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[l] at 4/15/26 8:16am
The acting Bulgarian PM is on a mission to give whatever he can to Vladimir Zelensky before he’s booted from office Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov’s days are numbered, and his caretaker government is rushing to tie his country to Ukraine before a potential populist uprising. It’s about gas, influence, and keeping Sofia marching in lockstep with Brussels. Gyurov was appointed acting prime minister in February, after Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned in November under the pressure of street protests and persistent allegations of corruption. His mandate is non-existent, and his term in office has lasted fewer than eight weeks. Nevertheless, he’s making frantic deals with Kiev before an election that he and his allies are almost certain to lose – all in an attempt to block his opponent from enacting policies that will upset Brussels. Read more Battle for Bulgaria: The EU opens a new front in its election war His ‘We Continue the Change’ coalition is floundering at a dismal 10% ahead of Sunday’s election. The real competition is between Boyko Borissov (who served as prime minister between 2009 and 2021) and his pro-EU GERB-SDS coalition, and former President Rumen Radev’s left-leaning Progressive Bulgaria coalition. Borissov is unlikely to upset the apple cart, but Radev is a vocal opponent of the EU’s Ukraine project, and he’s dominating in the polls. With the clock ticking, Gyurov set out for Kiev last month. Why Gyurov tied Bulgaria to Ukraine At a ceremony in the Ukrainian capital on March 30, Gyurov and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky signed a ten-year military cooperation agreement. Under its terms, Bulgaria will provide bilateral military aid to Ukraine for the next decade, both countries will jointly produce drones and ammunition, and their armed forces will train together. Furthermore, Sofia and Kiev will align their sanctions policies, while Bulgaria will pay towards Ukraine’s reconstruction and support its bid for NATO and EU membership. Securing this agreement before the election was crucial for Gyurov. Radev opposes both the deal and Ukraine’s accession to NATO, while even the GERB party under Borissov withdrew its support for the pact in 2024 – with Borissov stating that his party would wait for a peace deal between Moscow and Kiev before signing anything. Gyurov faced fierce criticism at home for signing such a consequential document without winning an election first: Radev was among the most scathing critics, calling the caretaker prime minister “practically illegitimate.” Andrey Gyurov (L) and Vladimir Zelensky sign a security agreement in Kiev, Ukraine, March 30, 2026 ©  Handout Speaking to Politico this week, Gyurov insisted that Bulgaria “cannot wait for the ‘right moment’ when it comes to security.” Bulgaria has been run by multiple caretaker governments since 2021, none of which went through with the deal. In reality, Gyurov seized the “right moment” to ram the agreement through before it could be delayed by Borissov or outright blocked by Radev.  Of the two candidates, Radev is the more pressing threat to Ukraine and its backers in Sofia and Brussels. Wile Borissov sought to delay the security agreement, GERB still supports military aid to Kiev. Radev, as president, vetoed an agreement to provide Ukraine with armored vehicles in 2022, blamed Ukraine for starting the conflict with Russia, and told Zelensky to his face in 2023 that there was “no military solution” to the conflict, and that “more and more weapons will not solve it.” Campaigning against the well-documented corruption of Borissov and his circle, Radev’s coalition is leading GERB in the polls by nine points. Gyurov has leaned on Ukraine to close that gap. Leveraging Ukraine Gyurov and acting Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynski toured Ukraine at the beginning of the month, with Neynski agreeing to an “active exchange of experience and good practices” with Ukraine’s cybersecurity agency, the State Special Communications Service. Neynski also met with anti-Kremlin activist Peter Pomerantsev to discuss “initiatives to counter propaganda and hybrid threats.” Nadezhda Neynski visits the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection (SSSCIP) in Kiev, Ukraine, April 2, 2026 ©  Bulgarian Foreign Ministry The same week, Neynski set up a temporary unit within the Foreign Ministry to “counter disinformation and combat hybrid threats,” which will be “advised” by former Bellingcat investigator Christo Grozev. Wanted in Russia over his role in encouraging Russian fighter pilots to defect to Ukraine and accused of working with Britain’s MI6 spy agency, Grozev will “assist the organization with specific information exposing malicious influences,” which will then be dealt with “through mechanisms developed by the European Commission.” Read more The US has accused the EU of censorship: Here’s how the bloc’s consensus machine works  Gyurov has already requested that the European Commission intervene in the election by activating the same censorship tools it deployed in France, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, and Romania to stifle support for Euroskeptic populists. The commission has agreed to the request, and the EU’s infamous ‘Rapid Response System’ – which forces social media platforms to remove content flagged by Brussels’ “fact checkers” – is now active in Bulgaria. What’s the bigger picture here? Some more clues as to why Gyurov would expend so much political capital on Ukraine and against Radev can be found where politics and energy intersect. A section of the agreement signed by Gyurov and Zelensky last month states that Bulgaria and Ukraine will “continue to work actively to ensure alternative gas supplies to Ukraine. They recognize that the Vertical Corridor is a strategic route for the transport of additional natural gas from alternative sources to the region, including liquefied natural gas through existing and future liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.” Currently under construction, the Vertical Gas Corridor will transport an estimated 10 billion cubic meters of American LNG per year from terminals in Greece to Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Ukraine. The US and EU have backed the project, with Brussels pumping more than €240 million into a Greece-Bulgaria section of the line in 2019, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling Gyurov last week to thank the caretaker prime minister for “supporting the Vertical Gas Corridor, which presents opportunities for US LNG exports.” A map of the Vertical Gas Corridor project, showing anticipated flows in billions of cubic meters (BCM) per year ©  Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine Russian gas still flows through Bulgaria to Hungary, Serbia, and North Macedonia from the TurkStream and Trans-Balkan pipelines. Sofia plans to stop this transit by 2028, in line with EU policy. Once Russian gas is no longer flowing, the Bulgarian section of the Trans-Balkan pipeline will be switched to reverse flow and integrated into the Vertical Gas Corridor network. Read more Brussels’ dependency dilemma: The EU is a victim of its own energy arrogance Ukrainian Energy Minister Denis Shmigal noted that the project will “significantly expand [Ukraine’s] access to diversified sources of natural gas,” and will help Kiev fill up its underground gas storage system. The US Energy Association describes Ukraine’s storage infrastructure as “the largest and most strategically positioned system in Europe.” Radev supported the Vertical Gas Corridor project as president, but with the interests of the US, EU, and Ukraine on the line, Gyurov likely isn’t leaving anything to chance. After all, Radev backed the corridor as an alternative to – not a replacement for – Russian gas imports. Bulgaria, he has argued, should not be “bound by ideology” when it comes to choosing energy partners. Additionally, despite Bulgaria planning to halt Russian gas transit through its territory by 2028, Russian energy giant Gazprom has already paid for transit rights until 2039. Radev’s opponents likely fear that he will honor this contract, especially after he vetoed a law in November that would have allowed the government to seize a refinery operated by Russia’s Lukoil. The bottom line The Vertical Gas Corridor is just one factor in an election that Washington, Brussels, and Kiev view as critically important. The possibility that Radev could obstruct military aid to Ukraine has already forced Gyurov to visit Kiev to sign a decade-long security pact, while the prospect of recently-defeated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban being replaced by another obstructionist in Sofia has prompted the EU to throttle political speech ahead of the election. READ MORE: Magyar beats Orban in battle for Hungary: What happens now? With so much at stake, Radev has accused Gyurov and the EU of conspiring to “discredit the elections” with claims of Russian interference, “in order to extend the power of the caretaker government of Gyurov.” Should he win, he has suggested that Guyrov and the EU may follow “the Romanian model” – a reference to Romania’s Brussels-backed government annulling the 2024 election over false claims that Russia ran a social media influence campaign on behalf of populist candidate Calin Georgescu. ”These people cannot even imagine to what extent they are discrediting Bulgaria in the EU with their behavior,” he told podcaster Martin Karbovski last week.

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[l] at 4/15/26 7:46am
Brussels has determined that Berlin unfairly restricted the rights of pro-Palestinian protesters Germany’s handling of anti-Israel protests was “disproportionate,” and the government’s use of hate-speech laws to counter the demonstrations unfairly restricted freedom of expression, a report by the EU’s human rights commissioner has found. Compiled by the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Michael O’Flaherty, and published on Wednesday, the report called on the German government to “ensure that the fight against all forms of hatred fully respects the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression for all members of society.” The report accuses German authorities of misusing claims of anti-Semitism to ban pro-Palestinian slogans and Palestinian flags from some rallies, and to outright ban others. Police have used excessive force against anti-Israel protesters, the report stated, while “freedom of expression has been restricted disproportionately, regarding debates on Palestinian rights or legitimate criticism of the Israeli government.” Since 2017, the German government has endorsed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism. This controversial definition lists “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” and “drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” as examples of anti-Semitic speech. Read more Pro-Palestinian activists call for protest at former Nazi concentration camp Among a laundry list of further complaints, the report claims that Germany is not doing enough to fight both marked “rises in antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred,” and should not blame anti-Semitism on the Muslim community. The German government disputes this, pointing out that “antisemitic attitudes are significantly more prevalent among people of the Muslim faith.” Despite accusing Germany of failing to protect the speech and assembly rights of anti-Israel protesters, and failing to protect Jews from anti-Semitism, the EU has never criticized Germany for restricting the speech rights of nationalist political figures. Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, has labeled the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a “confirmed right-wing extremist” organization; an AfD politician has been convicted for sharing the government’s own migrant crime statistics; and members of Germany’s ruling center-right and opposition center-left parties have called for a ban on the organization. Furthermore, the EU has also played a leading role in silencing pro-Palestinian voices. Among them is journalist Huseyin Dogru, a German of Turkish descent who was sanctioned by the European Council last year. The council argued that Dogru’s reporting on the Israel-Palestine conflict had sown “ethnic, political and religious discord” in Germany and therefore supported “destabilizing activities by Russia.” German authorities agreed, stripping Dogru and his wife of healthcare coverage and freezing their bank accounts.

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[l] at 4/15/26 7:28am
Five conscription officers chased down a 16-year-old, beat him up, and pepper-sprayed him, according to reports Ukrainian conscription officers have been caught on video attacking a 16-year-old boy in Odessa, local media have reported. The incident marks one of the latest episodes in Kiev’s increasingly desperate and violent mobilization drive amid mounting losses in the conflict with Russia. Footage captured by an alleyway security camera shows several men in camouflage, apparently Territorial Recruitment Center (TCC) officers, jump out of an unmarked van and start running after the teenager. They then beat the boy in a crowd and, according to the victim’s brother, used pepper spray and kicked him in the back.  Neighbors noticed the incident, contacted the boy’s family, and intervened, causing the conscription officers to flee in their minibus. The boy’s face was reportedly covered in blood and he had bruises all over his body when medics arrived. According to the teenager’s relatives, the police were also called. However, when they arrived, they reportedly found no evidence of a crime and left without taking action. The boy’s family now intends to seek punishment for the TCC officers. The incident follows a string of violent conscription episodes throughout Ukraine that have become known as ‘busification’ – the forcible stuffing of men into minibuses. In Odessa last month, a local resident fought off four TCC officers using a heavy metal chain, smashing their vehicle’s windows. In Kharkov, armed conscription officers reportedly shot and killed a man during an attempted forced mobilization in March. Read more Kiev could rebrand conscription agency – MP With volunteer rates plummeting and the military suffering heavy casualties, less than 10% of new recruits join voluntarily, Ukrainian lawmaker Vadim Ivchenko admitted last month. Desertion and draft evasion remain rampant, with an estimated 2 million potential conscripts on a wanted list. Moscow has accused Kiev of fighting “to the last Ukrainian” to serve Western interests. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov estimated that Ukraine had lost nearly 500,000 servicemen in 2025 alone, depriving Kiev of the ability to replenish its ranks even through compulsory mobilization.

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[l] at 4/15/26 6:58am
The West is becoming increasingly divided as its power wanes, the Russian foreign minister has said The US is trying to shift the burden of “containing Russia” onto European NATO members, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. Speaking during a visit to China on Wednesday, Lavrov blamed the EU and UK for “torpedoing” US-Russian talks aimed at normalizing diplomatic ties and criticized large-scale European rearmament programs. “European elites see militarization as a guarantee of their survival. And Americans encourage this European militarization as it shifts responsibility for security of the Old World,” he said. Washington is content for European states to bankroll Kiev against Moscow and even create a new military bloc involving Ukraine, as this places “the main responsibility [on them] for containing Russia,” Lavrov said. According to the diplomat, the broader Western agenda is to “preserve and renew their hegemony” and put in place new tools to make sure they “live at the expense of others” – as slavery and colonialism did in the past. But as their relative power declines, internal frictions in the West intensify, he said. Read more The Iranian knot needs to be untangled, not cut – Lavrov Lavrov criticized the EU for prioritizing ideology over economic pragmatism by refusing Russian energy supplies despite a global price shock caused by the US war on Iran. “Europe says it is getting off the needle of Russian oil and gas. And it risks getting impaled by an aspen stake, which [the US] is actively sharpening for the Europeans,” he said. The top Russian diplomat stated that officials in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and London are making efforts to prolong the Ukraine conflict and keep the US involved in it. They have largely nullified the outcome of US-Russian negotiations in Alaska last year, even as President Donald Trump has moved away from his predecessor’s policy of open-ended support for Kiev, Lavrov said. Moscow has no illusions about the fact that the US pursues dominance over global energy markets, including through recent military operations against Venezuela and Iran and the continuation of sanctions on Russia, the minister concluded.

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[l] at 4/15/26 6:41am
Dozens of Al-Shabaab militants were killed in recent operations, with weapons and military equipment also seized, the Defense Ministry has said Somali government forces, backed by regional troops, have killed 27 fighters of Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab in a large-scale offensive in the semi-autonomous state of Jubaland, the East African nation’s authorities have confirmed. The operation targeted areas under Jilib, Hagar, and Afmadow, with ground forces advancing on militant positions while airstrikes by “international partners” were carried out in parallel, Somalia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Among those killed were “key members of the terrorist group,” the ministry said, adding that troops had also “seized weapons and military equipment, including BKM machine guns, RPGs, and AK-47 rifles, as well as landmines that the terrorists had intended to use against civilians.” Last month, Mogadishu said the National Intelligence and Security Agency had carried out a raid in the Hantiwadaag area of Awdheegle district in the Lower Shabelle region, killing a senior leader of the Islamist militant group. Officials said the man, who was known by several aliases, including Kamaludin Yunis Mohamed, had been a “key” planner behind a series of deadly attacks, including the six-hour siege on Godka Jilacow prison near the presidential palace in Mogadishu in October 4, 2025. READ MORE: Major terrorist leader eliminated in African state Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency in the Horn of Africa country since 2007, seeking to overthrow the fragile federal government and establish its own rule based on a hardline interpretation of Sharia law. The group controls large swaths of land in Somalia’s southern and central regions, carrying out sporadic bombings and gun attacks on civilians and military infrastructure despite repeated offensives by national forces, African Union troops and other foreign partners, including the US. Read more The US is about to hit ‘Add to cart’ on another forever war While the Defense Ministry did not disclose the foreign partners involved in the latest operation, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has announced multiple airstrikes against Al-Shabaab in coordination with Mogadishu since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025. In a statement on Wednesday, AFRICOM said it carried out an airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab on April 13 near Mido, about 90 km northwest of Kismayo. ”AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to threaten US forces and our citizens abroad,” it added.

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[l] at 4/15/26 6:40am
The US president has said he is “permanently” reopening the waterway after Beijing supposedly agreed not to send weapons to Iran US President Donald Trump has said he is “permanently opening” the Strait of Hormuz, claiming he is making the move for China “and the world.” Trump also said Beijing has agreed “not to send weapons to Iran.” Trump initially announced the blockade of the vital waterway on Sunday after Pakistani-mediated talks failed to produce a peace deal with Iran. On Tuesday, US Central Command reported that American warships had effectively blocked all Iranian trade through the strait.  On Wednesday, however, Trump stated in a Truth Social post that “China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz.” He added that “I am doing it for them, also – and the World.” Trump went on to state that Beijing has “agreed not to send weapons to Iran,” and that Chinese President Xi Jinping “will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks.” “China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them, also - And the World. This situation will never happen again. They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran…” - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/g2LbmMJS5a— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 15, 2026 Trump is scheduled to pay a state visit to China on May 14, while Xi is expected to visit Washington for a reciprocal visit at a later date. Read more US says Iranian trade through Strait of Hormuz fully halted China has yet to respond to the US leader’s latest message about the reopening of the strait, but had previously repeatedly denied reports of providing any sort of military support to Iran. Beijing had also accused Washington on Tuesday of “dangerous and irresponsible” behavior over its blockade of Iranian vessels. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to “enemy ships” in response to the US-Israeli bombing campaign launched on February 28. Tehran has since demanded recognition of its “sovereignty” over the waterway and the right to impose tolls.

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[l] at 4/15/26 6:14am
People were killed in the Kahramanmaras attack, the local governor has said A gunman has opened fire at a secondary school in the city of Kahramanmaras in south-eastern Türkiye, a local governor has said. It is the second such incident in the country in as many days. An attack on an educational institution in Siverek on Tuesday left 17 wounded.The second school shooting, which took place in the Onikisubat District of Kahramanmaras, resulted in four people being killed and 20 others being wounded, Governor Mukerrem Unluer said on Wednesday. The fatalities include a teacher and three students, the governor said. At least four of those injured have been hospitalized in serious condition, he added. Unluer said that the attacker was an eighth-grade student from the same school. He could have obtained the firearms from his father, who is a former police officer, he said. Read more Gunman attacks school in Türkiye According to the governor, the assailant, who had five pistols on him, entered two classrooms and opened fire there. He committed suicide after carrying out the shooting. The chairman of the provincial branch of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Unal Ates, told Cumhuriyet newspaper that, according to his data, the attacker had mental issues and was known at the school as “a problematic child.” Ates also claimed that the number of fatalities was higher than the official figures and that at least 35 people were wounded in the incident. Videos from the scene captured students fleeing the school en mass during the attack, with some jumping out of second floor windows. Kahramanmaraş Ayser Çalık Ortaokulu’nda yaşanan silahlı saldırıda öğrenciler okul camlarından atlayarak hayatta kalmaya çalıştılar.#kahramanmaraş pic.twitter.com/5SLTcwKQig— Sol Yumruk (@Sol_Yumrukk) April 15, 2026 Footage also showed at least one dead body being placed in an ambulance. Kahramanmaraşta okulda silah sesleri: Yaralılar var!Kahramanmaraş Valisi Mükerrem Ünlüer: "Şu an bir saldırı var. Bir okulumuzda üzücü bir olay yaşandı. Yaralılarımızın olduğu bilgisi bize ulaştı. Konuyu derinlemesine araştırıyoruz"https://t.co/PbCqHL1ARC pic.twitter.com/03V82Q8HQk— BirGün Gazetesi (@BirGun_Gazetesi) April 15, 2026

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[l] at 4/15/26 5:53am
Moscow can replace Tehran’s crude supplies to China, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said       Russia can plug any oil supply gap triggered by the Middle East conflict and help China and other countries withstand US “aggressive adventures,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, signaling Moscow is ready to offset shortages if Iranian exports are squeezed.  US President Donald Trump announced the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for roughly 20% of global oil, on Sunday after Pakistani-mediated talks failed to produce a peace deal with Iran. Trump had previously failed to rally European NATO members to help secure Hormuz, which Iran closed to “enemy ships” in response to the US-Israeli bombing campaign launched on February 28.  Iran has since demanded recognition of its “sovereignty” over the waterway and the right to impose tolls. Read more US says Iranian trade through Strait of Hormuz fully halted Speaking to reporters on Wednesday during his two-day official visit to China, Lavrov said that Russia “can certainly make up for resource shortages faced by China and other countries” willing to work with Moscow “on an equal and mutually beneficial basis.”  He said the US and Israel targeted Iran in part over “oil markets,” adding Washington is now trying to shape them while backing Israel. “Russia and China, thank God, have all the necessary capabilities – already in use, in reserve and planned – to avoid dependence on such aggressive adventures that undermine the global economy and energy markets,” he said. Lavrov’s remarks came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned on Tuesday that China is “not going to be able to get their oil… not Iranian oil,” as Washington moves to choke off Tehran’s crude flows through a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. He described China as an “unreliable global partner” for stockpiling oil and limiting exports during the conflict. Read more Russia strikes key energy deal with Asian BRICS partner He added that the blockade would ensure no Chinese or other ships are allowed to pass through the vital waterway, noting that China had been buying more than 90% of Iranian oil, accounting for about 8% of its annual imports. The move comes as US forces ramp up enforcement in the Strait of Hormuz, deploying more than 10,000 troops and around a dozen naval vessels to halt Iran-linked shipments after talks collapsed. The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire last week, raising hopes for an end to the conflict, which has disrupted global trade and driven up energy prices, but both sides have since traded accusations over unacceptable terms.

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[l] at 4/15/26 4:41am
Slovenia is preparing a referendum on withdrawal from the bloc as Trump’s threats deepen internal divisions Slovenia’s newly elected parliament speaker has announced plans to hold a referendum on withdrawing the country from NATO, as the US‑led military bloc reels from its worst internal crisis in decades with Washington threatening to pull out from the organization entirely. The leader of the Truth Party, Zoran Stevanovic, was elected as the head of the lower house last week. Speaking to public broadcaster RTVSLO, he stated that a vote on leaving the bloc was a campaign promise he intends to keep. “We promised the people a referendum on the issue of leaving NATO, and we will hold this referendum,” Stevanovic said. The speaker also signaled a possible visit to Moscow “in the near future,” stating he would like to “build bridges and cooperate well with all countries, regardless of the wall that has been built between the West and the East.” The push for a NATO exit vote comes as the 32‑member bloc has started to crack over US President Donald Trump’s threats to withdraw support after European members refused to join the US‑Israeli war on Iran.  Trump has repeatedly lashed out at European partners, calling them “cowards” and the bloc a “paper tiger,” stating that US membership in NATO is “beyond reconsideration.” His continued threats to annex Greenland from fellow member state Denmark have further escalated tensions within the bloc. Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stressed that Trump’s threats to withdraw from the bloc need to be taken seriously, adding that it is “not the law of nature that we have NATO forever” or that it will “survive the next ten years.” Read more EU Defense Agency head says compulsory military service could be necessary The divisions have prompted the European nations to quietly accelerate work on a “European NATO” contingency plan. According to a Wall Street Journal report, officials have been informally drawing up plans to continue operating on the continent using the bloc’s existing military structures in the event that the US reduces its role or withdraws entirely.  In Moscow, Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev has warned that the EU itself quickly morphed into a “full‑fledged military component,” it would be “in some ways worse than NATO,” arguing that Brussels has been inflating Russophobic hysteria to justify a large-scale military buildup in preparation for a possible war with Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also speculated that US threats to withdraw from NATO could be intended to shift the primary responsibility for “containing Russia” to Europe in order to free up Washington’s own hands in the “Chinese direction.” Moscow has repeatedly denied any intention to attack NATO or EU countries, arguing that such claims are being used to justify massive investments in arms amid faltering economic growth.

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[l] at 4/15/26 4:34am
The El Dabaa project enters next stage of launch preparations, CEO Aleksey Likhachev says The first nuclear fuel shipment for Egypt’s El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, built by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, is expected to arrive in 2027, CEO Aleksey Likhachev said on Tuesday.  Speaking to journalists in Cairo, Likhachev indicated that preparations are underway to convert the plant’s first unit into an operational nuclear facility as early as next year, paving the way for testing, commissioning, and ultimately electricity generation for Egyptian consumers by 2028. “Our task is to turn the first unit [of the El Dabaa NPP] into a nuclear energy facility starting next year,” Likhachev said. According to the Rosatom CEO, the construction is in “a very uplifting stage.” Likhachev also noted that discussions were held with Egypt’s minister of electricity and renewable energy, Mahmoud Esmat, focusing on the current progress and future roadmap of the project.  Read more Can Africa seize control of its own energy? He added that proposals had been presented to Egypt’s prime minister and received backing, while describing construction as advancing at a strong pace, with over 25,000 workers already on site and further workforce expansion expected. El Dabaa, Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, is being built on the Mediterranean coast in Matrouh Governorate. The project includes four VVER-1200 Generation III+ reactor units, each with a capacity of 1.2 GW.  It was launched in 2017 and is being financed jointly by Moscow and Cairo, while Rosatom will supply nuclear fuel to the facility throughout its life cycle and assist the Egyptian side in training personnel and operating the plant. The total cost of the nuclear power plant is estimated at around $28.75 billion. Russia is financing approximately 85% of the cost with a 22-year loan to Egypt with an interest rate of 3%.  In November, Russian President Vladimir Putin called El Dabaa a “flagship project in the field of the peaceful atom” and praised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for his “personal initiative and support.”  READ MORE: Putin pledges long-term backing for Egypt’s first nuclear plant Egyptian Energy minister Esmat told RIA Novosti in September that construction work on the project is expected to be completed by 2029.

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[l] at 4/15/26 3:59am
Israel’s erroneous belief that it can destroy Iran should not be supported by the US, the Russian foreign minister has said There is no quick fix to the crisis surrounding Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. The US must recognize its underlying causes, including Israel’s goal of destroying the country, he added. Speaking to reporters during a visit to China on Wednesday, Lavrov described the situation as “a crisis knot that will be extremely difficult to untangle.” He explained that “some parties are trying to cut it now – I don’t believe that would produce a [favorable] result.” According to Lavrov, the current crisis stems directly from the US-Israeli attack on Iran in late February. The resulting disruption to global markets and the Iranian damage to Arab states hosting US military facilities were foreseeable consequences, he stressed. “Israel appears totally convinced that Iran must be destroyed. I cannot understand how such a belief is possible,” Lavrov said, adding that remarks by US President Donald Trump about wiping out Iran’s civilization had sparked strong international backlash. Read more Uncertainty is killing us – captain of ship stranded in Persian Gulf (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO) In addition to backing Israeli ideological motives, Washington is also pursuing dominance over global energy markets, as confirmed by Trump’s own messaging, Lavrov stated. US and Israel hurting the Middle East Commenting on recent US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan, Lavrov expressed hope that Washington would be “realistic, take the region’s interests into account and suspend its unprovoked aggression.” He expressed solidarity with Gulf nations damaged in the conflict, but stressed that “those who started the war also have intentions not to allow normalization between the Arabs and Iran.” Lavrov pointed to China’s quiet role in facilitating the 2023 agreement between Saudi Arabia and Tehran, which restored diplomatic ties after seven years and led to the reopening of embassies between the regional rivals. Read more US-Israeli war on Iran could push 32 million into poverty – UN Iran’s nuclear rights must be respected Lavrov dismissed claims by the US and Israel that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, citing reports from international inspectors that found no evidence of such activities. Concerns over Iran’s nuclear program were addressed under the 2019 multilateral agreement known as the JCPOA, Lavrov said, adding that “the United States destroying this initiative as Israel always wanted is a sad fact of modern history.” He also criticized the European Union for acceding to Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement and playing “the most malicious role” in pushing snapback UN sanctions targeting Iran. Russia, he said, remains ready to assist in finding a solution, provided that Iran’s right to develop a peaceful nuclear program is upheld.

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[l] at 4/15/26 3:56am
The Pentagon continues to deploy forces to the Middle East despite negotiations with Tehran, Moscow has said The US and Israel could be exploiting talks with Iran to prepare for a ground attack on the country, the Russian Security Council has said. The first round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran, which took place in Islamabad, Pakistan at the weekend, did not result in a breakthrough. Iranian officials blamed the failure of the talks on “unrealistic demands” by the Americans, but expressed readiness to continue looking for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. US President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that the next round of discussions could take place at the same venue “over the next two days.”  In a statement on Tuesday, the office of the Russian Security Council warned that “the US and Israel may use peace talks to prepare for a ground operation against Iran.” This assessment is based on the fact that “the Pentagon continues to build up the US grouping in the region” even as negotiations are underway, the key body, headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, said. Read more The Iranian knot needs to be untangled, not cut – Lavrov The US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 came as Tehran and Washington were engaged in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and broader regional security issues. Last June, Israel also bombed the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities amid US-Iranian talks, sparking a 12-day conflict with Tehran. “If the negotiations fail to achieve the intended goals, the hostilities may resume with greater intensity after two weeks,” the statement said. Trump earlier signaled he has no intention of prolonging the two-week ceasefire with Tehran, which is set to expire on April 22. The conflict “could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they [Iran] can rebuild,” he told ABC News. Tehran has said it is seeking a permanent end to the conflict rather than an extension of the truce, with a final agreement that would include guarantees against further attacks, sanctions relief, and ability to continue enriching uranium for peaceful purposes. According to the Russian Security Council’s assessment, Iran “still possesses a significant stockpile of weapons,” with which it could resist further aggressive moves by Washington and West Jerusalem. The country’s civilian and military leadership remains stable, with the Iranian society unifying around the government in Tehran since the US-Israeli attack a month-and-a-half ago, it added. READ MORE: End of Iran war ‘very close’ – Trump Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who headed Tehran’s team at the talks in Islamabad, warned earlier that the Islamic Republic is ready for a possible ground attack by American troops and will “rain fire upon them.” Tehran also warned that it would retaliate to a land operation by destroying energy infrastructure in the Gulf states.

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[l] at 4/15/26 3:49am
New Delhi’s reported purchases of Russian crude more than tripled to $5.8 billion in March, from $1.54 billion in February, according to CREA India’s crude oil imports from Russia surged in March, data from a European think tank showed. New Delhi’s crude oil purchases from Moscow more than tripled in March to $5.8 billion from $1.54 billion in February, the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said on Tuesday. The surge came as shipment volumes doubled and a spike in oil prices pushed up India’s import bill. “India was the second-highest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in March 2026, importing a total of $6.38 billion of Russian hydrocarbons. Crude oil products constituted 91% of India’s purchases, totaling $5.83 billion,” the CREA report said. India also imported coal worth $371 million and oil products amounting to $196 million in March, according to the report. Read more Russia should boost oil to India – expert In February, India was the third-largest importer of Russian hydrocarbons, worth about $1.98 billion. Crude oil accounted for the largest share at 81%, or about $1.54 billion, followed by coal at $245 million and oil products worth $133 million. The European think tank’s report said India’s total crude imports recorded an overall 4% reduction in March, though Russian imports surged. The CREA said the spike followed the US granting a one-month sanctions waiver on Russian oil. The waiver covered cargoes already at sea and shipments on previously sanctioned vessels. The US said the move was to ease oil prices that surged after the Middle East conflict erupted. New Delhi emerged as a key market for Russian oil after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022. It bought almost 2 million barrels a day in 2024 and nearly $44 billion of crude from Moscow last year.

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[l] at 4/15/26 3:38am
Tehran wants to make a deal “very badly,” the US president has claimed The conflict between the US and Iran is close to being settled, President Donald Trump has claimed, adding that the second round of peace talks between the two sides could take place in the next few days. The US president gave interviews to several outlets on Tuesday, where he detailed Washington’s stance on the negotiations with Tehran. Washington’s delegation, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, met with Iranian diplomats in Islamabad, Pakistan over the weekend. The discussions, however, did not result in any breakthroughs. The US reacted by announcing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for Iran-linked vessels. Tehran said the negotiations had failed because of Washington’s “unrealistic demands.” The conflict, which started with a US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, is “very close to being over,” Trump told FOX Business anchor Maria Bartiromo. However, he again threatened Tehran with a resumption of US strikes, saying that “if I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we’re not finished.” Read more US breach of trust led to collapse of talks – Iranian diplomat “We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly,” the president said, referring to the Iranians. In a phone call with the New York Post, Trump suggested that another round of talks with Tehran “could be happening over the next two days.” The venue will likely again be Islamabad, he said. Pakistani Field Marshal General Asim Munir, who helped set up the initial negotiations, “is fantastic, and therefore it’s more likely that we go back there. Why should we go to some country that has nothing to do with it?” the president noted. In a separate interview with ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, Trump stressed that he has no intention of extending the two-week ceasefire with Iran, which is set to expire on April 22. The conflict “could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they [Tehran] can rebuild,” he said. Iranian consul general in Mumbai Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh told RT on Tuesday that there is “a deep mistrust” in Tehran towards Washington, but, despite this fact, the Islamic Republic “remains ready to negotiate… provided the discussions are realistic.” During his press conference in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that both Moscow and Beijing support the continuation of diplomatic contacts between the US and Iran. READ MORE: US breach of trust led to collapse of talks – Iranian diplomat Lavrov expressed hope that the Americans “will be realists... and will not continue the unprovoked aggression” against Tehran, which affects the Middle East, including Washington’s allies in the Gulf states.

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[l] at 4/15/26 3:17am
Roelf Meyer’s appointment followed the expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool by Washington last year for criticizing the Trump administration South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed veteran politician Roelf Meyer as the country’s next ambassador to the US, more than a year after Washington expelled former envoy Ebrahim Rasool. Ramaphosa’s spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, confirmed the appointment to Reuters on Tuesday. Meyer, 78, is best known as the National Party’s chief negotiator in the talks that helped end South Africa’s apartheid system in 1994. Meyer, who is Afrikaner, entered parliament in 1979 during the apartheid era and later held senior cabinet posts under the white minority government. He served in the administrations of Pieter Botha and Frederik de Klerk, including as defense minister and later as minister of constitutional affairs, before emerging as one of the central figures in the transition to majority rule. South Africa’s presidency has described Meyer as a key figure in the creation of the country’s constitutional democracy and “a true citizen committed to a non-racial South Africa.” READ MORE: US expels South African ambassador Africa’s most industrialized nation has not had an ambassador to the US since Rasool was declared persona non grata after he criticized the Trump administration’s MAGA movement during a webinar in March 2025. Read more Banned at home, welcomed on Moscow’s streets, and a voice of freedom worldwide He said US President Donald Trump was launching an assault on those in power both “at home and… abroad.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio later announced his expulsion, saying Rasool was “no longer welcome” and calling him a “race-baiting politician.” The diplomatic rift came amid a broader deterioration in relations between Pretoria and Washington. Trump has frozen financial aid and imposed a 30% tariff on South African imports amid a dispute over Pretoria’s foreign policy and domestic laws, including its land expropriation legislation, which he says discriminates against white South Africans. South Africa has also faced US pressure to withdraw its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the war in Gaza. Pretoria has rejected the demands. Read more ‘Hate speech’ and ‘genocide’ claims: Why has South Africa summoned the US envoy? The new US ambassador, Leo Brent Bozell III, who arrived in South Africa in February, has also questioned the country’s policies, and outlined five issues he said will need to be resolved for relations between Pretoria and Washington to improve. Last month, Bozell was summoned by Pretoria over “undiplomatic remarks,” following his criticism of a South African court ruling that found the anti-apartheid chant ‘Kill the Boer’ was not hate speech.

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[l] at 4/15/26 2:59am
The assistance comes as the South Asian nation faces pressure to repay $3.5 billion to the UAE Saudi Arabia has pledged $3 billion in financial aid to Pakistan, the South Asian country’s finance minister has said. Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has committed $3 billion in additional deposits, with disbursement expected in the coming week. He is currently in Washington attending the World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings 2026. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will head to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for an official visit. Riyadh’s assistance comes as Islamabad prepares to repay $3.5 billion to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this month. Saudi Arabia Announces USD 3 Billion Additional Support, Extends USD 5 Billion Deposit: Finance MinisterFederal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has informed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has committed USD 3 billion in additional deposits, with… pic.twitter.com/E8dXPg6g9Y— Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan (@Financegovpk) April 15, 2026 Earlier this month, Dawn newspaper reported that Abu Dhabi was seeking the immediate repayment of the loan that was provided to Islamabad as part of the external financing support extended by the UAE in 2019. That aid was extended through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development to help Islamabad tide over a balance of payments crisis. The report said the UAE debt was rolled over multiple times, but the most recent extensions had shorter durations, indicating the Emirates’ unease over the arrangement. In 2024, Pakistan faced a debt crisis in the aftermath of the Covid lockdown, supply disruptions induced by the Ukraine conflict, and extensive floods that battered a third of the country. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had stepped in to provide a 3-year, $7 billion package. Under its agreement with the IMF, Pakistan is required to secure around $12.5 billion in rollovers from China, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to meet external financing needs and maintain its currency reserve levels. The Dawn report indicated that the UAE will be replaced by Qatar. Pakistan’s ties with the UAE have been strained over the last year. While Islamabad has signed a mutual defense pact with Riyadh, Abu Dhabi has been moving to build a closer security partnership with New Delhi. The UAE, which has remained a vital source of foreign remittances for Islamabad, also imposed visa restrictions affecting Pakistani nationals earlier this year.

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[l] at 4/15/26 12:42am
New Delhi wants to enact a law that will increase the strength of the lower house by 57% to 850 seats India has proposed a major expansion of seats in the Lok Sabha, its lower house of parliament, with a draft bill being shared with lawmakers to amend the constitution. If the bill is passed, the new Lok Sabha will comprise 850 members, up from 543 now, an increase of 57%. The strength of the house is capped at 550, and an amendment is needed to raise it. Indian law mandates an adjustment in the allocation of seats, based on the population of its states, after every census is completed. The current Lok Sabha is based on the 1971 census. India then passed an amendment by which constituency boundaries were frozen until the first census after 2026. The world’s most populous country’s massive census exercise, which began on April 1, is expected to conclude in 2027. The government hopes to remove the 2026 clause and enact a delimitation, or the process of fixing the boundaries of electoral constituencies, based on the 2011 census. “The country’s demographic profile has since undergone substantial changes,” an official statement on the proposed law’s objectives to revisit the freezing of seats said. Another aim of the proposed amendment is to ensure 33% of seats for women. New Delhi says the latest census and delimitation exercise will “take considerable time and thus, delay the effective and dedicated participation of women in our democratic polity.” The move has been criticized by opposition parties, which argue that the exercise should be based on the updated 2021 census exercise, which was not published due to the Covid lockdown. India’s constitution does not specify a fixed schedule for conducting the census. India’s southern states have expressed concern that a slower population growth rate in the region would offer an undue advantage to the north by adding more seats to populous states. The chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, has warned of a massive protest if the delimitation proposal affects southern states.

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[l] at 4/14/26 10:54pm
The American military says the blockade of the vital shipping route has been “fully implemented” American warships have effectively blocked Iranian trade through the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said. “A blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented as US forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East,” CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement on Tuesday evening. “In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, US forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea,” Cooper added. Read more America has reached the limits of its power The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing two unnamed US officials, reported earlier that more than 20 commercial vessels, including tankers, had passed through the strait over the past 24 hours. According to AFP, at least two vessels sanctioned by the US sailed through Hormuz on Monday: the Iranian-flagged container carrier Kashan and the Comoros-flagged tanker Elpis. The WSJ also reported that the US has intercepted eight tankers since the start of the blockade on Monday morning. US President Donald Trump announced the blockade of the vital waterway on Sunday after Pakistani-mediated talks failed to produce a peace deal with Iran. Trump had previously failed to rally European NATO members to help secure Hormuz, which Iran had closed to “enemy ships” in response to the US-Israeli bombing campaign launched on February 28. Iran has since demanded recognition of its “sovereignty” over the waterway and the right to impose tolls. On April 8, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, raising cautious optimism for an end to the conflict, which has disrupted global trade and driven up energy prices. However, both sides have since accused each other of putting forward unacceptable terms.

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[l] at 4/14/26 8:01pm
Washington has no intention of compelling West Jerusalem to pursue peace with Beirut, a Lebanese professor has told RT Direct US-mediated Israeli-Lebanese talks are unlikely to bring peace unless Washington pressures Israel to end its airstrikes and ground offensive, Naim Joseph Salem, a professor of international affairs and diplomacy at the Lebanese Army Military Academy, has told RT. Israel and Lebanon held rare negotiations in Washington on Tuesday, which the armed group Hezbollah boycotted as “futile.” While both sides described the talks as “constructive,” Salem argued that the format would likely lead to drawn-out negotiations “with no end in sight and no conclusive outcome,” as the US has no intention of pressuring Israel to end its military operation in Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) renewed airstrikes on Beirut and other cities in early March after Hezbollah began firing rockets and mortars at Israel in support of Iran. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced, as Israel issued sweeping evacuation orders in southern Lebanon in an effort to expand its “security zone.” “The Israeli policy is to destroy the whole of southern Lebanon in order to force the population of these cities and towns, about 450,000 people, to leave and become refugees,” Salem said, adding that several towns have been “leveled” by Israeli forces. !function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u4"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble"); Rumble("play", {"video":"v76bcra","div":"rumble_v76bcra"});

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[l] at 4/14/26 5:24pm
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticizes Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced the suspension of a defense agreement with Israel amid tensions over the war in the Middle East. Italy, whose right-wing government had been seen as one of Israel’s closest allies in the EU, has become increasingly critical of the ongoing military campaign in Lebanon, where 2,124 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since early March. Speaking on Tuesday in Verona, Meloni said her government had decided to “suspend the automatic renewal” of the agreement “in light of the current situation.” “When there are things we don’t agree with, we act accordingly,” Meloni said, according to Reuters. The agreement, ratified in 2005 and previously renewed every five years, includes cooperation in the defense industry and procurement policy, military equipment imports and exports, technical data exchanges, and personnel training. Read more Israel punishes EU nation over ‘defaming’ IDF ‘heroes’ Last week, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome, Jonathan Peled, after Israeli troops fired warning shots at an Italian peacekeeping convoy outside Beirut. Meloni described the incident as “completely unacceptable.” On Monday, Tajani condemned the “unacceptable attacks by Israel against the civilian population” in Lebanon, to which the Israeli Foreign Ministry responded by summoning the Italian envoy. Several European countries have formally recognized Palestinian statehood and imposed full or partial embargoes on weapons sales to Israel since 2023. Last year, Spain canceled a number of contracts with Israeli arms manufacturers reportedly totaling $1.18 billion. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the Israeli campaign in Gaza as genocide, a claim Israel denied. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has argued that his country is “defending Europe” by waging wars against Iran, Hamas, and the Lebanon-based pro-Palestinian armed group Hezbollah. In a speech on Tuesday, Netanyahu accused European countries of “deep moral weakness” for not supporting Israel.

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[l] at 4/14/26 4:25pm
Konrad Berkowicz labeled Israel “the new Third Reich” over its airstrikes on Gaza and Lebanon A far-right politician displayed an Israeli flag bearing a swastika instead of the Star of David on the floor of the Polish parliament on Tuesday, sparking outrage at home and abroad. Konrad Berkowicz, a member of the Confederation bloc, said he was protesting against Israel’s reported use of white phosphorus munitions in Gaza and Lebanon. “Israel is the new Third Reich, and its flag should look exactly like Germany’s flag from 1933 to 1945,” the MP wrote on X after the incident. He previously labeled Israel a “terrorist state” over its wars in the Middle East. According to TVP, Speaker Wlodzimierz Czarzasty said he would seek to fine Berkowicz for breaking parliamentary rules and notify legal authorities about suspected crimes, including publicly insulting the flag of a foreign state and promoting Nazism. Izrael to nowa Trzecia Rzesza i jego flaga powinna wyglądać dokładnie tak. ?? pic.twitter.com/U39xIYrp08— Konrad Berkowicz (@KonradBerkowicz) April 14, 2026 The Polish Foreign Ministry condemned Berkowicz, saying that criticizing Israel “does not justify such a gesture, which is deeply offensive not only to Jews and Israelis but also to all those for whom the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes constitute an important element of memory and identity.” Read more Why Netanyahu won’t let the Middle East have peace any time soon In a strongly worded statement, the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw condemned the “antisemitic horror” in the Polish parliament and said that Berkowicz had “desecrated the Israeli flag” on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day. There has been an upswing in antisemitic incidents in Europe and elsewhere since 2023, when Israel launched a military operation in Gaza in response to an attack by Hamas. In a speech on Holocaust Remembrance Day on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused European states of “deep moral weakness” for not backing the US and Israel in the war with Iran.

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As of 4/19/26 4:34am. Last new 4/15/26 8:17am.

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