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594359-orban-hungary-eu-occupy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5aef32030272eb75d991a.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594359-orban-hungary-eu-occupy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594359-orban-hungary-eu-occupy/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5aef32030272eb75d991a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The EU leadership should \u201cstart trembling,\u201d Hungary\u2019s aggrieved Prime Minister Viktor Orban tells crowd at event commemorating revolution <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594359-orban-hungary-eu-occupy/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5aef32030272eb75d991a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The EU leadership should \u201cstart trembling,\u201d Hungary\u2019s aggrieved Prime Minister Viktor Orban tells crowd at event commemorating revolution <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594359-orban-hungary-eu-occupy/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>EU leadership should \u201cstart trembling,\u201d the Hungarian PM told a crowd at an event commemorating national revolution</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Hungary&rsquo;s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that he and his supporters are ready to march on Brussels to defend their country&rsquo;s sovereignty within the EU.</p>\n<p>Orban gave the warning on Friday in a fiery speech dedicated to an anniversary of Hungary&rsquo;s unsuccessful revolution of 1848 against the rule of the Austrian Empire. <em>&ldquo;Brussels is not the first empire that has set its eyes on Hungary,&rdquo;</em> he stressed.</p>\n<p>The conservative prime minister told a crowd of around a thousand of his supporters that he&rsquo;s ready to do everything to protect Hungary from what he described as attempts by the EU to <em>&ldquo;force&rdquo;</em> the country into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, to make it accept migrants, and to <em>&ldquo;re-educate&rdquo;</em> its children by imposing an LGBTQ agenda on them.</p>\n<p>Powers in the Western world, of which the EU is a part, <em>&ldquo;start wars, destroy worlds, redraw countries&rsquo; borders and graze on everything like locusts,&rdquo;</em> Orban told his audience. <em>&ldquo;We Hungarians live differently and want to live differently,&rdquo;</em> he pointed out.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;If we want to defend Hungary&rsquo;s freedom and sovereignty, we have no other choice but to occupy Brussels,&rdquo;</em> the PM said. <em>&ldquo;We will march all the way to Brussels, and will orchestrate change in the EU ourselves.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman attends an LGBT pride parade in Budapest.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f438ce2030273fc4105b61.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594312-us-ambassador-hungary-orban/\">US issues veiled threat to Hungary</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Orban stressed that he and his supporters are experienced people who know what needs to be done in order to properly restructure the bloc, of which Hungary has been a member since 2004. It&rsquo;s time for the EU leadership to <em>&ldquo;start trembling,&rdquo;</em> he said.</p>\n<p>In power for 14 years now, Orban is being criticized by Brussels over allegedly undermining the rule of law, infringing on press freedoms and clamping down on gay rights. The EU has been withholding funds from Hungary for years over these and other issues.</p>\n<p>Brussels is also unhappy about the stance taken by Budapest on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a neighbor to which it has refused to provide arms, unlike other fellow EU member states, while at the same time maintaining economic and political ties with Moscow. Orban insists that there&rsquo;s no military solution to the crisis and that it should be settled through diplomacy.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594175-hungary-summon-us-ambassador-biden/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>EU state blasts Biden\u2019s \u2018dictatorship\u2019 remarks\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>During his speech, he reiterated that <em>&ldquo;Hungary can only benefit from peace, we do not want war.&rdquo;</em> However, Brussels has brought the conflict to its doors, he said, referring to the ongoing fighting. <em>&ldquo;We have been deceived, it is time to rise up,&rdquo;</em> he stated.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:20:37 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 15, 20, 37, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Modi hails \u2018festival of democracy\u2019 as India sets election dates", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Modi hails \u2018festival of democracy\u2019 as India sets election dates"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/india/594356-modi-democracy-election-dates/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5992685f5406aef56bdb1.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/india/594356-modi-democracy-election-dates/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/india/594356-modi-democracy-election-dates/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5992685f5406aef56bdb1.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> India has announced its next general election, an 84-day affair that will see BJP-led coalition go up against Congress and its allies <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594356-modi-democracy-election-dates/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5992685f5406aef56bdb1.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> India has announced its next general election, an 84-day affair that will see BJP-led coalition go up against Congress and its allies <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594356-modi-democracy-election-dates/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The nationwide ballot will be held over 84 days, when almost 970 million are eligible to cast their votes</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>India, the world&rsquo;s most populated country as well as its largest democracy, has announced dates for its next general election, a ballot of over 950 million voters that will span six weeks.</p>\n<p>The election will be conducted in seven phases, the first beginning on April 19 and the last in June, India&rsquo;s Election Commission (CEC) announced on Saturday. The counting of votes will begin on June 4, with results set to be declared the same day. The current government&rsquo;s term will end on June 16.</p>\n<p>This year, about 969 million people are eligible to vote, the CEC said. 543 politicians will ultimately be elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament.</p>\n<p>This year, New Delhi is introducing home-voting facilities for individuals aged 85 and above, as well as for voters with a <em>&ldquo;benchmark disability,&rdquo;</em> as designated by a government authority.</p>\n<p>This time, the polls are being conducted over a longer period, which takes into consideration <em>&ldquo;geographic conditions, festivals, exams, and various other factors,&rdquo;</em> India&rsquo;s Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said. In the last national election, in 2019, casting of ballots was held between April 11 and May 19.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594317-india-united-states-citizenship-amendment-act/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>India snaps back at US over citizenship law concerns\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>2019 saw the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secure 303 seats, while the Congress party, its nearest rival, managed to win 52. This time too, Modi&rsquo;s party is widely expected to win the election, according to pollsters.<br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The biggest festival of democracy is here,&rdquo;</em> the PM wrote on X (formerly Twitter) moments after the dates were announced.</p>\n\n            <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The biggest festival of democracy is here! EC has announced the 2024 Lok Sabha election dates. We, the BJP-NDA, are fully prepared for elections. We are going to the people on the basis of our track record of good governance and service delivery across sectors.\u2026</p>&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1768955234808701347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 16, 2024</a></blockquote> \n    \n\n<p>While BJP will lead a coalition of more than three dozen parties across India, the Congress leads an alliance of about two dozen parties. Modi has set a target of 400 seats for a BJP-led coalition and is seeking a third term in office.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 13:37:55 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 13, 37, 55, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "EU to use Russian assets to buy arms for Ukraine \u2013 Scholz", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "EU to use Russian assets to buy arms for Ukraine \u2013 Scholz"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594351-scholz-use-russian-assets-weapons-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5814685f5406c3c5c209e.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594351-scholz-use-russian-assets-weapons-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594351-scholz-use-russian-assets-weapons-ukraine/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5814685f5406c3c5c209e.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said interest accrued from Russian assets frozen in the EU will be used to purchase weapons for Ukraine <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594351-scholz-use-russian-assets-weapons-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5814685f5406c3c5c209e.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said interest accrued from Russian assets frozen in the EU will be used to purchase weapons for Ukraine <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594351-scholz-use-russian-assets-weapons-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The German chancellor has clarified that profits obtained from Moscow\u2019s funds held in the EU will be used to arm Kiev</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that interest accrued from Russian assets frozen in the EU will be used to purchase weapons for Ukraine.</p>\n<p>Soon after Russia launched its military operation against Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries froze approximately $300 billion of funds belonging to the Russian Central Bank. Of that sum, the Brussels-based clearinghouse Euroclear holds around &euro;191 billion ($205 billion), which has accrued nearly &euro;4.4 billion in interest over the past year.</p>\n<p>Speaking at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin on Friday, Chancellor Scholz said: <em>&ldquo;We will use windfall profits from Russian assets frozen in Europe to financially support the purchase of weapons for Ukraine.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The German leader also announced plans to establish a <em>&ldquo;new capability coalition for long-range rocket artillery,&rdquo;</em> with procurement to take place <em>&ldquo;on the overall world market.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f0fd39203027733d579b4e.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594178-euroclear-russian-assets-trouble/\">Seizing Russian money could \u2018devastate\u2019 Euroclear \u2013\u00a0Reuters</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The German chancellor did not provide specifics, and it remains unclear whether he was referring to an entirely new initiative, or to a <em>&ldquo;long-range&rdquo;</em> scheme announced by President Macron in February.</p>\n<p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last month suggested using the interest from frozen Russian assets to buy weapons for Ukraine. However, Politico, citing an anonymous EU official, reported on Thursday that Malta, Luxembourg and Hungary had <em>&ldquo;expressed reservations&rdquo;</em> about the plan earlier this week.</p>\n<p>Moscow has repeatedly warned that any actions taken against its assets would amount to <em>&ldquo;theft.&rdquo;</em> It has stressed that seizing the funds or any similar move would violate international law and undermine Western currencies, the global financial system, and the world economy.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 13:03:03 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 13, 3, 3, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Russia thwarts Ukrainian incursion attempt (DISTURBING VIDEO)", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Russia thwarts Ukrainian incursion attempt (DISTURBING VIDEO)"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594352-belgorod-ukraine-incursion-kozinka/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f58ed02030272ea656882c.png", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594352-belgorod-ukraine-incursion-kozinka/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594352-belgorod-ukraine-incursion-kozinka/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f58ed02030272ea656882c.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A clip from the Defense Ministry has shown Kiev\u2019s troops being targeted by artillery and drones as they tried to enter Russia <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594352-belgorod-ukraine-incursion-kozinka/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f58ed02030272ea656882c.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A clip from the Defense Ministry has shown Kiev\u2019s troops being targeted by artillery and drones as they tried to enter Russia <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594352-belgorod-ukraine-incursion-kozinka/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Footage from the Defense Ministry has shown Kiev\u2019s troops being targeted by artillery and drones as they tried to enter Russia</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The latest attempt by a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group to break into Russian territory has been repelled, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.</p>\n<p>Kiev&rsquo;s forces tried to enter the village of Kozinka, located in Russia&rsquo;s Belgorod Region close to the border with Ukraine, the ministry said on Saturday. The incursion was thwarted by the Russian military and the Border Service of the Federal Security Service (FSB), it added.</p>\n<p>Later in the day, the ministry published a clip, which it said showed the destruction of Ukrainian saboteurs in Kozinka.</p>\n<p>It is not clear when the footage was captured, as the same village was the target of a failed infiltration attempt on Thursday. According to Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, residents were evacuated from Kozinka as the situation escalated.</p>\n<p>Drone footage showed around a dozen Ukrainian fighters using an explosives detector to get through minefields and reaching a private home in the village &ndash; where they were shelled by Russian artillery.</p>\n<p>After being forced out of Kozinka, the saboteurs ended up in an open field and were targeted by kamikaze drones, according to the footage.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p>Also on Saturday, the Ukrainian military shelled the Russian city of Belgorod with a Czech-made RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket launch system, killing two people and injuring three others, Gladkov said.</p>\n<p>Kiev&rsquo;s forces have intensified their artillery and drone strikes on Russian territory over the past week. They have also attempted several major incursions into Russia&rsquo;s Belgorod and Kursk Regions. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, they all failed, with Ukraine suffering over 1,500 casualties and losing dozens of pieces of equipment, including a number of tanks and APCs.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>\u2018Neo-Nazi Kiev regime\u2019 tried to disrupt Russian elections \u2013 Putin\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>On Friday, Russia&rsquo;s President Vladimir Putin condemned the attacks as criminal acts by the <em>&ldquo;neo-Nazi regime&rdquo;</em> in Kiev aimed at disrupting the presidential election, which is being held in Russia from March 15 to March 17.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 12:56:57 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 12, 56, 57, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "India blocks Canada\u2019s controversial documentary on Sikh separatists", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "India blocks Canada\u2019s controversial documentary on Sikh separatists"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/india/594353-india-blocks-canadian-documentary-sikh/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5834e85f5406c8616332b.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/india/594353-india-blocks-canadian-documentary-sikh/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/india/594353-india-blocks-canadian-documentary-sikh/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5834e85f5406c8616332b.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> New Delhi has asked online platforms to block a documentary by the Canadian broadcaster CBC, amid a diplomatic stand-off with Ottawa <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594353-india-blocks-canadian-documentary-sikh/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5834e85f5406c8616332b.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> New Delhi has asked online platforms to block a documentary by the Canadian broadcaster CBC, amid a diplomatic stand-off with Ottawa <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/594353-india-blocks-canadian-documentary-sikh/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Canadian broadcaster CBC has received emails from YouTube and X saying New Delhi had directed them to take down the video</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>New Delhi has reportedly ordered at least two online platforms to block a Canadian documentary in India, on the killing of a Sikh separatist. The development comes amid a diplomatic standoff between the two countries.</p>\n<p>The video report, part of Canadian state broadcaster CBC's &lsquo;<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@cbcfifth\">The Fifth Estate</a>&rsquo; series, sought to investigate the fatal shooting of prominent Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June. Nijjar vocally supported the creation of an independent Khalistan state &ndash; a homeland for India's minority Sikhs. New Delhi sees pro-Khalistan sentiment as a threat to its internal security, and designated Nijjar a <em>&ldquo;terrorist&rdquo;</em> in 2020.</p>\n<p>Last September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/589050-trudeau-canada-india-allegations-khalistan/\">linked the assassination</a> to India, triggering a feud. New Delhi has vehemently <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/587402-india-canada-khalistan-activist-investigation/\">denied the allegations</a> and called them <em>&ldquo;absurd.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: India&#039;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L), and Canada&#039;s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (C) chat before a group picture at Elmau Castle, southern Germany, where the German Chancellor held a summit of the Group of Seven rich nations (G7) in 2022.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.01/thumbnail/65b216bd20302722461a50fc.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/591252-canada-investigates-election-interference-india/\">Canada investigates \u2018election interference\u2019 by India</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>CBC has said it stands by its reporting. The documentary included a wide range of voices, witnesses, and experts on the subject <em>&ldquo;to ensure fairness and balance,&rdquo;</em> the broadcaster said in a statement.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;YouTube said it had received an order from India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to block access to the video of the story from its website,&rdquo;</em> CBC reported.</p>\n<p>An attempt to access the video in India brings up a message saying it is <em>&ldquo;currently unavailable&rdquo;</em> because of an order from the government related to national security or public order.</p>\n<p>The CBC said it had received a similar e-mail from X (formerly Twitter), saying Indian law obliges the platform to withhold access to the content in India. However, the video remains available to watch in other countries.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/588697-india-us-khalistan-murder-plot/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Who benefits from blaming India for murder plots in the US and Canada?\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The Canadian broadcaster said the Indian government cited the <a href=\"https://eprocure.gov.in/cppp/rulesandprocs/kbadqkdlcswfjdelrquehwuxcfmijmuixngudufgbuubgubfugbububjxcgfvsbdihbgfGhdfgFHytyhRtMjk4NzY=\">Information Technology Act 2000</a> in making the orders.</p>\n<p>The request marks the second time in just over a year that India has sought to block a documentary critical of the Indian government or its prime minister, Narendra Modi. In 2023, India used emergency laws to <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/india/571852-india-new-delhi-bbc-modi/\">block the distribution</a> of the BBC documentary 'India: The Modi Question.' The documentary examined the Indian leader's role during riots in the western state of Gujarat in 2002.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 11:39:22 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 11, 39, 22, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Baltic state\u2019s defense minister resigns", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Baltic state\u2019s defense minister resigns"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594349-lithuanian-defense-minister-resigns-media/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f56da385f5406c9324e6ac.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594349-lithuanian-defense-minister-resigns-media/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594349-lithuanian-defense-minister-resigns-media/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f56da385f5406c9324e6ac.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas has tendered his resignation, according to local media <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594349-lithuanian-defense-minister-resigns-media/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f56da385f5406c9324e6ac.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas has tendered his resignation, according to local media <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594349-lithuanian-defense-minister-resigns-media/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will meet with Arvydas Anusauskas on Saturday</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas has handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, the government&rsquo;s press office said in a statement on Friday. Anusauskas was also scheduled to meet with President Gitanas Nauseda on Saturday, according to the agenda of the head of state.</p>\n<p>Journalist Edmundas Jakilaitis launched a wave of speculation on Friday evening, when he wrote on Facebook: <em>&ldquo;Thanks to Arvydas Anusauskas. We'll see how Laurynas Kasciunas will do.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Anusauskas jokingly directed all questions to Jakilaicius after the post.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;I promised him to refer all interested parties to him for that message, so go ahead, call, ask,&rdquo;</em> he said.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A MIM-104 Patriot anti-aircraft missile system in Rzeszow Airport, Poland on July 24, 2022.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65ea6ab685f54057c74cfc22.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593952-lithuania-deployment-patriot-missiles/\">NATO bringing missiles closer to Russia \u2013 member state</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Earlier this week, the Lithuanian media predicted that MP Laurynas Kasciunas could succeed Anusauskas as defense chief.</p>\n<p>The Lithuanian daily <em>&ldquo;15 min&rdquo;</em> reported that the defense minister had requested a meeting urgently, which could signal disagreements between him and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte. The latter allegedly disapproved of statements he had made in the United States, which he visited this week.</p>\n<p>Lithuania&rsquo;s upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for October, could also be a source of political tension. According to the polls, Anusauskas is the most popular member of the conservative Homeland Union &ndash; Lithuanian Christian Democrats party.</p>\n<p>According to Lithuanian law, a cabinet minister must submit a resignation statement to the prime minister, and the prime minister must hand it over to the president.</p>\n<p>A NATO member state since 2004, Lithuania has been actively supporting Ukraine since the start of its conflict with Russia. The Baltic country has also been beefing up its own defenses over the past two years.</p>\n<p>In a post on X (formerly Twitter) last month, Lithuania&rsquo;s ambassador to Sweden Linas Linkevicius warned that Russia&rsquo;s western exclave of Kaliningrad would be <em>&ldquo;neutralized first&rdquo;</em> if Moscow <em>&ldquo;dares to challenge NATO.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Russia has consistently made it clear that it considers NATO&rsquo;s military buildup close to its Western borders to be a threat to its national security.</p>\n<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin has also said that Moscow has no plans to attack NATO, stressing that his country <em>&ldquo;has no interest&hellip; geopolitically, economically or militarily&rdquo;</em> in doing so.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 11:20:32 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 11, 20, 32, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Long-range strikes, drone warfare and border escalation: Key events of the week in Russia-Ukraine conflict (VIDEOS)", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Long-range strikes, drone warfare and border escalation: Key events of the week in Russia-Ukraine conflict (VIDEOS)"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4745b2030273f7714e93c.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4745b2030273f7714e93c.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> RT highlights key frontline events of the Ukrainian conflict that have occurred over the past week <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4745b2030273f7714e93c.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> RT highlights key frontline events of the Ukrainian conflict that have occurred over the past week <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594288-ukraine-russia-border-attacks/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale but unsuccessful attack on Russia\u2019s border regions in attempt to create incursion breach</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The past week in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been marked by a major escalation at border areas between the two countries, as Kiev&rsquo;s forces staged multiple attempts to breach into the Kursk and Belgorod regions. The attacks came ahead of the 2024 Russian presidential election, which kicked off on Friday.</p>\n<p>Active combat also continued to rage to the northwest of Donetsk near the villages Orlovka, Tonenkoye and Berdychi, where the Russian military continues its push following the liberation of the town of Avdeevka last month. The Ukrainian military has been actively pouring reserves into the area in an apparent effort to stabilize the frontline, staging multiple counterattacks daily.</p>\n<p><strong>Russian forces continue advancing in Donbass</strong></p>\n<p>According to Russian military estimates, Kiev&rsquo;s forces have been losing some 400 soldiers on average in the Orlovka-Tonenkoye-Berdychi area daily, as well as multiple pieces of military hardware. On Monday, Moscow claimed the destruction of a fourth US-supplied M1 Abrams tank in the area, though no footage to corroborate the kill has emerged.</p>\n    <figure>\n        <img src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/original/65f46f6785f5406c9324e638.jpg\" />\n            </figure>\n\n<p>On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the liberation of Nevelskoe, a small settlement located some 20 kilometers west of Donetsk. It sits around 3.5 kilometers south of the village of Pervomayskoye, an important stronghold for Ukrainian forces, which provides cover for the southern flank of the Orlovka-Tonenkoye-Berdychi line. Pervomayskoye, stretching along a system of ponds, canals and dams, has seen active combat for weeks already, with Russian forces reported to partially control its eastern outskirts.</p>\n<p><strong>Multiple incursions into Russia&rsquo;s border regions thwarted</strong></p>\n<p>Starting from Tuesday, Ukrainian forces staged attempts to breach the Russian border, attacking multiple locations along its frontier with Russia&rsquo;s Kursk and Belgorod regions.</p>\n<p>These attacks have been attributed by Kiev to the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and to the Russian Freedom Legion, paramilitary units created early in the conflict and attached to the country&rsquo;s military intelligence agency, the GUR. The units, which portray themselves as collaborator forces composed of Russian defectors, as well as fugitive neo-Nazis, are designated by Moscow as terrorist organizations.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>\u2018Neo-Nazi Kiev regime\u2019 tried to disrupt Russian elections \u2013 Putin\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The Russian military has released multiple videos showing unsuccessful Ukrainian attempts to breach through the border. A drone video captured on Tuesday at a Russian border checkpoint near the village of Nehkoteevka, Belgorod Region, shows a Ukrainian T-64 tank hitting a landmine, with its crew abandoning the vehicle. The tank was subsequently destroyed by a drone, which dropped a hand grenade into its hatch.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p>Another video shows multiple damaged and destroyed Ukrainian armored engineering vehicles, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles near the border village of Sporadyushino, also in Belgorod Region. One of the abandoned tanks appears to be a modernized T-80, which had apparently been previously captured by Ukraine from Russian forces.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p>Disturbing drone footage from the same location, released by the Russian military on Thursday, shows the battlefield littered with dead and wounded Ukrainian troops. The unit was reportedly hit by a Russian TOS system. While officially designated as a <em>&ldquo;heavy flamethrower&rdquo;</em> in Russia, the system is effectively a multiple rocket launcher, which uses devastating thermobaric munitions.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p>On Thursday, the Ukrainian forces attempted a helicopter assault near the village of Kozinki in Belgorod Region. A group of some 30 soldiers disembarked from two Mi8 helicopters, which flew across the border at a low altitude, the Russian military has said. The unit, however, ended up blocked by Russian troops and forced back into Ukrainian territory, ending up trapped in a minefield. An evacuation group which attempted to help it ended up sustaining heavy casualties as well, with the tally of the botched operation reaching up to 50 service personnel.</p>\n<p>Thus far, the attacks failed to yield any tangible result, with the Ukrainian forces sustaining heavy casualties in the effort. According to the latest estimates by the Russian Defense Ministry, Kiev lost some 1,500 troops, including up to 500 killed, as well as 18 tanks and 23 other armored vehicles during the border-region attacks.</p>\n<p><strong>Ukraine ramps up kamikaze drone attacks</strong></p>\n<p>The effort to breach through the Russian border have been preceded and coupled with a sharp uptick in suicide-drone attacks launched by Ukrainian troops. Multiple attacks were reported by the Russian military on a daily basis, with a majority of drones ending up shot down and failing to reach their designated targets.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/593986-dronw-attack-intercepted-over-russia/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Mass drone swarm intercepted over Russia \u2013 MOD\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>A major drone swarm of at least 47 fixed-wing UAVs was intercepted on Saturday night, with the majority of them &ndash;41 aircraft&ndash; shot down over Rostov Region. The drones&rsquo; primary target was reportedly the city of Taganrog, with a local aircraft plant, known to be servicing Russian flying radar planes, presumed to have been the prime target. A handful of drones &ndash; or debris of the shot-down ones &ndash; seemingly made it through, inflicting minor damage to the plant&rsquo;s structures, satellite imagery circulating online suggests.</p>\n    <figure>\n        <img src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/original/65f46fc085f5406c861632b7.png\" />\n            </figure>\n\n<p>Two other major drone attacks were repelled on Tuesday and Wednesday, with more than 25 and 58 UAVs shot down over the two days respectively. Some of the drones made it deep into Russia, with several downed near Moscow and St Petersburg. The two waves of UAVs appeared to be targeting primarily oil refineries and fuel depots, with the local authorities of Orel and Nizhny Novgorod regions each reporting fires at a single such facility.</p>\n<p><strong>Moscow increases long-range strikes</strong></p>\n<p>The Russian military has apparently ramped up long-range attacks on the Ukrainian deep rear, striking multiple staging points far away from the frontline. On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed destruction of an S-300 air defense system deployed near the Ukrainian-controlled town of Pokrovsk, in the Donetsk People&rsquo;s Republic (DPR).</p>\n<p>The town is located some 67 kilometers north-west of the Russian region&rsquo;s capital, Donetsk. The system was hit by at least one Iskander ballistic missile, which triggered secondary detonation of anti-aircraft missiles, with multiple launchers and support vehicles neutralized.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p>While the Russian military identified the system as a Soviet-made S-300, multiple Ukrainian sources and independent military observers suggested the destroyed vehicles actually belonged to a US-made Patriot system. Footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry appears to corroborate this theory, with two of the destroyed vehicles resembling German-made MAN KAT1 8x8 trucks, commonly used as a platform for Patriot launchers. The Russian military claimed to have struck another Patriot launcher, in Ukraine&rsquo;s Kharkov region on Wednesday.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594216-ukrainian-military-helicopters-destroyed/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>WATCH Russian military destroy Ukrainian helicopters (VIDEO)\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The Russian military reported another long-range attack on that day, releasing drone footage of a strike on a temporary airfield located near the DPR village of Novopavlovka, some 46 kilometers from the front line. Three Ukrainian Mi-8/17 military-transport helicopters were detected during a re-supply stop, with the location getting hit by an unspecified cluster munition.</p>\n\n    \n\n\n<p>The attack left two of the helicopters damaged and unable to fly, with the aircraft subsequently destroyed by direct hits of unknown high-precision projectiles. While the surviving helicopter appeared to be an older Soviet-made Mi-8MT aircraft, at least one of the destroyed ones was apparently a Russian-made Mi-17V-5, supplied by Moscow to the now-defunct US-propped Afghan army in the early 2010s. A number of the surviving aircraft of the type ended up transferred to Ukraine by the Pentagon mid-2022.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 11:16:13 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 11, 16, 13, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Two killed in Ukrainian shelling of Russian regional capital (VIDEOS)", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Two killed in Ukrainian shelling of Russian regional capital (VIDEOS)"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594350-ukraine-shelling-belgorod-drone/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f56e082030272e9c5ea932.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594350-ukraine-shelling-belgorod-drone/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594350-ukraine-shelling-belgorod-drone/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f56e082030272e9c5ea932.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ukraine used the Czech-supplied Vampire system in a deadly shelling of the Russian city of Belgorod, the local governor has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594350-ukraine-shelling-belgorod-drone/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f56e082030272e9c5ea932.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Ukraine used the Czech-supplied Vampire system in a deadly shelling of the Russian city of Belgorod, the local governor has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594350-ukraine-shelling-belgorod-drone/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Belgorod was targeted with a Czech-supplied Vampire multiple rocket launcher, Vyacheslav Gladkov has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Two people have been killed and several others wounded in a shelling of the Russian city of Belgorod by Ukrainian forces, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has said.</p>\n<p>The capital of Belgorod Region was targeted with an RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket launch system, supplied to Kiev by the Czech Republic, Gladkov wrote on Telegram on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>At least eight rockets heading towards the city &ndash; home to 334,000 people &ndash; were intercepted by air defenses, the governor said, but some projectiles made it through.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Sadly, two people were killed: a man and a woman,&rdquo;</em> the governor wrote. The male victim was a truck driver. After his vehicle was hit by a rocket, it crashed into a bus, Gladkov said, adding that none of the passengers were hurt.</p>\n<p>Elsewhere in the city, a woman was killed by an explosion, while her son suffered severe injuries. Medics are currently fighting for his life, according to the governor. Two other people suffered head injuries, he added.</p>\n\n            \n    \n\n<p>Windows were smashed in seven apartment blocks, while at least 15 vehicles were damaged in the shelling, Gladkov reported.</p>\n\n            \n    \n\n<p>Several homes were also damaged in the villages of Dubovoye, Severny and Razumnoye elsewhere in the Belgorod Region, he said.</p>\n\n            \n    \n\n<p>Also on Saturday, a drone strike caused a major blaze at an oil refinery in the city of Syzran in Russia&rsquo;s Samara Region, local governor Dmitry Azarov has confirmed, writing on Telegram. According to Azarov, another UAV attempted to strike an oil refinery in the nearby city of Novokuibyshevsk, but the attack was unsuccessful.</p>\n\n            \n    \n\n<p>On Friday, one person was killed and several others wounded in a shelling of Belgorod as the Ukrainian military intensified their attacks on Russian border regions in the run-up to the presidential election, running from Friday until Sunday.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594302-belgorod-ukrainian-shelling-casualties/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Ukraine shells major Russian city in border region (IMAGES)\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Besides shelling and drone strikes, Kiev&rsquo;s forces have attempted several incursions into Belgorod and Kursk Regions this week. According to Russia&rsquo;s Defense Ministry, the attacks were repelled, with Ukraine suffering over 1,500 casualties and losing dozens of pieces of equipment, including a number of tanks and APCs.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 10:23:31 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 10, 23, 31, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Ukraine outcome will weaken US \u2013 Moscow", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Ukraine outcome will weaken US \u2013 Moscow"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594347-russian-ambassador-antonov-us-weakening-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f54f9085f5406c861632ff.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594347-russian-ambassador-antonov-us-weakening-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594347-russian-ambassador-antonov-us-weakening-ukraine/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f54f9085f5406c861632ff.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian envoy in Washington DC, Anatoly Antonov, has said Russia\u2019s success in Ukraine would progressively weaken the US <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594347-russian-ambassador-antonov-us-weakening-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f54f9085f5406c861632ff.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Russian envoy in Washington DC, Anatoly Antonov, has said Russia\u2019s success in Ukraine would progressively weaken the US <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594347-russian-ambassador-antonov-us-weakening-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, claims Washington\u2019s power\n will progressively wane as Moscow advances in Ukraine</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Success for Russia in the Ukraine conflict would progressively weaken the US, Moscow&rsquo;s ambassador in Washington DC has argued. Anatoly Antonov also accused the US and UK of preventing a peaceful resolution of the conflict during its early stages.</p>\n<p>In an interview with RIA Novosti news agency published on Saturday, Antonov accused the US of playing an <em>&ldquo;extremely negative&rdquo;</em> role in Ukraine, calling Washington a <em>&ldquo;sponsor of terrorism&rdquo;</em> and a <em>&ldquo;country that encourages murder and war.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>According to the envoy, Washington is <em>&ldquo;destroying the vestiges of </em>[its own]<em> former prestige.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The further we advance on the frontline, the more America will weaken and the rules-based world order will crumble,&rdquo;</em> the Russian diplomat added.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e72bec20302704d8069737.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593817-hungarian-pm-orban-western-hegemony-over/\">Western hegemony is over \u2013 EU state\u2019s leader</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The term &lsquo;rules-based world order &lsquo; has been widely used by the administration of US President Joe Biden to describe the arrangement in which leading Western powers have for decades had significant leverage over the rest of the world. Critics, including Russia, say the system contravenes international law and is being abused by the West.</p>\n<p>Antonov also dismissed Western claims that Moscow is unwilling to engage in dialogue on Ukraine. He argued that <em>&ldquo;everything could have been settled peacefully. However, this did not sit well with the leadership of NATO countries, first of all the US and the UK.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Moscow and Kiev held talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul in late March 2022, with the negotiations eventually collapsing. Several media outlets claimed that then- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson persuaded the Ukrainian leadership to withdraw and keep fighting. One of Ukraine&rsquo;s negotiators, David Arakhamia, confirmed the reports last November, but Johnson himself has staunchly denied derailing the peace process.</p>\n<p>Earlier this week, Antonov warned that further Western participation in the Ukraine conflict could lead to the <em>&ldquo;most unpredictable consequences.&rdquo;</em> The official also claimed that CIA Director William Burns had de facto acknowledged the <em>&ldquo;direct involvement of the United States&rdquo;</em> in the hostilities.</p>\n<p>Addressing the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Monday, Burns argued that additional funding for Ukraine would enable the country to conduct <em>&ldquo;deep penetration strikes in Crimea,&rdquo;</em> further target the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and eventually <em>&ldquo;regain the offensive initiative.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 08:47:55 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 8, 47, 55, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "African nation has $2bn debt canceled", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "African nation has $2bn debt canceled"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594315-somalia-dept-paris-club/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f442682030273f7714e906.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594315-somalia-dept-paris-club/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/africa/594315-somalia-dept-paris-club/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f442682030273f7714e906.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Paris Club has agreed to forgive 99% of Somalia\u2019s debt <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594315-somalia-dept-paris-club/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f442682030273f7714e906.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Paris Club has agreed to forgive 99% of Somalia\u2019s debt <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/594315-somalia-dept-paris-club/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The so-called Paris Club has agreed to write off sums owed by Somalia</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The Paris Club group of creditors, which includes Russia, the US, and a number of other leading global economies, has agreed to cancel $2 billion in debt owed by Somalia, it was announced on Wednesday. &nbsp;</p>\n<p>The group will write off 99% of the money owed by the African country after it concluded a debt forgiveness program supervised by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The Paris Club of creditors is also comprised of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, the UK, Norway and Spain. &nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Achieving full debt relief will transform Somalia&rsquo;s future and allow our government to create fiscal space for basic public services,&rdquo;</em> Somali Finance Minister Bihi Egeh write on X (formerly Twitter).&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Somalia has pledged to reduce poverty through investments in healthcare, education, and basic infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The debt cancellation agreement is a <em>&ldquo;big milestone in the country&rsquo;s journey to financial recovery,&rdquo;</em> Information Minister Daud Aweis stated. &nbsp;</p>\n<p>In December, Somalia became eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC), meaning it qualified to receive up to $4.5 billion.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e5c9442030270c2e04c251.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/africa/593732-africa-russia-wheat-deliveries/\">The West warned of world hunger: Russia has met its promise of grain for Africa\u2019s most-vulnerable</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Most of Somalia&rsquo;s debt was amassed during the years of Siad Barre&rsquo;s military rule, which came to an end in 1991. Interest had since accrued on the loans issued during that period.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Somalia was thrown into civil war in 2009 after clashes between government forces assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops and al-Qaeda-aligned al-Shabaab militants.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>In 2022, Somali government forces, aided by airstrikes from the US and African Union troops, conducted major offensives against al-Shabaab, reclaiming significant areas previously held by the group. However, the conflict continues.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the <em>&ldquo;conflict and insecurity in Somalia have hampered development in recent years.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Millions of people are in a danger of severe malnutrition due to famine in the country and disease outbreaks like cholera and measles, according to WHO report.</p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Russia donated 50,000 tons of grain to Somalia last month under the humanitarian initiative, following the decision made by Russian President Vladimir Putin last year, during the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July 2023. 200,000 tons of free wheat were delivered to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Chad, and Eritrea.</p>\n<p>The Paris Club was established in 1956 and is currently a 22-member group of official creditors responsible for finding coordinated and sustainable solutions to payment difficulties experienced by debtor countries.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 08:40:17 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 8, 40, 17, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "95% of Western companies stayed in Russia \u2013 Austrian foreign minister", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "95% of Western companies stayed in Russia \u2013 Austrian foreign minister"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594348-austria-us-ukraine-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f55a552030272e8b5e7413.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594348-austria-us-ukraine-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594348-austria-us-ukraine-russia/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f55a552030272e8b5e7413.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The EU and US sanctions against Russia should be implemented without exceptions, Austria\u2019s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594348-austria-us-ukraine-russia/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f55a552030272e8b5e7413.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The EU and US sanctions against Russia should be implemented without exceptions, Austria\u2019s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594348-austria-us-ukraine-russia/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Sanctions against Moscow should be implemented in full, Alexander Schallenberg has said</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The majority of Western companies continue to operate in Russia despite many foreign businesses announcing their exit from the country in response to the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, Austria&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has said.</p>\n<p>Austrian firms are <em>&ldquo;heavily engaged&rdquo;</em> in both Russia and Ukraine, Schallenberg acknowledged during a joint press-conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Vienna on Friday. Austria is the sixth largest investor in the Ukrainian economy, he stressed. <br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;And yes, Austrian companies were also present in Russia and are partly still present, as about 95% of all Western companies,&rdquo;</em> the foreign minister claimed. Schallenberg insisted that international restrictions placed on Moscow over its military operation against Ukraine must <em>&ldquo;be respected fully&hellip; There cannot be any exceptions.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>He also accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of using gas and grain as <em>&ldquo;leverage&rdquo;</em> amid the standoff with the West. Austria will continue to reduce its reliance on gas supplied by Russia, with the goal of becoming <em>&ldquo;100% independent&rdquo;</em> by 2027, the minister vowed.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f1f6b185f5402ed04170c4.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594227-putin-danone-russia-nationalization/\">Putin calls off nationalization of Danone Russia</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>It&rsquo;s important for Vienna and Washington to <em>&ldquo;stand together side by side&rdquo;</em> in view of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Schallenberg said.</p>\n<p>Last week, Politico reported that Washington has been pressuring one of Austria&rsquo;s largest banks, Raiffeisen Bank International, to withdraw from Russia. According to the outlet, the US Treasury's Acting Assistant Secretary Anna Morris told Austrian officials and the company&rsquo;s representatives that the bank risks being shut out of the US financial system if it fails to comply with the demand.</p>\n<p>Raiffeisen said that it has reduced its operations in Russia significantly since February 2022, but it remains reluctant to withdraw from the country, as it generated almost half of its profits there last year.</p>\n<p>The Financial Times claimed in October that the Russian authorities have banned foreign companies from withdrawing their profits from the country in response to Western sanctions. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov didn&rsquo;t confirm the report directly at the time, but said that considering the <em>&ldquo;quasi-war&rdquo;</em> being waged by the US and EU against Russia, <em>&ldquo;a special regime&rdquo;</em> was in place for Western companies <em>&ldquo;that leave the country under pressure from their governments.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Apple, IKEA, Microsoft, IBM, Shell, McDonald's, Volkswagen, Porsche, Toyota and H&amp;M were among the first to quit Russia after the outbreak of the fighting between Moscow and Kiev in 2022, but many foreign businesses opted to stay, with some of them switching to Russian ownership or re-branding.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/593272-foreign-brands-close-stores-russia/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>LG, Sony, Bosch leaving Russia \u2013 media\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In February, Russia&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said about 20% of major European and US companies have left the Russian market, but the rest have kept their businesses in Russia and some are increasing their investments.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 08:39:47 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 8, 39, 47, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Election disruptors facing severe punishment \u2013 official", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Election disruptors facing severe punishment \u2013 official"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594340-election-day-protesters-face-severe-punishment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5409b2030272e8b5e73f6.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594340-election-day-protesters-face-severe-punishment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594340-election-day-protesters-face-severe-punishment/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5409b2030272e8b5e73f6.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A Russian electoral official urges law enforcement to toughen punishment for polling station disruptions <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594340-election-day-protesters-face-severe-punishment/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f5409b2030272e8b5e73f6.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A Russian electoral official urges law enforcement to toughen punishment for polling station disruptions <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594340-election-day-protesters-face-severe-punishment/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Several people have been arrested for vandalizing polling stations on the first day of voting for Russia\u2019s next president</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>An electoral official in Russia has branded a wave of vandalism at Russian polling stations as terrorism, and called on law enforcement to severely punish such acts.</p>\n<p>Several incidents were reported on Friday &ndash; day one of Russia&rsquo;s three-day nationwide presidential vote &ndash; in which people poured green dye into ballot boxes, or committed arson. The offenders have been detained and face up to five years in prison.</p>\n<p>Maxim Grigoriev, co-chair of the Coordination Council for Public Control over Voting, said such acts are aimed at intimidating Russian voters. <em>&ldquo;This is not just an attempt to obstruct the elections, but an act of terrorism. I urge law enforcement agencies to approach this with the appropriate article of the criminal code, since people could have been injured as a result of these actions.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>However, he said the damage caused by such disruptors has been minimal. <em>&ldquo;Of course, some ballots will be spoiled, but this will not affect the course and results of the elections in any way,&rdquo;</em> Grigoriev said during a briefing at the Public Chamber election observation center.</p>\n<p>On Friday a young woman was detained and is facing criminal charges for obstructing the voting process in Moscow after she poured what appeared to be green dye into a ballot box. In a surveillance video, the woman could also be seen communicating with someone over the phone. Eyewitnesses have reportedly told the media that the perpetrator&rsquo;s actions were being <em>&ldquo;coordinated&rdquo;</em> by someone. Voters staged similar provocations in the Voronezh, Rostov and Karachay-Cherkessia regions.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f435b285f5406c9324e605.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594311-moscow-woman-ballot-liquid/\">Woman tries to destroy votes in Moscow (VIDEO)</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Another woman was arrested after setting fire to a voting booth in St. Petersburg. She threw a Molotov cocktail at the signboard inside the polling station, according to RIA Novosti. Russia&rsquo;s Central Election Commission (CEC) has demanded tougher security in light of the incidents.</p>\n<p>Ella Pamfilova, chair of Russia&rsquo;s Central Election Committee, said that several of those who poured liquid into ballot boxes were paid to do so. Some of the detainees reportedly claimed to have been duped into carrying out attacks by scammers, who said their bank accounts had fallen into the hands of fraudsters and that they were forced to commit the provocations in order to get their money back.</p>\n<p>The casting of ballots will run through Sunday. President Vladimir Putin, who is seeking a fifth term in office, is being opposed by three candidates: Nikolay Kharitonov from the Communist Party, Vladislav Davankov of the New People party, and Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democrats.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 06:55:55 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 6, 55, 55, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Germany backs French push to arm Ukraine with long-range weapons", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Germany backs French push to arm Ukraine with long-range weapons"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594339-scholz-ukraine-long-range-coalition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4fc4285f540791c736329.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594339-scholz-ukraine-long-range-coalition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594339-scholz-ukraine-long-range-coalition/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4fc4285f540791c736329.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> European countries will create a \u201ccapability coalition\u201d to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons, the German chancellor has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594339-scholz-ukraine-long-range-coalition/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4fc4285f540791c736329.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> European countries will create a \u201ccapability coalition\u201d to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons, the German chancellor has said <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594339-scholz-ukraine-long-range-coalition/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Berlin has so far refused to provide Kiev with Taurus cruise missiles</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>European countries intend to create yet another&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;capability coalition&rdquo;</em> to supply Ukrainian forces with long-range weapons, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday, echoing an initiative floated by French President Emmanuel Macron.</p>\n<p>During a joint press conference with Macron and Polish&nbsp;Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin on Friday, the German chancellor stated that the countries have agreed to expand their own production of military equipment and <em>&ldquo;procure even more weapons for Ukraine, on the overall world market.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We are establishing a new capability coalition for long-range rocket artillery,&rdquo;</em> Scholz told journalists.&nbsp;The German leader provided no specifics and took no questions, so it remains unclear whether he meant something new, or was referring to a <em>&ldquo;long-range&rdquo;</em> initiative announced by Macron last month.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz talks to French President Emmanuel Macron at a press conference in Berlin, March 15, 2024\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4bd5b2030272d6d5c14a5.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594336-no-war-with-russia/\">\u2018We\u2019re not at war with Russia,\u2019 Scholz tells Macron</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Following a summit of Ukraine&rsquo;s backers in Paris, Macron <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593253-france-macron-coalition-long-range-weapons-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">said</a>&nbsp;that France would lead a new coalition that aims to provide&nbsp;Kiev with <em>&ldquo;medium and long-range missiles and bombs.&rdquo;</em> Much like many previous Western <em>&ldquo;capability coalitions&rdquo;</em> focused on <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/592486-uk-drone-coalition-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">drones</a>, <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/590927-ukraine-ammunition-umerov-france/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">artillery</a>, air defenses and others, the new group&nbsp;seeks to unite those who want to boost Ukraine&rsquo;s specific ability to <em>&ldquo;carry out <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593253-france-macron-coalition-long-range-weapons-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">deep strikes</a>,&rdquo;</em> the French leader said at the time.</p>\n<p>It remains unclear what new types of weapons Kiev&rsquo;s foreign sponsors could supply, as the UK and France have already been providing their Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG long-range cruise missiles since last year, with Macron pledging another 40 missiles in January. The US also sent some of its <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/591572-new-us-bomb-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">ATACMS</a> missiles, but Kiev has already depleted the limited supply, and has repeatedly called for additional weapons amid the suspension of American aid.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO: British Foreign Secretary David Cameron meets German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Berlin, Germany, on March 7, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65ec8b05203027192b33d95c.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594002-london-solution-taurus-kiev-cameron/\">UK pressures Germany on long-range missiles for Ukraine</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Scholz has so far refused to send German-made Taurus missiles to Ukraine in order to avoid the risk of a direct conflict with Russia, resisting pressure from foreign partners and some politicians at home.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>On Wednesday, Scholz again <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594212-scholz-germany-taurus-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">insisted</a> that the delivery of Taurus missiles was <em>&ldquo;a line that I don&rsquo;t want to cross as chancellor.&rdquo;</em> He explained that such a shipment would inevitably require the presence of German military personnel on Ukrainian soil &ndash; a development that is <em>&ldquo;out of the question.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 02:04:38 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 2, 4, 38, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "New NATO member supports French position on troops in Ukraine", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "New NATO member supports French position on troops in Ukraine"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594338-finland-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4e3b42030272d6d5c14af.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594338-finland-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594338-finland-ukraine-nato-troops/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4e3b42030272d6d5c14af.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Finnish foreign minister has agreed with Paris that all options must remain on the table to support Kiev\u2019s war effort against Moscow <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594338-finland-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4e3b42030272d6d5c14af.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Finnish foreign minister has agreed with Paris that all options must remain on the table to support Kiev\u2019s war effort against Moscow <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594338-finland-ukraine-nato-troops/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Finland\u2019s foreign minister has argued that nobody knows how \u201cserious\u201d the conflict could become</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Finland agrees with France that all options must remain on the table to support Kiev's war effort against Moscow &ndash; but at this stage Helsinki is not willing to send its own troops to Ukraine or even discuss such a possibility, according to Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.</p>\n<p>French President Emmanuel Macron provoked a backlash in February when he suggested that the US-led military bloc <em>&ldquo;cannot exclude&rdquo;</em> the possibility of sending NATO soldiers to help Ukraine. Several member states, including Finland&rsquo;s then-president, quickly repudiated Macron&rsquo;s remarks &ndash; asserting that they would not put boots on the ground in Ukraine.</p>\n<p>However, the Finnish foreign minister argued that all options should be considered if the situation deteriorates for Ukraine, Politico&rsquo;s National Security Daily newsletter reported on Friday.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594326-macron-ukraine-troops-war/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Western troops in Ukraine: How a big lie could lead to the biggest war\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s important that we not rule everything out for the long term, because we never know how serious the situation becomes,&rdquo;</em> Valtonen said.</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><em>But the Finnish position is clear: We are not right now sending any troops and not willing to discuss that.</em></strong></p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>In the meantime, Western backers&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;could do so much more&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;to arm Kiev, Valtonen argued. She criticized Washington for dragging its feet on new aid, saying its reputation was at stake.</p>\n<p>Finland, which joined NATO last April, has been spending more than the alliance's target of 2% of GDP on its military &ndash; and more than 0.6% of GDP on Ukraine.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Alexander Stubb speaks to the media during a presidential election event in Helsinki, Finland, February 11, 2024\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e391fb20302768e0471b0a.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593639-finland-nuclear-deterrent-president/\">Finland\u2019s new president hails American nuclear weapons</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Finland shares a 1,300 kilometer border with Russia, and Moscow has argued that NATO membership has threatened, not guaranteed, Finnish security. After Finland joined the bloc last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the creation of a new military district bordering the Nordic nation. <em>&ldquo;There was no trouble&rdquo;</em> before Finland joined the bloc, he said in December, adding: <em>&ldquo;now there will be.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Finland&rsquo;s newly elected president Alexander Stubb promised at his inauguration to lead the Nordic nation into a <em>&ldquo;new era&rdquo;</em> of military partnership with the West, boasting that NATO membership gives his country a <em>&ldquo;real nuclear deterrent&rdquo;</em> in the form of American missiles.</p>"}], "published": "Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:13:41 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 16, 0, 13, 41, 5, 76, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Pentagon wants $6.5 billion to replenish stocks depleted by aid to Ukraine \u2013 Bloomberg", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Pentagon wants $6.5 billion to replenish stocks depleted by aid to Ukraine \u2013 Bloomberg"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594337-pentagon-replenishment-list-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4cb4485f540791c73631c.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594337-pentagon-replenishment-list-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594337-pentagon-replenishment-list-ukraine/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4cb4485f540791c73631c.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US Defense Department wants Congress to allocate at least $6.5 billion to replenish its depleted stocks of weaponry <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594337-pentagon-replenishment-list-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4cb4485f540791c73631c.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The US Defense Department wants Congress to allocate at least $6.5 billion to replenish its depleted stocks of weaponry <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594337-pentagon-replenishment-list-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>By providing military aid to Kiev, the US has strained its own arsenals; the Congressionally approved money pot has run dry</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The US Defense Department&nbsp;has asked the nation's&nbsp; Congress to allocate at least $6.5 billion to replenish its stocks, which have been depleted after two years of constant weapon deliveries to Ukraine, according to a document seen by Bloomberg.</p>\n<p>The Pentagon alerted Congress&nbsp;that&nbsp;spending on replenishment was a high priority in the proposals it submitted last month, the outlet <a href=\"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-14/pentagon-lists-priorities-to-arm-ukraine-replenish-stockpile\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">reported</a> on Thursday.</p>\n<p>The shopping list reportedly includes a wide range of weapons, ammunition and critical components for the production of 155mm shells, HARM anti-radar missiles, Patriot interceptors, GMLRS rockets and anti-tank TOWs.</p>\n<p>While the Pentagon estimated the price of its immediate replenishment needs at $6.5 billion, multiple US media reports suggested earlier this week that the total deficit could be at least <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594146-pentagon-budget-hole-ukraine/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">$10 billion</a>. Unless the shortfall is compensated, the <em>&ldquo;ongoing hole&rdquo;</em> will put a strain on the US military, one source told Politico.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594176-pentagon-ukraine-drawdown-weapons/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Ukraine\u2019s ammo shortage hurting US strategy \u2013 White House\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Washington had provided more than $75 billion in cash and equipment for Ukraine&rsquo;s war effort by the end of last year, far surpassing other Western donors, but the deliveries stopped after the Congressionally approved money pot ran dry.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f1619085f5406eb07bdcfc.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594186-us-crimea-direct-participation/\">Russia accuses US of \u2018direct involvement\u2019 in Ukraine conflict</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The White House has requested over $60 billion in supplemental Ukraine assistance, but the Republican-controlled House has stonewalled repeated calls by US President Joe Biden to release the money. Biden has blamed US lawmakers for Kiev&rsquo;s recent battlefield losses, including last month&rsquo;s fall of Avdeevka to Russian forces.</p>\n<p>Despite running out of money, the White House has found enough <em>&ldquo;unanticipated savings&rdquo;</em> at the Pentagon to announce a new aid package valued at up to $300 million this week. The Pentagon still has the authority to send some $4 billion worth of aid to Ukraine, but Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has so far been reluctant to tap into that fund, with no assurances the money will be replaced by US lawmakers.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 22:28:19 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 22, 28, 19, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Macron wants Crimea seized from Russia", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Macron wants Crimea seized from Russia"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594334-macron-crimea-russia-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4c0992030272cd1049df2.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594334-macron-crimea-russia-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594334-macron-crimea-russia-ukraine/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4c0992030272cd1049df2.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> French President Emmanuel Macron has backed the idea that Ukraine must regain all the territories it once controlled <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594334-macron-crimea-russia-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4c0992030272cd1049df2.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> French President Emmanuel Macron has backed the idea that Ukraine must regain all the territories it once controlled <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594334-macron-crimea-russia-ukraine/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>No \u2018lasting peace\u2019 is possible without Ukraine gaining control of the Russian peninsula, the French president has claimed</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Ukraine must regain control over all the territories it once held, including Russia&rsquo;s Crimean Peninsula, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. Otherwise, no <em>&ldquo;lasting peace&rdquo;</em> will be possible, he claimed.</p>\n<p>The president made the remarks on Thursday in an interview with broadcasters TF2 and France 2, bluntly describing Russia as France&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;adversary.&rdquo;</em> At the same time, he insisted that Paris has not been <em>&ldquo;waging war on Russia&rdquo;</em> but merely <em>&ldquo;supporting&rdquo;</em> Kiev in the conflict.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Certainly, today, Russia is an adversary. The Kremlin regime is an adversary,&rdquo;</em> Macron stated. <em>&ldquo;We are doing everything so that it can put Russia in check because, I will tell you very simply, there is no lasting peace if there is no sovereignty, a return to the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine, including Crimea.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The latest remarks by the French president got a cold reception in Russia, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that Macron apparently <em>&ldquo;won&rsquo;t mind increasing the degree of his involvement&rdquo;</em> in Russia-Ukraine hostilities.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Yes, it&rsquo;s obvious that Russia is an adversary of France because France is already involved in the war in Ukraine; it is indirectly taking part in this war,&rdquo;</em> Peskov told reporters.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz talks to French President Emmanuel Macron at a press conference in Berlin, March 15, 2024\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4bd5b2030272d6d5c14a5.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594336-no-war-with-russia/\">\u2018We\u2019re not at war with Russia,\u2019 Scholz tells Macron</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The French president has produced increasingly belligerent statements lately, standing by the remarks he made late in February, that a potential deployment of NATO troops into Ukraine cannot be <em>&ldquo;excluded.&rdquo;</em> The remarks prompted a wave of denial from fellow members of the US-led bloc. In this latest interview, Macron refused to elaborate on the matter, claiming he wanted to maintain <em>&ldquo;strategic ambiguity&rdquo;</em> and that he has <em>&ldquo;reasons not to be precise.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Macron&rsquo;s remarks echo the position repeatedly voiced by the top Ukrainian leadership, which proclaimed the goal of seizing from Russia all the territories that ended up being held by Kiev following the collapse of the Soviet Union.</p>\n<p>Crimea broke away from Ukraine in the aftermath of the 2014 Maidan coup in Kiev, promptly rejoining Russia after a peninsula-wide referendum. The Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics emerged this year as well, with the botched attempt of Kiev&rsquo;s new authorities to suppress them by force resulting in years-long conflict in then-Ukrainian Donbass.</p>\n<p>The two republics, as well as the formerly Ukrainian Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, were incorporated into Russia in late 2022 after the idea was overwhelmingly backed by locals in referendums separately held in each territory. Moscow has repeatedly signaled that its sovereignty over Crimea and any other Russian territories is not a subject to negotiation with anyone.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 21:48:37 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 21, 48, 37, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "\u2018We\u2019re not at war with Russia,\u2019 Scholz tells Macron", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "\u2018We\u2019re not at war with Russia,\u2019 Scholz tells Macron"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594336-no-war-with-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4bd5b2030272d6d5c14a5.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594336-no-war-with-russia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594336-no-war-with-russia/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4bd5b2030272d6d5c14a5.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Germany, France and Poland have made a show of solidarity in support of Ukraine after rift over military aid and troop deployment <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594336-no-war-with-russia/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4bd5b2030272d6d5c14a5.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Germany, France and Poland have made a show of solidarity in support of Ukraine after rift over military aid and troop deployment <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594336-no-war-with-russia/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Germany, France and Poland affirmed unity on Ukraine after a rift over ground troops and long-range missile supply</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that countries that support Ukraine are not at war with Russia. The statement came as the leaders of Germany, France and Poland met in Berlin on Friday to show solidarity after their recent disagreement over military support for Kiev.</p>\n<p>During a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the chancellor stated that the countries stand firmly behind Ukraine and that allied help would continue for <em>&ldquo;as long as it takes.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;It is also clear that we are not at war with Russia,&rdquo;</em> Scholz added.</p>\n<p>The statement follows simmering disagreements between Paris and Berlin over possible supply of long-range missiles and deployment of troops on the ground in Ukraine.</p>\n<p>Scholz has thus far refused to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine in order to avoid further escalating a conflict with Russia. France, on the other hand, has been delivering SCALP-EG cruise missiles, which are already being used by Ukraine and are roughly equivalent to the Taurus.</p>\n<p>Macron&rsquo;s recent suggestion that the West <em>&ldquo;cannot exclude&rdquo;</em> the possibility of sending soldiers to aid Ukraine in its conflict with Russia has also drawn criticism from Germany and other NATO states.</p>\n<p>The chancellor and the French president came together before the three-way talks on Friday to clear the air, after weeks in which the two very publicly disagreed over their Ukraine strategy.</p>\n<p>Simmering disagreements between the two threatened to undermine cooperation between the allies.</p>\n<p>Germany, France and Poland are among Ukraine&rsquo;s key allies. Germany has become Ukraine&rsquo;s second-biggest supplier of military aid after the US and is stepping up support this year.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 21:26:12 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 21, 26, 12, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Trump ordered CIA operation against China \u2013 report", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Trump ordered CIA operation against China \u2013 report"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594335-trump-cia-china-influence-campaign/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4b23d2030272d6d5c149a.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594335-trump-cia-china-influence-campaign/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594335-trump-cia-china-influence-campaign/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4b23d2030272d6d5c149a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Trump-directed influence campaign aimed to spread \u201cnegative narratives\u201d and to foster \u201cparanoia\u201d among Beijing\u2019s leaders, Reuters reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594335-trump-cia-china-influence-campaign/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4b23d2030272d6d5c149a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Trump-directed influence campaign aimed to spread \u201cnegative narratives\u201d and to foster \u201cparanoia\u201d among Beijing\u2019s leaders, Reuters reported <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594335-trump-cia-china-influence-campaign/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The social media influencing campaign was intended to foster \u2018paranoia\u2019 among top leaders in Beijing, Reuters reported</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Former US President Donald Trump authorized a secret CIA influence campaign aimed at smearing the Chinese government and turning public opinion against its leaders, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing ex-officials with knowledge of the operation.</p>\n<p>According to the report, the CIA formed a team of operatives in 2019 who used fake internet identities to spread <em>&ldquo;negative narratives&rdquo;</em> about President Xi Jinping&rsquo;s government and leak <em>&ldquo;disparaging intelligence&rdquo;</em> to foreign news outlets.</p>\n<p>Among the narratives spread by the CIA on Chinese social media platforms were allegations that members of the ruling Communist Party were hiding money overseas. The Belt and Road Initiative, China&rsquo;s global infrastructure development strategy, was also framed as <em>&ldquo;corrupt and wasteful.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The US officials who spoke to Reuters said the effort by the Trump administration was intended to <em>&ldquo;foment paranoia among top leaders&rdquo;</em> and force the government in Beijing to expend resources chasing up intrusions into its internet space.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;We wanted them chasing ghosts,&rdquo;</em> one former official said. The sources described the operation as an American response to <em>&ldquo;years of aggressive covert efforts by China aimed at increasing its global influence.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65ef7d842030275e6e0a089f.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594108-trump-explains-tiktok-backtrack/\">Trump comments on why he didn\u2019t ban TikTok</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>A CIA spokesperson contacted by Reuters declined to comment on the existence of the program.</p>\n<p>A spokesperson for China&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the outlet that the revelation proved that Washington uses public platforms <em>&ldquo;as weapons to spread false information and manipulate international public opinion.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>During his time in office, Trump orchestrated a shift in US foreign policy from the Middle East to China, with the Pentagon branding China as Washington&rsquo;s top <em>&ldquo;strategic competitor&rdquo;</em> in its 2018 National Defense Strategy. Trump also waged a large-scale trade war against Beijing for much of his term.</p>\n<p>In 2020, the president also tried to block access to the Chinese-owned TikTok platform through an executive order, arguing that it was a threat to national security.</p>\n<p>Amid recently renewed efforts by Congress to ban the app, Trump, now the 2024 the Republican presidential frontrunner, told CNBC this week that he chose to back away from efforts to ban the platform due to its popularity among young Americans and concerns that it would strengthen rival social media giant Facebook, which he described as <em>&ldquo;an enemy of the people.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594314-mnuchin-tiktok-purchase-plans/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Ex-US Treasury Secretary reveals TikTok purchase plans\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to force the platform&rsquo;s Chinese owner ByteDance to sell the app within six months or face a US ban &ndash; and on Friday, former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was building an investor group to buy TikTok.</p>\n<p>Reuters said it was unable to determine what impact the secret CIA operation had in China or whether President Joe Biden&rsquo;s administration has maintained it.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:42:25 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 20, 42, 25, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Plane carrying British defense minister subjected to GPS jamming", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Plane carrying British defense minister subjected to GPS jamming"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594330-uk-defense-minister-gps/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4ae882030272ece7ba749.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594330-uk-defense-minister-gps/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594330-uk-defense-minister-gps/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4ae882030272ece7ba749.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A British government plane carrying Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has been subjected to GPS jamming off the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594330-uk-defense-minister-gps/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4ae882030272ece7ba749.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> A British government plane carrying Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has been subjected to GPS jamming off the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594330-uk-defense-minister-gps/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The incident occurred off the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, with media reports blaming the interference on Moscow</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The UK Ministry of Defence has publicly expressed concerns after a RAF plane with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was subjected to GPS jamming while flying near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. While London did not explicitly assign blame for the incident, British media reports are claiming Moscow was behind it.</p>\n<p>The incident was publicized by the ministry on Thursday, with a spokesperson revealing the electronic interference had occurred while Shapps was traveling back to the UK from Poland on Wednesday.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;The plane carrying the defence secretary and his delegation temporarily experienced GPS jamming when they flew close to Kaliningrad,&rdquo;</em> the spokesperson said.</p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t threaten the safety of the aircraft and it is not unusual for aircraft to experience GPS jamming near Kaliningrad, which is, of course, Russian territory,&rdquo;</em> the official added.</p>\n<p>While the ministry did not overtly attach any blame for the incident on Russia, government sources told the British media that this was likely the case. No actual evidence to back up such allegations, however, has been presented.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"HMS Vanguard sits in dock at Faslane Submarine base on the river Clyde December 4, 2006 in Helensburgh, Scotland\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.02/thumbnail/65d60e632030270e343d343b.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/592868-uk-trident-test-failure/\">British nuclear submarine test fails</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;While the RAF are well prepared to deal with this, it still puts an unnecessary risk on civilian aircraft and could potentially endanger people&rsquo;s lives. There is no excuse for this, and it&rsquo;s wildly irresponsible on Russia&rsquo;s part,&rdquo;</em> an unnamed defense source told The Times.</p>\n<p>Over the past few weeks, GPS connectivity issues have been repeatedly been reported in the vicinity of Kaliningrad, including in Poland as well as in the wider Baltic region, with the issue reaching southern Swedish and northeastern German regions.</p>\n<p>While multiple media reports attributed the interference to Russian electronic warfare jammers allegedly getting activated in Kaliningrad, the troubles also correspond with the ongoing military maneuvers of the US-led NATO bloc in the area, said to be the largest exercise staged since the end of the Cold War era. Neither of the suspected parties who might have been causing the GPS interference has provided any public comment on the matter.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:26:43 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 20, 26, 43, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "New Russian regions collected billions in taxes last year \u2013 data", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "New Russian regions collected billions in taxes last year \u2013 data"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594331-russia-new-regions-taxes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4a3f92030272ceb01cbfb.png", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594331-russia-new-regions-taxes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594331-russia-new-regions-taxes/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4a3f92030272ceb01cbfb.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Tax revenues in new Russian regions Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye are reportedly continuing to grow in 2024 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594331-russia-new-regions-taxes/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4a3f92030272ceb01cbfb.png\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Tax revenues in new Russian regions Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye are reportedly continuing to grow in 2024 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594331-russia-new-regions-taxes/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye have been seeing a big surge in tax revenues, according to the fiscal authorities</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Tax revenues in Russia&rsquo;s four new regions have continued to grow, with a total of 210 billion rubles ($2.27 billion) raised in 2023 in the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People&rsquo;s Republics, as well as in Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, according to the Federal Tax Service (FTS).</p>\n<p>Konstantin Chekmyshev, Deputy Head of the FTS, told an extended meeting of the Accounts Chamber board this week that tax collection in the DPR and LPR had jumped by 34% compared to 2022, while the tax burden decreased.</p>\n<p>The dynamics of tax revenues at the beginning of 2024 also remain positive, according to the FTS, having doubled in January and February in annual terms. Chekmyshev indicated that the tax service is focused on simplifying the legal procedures for businesses entering the new regions.</p>\n<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law last year on the creation of a free economic zone for the new regions, with preferential treatment for investors, as well as tax and non-tax incentives guaranteed within its framework. These are similar to the incentives provided in the free economic zones of Crimea and Sevastopol.</p>\n<p>Data shows that 155,000 entrepreneurs are registered in the new Russian regions at the moment, of which 99,000 are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to Chekmyshev, the number of SMEs continues to grow, especially in Zaporozhye and Kherson, as well as in the LPR and DPR.</p>\n\n             \n    <p>\n        <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/587715-russia-tax-revenues-surge/\" target=\"_blank\">\n            <span>READ MORE: </span>Russia reports big surge in tax revenues\n        </a>\n    </p>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>In September 2022, the Donetsk and Lugansk People&rsquo;s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, voted to join Russia in a referendum that Ukraine and its Western backers denounced as illegitimate.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 19:53:06 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 19, 53, 6, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Western troops in Ukraine: How a big lie could lead to the biggest war", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Western troops in Ukraine: How a big lie could lead to the biggest war"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594326-macron-ukraine-troops-war/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4938985f5406c38750b3a.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594326-macron-ukraine-troops-war/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594326-macron-ukraine-troops-war/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4938985f5406c38750b3a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Macron\u2019s latest sallies and the spat they\u2019ve caused show that Western Europe must finally be honest about the causes of the Ukraine conflict <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594326-macron-ukraine-troops-war/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4938985f5406c38750b3a.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Macron\u2019s latest sallies and the spat they\u2019ve caused show that Western Europe must finally be honest about the causes of the Ukraine conflict <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594326-macron-ukraine-troops-war/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Macron\u2019s latest sallies and the spat they\u2019ve caused show that Western Europe must finally be honest about the causes of the Ukraine conflict</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The current situation in the conflict between Ukraine &ndash; serving (while being demolished) as a proxy for the West &ndash; and Russia, can be sketched in three broad strokes.</p>\n<p>First, Russia now clearly has the upper hand on the battlefield and could potentially accelerate its recent advances to achieve an overall military victory soon. The West is being compelled to recognize this fact: as <a href=\"https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/time-running-out-ukraine?check_logged_in=1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Foreign Affairs</a>&nbsp;put it, in an article titled <em>&ldquo;Time is Running Out in Ukraine,&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;Kiev and its Western supporters <em>&ldquo;are at a critical decision point and face a fundamental question: How can further Russian advances&hellip; be stopped, and then reversed?&rdquo;</em> Just disregard the bit of wishful thinking thrown in at the end to sweeten the bitter pill of reality. The key point is the acknowledgment that it is crunch time for the West and Ukraine &ndash; in a bad way.</p>\n<p>Second, notwithstanding the above, Ukraine is not yet ready to ask for negotiations to end the war on terms acceptable to Russia, which&nbsp;would&nbsp;be less than easy for Kiev. (Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, reiterated in an important recent interview that Moscow remains principally open to talks, not on the basis of <a href=\"https://russian.rt.com/russia/article/1284963-putin-intervyu-kiselyov\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>&ldquo;wishful thinking&rdquo;</em> but, instead, proceeding from the realities <em>&ldquo;on the ground.&rdquo;</em></a>)</p>\n<p>The Kiev regime&rsquo;s inflexibility is little wonder. Since he jettisoned a virtually complete &ndash; and favorable &ndash; peace deal in the spring of 2022, President Vladimir Zelensky has gambled everything on an always improbable victory. For him personally, as well as his core team (at least), there is no way to survive &ndash; politically&nbsp;or physically &ndash; the catastrophic defeat they have brought on their country by leasing it out as a pawn to the Washington neocon strategy.</p>\n<p>The Pope, despite the phony <a href=\"https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/ukraine-summons-vatican-envoy-over-pope-remarks/ar-BB1jITXJ\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">brouhaha</a> he triggered in Kiev and the West, was right: a&nbsp;responsible Ukrainian leadership ought to negotiate. But that&rsquo;s not the leadership Ukraine has. Not yet at least.</p>\n<p>Third, the West&rsquo;s strategy is getting harder to decipher because, in essence, the West cannot figure out how to adjust to the failure of its initial plans for this war. Russia has not been isolated; its military has become stronger, not weaker &ndash; and the&nbsp;same is true of its economy, including its arms industry.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"France\u2019s President Emmanuel Macron Ludovic Marin\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4518a2030273f806d0369.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594323-macron-ukraine-france-peskov/\">Kremlin responds to Macron\u2019s claim Russia an \u2018adversary\u2019</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>And last but not least, the Russian political system&rsquo;s popular legitimacy and effective control has neither collapsed nor even frayed. As, again, even Foreign Affairs admits, <em>&ldquo;<a href=\"https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/vladimir-putin-forever-putinism?utm_medium=promo_email&amp;utm_source=fa_edit&amp;utm_campaign=special_send_russian_election_actives&amp;utm_content=20240314&amp;utm_term=all-actives\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Putin would likely win a fair election in 2024.</a>&rdquo;</em> That&rsquo;s more than could be said for, say, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Olaf Scholz, or Emmanuel Macron (as for Zelensky, he has simply canceled the election).</p>\n<p>In other words, the West is facing not only Ukraine&rsquo;s probable defeat, but also its own strategic failure. The situation, while not a <em>direct</em> military rout (as in Afghanistan in 2021) amounts to a severe political setback.</p>\n<p>In fact, this looming Western failure is a historic debacle in the making. Unlike with Afghanistan, the West will not be able to simply walk away from the mess it has made in Ukraine. This time, the geopolitical blowback will be fierce and the costs very high. Instead of isolating Russia, the West has isolated itself, and by&nbsp;losing, it will show itself weakened.</p>\n<p>It is one thing to have to finally, belatedly accepted that the deceptive <em>&ldquo;unipolar&rdquo;</em> moment of the 1990s has been over for a long time. It is much worse to gratuitously enter the new multipolar order with a stunning, avoidable self-demotion. Yet that is what the EU/NATO-West has managed to fabricate from its needless over-extension in Ukraine. Hubris there has been galore, the fall now is only a matter of time &ndash; and not much time at that.</p>\n<p>Regarding EU-Europe in particular, on one thing French President Emmanuel Macron is half right. Russia&rsquo;s victory <em>&ldquo;<a href=\"https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2024/03/14/macron-says-russian-ukraine-victory-would-reduce-europe-s-credibility-to-zero_6619721_7.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">would reduce Europe&rsquo;s credibility to zero</a>.&rdquo;</em> Except, of course, a mind of greater Cartesian precision would have detected that Moscow&rsquo;s victory will merely be the last stage in a longer process.</p>\n<p>The deeper causes of EU/NATO-Europe&rsquo;s loss of global standing are threefold. First, its own wanton decision to seek confrontation instead of a clearly feasible compromise and cooperation with Russia (why exactly is a neutral Ukraine impossible to live with again?) Second, the American strategy of systematically diminishing EU/NATO-Europe with a short-sighted policy of late-imperial client cannibalization which takes the shape of aggressive deindustrialization and a <em>&ldquo;Europeanization&rdquo;</em> of the war in Ukraine. And&nbsp;third, the European clients&rsquo; grotesque acquiescence to the above.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"Rolf Mutzenich, parliamentary group leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the Bundestag.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f40110203027485a4420e1.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594297-germany-spd-leader-end-ukraine-conflict/\">Top German government MP calls for end to Ukraine conflict</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>That is the background to a recent wave of mystifying signals coming out of Western, especially EU/NATO elites: First, we have had a wave of <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/591608-steadfast-defender-2024-nato/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">scare propaganda</a> to accompany the biggest NATO maneuvers since the end of the Cold War. Next <a href=\"https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/would-european-nations-deploy-ground-troops-to-ukraine/ar-BB1jQgYF\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Macron publicly declared</a> and has kept reiterating that the open &ndash; not in covert-but-obvious mode, as now &ndash; deployment of Western ground troops in Ukraine is an option. He added a cheap demagogic note by calling on Europeans not to be <em>&ldquo;cowards,&rdquo;</em> by which he means that they should be ready to follow, in effect, his orders and fight Russia, clearly including inside and on behalf of Ukraine. Never mind that the latter is a not an official member of either NATO or the EU as well as a highly corrupt and anything but democratic state.</p>\n<p>In response, a divergence has surfaced inside EU/NATO Europe: The German government has been most outspoken in contradicting Macron. Not <a href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68573441\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">only Chancellor Scholz rushed</a> to distance himself. A clearly outraged Boris Pistorius &ndash; Berlin&rsquo;s hapless minister of defense, recently tripped up by his own generals&rsquo; stupendously careless indiscretion over the <a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593880-germany-crimea-bridge-attack/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Taurus missiles</a> &ndash; has grumbled that there is no need for <em>&ldquo;talk about boots on the ground or having more courage or less courage.&rdquo;</em> Perhaps more surprisingly, <a href=\"https://www.nzz.ch/english/macrons-shift-on-the-ukraine-war-lacks-credibility-ld.1820952\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Poland</a>, the Czech Republic as well as NATO figurehead Jens Stoltenberg (i.e., the US) have been quick to <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/nato-stoltenberg-ukraine-troops-france-slovakia-5d4ed747861a3c0edb8f922fa36427c2\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">state</a> that they are, in effect, not ready to support Macron&rsquo;s initiative. The French public, by the way, is not showing any enthusiasm for a Napoleonic escalation either. A Le Figaro poll shows 68 percent against openly sending ground troops to Ukraine.</p>\n<p>On the other side, Macron has found some support. He is not entirely isolated, which helps explain why he has dug in his heels: Zelensky does not count in this respect. His bias is obvious, and his usual delusions notwithstanding he is not calling the shots on the matter. The Baltic states, however, while military micro-dwarfs, are, unfortunately, in a position to exert some influence inside the EU and NATO. And true to form, they have sided with the French president, with <a href=\"https://www.nzz.ch/english/macrons-shift-on-the-ukraine-war-lacks-credibility-ld.1820952\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Estonia and Lithuania taking the lead</a>.</p>\n<p>It remains impossible to be certain what we are looking at. To get the most far-fetched hypothesis out of the way first: is this a coordinated bluff with a twist? A complicated Western attempt at playing good-cop bad-cop against Russia, with Macron launching the threats and others signaling that Moscow could find them less extreme, at a diplomatic price, of course? Hardly. For one thing, that scheme would be so hare-brained, even the current West is unlikely to try. No, the crack opening up in Western unity is real.</p>\n<p>Regarding Macron himself, too-clever-by-half, counter-productive cunning is his style. We cannot know what exactly he is trying to do; and he may not know himself. In essence, there are two possibilities. Either the French president now is a hard-core escalationist determined to widen the war into an open clash between Russia and NATO, or he is a high-risk gambler who is engaged in a bluff to achieve three purposes. Frighten Moscow into abstaining from pushing its military advantage in Ukraine (a hopeless idea); score nationalist <em>&ldquo;grandeur&rdquo;</em> points domestically in France (which is failing already); and increase his weight inside EU/NATO-Europe by <em>&ldquo;merely&rdquo;</em> posturing as, once again, a new <em>&ldquo;Churchill&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;&ndash; whom Macron himself has made sure to allude to, in all his modesty. (And some of his fans, including Zelensky, a grizzled veteran of Churchill live action role play, have already made that de rigueur if stale comparison.) &nbsp;</p>\n<p>While we cannot entirely unriddle the moody sphinx of the Elys&eacute;e or, for that matter, the murky dealings of EU/NATO-European elites, we can say two things. First, whatever Macron thinks he is doing, it is extremely dangerous. Russia would treat EU/NATO-state troops in Ukraine as targets &ndash; and it won&rsquo;t matter one wit if they turn up labeled <em>&ldquo;NATO&rdquo;</em> or under national flags <em>&ldquo;only.&rdquo;</em> Russia has also reiterated that it considers its vital interests affected in Ukraine and that if its leadership perceives a vital threat to Russia, nuclear weapons are an option. The warning could not be clearer.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"French President Emmanuel Macron at a ceremony to seal the right to abortion in the French constitution.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f0705285f5403fbb11a704.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594159-france-abortion-west-death/\">Macron leads the way to Western civilization\u2019s suicide</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>Second, here is the core Western problem that is now &ndash; due to Russia undeniably winning the war &ndash; becoming acute: Western elites are split between <em>&ldquo;pragmatists&rdquo;</em> and <em>&ldquo;extremists.&rdquo;</em> The pragmatists are as Russophobic and strategically misguided as the extremists, but they do shy away from World War Three. Yet these pragmatists, who seek to resist hard-core escalationists and reign it at least high-risk gamblers, are brought up short against a crippling contradiction in their <em>own</em> position and messaging: As of now, they still share the same delusional narrative with the extremists. Both groupings keep reiterating that Russia plans to attack all of EU/NATO-Europe once it defeats Ukraine and that, therefore, stopping Russia in Ukraine is, literally, vital (or in Macron&rsquo;s somewhat Sartrean terms <a href=\"https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/europe-will-lose-all-credibility-if-russia-wins-in-ukraine-warns-macron/ar-BB1jUp0O\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>&ldquo;existential</em></a>&rdquo;) to the West.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>That narrative is absurd. Reality works exactly the other way around: The most certain way to get into a war with Russia is to send troops to Ukraine openly. And what is existential for EU/NATO-Europe is to finally liberate itself from American <em>&ldquo;leadership.&rdquo;</em> During the Cold War, a case could be made that (then Western) Europe needed the US. After the Cold War, though, that was no longer the case. In response, Washington has implemented a consistent, multi-administration, bipartisan, if often crude, strategy of avoiding what should have been inevitable: the emancipation of Europe from American dominance.</p>\n<p>Both the eastward expansion of NATO, programmed &ndash; and predicted &ndash; to cause a massive conflict with Russia and the current proxy war in Ukraine, obstinately provoked by Washington over decades, are part of that strategy to &ndash; to paraphrase a famous saying about NATO &ndash; <em>&ldquo;keep Europe down.&rdquo;</em> And the European elites have played along as if there&rsquo;s no tomorrow, which, for them, there really may not be.</p>\n<p>We are at a potential breaking-point, a crisis of that long-term trajectory. If the pragmatists in EU/NATO-Europe really want to contain the extremists, who play with triggering an open war between Russia and NATO that would devastate at least Europe, then they must now come clean and, finally, abandon the common, ideological, and entirely unrealistic narrative about an existential threat from Moscow.</p>\n<p>As long as the pragmatists dare not challenge the escalationists on how to principally understand the causes of the current catastrophe, the extremists will always have the advantage of consistency: Their policies are foolish, wastefully unnecessary, and extremely risky. And yet, they follow from what the West has made itself believe. It is high time to break that spell of self-hypnosis, and face facts.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 19:07:26 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 19, 7, 26, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Putin casts online vote in Presidential elections (VIDEO)", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Putin casts online vote in Presidential elections (VIDEO)"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594332-putin-votes-online/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4952b2030272d2a17d054.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594332-putin-votes-online/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594332-putin-votes-online/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4952b2030272d2a17d054.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin exercised his voting rights in the presidential elections on Friday <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594332-putin-votes-online/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4952b2030272d2a17d054.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> Incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin exercised his voting rights in the presidential elections on Friday <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594332-putin-votes-online/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Kremlin spokesman said that the current president favored the e-ballot due to its ease and accessibility</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin exercised his voting rights in the presidential elections on Friday. The Russian leader opted for the convenience of the online-voting option, making his choice from the comfort of his office located in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence near Moscow.</p>\n<p>Seated behind his desk, Putin navigated the digital interface and made his selection with a few clicks. The system promptly confirmed the successful completion of his vote.</p>\n\n    \n                    \n    \n\n\n\n\n<p>Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the presidency, told Russian media outlets that the president had chosen to vote in this manner because <em>&ldquo;it&rsquo;s simply convenient.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The voting period in Russia spans three days, commencing on March 15 and concluding on March 17, allowing ample opportunity for citizens across many time zones to participate.</p>\n<p>Alongside Putin, three other candidates registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation are vying for the nation&rsquo;s highest office: Leonid Slutsky, Nikolay Haritonov, and Vladislav Davankov.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:52:00 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 18, 52, 0, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Macron faces backlash over U-turn on rape law", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Macron faces backlash over U-turn on rape law"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/news/594324-france-rape-law-macron-backlash/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4890b2030272d2a17d044.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/news/594324-france-rape-law-macron-backlash/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/news/594324-france-rape-law-macron-backlash/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4890b2030272d2a17d044.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> French President Macron says he plans to incorporate idea of \u2018consent\u2019 into national rape law, having opposed similar inclusion at EU level <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594324-france-rape-law-macron-backlash/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4890b2030272d2a17d044.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> French President Macron says he plans to incorporate idea of \u2018consent\u2019 into national rape law, having opposed similar inclusion at EU level <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/594324-france-rape-law-macron-backlash/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>French leader has promised to incorporate \u2018consent\u2019 into new legislation on sexual assault, having opposed its inclusion in EU directive</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The President of France Emmanuel Macron has come under fire after saying he was in favor of incorporating the notion that a sexual act without consent should fall under the country&rsquo;s criminal definition of rape.</p>\n<p>The statement came as a surprise for the public, given that Paris had opposed the same idea in a European Union (EU) directive last month.</p>\n<p>Macron&rsquo;s statement was made on March 8, when he met members of the feminist association Choisir la cause des femmes (Choosing Women&rsquo;s Issues), to mark International Women&rsquo;s Day.</p>\n<p>According to a video seen by AFP this week, the French president told the women&rsquo;s rights group: <em>&ldquo;I fully agree that it should be incorporated into French law, that consent should be enshrined,&rdquo;</em> adding <em>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to enshrine it in French law.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>The legal definition of rape in France includes the notions of <em>&ldquo;violence, coercion, threat or surprise,&rdquo;</em> but makes no mention of <em>&ldquo;consent.&rdquo;</em> Women&rsquo;s rights advocates have been calling for the law to be tightened by including the concept so that any sexual act without consent constitutes rape. Only a tiny fraction of rapes or attempted rapes lead to a conviction, they claim.</p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Macron&rsquo;s comments sparked public backlash since they are in total contradiction to France&rsquo;s official stance on the issue. France was one of several countries to argue against including a consent-based definition of rape in EU law passed last month. The states in opposition, including Hungary, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands, argued that rape does not have the cross-border dimension necessary for it to be considered a crime that comes with common penalties across the bloc.</p>\n<p>Macron stated in the March 8 video that he did not believe rape was a <em>&ldquo;Eurocrime,&rdquo;</em> but that he did want to change French law.<br /><em></em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"A protestor demands abortion rights at a demonstration last week in Paris.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65e6374885f540526d7aa861.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/news/593766-france-makes-abortion-a-constitutional-right/\">France enshrines abortion in its constitution</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p><em>&ldquo;We fought for two years to convince France of the importance of adopting this European definition of rape&rdquo;</em> according to which a sexual act without consent is rape, MEP Nathalie Colin-Oesterle (EPP), her group&rsquo;s rapporteur on the EU directive, told Euractiv.<br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;For months, [French Justice Minister] Eric Dupond-Moretti has been explaining to us &hellip; that incorporating the notion of consent into the Criminal Code would be absolutely counterproductive and dangerous for women victims, since it would place the burden of proof on them.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;<br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;What an instrumentalization of the cause of women, just a few weeks before the European elections!&rdquo;</em> Colin-Oesterle concluded.</p>\n<p>A group of French lawmakers is currently working on a report on whether to add &lsquo;consent&rsquo; to the law that they are to present in mid-April, according to media.</p>\n<p>Last year, Spain approved new legislation, dubbed the &lsquo;Only yes means yes&rsquo; law, under which all non-consensual sex is seen as rape. Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Greece have all passed similar laws.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:06:27 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 18, 6, 27, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "Medvedev tells EU to get lost with its gold demand", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "Medvedev tells EU to get lost with its gold demand"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594327-medvedev-russia-romania-gold/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4734785f5406c4d0ace78.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594327-medvedev-russia-romania-gold/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594327-medvedev-russia-romania-gold/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4734785f5406c4d0ace78.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on Moscow to return gold sent by Romania to the Russian Empire in 1916 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594327-medvedev-russia-romania-gold/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f4734785f5406c4d0ace78.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on Moscow to return gold sent by Romania to the Russian Empire in 1916 <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594327-medvedev-russia-romania-gold/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on Moscow to return bullion sent to the Russian Empire by Romania in 1916</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has vehemently rejected the EU&rsquo;s demand that Moscow return gold that it claims belongs to Romania, describing it as <em>&ldquo;impudence.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Moscow to send back 91.5 metric tons of gold and cultural artifacts that were exported to the Russian Empire in 1916-1917 by Romania.</p>\n<p>Writing on his social media page on Friday, Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy chairman of Russia&rsquo;s National Security Council, <a href=\"https://vk.com/wall53083705_54871\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">stated</a> that <em>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t even know how to respond to such impudence.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><em>&rdquo;The EU has stolen $300 billion worth of Russian assets and is now demanding that Russia return gold to Romania. There is nothing to say except f*** off,&rdquo;</em> Medvedev wrote.</p>\n<p>Previodusly, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had pointed out that in 1935, the USSR had already returned a portion of the valuables to Romania as a <em>&ldquo;sign of good will.&rdquo;</em> She also recalled that the Soviet Union had forgiven Romania all of its debts for the <em>&ldquo;troubles and destruction&rdquo;</em> that it caused in Russia during World War II, when Bucharest was an ally of Nazi Germany.</p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"RT\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f0315585f5402f961bfb86.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/business/594135-eu-russian-frozen-assets-ukraine/\">EU to start sending Russian money to Ukraine this summer \u2013 FT</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>That was <em>&ldquo;despite all the atrocities that Hitler&rsquo;s Romanian allies committed on our land. And this is no less than $300 million in reparations, i.e., if converted to today&rsquo;s money, it would be something in the region of $4 billion,&rdquo;</em> Zakharova <a href=\"https://t.me/MariaVladimirovnaZakharova/7298\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">wrote</a> on her official Telegram channel.</p>\n<p>The spokeswoman went on to state that if these Romanian debts to Russia and the Soviet Union were expressed in terms of bullion, they would be equivalent to 1,365&ndash;1,665 tons of gold, which is <em>&ldquo;20-25 times more than Romania&rsquo;s entire gold reserve that was sent to Russia in 1916-1917.&rdquo;</em></p>\n<p>Zakharova claimed that Romania was now using <em>&ldquo;Russophobic platforms, such as the European Parliament, which is ready for any excuse to force onto us its century-old phantom debts.&rdquo;</em>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>She suggested that Bucharest&rsquo;s demand may be part of a desperate attempt to fix the <em>&ldquo;deplorable situation&rdquo;</em> in Romania&rsquo;s <em>&ldquo;national economy, against the backdrop of farm strikes throughout the country.&rdquo;</em></p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:56:19 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 16, 56, 19, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}, {"title": "\u2018Neo-Nazi Kiev regime\u2019 tried to disrupt Russian elections \u2013 Putin", "title_detail": {"type": "text/plain", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "\u2018Neo-Nazi Kiev regime\u2019 tried to disrupt Russian elections \u2013 Putin"}, "links": [{"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "href": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS"}, {"type": "image/jpeg", "length": "123", "href": "https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f46897203027412445230f.jpg", "rel": "enclosure"}], "link": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS", "id": "https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/", "guidislink": false, "summary": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f46897203027412445230f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Ukrainian attacks on Russia\u2019s border regions, aimed at disrupting the ongoing elections, will not be left unpunished, Putin has warned <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>", "summary_detail": {"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<img align=\"left\" alt=\"Preview\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f46897203027412445230f.jpg\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" /> The Ukrainian attacks on Russia\u2019s border regions, aimed at disrupting the ongoing elections, will not be left unpunished, Putin has warned <br /><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594325-nazi-regime-attack-putin/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=RSS\">Read Full Article at RT.com</a>"}, "content": [{"type": "text/html", "language": null, "base": "https://www.rt.com/rss/", "value": "<p><strong>Russia\u2019s president has vowed retaliation for the ongoing Ukrainian attacks on border regions</strong></p>\n            \n                        \n            <p>The continuing Ukrainian&nbsp;incursions into&nbsp;and strikes on Russia's border regions are primarily aimed at disrupting the ongoing election in the country, President Vladimir Putin has said.</p>\n<p>The president made the remarks on Friday during a meeting with permanent members of the Russian National Security Council. Putin condemned the efforts made by Kiev to disrupt the ongoing election, vowing retaliation for the attacks.</p>\n<p>In order to disrupt the voting process and intimidate people, at least in the regions bordering Ukraine, the Kiev neo-Nazi regime has conceived and is trying to carry out a series of <em>&ldquo;demonstrative criminal armed actions,&rdquo;</em> Putin stated.</p>\n<p>The effort includes continuous indiscriminate drone and artillery strikes, as well as a concentrated effort to breach the country&rsquo;s border, launched by Ukrainian forces earlier this week, the president explained, describing Kiev&rsquo;s actions as <em>&ldquo;senseless from the military, and criminal from a humanitarian standpoint.&rdquo;</em></p>\n\n            \n    <blockquote>\n        <span><strong>Read more</strong></span>\n        <figure>\n            <img alt=\"FILE PHOTO. A Ukrainian tank damaged during an attempted incursion into Russia\u2019s Belgorod Region on March 12, 2024.\" src=\"https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2024.03/thumbnail/65f2d96a85f5402ef25b1115.jpg\" />\n            <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.rt.com/russia/594264-ukrainian-incursion-kursk-region/\">Kiev launches cross-border attack into Kursk Region \u2013 governor</a></figcaption>\n        </figure>\n    </blockquote>\n\n\n    \n\n<p>The escalation may also be used as a PR stunt for Kiev to show the Ukrainian public and its Western backers some military gains, Putin suggested. As for trying to intimidate the Russian people, the Ukrainian leadership will never achieve such a goal, with the country&rsquo;s people responding to such actions only with <em>&ldquo;further consolidation,&rdquo;</em> he added. <br /><em></em></p>\n<p><em>&ldquo;Another possible goal of such actions is to divert the attention of their own people and the public in other countries, whom the Kiev regime is trying to beg for money and all sorts of handouts, to divert attention from the real situation on the front line,&rdquo;</em> the president said.</p>\n<p>According to Moscow&rsquo;s estimates, the Ukrainian military has deployed over 2,500 servicemen, some 35 tanks and around 40 other armored vehicles to attack multiple locations along the border, Putin noted. All the attacks have been repelled, with the Ukrainians sustaining heavy personnel and material casualties.</p>"}], "published": "Fri, 15 Mar 2024 15:42:14 +0000", "published_parsed": [2024, 3, 15, 15, 42, 14, 4, 75, 0], "authors": [{"name": "RT"}], "author": "RT", "author_detail": {"name": "RT"}}]}


