03 World

Russia on the brink as insider fears ‘economic collapse’ | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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Russia is teetering on the edge of economic collapse as a result of systematic Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, a Russian propagandist has warned. Meanwhile, the leader of the puppet regime installed by Vladimir Putin in Crimea has said fuel can no longer be sold in quantities of more than 30 litres per person as ordinary people feel the pinch.

In a video clip posted on X, Maksim Kalashnikov, a propagandist, admitted the attacks are no longer sporadic but a systematic campaign aimed at shattering Russia‘s economy. He said: “The war is now waged not for the complete destruction of the Russian Federation, of course, but its collapse,” highlighting a 17% disruption in refining capacity. The fuel crisis was deepening, with the voices of those advocating rationed consumption growing louder, Kalashnikov explained.

He added: “I can state that the situation is deteriorating,” underscoring the severity.

Kalashnikov added: “Ukraine‘s strategy, targeting critical infrastructure like the Druzhba pipeline and Blue Stream, exploits Russia‘s vulnerability, pushing the nation towards an unprecedented economic crisis.

Trump’s dizzying corkscrews on Ukraine may wind up back where he began– www.thesun.co.uk
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DONALD Trump doesn’t do U-Turns. He does rollercoaster loop-the-loops.

So with all his dizzying corkscrew turns and sudden policy swerves there is every risk he ends up back where he began – sucking up to tyrant Vladimir Putin and scorning President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Before Ukraine shows any relief at Trump’s sudden, full-throated support they will want to see concrete action.

That means weapons without restrictions for Kyiv and penalties for Moscow. Sanctions must hurt the Kremlin and threaten Putin’s rule.

Otherwise it’s just hot air.

It wasn’t so long ago Trump hailed Putin a “genius”. He rolled out the red carpet in Alaska last month.

He said Zelensky had “no cards”.

Zelenskyy tells U.N.: Stop Russia’s war or face dangerous arms race– japantoday.com
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged world powers to help stop Russia’s war in his country in a speech to the United Nations on Wednesday, warning of a dangerous arms race that he said the fighting was unleashing.

He called for global rules to curb the use of artificial intelligence in weapons while describing breakneck innovation in drones used in Ukraine. He also accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking to expand his war beyond Ukraine.

“Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead,” he told the 193-member United Nations General Assembly.

His comments came a day after he met U.S. President Donald Trump at the United Nations, where Trump appeared to take a much tougher stance toward the Kremlin.

Trump said on Tuesday that Kyiv could retake all its occupied land from Russia in what would be an extraordinary battlefield reversal. He also endorsed the idea of shooting down Russian fighter jets that violate NATO airspace.

Zelenskyy said the advent of artificial intelligence meant the arms race under way was the “most destructive” in human history and voiced disappointment in what he said was the weakness of international law and cooperation.

Estonia calls Russian jets violating its airspace a ‘hostile act’ | United Nations– www.aljazeera.com
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NewsFeed

Estonian President Alar Karis says Russian fighter planes entering his country’s airspace is another sign that Russia is escalating its war on Ukraine. His comments come a day after US President Donald Trump said NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace.

Germany, France Mapping Out Medical Response to Battlefield Casualties in Potential NATO-Russia War– legalinsurrection.com
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Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s feigned interest in a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war during last month’s summit in Alaska with President Donald Trump, his subsequent actions make clear he has no interest in pursuing a settlement.

Since the meeting, Russian attacks on Ukraine have intensified, and a series of recent Russian jet and drone incursions into the airspace of NATO members Poland, Romania, and Estonia have deepened Western fears over the potential for a wider war — one Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has long warned of.

Although Putin denies he is gearing up for a confrontation with NATO, he has repeatedly shown that his word is meaningless.

As dramatic as the prospect of war with Russia may seem, Reuters reports that Germany and France are already making plans for precisely that scenario. According to Reuters:

Germany’s armed forces are planning how to treat a potential 1,000 wounded troops per day should a large-scale conflict between NATO and Russia break out, and amid long-standing warnings by the alliance that Moscow could be capable of launching an attack from 2029.

Ukrainian soldiers describe the drone-infested corridor covering about 10 km either side of the frontline as the “kill zone” because remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed by both sides can swiftly spot and neutralise targets.

Has Trump woken up to Putin’s Ukraine game?– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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President Donald Trump, on his Truth Social platform, stated on Tuesday that Ukraine, with the support of NATO and the European Union, could “fight and win all of Ukraine back in its original form.” He described Russia as a “paper tiger” and said Ukraine “is only getting better.”

It is too early to call this a new policy. Trump has changed his position on Ukraine many times. He has alternated between sympathetic remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin and critical statements about Ukraine, while also moving from skepticism toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to support for the Ukrainian leader. Still, if Trump follows through on his recent statement, the prospect of real peace becomes more plausible.

That’s because Moscow is unlikely to reconsider its maximalist position on Ukraine unless it faces the real prospect of a Ukrainian victory or heavy pushback by the United States. Providing Ukraine with new weapons, imposing secondary sanctions on Moscow, and the targeting of Russian oil revenues could convince the Kremlin that continued war is unwinnable. In turn, Putin might come to a more serious negotiation position.

Until now, however, Moscow’s version of peace has always meant Kyiv’s capitulation. The Kremlin’s goal is not simply to seize land but to erase Ukraine’s sovereignty, collapse its statehood, and diminish Western international power. On the battlefield, Russia has been unable to secure a decisive victory for three and a half years. If it also comes to understand that it cannot force concessions at the negotiating table, that may be the point at which it is prepared for a more practical conversation.

Danish authorities will acquire ‘enhanced capabilities’ after drones shut down Aalborg airport – Europe live | Denmark– www.theguardian.com
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The officials are getting quite a lot of pushback over their decision not to shoot the drones down, particularly over the Skrydstrup airbase, which hosts Denmark’s fighter jets.

They say it was part of “an overall assessment” of the situation, stressing risks of taking drones down in busy areas.

Dallas ICE shooter pictured for first time | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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The gunman who opened fire on several individuals at an immigration centre in Dallas, Texas, killing one person before turning the weapon on himself, has been identified and pictured for the first time. Joshua Jahn, 29, is alleged to have shot three detainees at the Dallas ICE facility on Wednesday. Authorities confirmed that at least four people were injured and one inmate lost his life in the shooting.

The FBI revealed that bullets discovered near the shooter bore anti-ICE messages. Joseph Rothrock, head of the Texas FBI field office, said: “I could also share with you is that early evidence that we’ve seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature. Again, this is just the most recent example of this type of attack.”

‘Anti-ICE’ message on ammunition at Dallas shooting that killed immigration detainee– www.bbc.com
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FBI: ‘Anti-ICE’ message appeared on ammunition from Dallas ICE facility shooting

A detainee has died and two others are critically injured after a rooftop sniper opened fire at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) centre in Dallas, Texas, officials say.

The gunman fired indiscriminately at the ICE facility and at a nearby unmarked van, law enforcement officials say, before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Americans question more about the murder of Charlie Kirk — RT World News– www.rt.com
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… RT takes a look at five unanswered questions about the Kirk case that are generating the most buzz in social media and the blogosphere.

The Lost Opportunity of Mahmoud Abbas – The Jerusalem Strategic ...

The Lost Opportunity of Mahmoud Abbas – The Jerusalem Strategic ...

Europe Rewards Terrorists with Palestinian State, who then IMMEDIATELY demand Trillions in “Reparations”  – Freedomist
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Visualizing the Data Behind America's H-1B Visa Program

Visualizing the Data Behind America's H-1B Visa Program

Trump’s H-1B visa fee sparks chaos and confusion among Chinese talents in the U.S.– www.cnbc.com
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A Chinese student wearing a New York marathon t-shirt walks at Beijing Foreign Studies University in Beijing on May 29, 2025.

Anger and confusion gripped Chinese professionals in the U.S. after White House leader Donald Trump slapped hefty fees on new work visas, deepening anxiety among those seeking to build careers stateside.

Last Friday, the Trump administration said that it would ask companies to pay $100,000 for new H-1B visa applicants. A slew of tech firms and banks including Microsoft, JPMorgan and Amazon responded to the announcements by advising employees holding the H-1B visas to stay in the country.

The White House has now clarified that the new rule only applies to new H-1B applicants, not to current visa holders or to those seeking to renew their permits.

While the U.S. government may cash in on a windfall from the visa fee hike in the near term, the new policy will almost certainly deter Chinese students from pursuing a degree or career in the U.S., said Xinbo Wu, director of Fudan University’s Center for American Studies in Shanghai.

India was the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas last year, accounting for 71% of approved visa holders, with China as a distant second at 11.7%, according to the U.S. homeland security data.

Russian Troops Are War-Weary, but Want to Conquer More of Ukraine ...

Russian Troops Are War-Weary, but Want to Conquer More of Ukraine ...

‘Russian troops retreat’ as Ukraine claims to have turned tide on front in brutal counter-offensive– www.thesun.co.uk
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UKRAINE claimed its troops have turned the tide in a key part of the eastern front.

Kyiv’s top general Oleksandr Syrskyi said his troops had recaptured some 60 square miles in a major reversal since August.

He also claimed Putin’s invaders had abandoned positions in a further 70 square miles north of the bomb-blitzed town of Pokrovsk.

The advances are welcome successes for Kyiv after months of Russian assaults wore down Ukraine’s morale.

Gen Syrskyi claimed Russian forces had suffered eye-watering losses including 1500 killed in action, another thousand wounded and at least 12 main battle tanks destroyed.

In a statement on Monday Gen Syrskyi said: “Control has been restored in seven settlements and nine more have been cleared of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

“As of 12pm on 22 September 2025, a total of 164.0 km² have been liberated and another 180.3 km² cleared of enemy sabotage groups.”

National Assembly (South Korea) - Wikipedia

National Assembly (South Korea) - Wikipedia

Democratic Party Pushes Emergency Hearing Against Chief Justice – 조선일보
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The National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, led by the Democratic Party, decided on the 30th to hold an emergency hearing on allegations of Chief Justice Jo Hee-de’s intervention in the presidential election. The Democratic Party previously raised the same allegations in May when it was the opposition party and held a hearing, but found no evidence that Chief Justice Jo intervened in the election. At that time, Chief Justice Jo and all justices who were summoned as witnesses did not attend. Now, the party is pushing for another hearing based on the conspiracy theory of a “secret meeting involving Jo Hee-de, Han Duck-soo, and two others.” This marks the first time a ruling party has held a hearing targeting the head of the judiciary. The People Power Party (PPP) condemned it as a “violation of the separation of powers and a clear act of destroying the judiciary.”

The committee passed a resolution on the 22nd during a plenary session to implement the hearing plan and summon witnesses and references. The session was originally intended for a legislative hearing on prosecutorial reform, but Choo Mi-ae, the Democratic Party chair of the committee, unexpectedly added the hearing plan for Chief Justice Jo to the agenda. As PPP members protested and walked out, the Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party proceeded with the decision. In the hearing plan, the Democratic Party claimed, “Chief Justice Jo violated procedural and legal regulations by issuing an unreasonable ruling related to the trial of a specific candidate (President Lee Jae-myung) ahead of the presidential election, and suspicions have arisen that he undermined the independence and political neutrality of the judiciary by allegedly conspiring in advance through a ‘four-person meeting’ with Han Duck-soo and others.”

Moldova | History, Population, Map, Flag, Capital, & Facts ...

Moldova | History, Population, Map, Flag, Capital, & Facts ...

Moldova detains 74 over alleged Russian plot to stir up unrest around key election– www.euronews.com
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Authorities in Moldova said they had carried out 250 raids and detained dozens of people on Monday as part of an investigation into an alleged Russia-backed plan to incite “mass riots” and destabilise the country in the run-up to critical parliamentary elections.

The raids targeted more than 100 people and took place in multiple localities across the country, police said.

Seventy-four people were detained for up to 72 hours, said Victor Furtuna, Moldova’s chief prosecutor from the Office for Combating Organised Crime and Special Cases.

Moldova’s police said that the unrest plot was “coordinated from the Russian Federation, through criminal elements.”

Furtuna said that most of the suspects “systematically traveled” to Serbia, where they received training and that they were aged between 19 and 45 years old.

Moldovans will vote on Sunday to choose the new 101-seat legislature, in an election many view as a choice between the country’s continued path toward European Union membership or closer ties with Russia.

Online disinformation aimed at discrediting Moldova’s pro-European government in the run-up to the vote.

Return of the Cypress: Iran's Foreign Policy Ambitions in Central ...

Return of the Cypress: Iran's Foreign Policy Ambitions in Central ...

Trump, Eye On Central Asia, Clinches $12B In Deals With Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan– www.rferl.org
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US President Donald Trump has clinched $12 billion in trade deals with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan amid a push to deepen economic ties with the strategic Central Asian region.

Uzbekistan agreed to buy 22 787 airplanes from Chicago-based Boeing for more than $8 billion, Trump said in a September 22 post on Truth Social.

“We will continue to work together on many more items!” Trump said in the post.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan signed an agreement to buy 300 US locomotives as well as other rail equipment from Pennsylvania-based Wabtec Corporation for $4.2 billion. The US Commerce Department described it as the largest rail deal in U.S. history.

“This landmark deal advances US manufacturing jobs and accelerates growth, opportunity, and connectivity in America and Central Asia,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said during a signing ceremony in New York with Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev.

Trump earlier in the day spoke by phone with Toqaev, who is in the United States to attend the UN General Assembly.

Trump is seeking to strengthen trade and investment ties with resource-rich Central Asia as he focuses on ending US dependence on China for critical minerals, including rare earths.

Israel is increasingly ostracised – and no matter how strong its army, it’s not a good place to be | World News– news.sky.com
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Emmanuel Macron was in his element. Touring the UN’s main hall, hugging fellow leaders before taking to the podium.

He was here to make history. France, the country that carved up the Middle East over a hundred years ago along with Britain, finally giving the Palestinians what they believe is long overdue.

Yvette Cooper witnessed the event looking on. Her prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, did the same over the weekend. Foregoing such hallowed surroundings, he beat the French to it by a day.

“Peace is much more demanding, much more difficult than all wars,” said Macron, “but the time has come.”

There were cheers as he recognised the state of Palestine.

The time for what? Not for peace that is for sure. The war in Gaza rages and the West Bank simmers with settler violence against Palestinians.

Fears grow Putin ‘planning armed revolt’ in Europe | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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Russia is shipping weapons and ammunition to Italy using mafia networks, according to a new investigative report. Officials in Rome are reportedly worried that Vladimir Putin is trying to destabilise Europe through the illicit shipments.

They suspect the Kremlin tyrant may be trying to provoke armed conflict either inside Italy or elsewhere in Europe. The consignments consist of unmarked Kalashnikovs, newer assault and sniper systems, and ammunition manufactured between 2010 and 2020. The illicit cargo enters Italy through Sicilian ports – including in Catania – and via border crossings in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

The investigation into the Russian arms smuggling was carried out by the Italian online newspaper Linkiesta. Russia‘s so-called shadow fleet has helped to transport the munitions to Italian ports.

The weapons are broken down and hidden in barrels of oil, fuel or lubricants to avoid inspections and preserve the arms from corrosion. Their onward distribution mirrors established narcotic routes.

Catania appears to have become one of the main centres of the trade.

Weapons caches tied to the Santapaola-Ercolano clan’s Nizza group were seized by police in March 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Pakistan-Saudi Pact Reveals Growing Distrust of US-Led Security Architecture • Stimson Center– www.stimson.org
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Editor’s Note: Dr. Mohammad Salami is a Pakistan-based specialist on Middle Eastern policy, particularly in Iran and the Persian Gulf region. His areas of expertise include politics and governance, security, and counterterrorism, and he has written for Stimson about Iran’s energy woes, domestic rivalries and efforts to control the internet.

By Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow, Middle East Perspectives Project

The Israeli attack on Qatar on September 9 failed to kill Hamas leaders but may have catalyzed a “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” (SMDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the first between key countries in South Asia and the Middle East since the Cold War.

The decision by the two countries to sign a joint defense pact on September 17 reflects growing unease among wealthy Arab petrostates about the willingness of the United States to defend them against what they see as an increasingly unconstrained Israel, which has attacked multiple Arab countries and Iran since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing military ties, with an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Pakistani troops currently stationed in the kingdom. Under a 1982 agreement, Pakistan has provided military training to more than 8,000 Saudi military personnel. The new agreement intensifies these ties and in language reminiscent of the NATO alliance, defines any attack on either country as an attack on both.

‘Standing Strong’: South Korean Megachurch Pastor Who Defied COVID Lockdowns and Woke Laws Arrested and Jailed | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com
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He’s endured more than 20 lawsuits, a police raid on his church and home, and finally an arrest. Today, Pastor Hyun-bo Son resides in a prison cell.

If it happened in North Korea it would hardly be newsworthy. But this story takes place south of the 38th parallel.

Since 1993 Pastor Son has preached at Segero Church in Busan, South Korea.

“When my father started serving at Segero Church, there were only around 20 people. And now, weekly, there are over 4,000 people,” Chance Son told The Western Journal in a phone interview.

Pastor Son’s faith in God and his charismatic leadership drove his success as a pastor.

Those same qualities, however, also made him a threat to South Korea’s Democratic Party.

His persecution began during the COVID lockdowns in December 2020.

Only 20 members could gather at a church, no matter the congregation size, Son said.

“My father’s church is built to have 6,000 people. However, allowing just five people or 20 people, however the government wants — he rejected,” Son said.

Venezuela’s machinery of repression: Inside the UN’s harrowing 2025 human-rights report– www.miamiherald.com
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On a December night last year in Caracas, opposition activist Jesús Armas stepped out of a café and walked toward his car. Before he could reach it, at least five hooded men dressed in black surrounded him. They asked only his name before forcing him into a gold SUV with no license plates. There was no warrant, no explanation, no indication of where he was being taken. For weeks, his family searched for him. Only later did they discover he had been transferred to El Helicoide, the notorious intelligence prison run by Venezuela’s feared Bolivarian National Intelligence Service.

US envoy Tom Barrack says interests ‘not aligned’ with Israel– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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The United States special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said America’s interests weren’t aligned with any country in the Middle East, including Israel.

Barrack gave a pessimistic assessment of the Middle East, saying there would probably never be peace in the region during an interview with the National News’s On the Record with Hadley Gamble. He then made a surprising statement, saying his mistrust of all powers in the region extends to longtime U.S. ally Israel.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, right, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, left, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shibani pose for a photograph after signing a road map to restore security in southern Syria, in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

“If we’ve talked about trust, quite honestly, in this business, I don’t trust any of them. Our interests are not aligned. ‘Ally’ is a mistaken word; our interests are not aligned,” he said.

When Gamble interjected to ask if he was referring to the Syrian regime, he said he was referring to the whole region generally. She then asked if that included Israel, to which he responded, “Absolutely.”

Barrack voiced further disenchantment with Israel and its effect on the region elsewhere in the interview, particularly regarding Lebanon. He said that due to Israel’s actions, Hezbollah had no incentive to disarm.