Diane Abbott’s letter shows how antiracism has been reduced to decrying ‘white privilege’

Opinion by Kenan Malik

In 1996, Diane Abbott wrote a column for the Hackney Gazette objecting to the recruitment of Finnish nurses to work in a local hospital. The NHS, she argued, should be employing local people, not importing them from abroad. It’s a familiar claim, though usually pushed by conservatives rather than by the Labour left. Most striking, though, was the way Abbott presented her argument.

“Are Finnish girls, who may never have met a black person before, let alone touched one, best suited to nurse in multicultural Hackney?’’ Abbott asked, expressing surprise that “blonde, blue-eyed girls from Finland” had been chosen rather than Caribbean nurses “who know the language and understand British culture and institutions’’.

The ‘Affair of the Missing Six Hundred Thousand’ has brought Scotland to a halt

Story by Alan Cochrane

Scotland is in a state of suspended animation as it waits with bated breath for a conclusion to the “Affair of the Missing Six Hundred Thousand” - always assuming that there will ever be one. Nobody cares or is even aware of what Nicola Sturgeon’s successor Humza Yousaf is doing or saying. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a speech in Glasgow on Friday which passed most people by. Even on their way to Hampden for the Scottish Cup semi-finals this weekend, this is likely to be that secondary topic of conversation for the fans.

It is an incredible tale involving, as it does, a police investigation that would be significant in a larger country but is nothing short of massive in a country as small as Scotland. Sturgeon’s husband has been arrested and freed without charge, as has her party’s treasurer. She has, she says, neither been arrested nor interviewed by the police. However, a mobile home, worth over £110,000, has been removed by police from the home of her mother-in-law. Her house outside Glasgow has been searched and, according to reports, a fridge freezer was taken away.

Other reports have suggested that police have been trying to trace so-called “burner”, or unregistered, mobile phones as well as computer SIM cards and memory sticks. The issue of these phones was raised at Holyrood’s Question Time this week when Tory leader Douglas Ross accused Yousaf of not knowing if his ministers used such devices. A more complex political and possibly criminal concoction is hard to imagine. Everyone knows that it concerns £660,000 donated by SNP members to fund a new independence referendum. They also know that there hasn’t been such a vote and that there’s a mystery about what’s happened to that vast sum because it isn’t where it should be - in the party’s bank account. Indeed nobody seems to know where it’s gone. Or if they do, they’re not saying.

Russian State TV Shows Map Dividing U.S. Up Among Other Countries

Story by Isabel van Brugen

Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov launched an attack on the United States on state television, sharing an image of a map that divides up the U.S, seemingly contesting the legitimacy of its territorial gains throughout history.

A clip of Solovyov, a prominent state television host, was shared on Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, on Thursday. "Russian propagandist Solovyev drags his idea of dividing the United States between different countries from show to show," he tweeted.

Solovyov regularly lashes out at the West's support of Ukraine in the ongoing war against Russia. In the clip, he seems to contest U.S. support for Ukraine's goal of securing its 1991 borders. He does this by pointing out on a map some of the territorial gains the United States made in the 1800s, seemingly drawing a parallel to Russian ambitions. Russian President Vladimir Putin has, in various declarations, denied Ukraine's national identity as well as its legitimacy as a sovereign nation.

Russians trying to help the Kremlin are being scammed into throwing Molotov cocktails at its offices and cars instead: reports

Story by mloh@insider.com (Matthew Loh)

Russian pensioners are being tricked into tossing Molotov cocktails at Russian military offices and officials' cars, according to local media outlets. Since the war in Ukraine began, Russian citizens have carried out at least 16 separate arson attempts on government or bank properties at the behest of scammers, reported the independent Russian media outlet, MediaZona.

The people involved have tried to set fire to enlistment offices, bank ATMs, a car trunk, and a police department, though most have been unsuccessful, the outlet reported. At least 11 of them were over 55, per MediaZona. Some of them, like the 65-year-old Yelena Belova, were told to shout pro-Ukrainian slogans as they chucked the Molotov cocktails — even though they were also told they were helping the Russian military. The Russian police detained Belova in August after she set fire to the trunk of a deputy army chief's car, per the independent Russian news outlet Shot.

Russia has emptied out a Crimea base of weaponry, with officials worried Ukraine could target the region in a possible counteroffensive

Story by sbaker@insider.com (Sinéad Baker)

Russia has taken weaponry and equipment out of a military base in Crimea, according to satellite images obtained by CNN, as a Russian official warns that Ukraine may be gearing up to try to take back the region. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, claiming it as part of Russia in a move that has not been recognized internationally.

CNN compared satellite images of the base taken on January 21, February 11, and March 27 by the EU's Sentinel 2 satellite and by Maxar Technologies. The January image of the base, located close to the village of Medvedivka and near the border with Kherson, shows a lot of Russian equipment at the site, while the February image shows "dozens of armoured vehicles, including tanks and artillery pieces," CNN reported. But in the March image, much of that weaponry is gone.

Taliban kill mastermind of suicide bombing at Kabul airport

Story by By FARNOUSH AMIRI, MATTHEW LEE and AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Taliban have killed the senior Islamic State group leader behind the August 2021 suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport that left 13 U.S. service members and about 170 Afghans dead, according to the father of a Marine killed in the attack who was briefed Tuesday by military officials.

Over the weekend, the U.S. military began to inform families of the 11 Marines, the sailor and the soldier killed in the blast at Abbey Gate during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. And those family members shared the information in a private group messaging chat, according to the mother of another Marine.

MI6 Sent Brit Spy To Taliban Camp Which Was So Brutal He Came Home And Killed His Own Child

Story by Dave Malyon

MI6, the British intelligence agency, sent an undercover British spy to a Taliban camp in Pakistan despite his emotional instability and when he returned he killed his child. Leaked documents reveal that the unnamed man had a rap sheet, struggled with a mental breakdown, and had scored the highest possible rating on an emotional instability test.

Despite this, he was permitted to go to the town of Waziristan in Pakistan, which is a base for Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists. The British operative, then in his early twenties, posed as a jihadi soldier and was provided the job of cleaning dismembered and disfigured bodies of Taliban members prior to burying them.

Two Russian Officials Found Dead on Same Day

Story by Isabel van Brugen

Two Russian State Duma deputies with the ruling United Russia party were reported dead on Sunday. The death of 77-year-old Nikolay Bortsov, who served as a State Duma deputy since 2003, was announced by Igor Artamanov, the governor of the Lipetsk region. He died at his home Lebedyan. On the same day, State Duma Deputy Dzhasharbek Uzdenov died at the age of 57 after a "serious and prolonged illness," Vladimir Vasilyev, head of the United Russia faction, said.

A number of prominent Russians have died in unexplained or unusual circumstances since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. No cause was given for Bortsov's death. He had previously been hit by sanctions from the United States and other Western countries in connection with Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

How Putin spent 20 years rebuilding Russia's military 'and then just simply destroyed it' in Ukraine, according to an expert who watched it happen

Story by insider@insider.com (Christopher Woody)

When Russian President Vladimir Putin assumed power in 1999, the Russian military had gone through a decade of post-Soviet decay. Over the next 20 years, Putin and his military leaders rebuilt that force into one capable of a range of operations around the world, with advanced warships and aircraft and well-armed troops — all backed up by the world's largest nuclear arsenal.

In his book, "Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine," Mark Galeotti, a scholar of Russian security affairs who has studied the country since the final years of the Cold War, documents how Russia under Putin reformed and revamped the military and put it to the test in combat in Europe and the Middle East. In the interview below, which has been edited lightly for clarity, Galeotti describes those reforms, what they achieved, and how Putin has squandered the military he built in a devastating war in Ukraine.

Chinese ambassador sparks European outrage over suggestion former Soviet states don’t exist

By Simone McCarthy

Hong Kong CNN — European countries are demanding answers from Beijing after its top diplomat in Paris questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet republics, in comments that could undermine China’s efforts to be seen as a potential mediator between Russia and Ukraine. The remarks by China’s ambassador to France Lu Shaye, who said during a television interview that former Soviet countries don’t have “effective status in international law,” have caused diplomatic consternation, especially in the Baltic states.

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia would be summoning Chinese representatives to ask for clarification, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis confirmed on Monday. Officials including from Ukraine, Moldova, France and the European Union also all hit back with their own criticisms of Lu’s comments. Lu made the remarks in response to a question whether Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, was part of Ukraine.

“Even these ex-Soviet countries don’t have an effective status in international law because there was no international agreement to materialize their status as sovereign countries,” Lu said, after first noting that the question of Crimea “depends on how the problem is perceived” as the region was “at the beginning Russian” and then “offered to Ukraine during the Soviet era.”

Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania on the words of the Chinese ambassador about the sovereignty of Soviet countries: This is why we do not trust China

Story by Ukrainska Pravda

Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, reacted to the scandalous statements of the Chinese ambassador to France regarding "Russian Crimea" and the status of post-Soviet states in international law. On his Twitter, Landsbergis explained that due to such statements made by the Chinese ambassador to France, the Baltic states do not trust China as a "mediator" in the settlement of the war in Ukraine.

"If anyone is still wondering why the Baltic States do not trust China to ‘broker peace in Ukraine’, here is the Chinese ambassador arguing that Crimea is Russian, and our countries’ borders have no legal basis," wrote Landsbergis on his Twitter. China's ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, said in an interview that the former Soviet countries "do not have an effective status in international law" because there is no international agreement that would materialise their status as a sovereign country.

Also, when asked whether he considers Crimea to belong to Ukraine, the ambassador said that "it depends on how you perceive the problem," adding that "it's not that simple." Ambassador of Ukraine to France Vadym Omelchenko sharply reacted to the statements of the Chinese diplomat.

Airport heist sees thieves flee with $15,000,000-worth of gold

Thieves have pulled off an audacious heist at an airport which saw them escape with $15,000,000 (C$20m) worth of gold and valuables

Elon Musk Just Handed China and Russia a Huge Boost

Story by Gerrard Kaonga

Twitter CEO Elon Musk has sparked concern the social media platform could see an increase in misinformation and propaganda after the company stopped tagging some accounts as "government-funded" media or China or Russia "state-affiliated" media.

Last November, after acquiring Twitter, Musk tweeted that Twitter needed to become "by far the most accurate source of information about the world".

The platform soon introduced context tabs for some tweets. These tabs would give a deeper explanation of a topic related to the tweet and in some cases identify false information.

One feature that was introduced that received both condemnation and praise was the Twitter information tags on profiles. This would identify profiles that were government-funded, or considered state-affiliated so Twitter users understood the wider context of the views they expressed.

A Chinese diplomatic coup in the Middle East could change our world forever

Story by Zeleb.es

So how could it affect you?

The Chinese led reconciliation between two of the Middle East's most prominent and adversarial powers has been quietly reshaping global politics and transforming our world over the course of the last six weeks, but what happened and why does it matter?

Ukraine says it keeps finding Chinese-made parts in Russian weapons, undermining its claim not to be helping Putin fight

Story by sankel@businessinsider.com (Sophia Ankel)

Ukraine said it has found Chinese parts in captured Russian weapons, a senior advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters on Monday. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, who is also a sanctions expert, told the outlet that Ukraine "continues to find different electronics" in Russian weapons that have been used in Ukraine. "We're picking [up] a lot of different stuff, China-made," Vlasiuk said. "The trend is now that there is less Western-made components but more — not hard [to] guess which country-made components. Of course, China."

Chinese-made parts have been found in a navigation system in Orlan aerial drones and in the fire control system in Russian tanks, Reuters reported, citing intelligence gathered by Ukrainian military experts. The drones had previously used a Swiss navigation system while the Russian tanks once had parts made in France, the outlet reported. It is unclear whether the components were originally intended for non-military use or whether they were moved to Russia by a third party.

Leaked Pentagon docs show the shot-down Chinese spy balloon may have had a feature known as 'synthetic aperture radar' that can see through certain materials, WaPo reports

Story by hgetahun@insider.com (Hannah Getahun)

In February, a high-altitude balloon with surveillance capabilities connected to China flew over the continental US before being shot down over the Atlantic. At the time, much about the balloon wasn't known publicly, but a new trove of Pentagon documents leaked on Discord show it — and up to four other previously unknown spy balloons like it — could have had a feature known as "synthetic aperture radar" that can see through certain objects, the Washington Post reported.

Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old US National Guard airman, was arrested Thursday in connection to the leaks. US intelligence agencies believed this because the balloon, which officials named Killeen-23 in an apparent reference to 1940s mobster Donald Killeen, was equipped with the ability to generate up to 10,000 watts of solar power — enough to power a typical home — which could support such abilities. "The amount of solar power generated by the panels on the Chinese stratospheric balloon that NSA named Killeen-23 is excessive for a weather balloon," the document reads.

Russia tests missile capable of 'deploying multiple nuclear warheads': report

Story by Maya Boddie

Russia's Ministry of Defense has announced the country's successful successfully launched an "advanced" intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Newsweek reports. Per The Moscow Times, the missile was launched "from its Kapustin Yar test site on Tuesday." Managing editor of Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP), Guy McCardle, told Newsweek"calling ICBMs 'advanced' is unnecessary since such missiles are advanced in nature, 'or they would not be able to accomplish the 'intercontinental' part."

Earlier this year, The Moscow Times reports, Russia President Vladimir "Putin said a new kind of ICBM would be deployed sometime this year, following U.S. reports that the weapon had failed a recent test," adding, "The Sarmat — dubbed 'Satan 2' by Western analysts — is capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and is among Russia's next-generation missiles that Putin has described as 'invincible.'"

Leaked intelligence document shows that Egypt, a longtime US ally, secretly planned to provide Russia with 40,000 rockets and gunpowder: report

Story by aharoun@insider.com (Azmi Haroun)

A leaked US intelligence document blew the lid on secret arms negotiations between Egypt and Russia, where Egyptian President Abel Fattah El-Sisi planned to provide the Kremlin with tens of thousands of rockets. The Washington Post obtained a series of classified files posted in February and March to the gaming platform Discord. One of the files detailed conversations between high-level Egyptian officials over the sale of weapons to Russia.

In one document, Sisi instructs officials to keep the shipment and mass weapon production secret, "to avoid problems with the West." The top secret document, dated February 17, features discussion from Egyptian officials about how to supply their Russian counterparts with gunpowder and artillery from Egyptian factories, per the Post.

Netanyahu's Supreme Court 'power grab' means 'Israel is in uncharted waters': conservative

Story by Alex Henderson

In 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is drawing criticism not only from liberals and progressives, but also, from some conservatives. Netanyahu's moves have set off mass protests, and opposition continued to grow when, in March, he fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (a member of the Likud Party).

In an April 10 column, Washington Post opinion writer and Never Trumper Jennifer Rubin is highly critical of a "much-diminished" Netanyahu's recent "power grab" with the Israeli Supreme Court — a move that, she stresses, has been drawing condemnation from a variety of Israelis.

"Those observing dramatic events play out in Israel seem convinced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is setting a trap for his opposition — including the legions of protesters, who for months, took to the streets to protest the government's planned and inaptly named 'judicial reform,'" Rubin laments. "It's actually a power grab that would make the national Supreme Court subordinate to the prime minister, allow the government to overrule the Court and insulate Netanyahu, still under criminal prosecution, from removal by the Court."

Taiwan responds to China's unprecedented military activity as US destroyer makes moves

Tag24

Taipei, Taiwan - Taiwan's Defense Ministry resolutely backed its right to self-defense and released photos on Monday showing its air defense remains on high alert after unprecedented military activity from China. "We will defend our skies. And we will never give up our beliefs," the ministry posted on Twitter. It said the air defense units are steadfastly maintaining their posts.

The Taiwanese response comes as China concluded on Monday its three-day large-scale military maneuvers near Taiwan in retaliation for Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with the US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, last week.

"It is a serious warning about the provocative activities of Taiwan's separatist independence forces and their collusion with foreign forces," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told the press in Beijing on Monday. He sees the exercises as a "necessary step to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity." The pro-independence forces and the foreign forces working in league with them in the Taiwan Strait are the "greatest threat to peace and stability," he said.

The Harrowing Story Of The Dutch Ghost Ship Whose Entire Crew Died With Their Faces Paralyzed In Fear

Story by NyRee Ausler

Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, a good ghost story might put you in doubt about what is real and what is fake. Mysterious places like Dudleytown, Connecticut, where it’s too haunted to visit, and the town of Marfa, where aliens apparently land their UFOs, are the subjects of much fascination.

But one rumor involving the supernatural is based on a merchant ship that wrecked in Indonesia’s Straits of Malacca. The ship called the SS Ourang Medan was labeled a ghost ship after its crew all died under very suspicious circumstances. And the mystery remains just as eerie today.

'Leaked' documents reveal US spying on Russia's war in Ukraine | Russia-Ukraine war | WION Live

WION

The Department of Justice has launched an inquiry into the recent social media postings of what appears to be a large number of US intelligence documents. The probe takes place as further records that span everything from US help for Ukraine to details about important US allies like Israel surface on Friday, increasing the ramifications of the already concerning leaks. Following social media posts of what appeared to be sensitive information on the war in Ukraine, the Pentagon announced on Thursday that it was investigating the situation.

Thousands rally in Georgia against government

Story by AFP

Thousands of opposition supporters rallied Sunday in the Georgian capital Tbilisi as the Black Sea nation's government faces mounting accusations of backsliding on democracy. Demonstrators gathered outside the Georgian parliament for a rally organised by the country's main opposition force, the United National Movement (UNM), founded by jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili. Protesters waved Georgian, Ukrainian and European Union flags and held a huge banner that read "For European future."

Israel Faces Biggest Rocket Barrage From Lebanon Since 2006

Story by Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- Israel fought off a barrage of rockets from Lebanon on Thursday in the most sustained attack since a 2006 war, adding to tensions a day after a spike in confrontations in Gaza and Jerusalem that coincided with religious holidays.

At least 34 rockets were fired into northern Israel from Lebanon, of which 25 were successfully intercepted, according to the latest information from the Israeli army. Six rockets fell in Israeli territory and two caused damage.

Two people in the Galilee region were injured, including a man hit by shrapnel and a woman as she ran to a shelter, according to the Israeli medical aid society Magen David Adom. “It is the largest barrage of rockets from Lebanon since 2006,” said Major General Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence.

Israel launches rare air strikes in Lebanon after rocket barrage hits the north

Story by Patrick Smith and Lawahez Jabari and Mustafa Kassem

Israel launched its biggest military strikes on Lebanon in 17 years early Friday, after dozens of rockets struck the north of the country during the Jewish Passover holiday and sent tensions in the region spiraling. The exchanges represent the most serious escalation between Israel and Lebanon since a 34-day war in 2006.

No group claimed responsibility for the attacks from Lebanon, although Israel pinned the blame on Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls the blockaded Gaza Strip. Israel said it had also hit ten targets across Gaza on Friday. Israeli officials also said they would not allow Hamas to operate from Lebanon, adding it would hold Lebanon responsible for any “hostile fire” from its territory. Israel also said it was investigating whether Iran-linked Hezbollah was involved in the missile strikes on northern Israel.

Russian spies rebound in Europe

Critical infrastructure is a key target for Russia’s intelligence gathering, the priority being to monitor ‘the production and supply of Western arms to Ukraine.’

By Jamie Dettmer

Russia is trying to rebound from last year’s coordinated mass expulsion of Russian intelligence officers operating under diplomatic guise in Europe. And there’s now growing evidence that Russia’s foreign intelligence service (SVR) and its military intelligence agency (GRU) are aggressively trying to rebuild their human espionage networks — particularly with an eye toward military aid going to Ukraine.

In what Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s security service MI5, dubbed the “most significant strategic blow” against Moscow in recent intelligence history, more than 400 so-called undeclared intelligence officers have been drummed out of Europe since the invasion of Ukraine, including from France, Belgium and Germany, dramatically reducing the Kremlin’s reach and ability to spy in Europe.

And on Thursday, Finland’s Security and Intelligence Service (SUPO) said the expulsions of Russian intelligence officers, and visa refusals for their replacements, have substantially weakened Moscow’s intelligence operations in the Nordic region.

Israel launches strikes in Lebanon and Gaza after barrage of rockets fired across border

Richard Allen Greene Hadas Gold

By Richard Allen Greene, Hadas Gold, Tamara Qiblawi and Mia Alberti, CNN

Jerusalem CNN — Israel said it struck targets belonging to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in southern Lebanon and Gaza on Friday, amid rising tension days after Israeli police stormed the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. The strikes came hours after dozens of rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory, an attack the Israeli military blamed on Palestinian militants. The barrage from Lebanon was the largest since a 2006 war between the two countries and raised fears of a wider regional escalation.

As tensions continued to simmer on Friday, two Israeli sisters were killed and their mother was seriously wounded in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank, Israeli officials said. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) international spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said Friday the Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon were focused mainly on Palestinian targets in the area from which they believe the rockets were launched into Israel.

McCarthy welcomes Taiwan President to bipartisan meeting, optimistic US and Taiwan can promote ‘democracy, peace and stability’

By Clare Foran and Simone McCarthy, CNN

CNN — Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are meeting in California on Wednesday, a highly anticipated event that marks a show of democratic solidarity in defiance of threats from China.

Tsai is gathering with McCarthy and a bipartisan group of US lawmakers at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California’s Simi Valley. The landmark meeting is the second time Tsai has met with an American lawmaker of that rank in the space of a year, following a visit from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August. Tsai is also the first president of Taiwan to meet with a US House speaker on American soil.

“I am honored to welcome Taiwan’s president to the Reagan Library,” McCarthy said. “I’m very grateful to hear her perspective as we move forward.” “I’m optimistic that we will continue to find ways for the people of America and Taiwan to work together and promote economic freedom, democracy, peace and stability,” McCarthy said.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister announces end to US Dollar dependence

Story by Damilola Lawrence

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced yesterday that the country will no longer rely on the US dollar to attract investments. Also, he stated that negotiations between Malaysia and other countries will take place using both parties’ respective national currencies. To move towards this goal, he revealed that Bank Negara Malaysia is creating a proposal for using this method of trade during visits to China. Furthermore, he expressed that this move will be beneficial for the country in the long run.

Malaysia ditches US dollar in international trade negotiations

The fragility of the current US economy is evident in today’s jobs data, and this fragility is being further highlighted by international perspectives – most recently from Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. In response to questions about countries no longer depending on the US dollar for trade transactions, Ibrahim stated that there is no reason to continue to rely on the American currency.

Saudi crown prince hands Putin his biggest weapon in the energy war

Story by Melissa Lawford

During his presidential campaign Joe Biden pledged to make Saudi Arabia an international pariah. Then came sky high inflation and a war. In July, Biden swallowed his words and travelled to Jeddah to meet the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. But if Biden had hoped that MBS, as the Kingdom's ruler is known, would boost Saudi Arabia’s oil output at a time when higher crude costs were driving a surge in inflation, he was to be sorely disappointed.

Instead, in October, the Saudi-led Opec cartel of oil producing countries slashed output by two million barrels per day to drive prices higher. Now – heedless of an angry US president who has threatened unspecified "consequences" – it is cutting production again. As Biden looks on powerlessly, one of the biggest winners is likely to be Vladimir Putin.

Putin said Finland joining NATO didn't pose a threat, but now that it's a done deal, Russia is warning it will have to take action

Story by insider@insider.com (John Haltiwanger)

Last May, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his top diplomat unexpectedly downplayed the significance of Finland joining the NATO alliance — the possibility of which previously led Moscow to repeatedly threaten the Nordic country. Putin said at that time that Finland joining NATO didn't pose an "immediate threat" to Russia.

The Kremlin is, however, shifting its tone now that it is a done deal and warning Finland it will have to take unspecified action in response. "Naturally, this forces us to take countermeasures to ensure our own tactical and strategic security," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a press briefing, per the Moscow Times.

Finland joins NATO, Russia threatens 'counter-measures'

By Anne Kauranen and Andrew Gray

HELSINKI/BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Finland formally joined the NATO military alliance on Tuesday in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, drawing a threat from Moscow of "counter-measures".

Nato strengthens while Russia fails

Vladimir Putin has proved the Western alliance’s greatest recruiting sergeant

Telegraph

The formal accession today of Finland to Nato marks a significant expansion of the Western alliance and represents a major strategic setback for Vladimir Putin, compounding Russia’s military debacle in Ukraine. The symbolism is hard to exaggerate. Putin claimed that part of his rationale for the invasion was to stop the encroachment of Nato. But Ukraine is not part of Nato. Indeed, had it been, Putin would not have dared attack it for fear of triggering the mutual defence pact...

Russia’s ultranationalists appear increasingly vulnerable after pro-war blogger’s killing

Holly Ellyatt

Russia’s high-profile camp of pro-war, nationalist commentators looks suddenly vulnerable after the death of one of the country’s most influential military bloggers, analysts say.

The death of Vladlen Tatarsky following an explosion at a cafe in St Petersburg on Sunday has dominated headlines in Russia and beyond. The blast killed Tatarsky and injured at least 30 others, the authorities said, before detaining a woman on suspicion of involvement in what they described as a “high-profile murder.”

The death also sent shockwaves through Russia’s pro-war commentariat which has burgeoned since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago. The online community is now asking why Tatarsky was targeted, and by whom.

China Urges Japan to Refrain From Joining US Chip Curbs

China's foreign minister has urged Japan to refrain from supporting US efforts to suppress the Chinese semiconductor industry. And Japan's foreign minister has urged his Chinese counterpart to quickly release an employee of Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma Inc. detained in China.

Saudi Arabia cuts ties with the U.S. for economic independence

Story by Jai Hamid

In a surprising move, Saudi Arabia and the OPEC+ group of producers have announced a cut in oil production of approximately 1.6 million barrels per day. While the move is aimed at achieving market stability, according to a recent report from the Financial Times, Saudi Arabia is attempting to adopt an economic strategy that is independent of the United States.

Saudi’s unexpected cut in oil production

The decision to cut oil production comes as a surprise, particularly as it is lower than the expected reduction of 2 million barrels per day that was to be agreed upon during the meeting that included Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Scheduled to commence in May, the announced voluntary reductions in production supplement previously established cuts agreed upon in October. Riyadh has officially stated that it will curtail output by 500,000 barrels per day, while Iraq will decrease its production by 211,000 barrels per day.

Chinese spy balloon gathered intelligence from sensitive military sites, despite U.S. efforts to block it

Story by Courtney Kube and Carol E. Lee

The Chinese spy balloon that flew across the U.S. was able to gather intelligence from several sensitive American military sites, despite the Biden administration’s efforts to block it from doing so, according to two current senior U.S. officials and one former senior administration official.

China was able to control the balloon so it could make multiple passes over some of the sites (at times flying figure eight formations) and transmit the information it collected back to Beijing in real time, the three officials said. The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel, rather than images, the officials said.

Kamala Harris visits her Indian grandfather’s house in Zambia: ‘Remember my…’

By Mallika Soni

Kamala Harris In Zambia: "As you know, I visited Zambia, Mr President, as a young girl when my grandfather worked here,” Kamala Harris said. US vice president Kamala Harris visited her maternal grandfather P V Gopalan's family house in Zambia's capital Lusaka where he lived as an Indian Foreign Service official in the 1960s. Kamala Harris visited the house during her trip to Zambia. "My visit to Zambia has a special significance for me, as many of you know, and for my family. As you know, I visited Zambia, Mr President, as a young girl when my grandfather worked here,” Kamala Harris said.

Russia runs the UN Security Council this month. Ukraine says it’s the worst April Fools’ joke

By Richard Roth, CNN

CNN — A country led by an accused war criminal is now in charge of the United Nations Security Council. Hard as it is to believe, it’s Russia’s turn to assume presidency of the powerful body – which is charged with maintaining global peace and security. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described Russia assuming the council presidency on April 1 as its brutal invasion of Ukraine stretches into a second year as “the world’s worst April Fool’s joke.”

“The country which systematically violates all fundamental rules of international security is presiding over a body whose only mission is to safeguard and protect international security,” Kuleba said. Presidency of the security council rotates alphabetically among its 15 member nations. The body is controlled by its five permanent members, including the US and Russia. The UN diplomatic corps is well aware of the public skepticism about Russia leading the council while its troops occupy parts of Ukraine, a fellow UN member country. Few remember that Russia was last president of the council in February 2022 – during the run-up to its invasion of Ukraine.

U.N. food chief says billions of dollars are needed to avert unrest and starvation

By The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — Without billions of dollars more to feed millions of hungry people, the world will see mass migration, destabilized countries, and starving children and adults in the next 12 to 18 months, the head of the Nobel prize-winning U.N. World Food Program warned Friday. David Beasley praised increased funding from the United States and Germany last year, and urged China, Gulf nations, billionaires and other countries "to step up big time."

In an interview before he hands the reins of the world's largest humanitarian organization to U.S. ambassador Cindy McCain next week, the former South Carolina governor said he's "extremely worried" that WFP won't raise about $23 billion it needs this year to help millions of needy people "Right at this stage, I'll be surprised if we get 40% of it, quite frankly," he said. Last year, Beasley raised $14.2 billion for WFP, more than double the $6 billion in 2017, the year he took over as executive director. That money helped over 128 million people in more than 120 countries and territories.

Andrew Tate Posts Cryptic Message From House Arrest After Release From Jail In Romania

Caroline Frost

Andrew Tate has shared a video with a cryptic message for his followers after being released from prison, and placed under house arrest. The former kickboxer posted a video in which he was seen shirtless, pacing a room and smoking a cigar after he and his brother Tristan were released from jail. Tate told his followers: “Absolute clarity of mind. Real thoughts. Real plans. Vivid pain.” he said, in reference to his time behind bars. “One hour home and I cant stand my phone.

Pope Francis News Live : Pontiff Leaves Hospital, Would Attend Palm Sunday At St. Peter’s Square

Pope Francis News Live : Pope Francis has been cleared by doctors for discharge on Saturday from the Rome hospital where he was treated for bronchitis. The pontiff had pizza one evening with medical staff and baptized a baby in the pediatrics ward.

China’s media realities clash over truth about war in Ukraine

Pro-Russia and anti-Western media coverage hampers Chinese public’s understanding of the reality of war in Ukraine.

By Frederik Kelter

More than 10,000 Chinese people were in Ukraine when Russia invaded on February 24, 2022. The “no-limits friendship” Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping announced between their countries three weeks before the invasion did not prevent Chinese people from suddenly finding themselves in a war zone. Though the Chinese leadership appeared to have been as surprised by Russia’s invasion as the rest of the world, that shock did not translate into a condemnation of Moscow’s actions, either then or now.

Days into the invasion, China’s state newspaper, the People’s Daily, published a message on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, in which Beijing’s embassy in Kyiv called on its citizens in Ukraine to unite amid the deteriorating situation. The People’s Daily – along with most of China’s new media – had by then united behind Russia and its on the Ukraine war.