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Ex-Kursk Governor Detained Over Military Funds Fraud
Alexey Smirnov has been placed in pre-trial detention for two months by the Meshchansky District Court of Moscow. He is accused of large-scale fraud in connection with misappropriation of state funds meant for military fortifications, allegedly committed by an organized group using official positions. Smirnov’s former deputy, Alexey Dedov, faces the same charges. Smirnov is…
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Zelensky: 150+ Chinese Citizens Fighting for Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that more than 150 Chinese nationals are participating in the war in Ukraine on the side of Russia, with Ukrainian authorities having identified 155 individuals by name and passport number. On April 8, Ukrainian forces captured two Chinese nationals fighting in Donetsk. The individuals are currently held by Ukraine’s…
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The Gromyko Method: How Putin Channels Soviet Diplomacy
Andrei Gromyko (1909-1989) was a Soviet diplomat and politician who served as the USSR’s Foreign Minister from 1957 to 1985 and as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1985 to 1988. Renowned for his firm négociation style, he earned the nickname “Mr. No” in the West, and the method he gave his…
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UN Leads Cyprus Peace Talks in Switzerland
Switzerland is hosting UN-backed informal Cyprus peace talks. The discussions aim to explore potential steps toward resolving the island’s division between the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which has remained separated since 1974. In addition to its partition, significant areas of the island remain under the…
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Morocco: New Host for Turkish Drone Manufacturing?
Atlas Defense, a company newly registered in Rabat in January 2024, is expected to become the first production facility for Turkish military drones in Africa. The company’s stated activities include: “the design, manufacturing, development, and maintenance of drones.” The company is owned by Haluk and Selçuk Bayraktar, leaders of Türkiye ‘s Baykar defense firm. Baykar…
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Political Opponents Face Death Penalty in Tunisia
On March 4, Tunisia opened the first hearing in the high-profile “conspiracy against state security” trial, following two years of investigations. Forty defendants, including political figures, activists, lawyers, and public personalities, are accused of plotting to overthrow President Kais Saied’s government and face charges of conspiracy against internal and external state security and terrorism. If…
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Morocco Plans Military Airport in Sahara with US and French Support
Morocco is considering the construction of a military airport in the extreme south of the Sahara to address the alleged growing threat posed by terrorist groups in the Sahel. The project, reportedly involving cooperation with the United States and France, is intended to reinforce regional security as Western forces gradually withdraw from the area. The…
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Gaza Ceasefire Talks Stalled, Blocking Humanitarian Aid
Israel has halted all humanitarian aid into Gaza, citing Hamas’s rejection of Israel’s proposal to extend phase one of the ceasefire brokered in January 2025, instead of moving to phase two as originally planned. The decision, announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, follows the expiration on March 2 of a 42-day ceasefire part of…
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PKK Declares Ceasefire with Turkiye Following Öcalan’s Call
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)’s Executive Committee issued the statement on March 1, 2025, announcing a unilateral ceasefire, responding to a call from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, for “peace and a democratic society.” The PKK is an armed political group founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan, advocating for Kurdish autonomy and rights in Turkiye.…
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Impact of Trump’s $60 Billion Foreign Aid Freeze
Since his election, President Donald Trump and his administration have frozen more than $60 billion in US foreign assistance, pending government review. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) may be abolished, citing “conflicting, overlapping, and duplicative” activities. A federal judge has blocked the administration from placing…