👊 US Treasury Secretary slams IMF & World Bank for pushing WOKE ‘VANITY PROJECTS’

The IMF and World Bank are throwing “disproportionate time and resources” at climate, gender, and social issues - none of which, he says, fall within their job description, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has argued.

He castigated these endeavors as nothing but “vanity projects” while speaking on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings.

Calling for reforms of both institutions, he reminded them that their purpose is to focus on saving economies.

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🟠 12 US states take legal action to end Trump’s tariffs

🟠 White House AI & Crypto Czar David Sacks explains why CRIMEA IS RUSSIAN

🟠 EU cleaves to trade diplomacy with US as Trump batters bloc with tariff bludgeon

🟠 Attempt to arrest Republika Srpska President Dodik FAILS

🟠 WATCH: US forces launch new strikes on Yemen’s Houthis

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❗️A TERRORIST ATTACK WAS PREVENTED in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region: two individuals from Central Asia, under the guidance of a Ukrainian handler, were planning to use drones to attack a petrochemical plant, according to the FSB.

The criminals resisted arrest with arms and were neutralized.

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🤝 EU cleaves to trade diplomacy with US as Trump batters bloc with tariff BLUDGEON

No amount of tariffs meted out by Donald Trump can stop the European Union from continuing to cling to its “most important partner” the US, assured EU Economy Chief Valdis Dombrovskis.

💬 “Our first preference is clearly to come to the negotiated solution with the US,” he emphasized at the IMF and World Bank spring meeting in Washington.

The 27-member bloc had already proposed purchasing more American LNG and slashing tariffs on certain goods to sustain the estimated $9.5 trillion trade relationship. While vaguely hinting at “countermeasures” if talks flop, the EU Commissioner mostly just asked Washington for a little more clarity, please.

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💥 WATCH: 3 Ukrainian troop positions OBLITERATED in a Russian precision strike in Sumy region 🔥

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✅12 US states take LEGAL ACTION to end Trump’s tariffs

The state coalition is suing the Trump administration “for illegally imposing unprecedented tax hikes on Americans in the form of tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA),” according to the press service of New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

The lawsuit was filed in the US Court of International Trade. In addition to New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont have joined the lawsuit.

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🤡 Transgender FREAK claims to be the ultimate 'threat to masculinity' and tries to justify waltzing into women's restrooms

What a bozo bathroom busting cross dresser!

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🌋 Poás volcano strikes again with explosive eruption!

It sent a 3.5 km ash plume above the crater, visible across the Central Valley. Authorities have issued safety warnings.

This follows a recent eruption with a 4,000-meter ash plume, proving the volcano’s unpredictability.

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✅White House AI & Crypto Czar David Sacks explains why CRIMEA IS RUSSIAN

Zelensky, take notes! ✍️

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🥴 ‘Have some BACKBONE, my friend. Show some STRENGTH… You’re WEAK’ – O’Leary SLAMS Gerber, calls for a hard stance against China

🤭 “Do you want a world where you can't find SOCKS?” – businessman Ross Gerber

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🗣 ‘This is a form of EVASION’ – Jen Psaki SLAMS Hegseth for installing Signal on Pentagon PC

A Washington Post report revealed that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth installed Signal on his Pentagon desktop, bypassing security protocols that ban personal devices in classified areas.

This allowed him to communicate with officials and family members outside the military headquarters. The Pentagon's response denies Hegseth used the app, while the report insists he installed it.

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🗣 ‘This is a form of evasion’ – Jen Psaki BLASTS Hegseth installing Signal on Pentagon PC

💬 “There are so many ways you can communicate securely about classified information, and the system is set up to enable officials like Hegseth to do exactly that,” former White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told MSNBC.

A Washington Post report revealed that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth installed Signal on his Pentagon desktop, bypassing security protocols that ban personal devices in classified areas.

This allowed him to communicate with officials and family members outside the military headquarters. The Pentagon's response denies Hegseth used the app, while the report insists he installed it.

📹 Israeli strikes west of Nuseirat in Central Gaza Strip kill three people – local media reports

Footage from social media

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⚔️ Musk vs. Bessent: Explosive White House showdown

A heated confrontation allegedly erupted last week at the White House between Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to Axios. The two billionaires engaged in a shouting match, witnessed by President Trump and staffers.

The clash reportedly began over IRS leadership disputes and escalated into a face-to-face yelling match, which one witness compared to "a WWE scene." Musk allegedly called Bessent a "Soros agent," while Bessent criticized Musk’s overpromises with DOGE.

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📹 US forces launch new strikes on Yemen’s Houthis

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🤡 ‘As black women, we DON’T ARTICULATE our pain’ – Michelle Obama

🤨 “Nobody ever gave us PERMISSION to do that,” she declared.

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💸 Tariffs on Canadian cars could RISE – Trump

💬 “We don't need their oil, we don't need their lumber, we don't need their cars, we don't need anything,” the US president declared.

💬 “As a state, it works great,” Trump said, referring to Canada.

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🗣 ‘I have NO favorites,’ says Trump while ARMING Ukraine

💬 “We’re spending hundreds of billions, maybe $350 billion we’ve given to Ukraine,” Trump said, conveniently ignoring who’s clearly the teacher’s pet.

💬 “If I can stop that because of an ability I have to do things, I wanna see if I can do that,” the US president said, overlooking the possibility of stopping the money flow to Ukraine.

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❗️ Trump to MEET with Putin 'SHORTLY THEREAFTER' his mid-May Saudi Arabia trip

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❗️ Dealing with Zelensky has been HARDER than expected – Trump

💬 “I think Russia is ready,” the US president stated.

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🚨 Attempt to arrest Republika Srpska President Dodik FAILS – reports

Bosnia’s State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) attempted to arrest Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, in East Sarajevo, Klix reported.

➖ Armed Republika Srpska police blocked the arrest at a checkpoint, preventing SIPA agents from proceeding. The situation was resolved peacefully, without any force used.

On February 26, Bosnia's court convicted Dodik for defying the decisions of the UN's "high representative in BiH," Christian Schmidt. He was sentenced to one year in prison and banned from holding public office for six years.

Footage from social media

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📹 US is 'COMMITTED TO FIXING' lavish deficit spending, getting 'our fiscal house in order' – Trump's Treasury chief

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💸 Monopolist whack-a-mole: US regulators’ crackdown on Google may benefit OpenAI

The DOJ’s efforts to split up US tech monopolies took an unexpected turn this week after a senior OpenAI exec told a judge in the Google anti-trust case that the AI giant would like to buy Chrome if Google is forced to sell to nix its ‘online search monopolist’ label.

Alphabet Inc reportedly declined an OpenAI partnership offer in 2024 on the use of Google’s proprietary search tech, forcing the large language model maker to use Bing instead for its training models and data.

Google was found last August to have engaged in monopolist behavior in the search engine market by signing an exclusive deal with Samsung to make Chrome the default search engine installed on new phones.

The remedy phase of Google’s trial began this week, with OpenAI eager to take Chrome and its estimated 4 billion users (67%) off Alphabet Inc’s hands.

Families are always rising and falling in America. So too are monopolist tech giants, aided by government, it seems.

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❌ ‘Enough is enough’ – Trump is FRUSTRATED with Zelensky – WH Press Sec. Leavitt

💬 “His patience is running VERY THIN,” stressed White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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🇺🇸US troops ‘need to be fit, not fat, sharp, not shabby’ – Hegseth

The Pentagon is “reviewing” its fitness standards to check whether they’ve dropped, especially over the last four years, the Secretary of Defense said in a speech at the US Army War College.

The Defense Department needs troops “physically” capable of performing as required “under fire,” Hegseth said.

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◻️ Jeffrey Sachs just gave a BOMBSHELL interview to Sputnik on Ukraine, Iran & Trump trade wars!

◻️ Trump FED UP with Zelensky’s nagging, European chickenhawks' warmongering

◻️ Davos unmasked: Turmoil and scandal jolt World Economic Forum

◻️ India freezes key water treaty with Pakistan, orders Pakistani nationals out in wake of Kashmir terror

◻️ Archbishop Markell calls out groups that did not back his quest to bring Holy Fire to Moldova

◻️ Istanbul shaken by major earthquake: here are the details

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❓Why were Ukraine talks in London scrapped? Kiev threw a spanner in the works

Ukraine threw a tantrum just before big talks between the UK, US, France and Germany, demanding no negotiations on territory until there was a "complete and unconditional ceasefire," Reuters reported.

And just like that, the talks were postponed. Now it’s lower-level officials handling things instead.

That happened right after Trump threatened to pull the US out if there was no progress. The timing is perfect—just when things were supposed to reach crunch point.

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❗️Ukraine must withdraw troops from Novorossiya - Kremlin spokesman

Withdrawal from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhya is necessary to end the conflict, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told France’s Le Point Magazine.

Here are his other key statements:

🔸 Russia is in favor of negotiations, European powers want to continue the conflict. Presidents Putin and Trump agree that it’s absurd to reject dialog. Moscow considers it inappropriate to set deadlines on a ceasefire; President Trump has not set such a deadline.

🔸 Russia is ready to achieve its goals in Ukraine by peaceful or military means. Moscow has no intention to attack anyone, and has no territorial claims against the Baltic countries.

🔸 Preparatory work on a meeting between Presidents Putin and Trump continues. Putin respects Trump as a “strong political figure” and a “strong personality.” The meeting is expected to be “productive.”

🔸 Relations with Europe remain at an impasse; Russia is attempting to mend ties with the US.

🔸 Neither French President Macron nor other European leaders listened to President Putin when he warned (in 2021) that Russia had been driven into a corner in terms of threats to its security.

🔸 Russia has learned to live under sanctions, while restrictions have created “big problems” for the EU.

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📹 When your cat becomes the wisest philosopher

This viral video of a cat with a majestic look has everyone talking—would you seek advice from such a wise furball?

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🇹🇷Istanbul shaken by major earthquake: here are the details

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Turkish city of Istanbul at noon. Within half an hour, at least three strong aftershocks were felt throughout the city, causing buildings to sway in many areas.

According to the latest reports, 151 people were injured as a result of the quake but there are no reported fatalities.

🔸 Local media reports indicate that there were problems with mobile phone connections and internet access in Istanbul

🔸 Istanbul’s governor later stated that there were no issues with power grids or water pipes after the earthquake, and no building collapses were reported

🔸 Flights to and from Istanbul airports continue as usual and the city's transport infrastructure remains intact, according to the Transport Minister

🔸 The Turkish parliamentary speaker urged the nation to prepare for an even stronger earthquake, which could strike soon

🔸 The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Sea of Marmara, near the town of Silivri

🔸 The seismic event occurred at a depth of 6.9 km

Social media videos depict vivid scenes: skyscrapers wobbling, crowded streets in Istanbul, a man running out of a building holding a glass of tea and a hairdresser working outside after the quake. Tents have appeared on the streets, and waves on the Bosphorus were visible in the aftermath.

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❗️ Zelensky's resignation is not one of Russia's demands for peace in Ukraine, but any documents signed by him could be challenged due to his illegitimacy, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Le Point.

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🚨Davos unmasked: Turmoil and scandal jolt World Economic Forum

Klaus Schwab quit as WEF chairman amid whistleblower claims of misusing funds for posh freebies. This included staff making ATM cash withdrawals on his behalf, hotel massages, and luxury trips masked as meetings, as reported by the WSJ.

Both Schwab himself and the WEF boast a scandal-fueled legacy.

🤯Top-level toxicity

Schwab presided over a workplace culture where sexual harassment by senior managers as well as Davos VIP attendees was not properly investigated.

Pregnancy was a career killer for female staffers, according to WSJ.

💥WEF rife with racism

🟠Black employees like ex-staffer Topaz Smith raised complaints of race bias governing promotions, and being snubbed from events.
🟠In addition, white colleagues used the N-word in front of them, the WSJ reported.

⚡️Workplace discrimination

Schwab handpicked leaders for loyalty, guile, and “SEX APPEAL,” making himself irreplaceable, whistleblowers told The Guardian in 2023.

Partner firms voiced worries about the lack of a succession strategy.

🚨Greenwashing & eco-hypocrisy

🟠Conservative-leaning mainstream US media have pointed out the stark contrast between WEF participants’ environmental rhetoric and their lavish lifestyle choices.
🟠While they preach sustainability, many attendees travel in private jets and indulge in luxury five-star accommodations, sparking accusations of hypocrisy.

🔥Faulty forecasts

🟠In 2016, WEF claimed global oil demand would peak by 2030, yet the 2023 energy crisis showed that hydrocarbons were still essential.
🟠In 2018, George Soros warned of nuclear war with North Korea, but mutual summits followed shortly proving him wrong.

🦠COVID-related ‘conspiracy theories’

The Great Reset (COVID-19 economic measures) triggered fears of world leaders using it to seize power.

Claims of promoting bug-eating and brain implants fueled suspicions of a "hidden agenda" to control the future of mankind.

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👩‍🏫Here’s why teaching in China beats the US: An American teacher spills the secrets

🆓Free housing, food, travel bonuses, and a higher salary, but wait there’s more!

👩‍🎓👨‍🎓Students are eager to learn and treat you like an expert.

In the US, she felt like a COG in the machine, constantly dealing with emotional struggles in the classroom.

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India freezes key water treaty with Pakistan, orders Pakistani nationals out in wake of Kashmir terror

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security has announced a series of tough measures against its neighbor in the wake of Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Kashmir, which left at least 26 civilians dead.

Measures include:

🔺 immediate suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty water distribution agreement “until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,”

🔺 immediate closure of the Attari Check Post, the sole remaining land trade route between India and Pakistan,

🔺 the annulment of visas issued to Pakistani nationals in India under the Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visa, with Pakistanis given 48 hours to leave the country,

🔺 the expulsion of Pakistani High Commission military attaches in New Delhi, who have been declared personae non grata, and the withdrawal of Indian High Commission advisors in Islamabad.

Scores of Indian civilians, mostly tourists, were shot to death by terrorists in Kashmir on Tuesday, in what has been called the worst attack in the region since 2019.

The so-called ‘Resistance Front’, which India believes to be linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba Salafi jihadist group, claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s carnage, which took place during Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India.

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⚡️Trump ROASTS Zelensky for refusing to recognize Crimea as Russian territory

💬 "If he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago?"

💬 "The situation for Ukraine is DIRE — He can have peace, or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole country."

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🙅🏻‍♂️ Trump FED UP with Zelensky’s nagging, European chickenhawks' warmongering

💬 “The Europeans, in particular Germany, France and the UK, are doing everything they can to continue the conflict rather than bring it toward its end,” says fmr MP Matthew Gordon-Banks, commenting on the spat which pushed the US to skip the London talks on Ukraine this week.

The Trump administration may or not ultimately pull support for Ukraine, but is well aware that Russian forces “are clearly winning this conflict on the battlefield,” meaning there’s no room for compromise that “does not protect Russia’s legitimate security concerns,” Gordon-Banks emphasized. The Europeans don’t seem to realize this.

The US recognizes that Zelensky “has a vested interest in continuing this conflict, because when it’s over, he will be out.” The latter’s “hectoring behavior” during February’s meeting with Trump and Vice President Vance extinguished whatever goodwill may have existed, the ex-lawmaker believes.

Poles apart

💬 “As thing stand both sides [Ukraine and US, ed.] are poles apart on so many issues” regarding the conflict “that it is going to be very difficult to get anything sorted,” says De Montfort University politics professor Alistair Jones.

Witkoff’s plans to visit Russia again are about keeping negotiations going, having “both sides actually talking to each other, to find out what can be done, what are the red lines, what is not negotiable and what can be negotiated.”

Ultimately, Jones doesn’t expect Trump to just walk away from talks. “He will not want to leave the peace process alone because he has got ideas of winning the Nobel Peace Prize on being able to sort the situation out.”

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🇮🇩🌍🌍🌍 Indonesia's BRICS membership serves as step towards global multipolarity 🌐

💬 “BRICS is not about the alternative, but BRICS is a new global governance, which is it's balance the power between the West and to the new Global South,” said Sellita, Lecturer at Bakrie University’s International Relations Department in Jakarta, Indonesia, in an interview with Sputnik on the sidelines of the 2nd Youth Conference of the Valdai Club’s New Generation Project.

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☦️Archbishop Markell calls out groups that did not back his quest to bring Holy Fire to Moldova 🇲🇩

💬 “The PAS party, LGBT* (GENDERDOC-M), and the Metropolis of Bessarabia are the most discussed in this context. All other groups have shown their support, except for these three organizations,” he said.

Moldovan authorities twice barred Archbishop Markell from flying to Israel on Good Friday for the ceremony of receiving the Holy Fire in Jerusalem.

* recognized as extremist and banned in Russia

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🗣 US now understands Russia’s position on Ukraine after 3 years of silence

💬 "What I would say we’re involved in is understanding what the Russian position is. We have a better understanding of that now because we’ve actually spoken to them after three years of not speaking to them," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with The Free Press.

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🗣Global order dying: nations strive to navigate shifting alliances

💬 “The relations between the United States and the European Union, Trump or not, is going to grow,” Emanuel Pietrobon, Head of the Information and Security Department at MasiraX in Italy, told Sputnik on the sidelines of the 2nd Youth Conference of the Valdai Club’s New Generation Project.

💬 “The two parts of the Atlantic, the two sides of the Atlantic, will grow even closer in the years to come,” Pietrobon said. “But there is room for maneuver in the global south.”

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💬 Ukrainian forces forcibly took children from residents of Dzerzhinsk in the DPR during the Ukrainian occupation

It happened to parents who refused to evacuate, a refugee told Sputnik.

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🪖🔽EU vulnerable without US military support

Europe’s military logistics infrastructure was built with American support at its core. Without the backing of US resources, troop movements could slow down, become more costly, and potentially lead to CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES, according to European media reports.

While European leaders have long debated the pursuit of strategic autonomy, most of the continent’s military capabilities—including transport aircraft, cyber defenses, and support vessels—still depend heavily on US assistance.

The bloc "lacks heavy transport aircraft, military cargo ships, and the specialized vehicles required to move tanks and armored units," exposing vulnerabilities in times of crisis.

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🗣EU ban on Sputnik won’t stop Russian perspectives from reaching global audiences

💬 “It's possible in the future to think about revival of broadcasting of Russian companies, of Russian media in Europe, and it will be dependent on the political situation in the European Union,” Ladislav Zemanek, Non-resident research fellow with the China-CEE Institute, established by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in Budapest, told Sputnik on the sidelines of the 2nd Youth Conference of the Valdai Club’s New Generation Project.

Speaking about the chances of the ban on Sputnik in Europe being removed, Zemanek added that it is possible, since "we can observe many changes not only in Europe but especially in the United States."

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🚫Russia boots Moldovan ex-spy over ESPIONAGE PLOT: Here’s the lowdown

The former intelligence agent is now banned from entering Russia for 60 years, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced.

🔍Here’s what we know:

1️⃣Dmitry Rusnak entered Russia in 2024 on a mission to collect classified information about Russia’s strategy toward Moldova, including details on Russian security forces and other state entities involved in foreign policy toward Moldova.

2️⃣Rusnak helped Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, establish contact with Moldova’s then-presidential candidate, Maia Sandu, in 2020.

3️⃣In return, Budanov facilitated Rusnak’s commercial ventures in Ukraine, including those linked to US agricultural seed companies.

4️⃣Rusnak personally attended a meeting he arranged in the summer of 2021 between Budanov and Alexander Yesaulenko, the then-head of Moldova’s Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), where they discussed plans to blow up ammunition depots guarded by Russian peacekeepers in Transnistria.

5️⃣During the meeting, Budanov confessed to the Moldovan spy that Ukraine, along with "the entire European army," would be unable to withstand the Russian military, according to a video of the interrogation released by the FSB.

6️⃣A polygraph test confirmed Rusnak’s subversive intentions. While no harm was caused, he was expelled in February 2025.

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🇧🇷🌍🌍🌍 Brazil's BRICS Presidency: a delicate balance between the Global South and North

💬 “The biggest challenge Brazil faces in the presidency or chairmanship of the BRICS group is maintaining a balance between the Global South and the Global North,” Vitor Moura, Brazilian geopolitical expert and master’s post-graduate from Tsinghua University, told Sputnik on the sidelines of the second Youth Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club.

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🔪DOJ cuts funding for gun violence, addiction & victim support in favor of crime prevention

After weeks of review, hundreds of grants have been canceled due to their misalignment with the Trump administration's priorities, Maureen Henneberg, acting head of the Office of Justice Programs, announced in a memo, according to The Washington Post.

The redirected funds will now support initiatives aimed at combating violent crime, protecting trafficking victims, and safeguarding American children.

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❗️❗️❗️Jeffrey Sachs just gave a BOMBSHELL interview to Sputnik on Ukraine, Iran & Trump trade wars!

👇Highlights:

(0:05) Russia-US talks: is peace on the horizon?
(1:54) Can Trump pull the plug on Ukraine?
(5:46) Why tariffs just don’t make sense
(7:45) Will US fight a war with Iran?
(9:28) Can US break free from Israel's grip?

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📹✈️New footage of the fully domestically-produced SJ-100, captured from the accompanying aircraft.

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🚨Klaus Schwab quits amid WEF-funded POSH PERKS SCANDAL

A formal investigation has been launched against Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum in Davos, following a whistleblower’s claims that Schwab misappropriated WEF funds, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Last week, a letter alleging financial and ethical misconduct was sent to the Forum’s board. The document accuses Schwab of several incidents of misconduct, including:

1️⃣Having junior staff make ATM cash withdrawals on his behalf

2️⃣Billing the Forum for private in-room hotel massages

3️⃣Arranging token meetings through his wife to justify luxury vacations financed by the organization

Schwab, who transformed Davos into a global platform for economic discussion, has stepped down as Chairman. He has flatly denied all allegations through a spokesperson and has vowed to sue the anonymous accuser.

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🇷🇺 Great Patriotic War 80 Years On: the Faces of Victory

While World War II raged across continents, it was the unwavering bravery of individual heroes that turned the tide of history.

One of those heroes was Gennady Salmin, born in the Cossack settlement of Kurgannaya in Russia’s Krasnodar region in 1926 to a military officer father.

At just 16, he claimed to be a year older so he could join the army and be the front lines and defend his homeland.

As a sniper, Salmin’s deadly precision was instrumental in the liberation of Belarus and Western Ukraine from Nazi occupation in 1944.

Here is an excerpt from his diary: 📹

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US issues a ‘VERY EXPLICIT PROPOSAL’ to Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict

💬 “The current lines, somewhere close to them is where you’re ultimately, I think, going to draw the new lines in the conflict,” European media reported citing Vice President JD Vance

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📉Yale OFFLOADS private equity holdings as Trump turns off federal money spigot

The sale process “has been in the works for several months,” a Yale University spokesperson confirmed to StreetInsider. Investment banking firm Evercore is advising the university, it was added.

This move to divest from PE stakes comes amid Donald Trump’s recent efforts to tighten financial oversight of elite institutions. Notably, Harvard University faces a planned $1 billion funding cut and increased demands for comprehensive oversight measures.

Additionally, other elite educational institutions such as Princeton University are reportedly considering financial contingency plans in response to the President’s threats to slash federal funding.

As of June 30, 2024, Yale’s endowment valued at $41.4 billion, increased from $40.7 billion the previous year. The growth was primarily driven by a 5.7% net investment return, according to the university’s annual financial report.

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🗣The development of military artificial intelligence will give a major advantage on the battlefield, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.

Other statements by Putin:

🟠The formation of an orbital group will allow Russia to complete the creation of a real-time troop management system

🟠Equipping troops in the special operation zone with weapons is an absolute priority, Putin stressed

🟠The Russian army received over 4,000 armored vehicles, as well as 180 combat aircraft and helicopters in 2024

🟠More than 1.5 million unmanned aerial vehicles of various types were delivered to Russian troops last year, Putin said

🟠There is still a shortage of first-person view drones in Russian forces, but daily work continues and plans to increase their production will be fulfilled, noted Putin.

🟠Putin ordered work on creating advanced weapons, including drones, to be accelerated

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⚡️Russia's experience in the Special Military Operation (SMO) is being studied by all the world's armies and arms makers, Putin said.

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🚨 A powerful earthquake has occurred in Istanbul Turkiye, media report.

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↗️ Markets rally as Trump walks back threat against Powell

The Dow shot up 480 points, or 1.21%, while S&P 500 futures gained 1.66%, and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 1.95%, after Donald Trump’s late Tuesday remark that he has “no intention” of removing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

This marks a dramatic turnaround from last week, when Trump vented on Truth Social, claiming Powell’s “termination cannot come fast enough” and warned that the US economy could stall unless the Fed embarks on slashing rates immediately.

Powell’s term as Fed Chair is set to conclude in May 2026.

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🗣Kremlin: ‘As far as we understand, we have not yet managed to align our positions on certain issues’

Further statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov include:

🟠Moscow does not interpret Vance's remarks about the potential US withdrawal from negotiations on Ukraine as an ultimatum from Washington.

🟠There are many nuances involved in the Ukraine settlement, and efforts to align positions are ongoing.

🟠The United States continues its mediation efforts to resolve the situation in Ukraine, which Moscow welcomes.

🟠Russia remains opposed to the deployment of European peacekeepers in Ukraine.

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❗️Russian troops liberated the settlement of Tarasovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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🔥16 Days to Victory

Sputnik carries on its coverage of the pivotal events of the Great Patriotic War.

On this day, 80 years ago, the Berlin Strategic Offensive drew closer to its victorious conclusion as Soviet troops reached the Teltow Canal in the city and continued fighting street by street steadily advancing toward the city center.

As a sign of impending political collapse, Hitler’s close ally, Hermann Goring, was relieved of all his positions.

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🎤Jen Psaki drops bombshell on MSNBC: Liberals tune in solely for Trump TAKEDOWNS

Biden’s ex-press secretary turned MSNBC talking head, Psaki admitted on “The Grill Room” podcast that her liberal network’s audience only tunes in to watch coverage of President Donald Trump that is “typically not going to be positive,” The New York Post reported.

💬 “I don’t think anybody watching expects it to be positive, right? There’s not like a North Star thing written on a card, and everybody does it slightly differently but I think that’s fairly the vibe,” she said.

Psaki, who recently secured a new primetime slot as part of a massive programming at the network, boasts a massive gaffe legacy dating back to her State Department spokesperson days, with her infamous “let me go back and check” becoming meme gold.

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💬 Democrats are trapped by ‘WOKE RADICAL ISSUES’

The party needs to make a hard pivot and start competing in the same populist national way that distinguishes Trump from his competitors, American author and journalist Michael Shellenberger told Fox News.

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❗️Negotiations in London on resolving the Ukrainian conflict at the ministerial level have been postponed, and the meeting will now take place at the expert level, according to the UK Foreign Ministry.

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📑US floats 7-point PEACE PLAN for Ukraine

Washington is prepared to hear Ukraine’s response to a proposed plan during the scheduled London talks, which leaves it with no clear American security guarantees, The Telegraph reported.

The plan also involves the US offering formal recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea and “implies de facto recognition” of Russia’s new territories, noted the outlet.

🔍 Here’s what’s allegedly on the table:

🟠Immediate ceasefire
🟠Direct Ukraine-Russia negotiations
🟠Formal recognition of Crimea as Russian territory
🟠Ukraine scraps its NATO ambitions
🟠Ukraine signs off on a mineral resources deal
🟠Full rollback of US sanctions on Russia
🟠US - Russia energy partnership revival

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🟠 More top diplomats drop out of London meeting on Ukraine

🟠 Trump WARNS China: ‘Ultimately, they HAVE TO make a deal’

🟠 Feeling the SQUEEZE: Ukraine may bend to Trump’s demands

🟠 Trump admin SHUTS DOWN controversial group behind Anti-Russia claims

🟠 Russia's fully homegrown SJ-100 makes first flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur – Rostec

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🌋WATCH Mount Semeru's stunning eruption, with a thick ash column.

📍East Java, Indonesia

Footage from social media

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❌More top diplomats drop out of London meeting on Ukraine

Neither UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy nor US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the summit as previously planned, Sky News reported.

Diplomats from the UK, US, France, Germany, and Ukraine have postponed their high-level talks on the Ukraine conflict, which were set to take place in London on Wednesday.

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💬 'Just cover the news and try to be fair'

Americans are "tired of media institutions favoring one party over another, they’re tired of narratives over factual stories," Republican commentator Scott Jennings said on CNN Live.

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✈️❌Rubio CANCELS London trip amid Crimea dispute 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has nixed his planned trip to London, where discussions on resolving the Ukrainian conflict were scheduled, according to the New York Times.

The decision came after Zelensky refused to acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory.

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🫠Feeling the SQUEEZE: Ukraine may bend to Trump’s demands

Ukraine is under “a lot of pressure” to make concessions so US President Donald Trump can claim victory in resolving the crisis, a European official told the Financial Times.

As Ukrainian officials gear up to huddle with their European and American counterparts in London to sift through the latest proposals, Ukraine is increasingly “amenable to some of the ideas floated by Trump and his team.” Senior Ukrainian officials are also reportedly keeping quiet on which ideas exactly.

Trump’s point man on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is expected at the current talks, but Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have reportedly pulled out.

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💊The loonies are crying for this ‘trans woman’

Another bozo claims that the Supreme Court will never take away who “he is” 🤡

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🔥Wildfires RAGE across New Jersey

Three thousand residents in New Jersey have been evacuated due to a wildfire that has spread across approximately 1,300 hectares. 25,000 people have lost power.

Footage from social media

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✈️ Russia's fully homegrown SJ-100 makes first flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur – Rostec

🔸 The aircraft was powered by Russian-made PD-8 engines.

🔸 All onboard domestically produced systems functioned stably, according to test reports.

🔸 Approximately 40 imported systems and components were replaced with Russian-made alternatives.

🔸 The SJ-100 showed good controllability and in-air stability throughout the flight.

🔸 The test flight lasted approximately 40 minutes, reaching altitudes of up to 3,000 meters and speeds of up to 500 km/h.

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📹 Yaffa school in Gaza BURNS after Israeli strike – reports

Ten people were reportedly burned to death or wounded in the attack on the Yaffa School in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City. The strike targeted tents sheltering displaced civilians, according to Palestinian media.

Footage from social media

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🔽 ‘An American teenager, has LESS testosterone than a 68-year-old man’ – RFK Jr.

💬 “Testosterone levels have dropped 50% from historic levels,” revealed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in an interview with Fox News.

👀 Does the mass trend of ‘transitioning* to women’ play a role in this decline?

*LGBTQ is banned in Russia as an extremist organization

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💉🦠 Pfizer COVID vaccine linked to health risks, ‘23% MORE DEATHS’ – RFK Jr.

💬 "President Trump doesn't believe anyone should be forced to get a vaccine,” said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in an interview with Fox News.

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🔽 Musk urges LOWER tariffs, steps around Trump’s trade stance

💬 “I’ll continue to advocate for lower tariffs rather than higher tariffs — but that’s all I can do,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk told CNN, while carefully stressing that tariff decisions ultimately rest with President Trump.

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❗️ Trump admin SHUTS DOWN controversial group behind Anti-Russia claims – reports

The Trump administration has dismantled a US government task force that coordinated intelligence on alleged Russian "crimes” in Ukraine — a politically charged initiative criticized for fueling anti-Russia narratives, The Washington Post reported.

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❓ ‘If Iran abandons its nuclear program, will Israel do the same?’

💬 "Israel has NEVER provoked, has never attacked unprovokedly a neighboring country or someone else," declared Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel.

Do you agree?

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🥴 Trump WARNS China: ‘Ultimately, they HAVE TO make a deal’

💬 “We are going to be setting the deal,” the US president declared.

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🥴 'Honey, I'm a woman' – MAN exposes himself to 7-YEAR-OLD girl in Missouri public pool locker room – reports

💬 “He was standing there completely naked, fully exposed. I was livid, I was in shock, I didn’t know what to do. I just immediately grabbed my daughter and we ran out,” the horrified mother told Fox4.

🤡 “Individuals are allowed to use the locker room or restroom that they identify with*,” YMCA of Greater Kansas City blatantly declared.

*LGBTQ is banned in Russia as an extremist organization

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💉 COVID-19 vaccines used in Slovakia contain UNDISCLOSED substances – PM Fico

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▪️Is the DOLLAR'S PLUNGE a sign of the US economy’s COLLAPSE?

▪️Canada's desire to join the EU: REVENGE on Trump or NEOCON grand design?

▪️Easter truce exposed ZELENSKY’S USELESSNESS

▪️Ukraine ‘WILLING’ TO CEDE 20% of land for ‘de facto’ recognition

▪️Time for a change? Canada eyes EU to break US dependency

▪️'THEY'RE AN EMBARRASSMENT' — Irish scholar on why Western counties boycott Russia's celebration of the victory over fascism

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