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[l] at 9/23/26 10:10pm
Around 150 clergy took part in the Rome protest, carrying the names of hundreds of children killed in Israeli airstrikes Around 150 Catholic priests, bishops, friars, and nuns have marched to the Vatican as part of a procession through Rome demanding an end to what they describe as Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza. The group stopped near St. Peter’s Square before continuing to the Palestinian and Lebanese embassies and ending outside the headquarters of Italian arms manufacturer Leonardo. Participants carried olive branches and posters depicting the Madonna holding an emaciated child with the words “Christ Died in Gaza.” They also carried a large white banner bearing the names of hundreds of Palestinian and Lebanese children killed in Israeli airstrikes. Outside Leonardo, which has supplied weapons and military equipment to Israel, Italian Archbishop Franco Moscone called for international arrest warrants targeting arms-industry executives. Moscone has previously compared Israel’s conduct in Gaza to Nazi methods and urged European countries to consider withdrawing recognition of Israel. Tuesday’s event was organized by Priests Against Genocide, an international Catholic network established last year. The group said clergy from eight countries took part, including South Africa, England, Ireland, Germany, the US, and Spain. Read more The West’s pretend outrage won’t save Palestinians The network has taken a more categorical position than the Holy See. The late Pope Francis called for an investigation into whether Israel’s actions in Gaza met the legal definition of genocide, while his successor, Leo XIV, has said the Vatican is not prepared to make such a determination. A UN commission of inquiry concluded in September 2025 that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, citing killings, serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately destructive living conditions, and measures intended to prevent births. A separate case brought by South Africa remains before the International Court of Justice, which has yet to issue a final judgment. Israel strongly rejects the genocide allegation, saying it targets militants and seeks to minimize civilian casualties while accusing Hamas of operating in densely populated areas. READ MORE: Israel wipes criminal record of soldier who shot wounded Palestinian Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians. Gaza health authorities say more than 73,000 Palestinians have since been killed, nearly half of them women and children.

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[l] at 9/23/26 9:10pm
Tech companies are repeating past mistakes by releasing rapidly evolving tools without adequate safeguards, Tom Siegel has warned Artificial intelligence could pose greater risks to children than social media, with tech companies failing to put adequate safeguards in place, a former Google safety executive has warned. Tom Siegel, who founded Google’s trust and safety team and spent 15 years at the company, told Reuters this week that the industry was repeating mistakes made during the rise of social media. “We find ourselves in a really terrible situation in terms of what AI is doing to kids,” Siegel said. “The idea that the industry will figure it out by itself without outside help is unrealistic.” He warned of “very severe scenarios of harm,” citing risks ranging from suicide and psychosis to ‘cognitive offloading’ – reduced critical thinking caused by relying on AI for answers. Companies can and should take immediate steps, including stronger age checks to prevent children from accessing chatbots, he said. Read more Meta faces probe over AI flirting with kids Google has insisted that its AI search features help young users learn and explore information, telling Reuters that parents can block a child’s access to its search engine entirely. However, an internal Meta policy document, exposed by the publication last year, allowed its chatbots to engage children in conversations that could be “romantic or sensual,” prompting a congressional investigation. Major social media platforms have faced years of lawsuits over claims of harm to children and teenagers. Meta recently agreed to a $17 billion settlement with California and 28 other US states over accusations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to keep minors hooked, while denying wrongdoing. Thousands of similar cases have been filed in the US. READ MORE: AI has over 10% chance of killing all humans within decade – Anthropic researcher Governments have also moved to restrict children’s access to social media. Australia last year became the first country to require major platforms to prevent under-16s from holding accounts. About 4.7 million minors’ accounts were restricted shortly after the rules took effect. Read more Zuckerbeg’s Meta in $1.4 trillion addiction showdown: Why is the giant in court again? The EU last week proposed barring children under 13 from social media and allowing those aged 13 and 14 to use only restricted accounts managed by a parent or guardian. The proposed rules would also cover AI companions and chatbots. Siegel’s warning comes as prominent tech executives, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI chief Sam Altman, xAI chief Elon Musk and Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis, have backed calls to slow the development of increasingly powerful AI systems. Anthropic researcher Evan Hubinger this month said he personally believes there is a greater than 10% chance that AI could “kill all humans” within the next decade.

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[l] at 9/23/26 8:23pm
The US president personally greeted his Chinese counterpart as B-1 bombers flew overhead Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Washington for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump, receiving an unusually elaborate personal welcome as the two leaders prepare to tackle disputes ranging from trade and Taiwan to Iran and artificial intelligence. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, rather than waiting to receive them at the White House. A 100-foot red carpet and a military honor guard were laid out, while two B-1 bombers conducted a flyover during the ceremony. Trump later said he believed the Chinese delegation appreciated the reception. The arrival coincided with another sign of easing tensions: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington and Beijing had agreed to extend their current trade truce until January 10. The arrangement has seen both sides scale back tariffs and refrain from introducing new restrictions while negotiations continue. NOW: President Trump has greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, DC with the following: - 100-foot-long red carpet- Salute Battery- 21-Person Honor Cordon- 2 three-person color teams to include the U.S. and Chinese flag- USAF band playing fanfare and… pic.twitter.com/X7W0oOtc2u— Jordan Conradson?? (@ConradsonJordan) September 23, 2026 Trump and Xi are due to hold substantive talks at the White House on Thursday after another arrival ceremony and a military review, followed later by a state dinner. Despite the ceremonial welcome, both leaders arrive with significant economic and geopolitical leverage, according to an analysis by RT correspondent Konstantin Rozhkov. Wow??? 2 B1s flew over Trumps welcome ceremony for Xi at JBA. https://t.co/hktOHZPrMZ pic.twitter.com/kj1fNusQa2— American Nightmare ?? (@thewakeninq) September 24, 2026 Read more Beijing slams new US sanction threat One of Washington’s newest bargaining tools is the sanctions legislation signed by Trump last week. The law gives the US president the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major importers of Russian energy, potentially including China. Taiwan is another potential flashpoint. Trump has delayed a roughly $14 billion weapons package for the island and has openly described arms sales as a negotiating tool in dealings with Beijing. Beijing, however, has substantial leverage of its own through critical minerals and rare earths. China accounted for around 91% of global refining of magnet rare earths and 94% of sintered permanent-magnet production in 2024, according to the International Energy Agency. Such materials are essential for automobiles, electronics and sophisticated military equipment. Read more US proposes AI alert system with China This dependence also intersects with Washington’s efforts to replenish weapons stocks depleted during the war with Iran. Heavy rare earths such as terbium are used in high-performance magnets found in radar systems and other military electronics, while China dominates their processing. Iran itself could therefore become another subject of bargaining. Trump has publicly said he asked Xi not to become more deeply involved in the conflict, while Washington has also sought to limit China’s economic ties with Tehran. Artificial intelligence rounds out another major area of competition. The US continues to control access to many of the most advanced chips, while Chinese companies have been narrowing the gap with lower-cost AI models. Ahead of the summit, Bessent said the two governments had discussed establishing a US-China AI dialogue and a mechanism for notifying each other about serious AI-related incidents. Watch more in the full report by RT correspondent Konstantin Rozhkov:

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[l] at 9/23/26 7:29pm
A New York judge said the disgraced producer will be remembered less for his films than for becoming the “face” of #MeToo Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexual assault, a New York court ruled on Wednesday. The 74-year-old former movie mogul was convicted last year of committing a first-degree criminal sexual act against former TV production assistant Miriam Haley at his Manhattan apartment in 2006. The verdict came in a retrial after Weinstein’s previous New York convictions were overturned in 2024. “I often felt like I was the one on trial,” Haley told the court, according to CBS News. She said pursuing the case had at times felt like “the worst decision of my life” and accused Weinstein of showing no remorse or “sign of change.” Weinstein has apologized to people he may have hurt but maintains his innocence. “You’re treated as an animal – you’re actually less than an animal because you’re treated as nothing,” he said of his time behind bars, according to CBS News. Read more ‘Regret is not rape’ – Weinstein’s lawyer Judge Curtis Farber said Weinstein would be remembered for the films he brought to the silver screen, but that this legacy would “pale in comparison” to his crimes and his becoming “the literal face of the #MeToo movement.” Before allegations against Weinstein emerged in 2017, he had produced or helped bring to theaters some of Hollywood’s best-known films, including Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, and Shakespeare in Love. The revelations helped propel #MeToo into a global movement, as women publicly accused powerful figures in entertainment, media, politics, and other industries of sexual misconduct. Wednesday’s sentencing marked a major endpoint in the New York chapter of a courtroom saga stretching back nearly a decade. Read more Wired for War: Israel’s Black Cube and the infiltration of Europe Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in New York in 2020 after being convicted of sexually assaulting Haley and actress Jessica Mann. The convictions were overturned in 2024, with the court ordering a new trial. At his 2025 retrial, Weinstein was again convicted in the Haley case and acquitted of a separate charge involving Polish actress Kaja Sokola. Jurors failed to reach a verdict on a rape charge involving Mann, which prosecutors later dropped. Separately, Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in California following a 2022 sexual assault conviction. Weinstein has denied sexually assaulting or raping anyone.

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[l] at 9/23/26 6:40pm
The top diplomats have discussed the Ukraine conflict and bilateral US-Russia relations on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Kiev’s deliberate attacks on energy and cross-border infrastructure are destabilizing global markets, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Lavrov and Rubio met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, where they held an extensive discussion on Ukraine, bilateral relations and a range of international issues. The US State Department’s brief readout said only that the two diplomats discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US-Russia relationship. According to Moscow, Lavrov drew Rubio’s attention to what it described as close coordination between Kiev and its European backers and raised Ukrainian strikes on civilians and “cross-border infrastructure facilities,” which Russia said were deliberately contributing to instability in global energy markets. Read more Trump blames fuel price spike on Zelensky The issue has increasingly drawn attention in Washington as diesel prices have surged to record highs, topping $6.50 a gallon nationally in September 2026. President Donald Trump recently urged Vladimir Zelensky to stop striking Russian refineries, saying the attacks were creating a global shortage and “hurting the world.” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent similarly said earlier this month that Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy assets and refined products were contributing to an “energy shock.” Following his meeting with Lavrov, Rubio said both Russia and Ukraine had expressed some interest in a limited ceasefire covering energy targets. He acknowledged, however, that such an arrangement “doesn’t solve the war,” and said reaching one would be difficult because both sides regard energy infrastructure as a strategic target. Moscow has repeatedly rejected the idea that any limited truce can substitute for a comprehensive settlement, pointing to what it describes as Kiev’s past violations of ceasefires and arguing that Kiev seeks talks only when the situation on the battlefield becomes critical. Zelensky said this week that Kiev was prepared to stop targeting Russian refineries if Moscow halted strikes on a wide range of Ukraine’s energy, logistics and port infrastructure. Read more No pause in Ukraine conflict for peace talks – Lavrov Lavrov reiterated on Wednesday that Russia would not halt its military operation merely to facilitate negotiations, arguing that such a pause would give Kiev and its European sponsors time to replenish depleted weapons stocks. Zelensky has meanwhile continued to push for the “full and swift implementation” of the recently enacted sanctions package championed by the late US Senator Lindsey Graham. The law gives Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, potentially targeting countries such as China and India. With global supplies already strained, sharply curbing Russian exports could further disrupt energy trade and drive prices higher as major importers are forced to compete for alternative barrels. Read more You still don’t have the cards: Did Zelensky bring bluff to Trump? The Russian side reiterated during the Rubio talks that it remains prepared to pursue a political and diplomatic settlement, but only one that addresses the “root causes” of the conflict. Russian officials have repeatedly identified NATO’s expansion toward Russia and Kiev’s policies toward Russian speakers among those issues. Lavrov also called for further normalization of US-Russia relations, including resolving disputes over diplomatic missions and Russian diplomatic property in the US. In another sign of continued engagement, Rubio announced after the talks that Washington had invited President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami in December. The Kremlin welcomed the invitation and said it would consider it through diplomatic channels.

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[l] at 9/23/26 5:18pm
Mark Rutte has justified the US-Israeli war on Iran and said European nations should “take care” of the Middle East in the future European NATO nations should take greater responsibility for security in the Middle East, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said. He also defended the US-Israeli war on Iran and argued that European members should spend less on social programs and more on the military. Rutte made the remarks at a Chicago Council on Global Affairs event in Iowa on Tuesday after being asked to “make the case” for NATO to Americans by explaining “what’s in it” for them. He described the Middle East as “Europe’s backyard” and “not the United States’ backyard,” arguing that Washington’s war against Tehran was “necessary” but that the US had to launch it because “somehow the Europeans did not have enough capabilities to do it themselves.” “In the future, what you get from a stronger NATO is that Europeans can take care of their own backyard,” Rutte said. Read more Trump issues ultimatum to NATO as bloc chief visits ‘Daddy’ The US-Israeli war on Iran, launched in late February, caused major friction within NATO as several European members resisted supporting Washington’s belligerence. Spain refused to allow American warplanes to use its bases for the campaign, drawing US President Donald Trump’s ire. Germany and the UK described the conflict as “not our war,” while stopping short of condemning the US and Israel. Trump has since repeatedly accused European allies of failing to meet their NATO commitments and claimed the bloc “was not there when we needed them.” In April, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth said NATO’s future was uncertain and Washington could not currently reaffirm its commitment to collective defense. Rutte also argued on Tuesday that the burden within NATO was unfair because European members spend heavily “on pensions and welfare,” while Washington has to devote more resources to weapons but “would also like to spend more on all these other lofty, beautiful items, but they can’t because they have to spend so much on defense.” Read more NATO 3.0 marches into Copenhagen He described raising NATO’s defense spending target from 2% to 5% of GDP as “the fairness element” and part of an “equalizing” process. The remarks come as Washington pushes for a reorganization dubbed NATO 3.0, under which European members would sharply increase military spending and production while assuming “primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe.” Rutte also offered to help “protect the United States from threats of Russia” and China and prevent the Arctic “from becoming militarized by the Russians and the Chinese.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last month that Moscow was primarily interested in “preserving the Arctic as an area of peace and cooperation” and accused NATO of “driving the region towards militarization.” His comments followed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal earlier this year to use increased EU military spending on “Arctic-ready equipment.”

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[l] at 9/23/26 4:36pm
The joint military financing umbrella might further streamline taxpayers’ money into arms production and procurement Canada and the UK are considering merging two major military financing initiatives to help European NATO members and other Kiev backers finance their military buildup against Russia, the CBC reported on Wednesday, citing anonymous officials. In recent years, European NATO nations have increasingly accused Moscow of preparing an attack on members of the US-led military bloc, using the alleged threat to justify bloated military budgets. Moscow has denied any such intention. Canada is leading plans for the Defense, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), while the UK is pushing for the Multilateral Defense Mechanism (MDM). Both initiatives are intended to make it easier for allied states to finance military purchases and expand arms production. Read more NATO 3.0 marches into Copenhagen In July, Carney failed to entice then-UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to join the DSRB as a founding member. However, Burnham’s government is more aligned with Canada on the issue, the CBC reported, citing an anonymous Canadian official. Ottawa is confident the two countries will reach a deal to combine their initiatives into a joint institution, the Canadian Press reported last week, citing a senior Canadian official. So far, Ottawa’s DSRB has attracted support from Albania, Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Luxembourg, Romania, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The Netherlands, Finland, and Poland have backed the UK’s MDM. Read more The West won’t fight Russia itself. Eastern Europe may have to The plans come as NATO countries escalate their military spending. Last year, following pressure from US President Donald Trump, bloc members agreed to invest 5% of their GDP annually in their militaries and defense-related areas by 2035. In the meantime, European NATO members have increasingly touted the Russian threat to militarize and prepare the continent for a potential war with Moscow, all while insulating the US from the consequences of such a conflict. “European elites… now seek to frighten their populations with a mythical Russian threat,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told journalists at a BRICS summit earlier in September, stressing that Moscow has “no grounds for any conflict with Europe.”

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[l] at 9/23/26 3:48pm
Ben Swann and Elizabeth Lane delve into the workings of an organization behind coordinated influence campaigns A sprawling network of media influence “clusters” has existed in NATO member states for years, seeking to portray voices opposing the policies of the military bloc and the EU as Russian propaganda, RT America’s Ben Swann and independent investigative journalist Elizabeth Lane have learnt. Founded in 2015, soon after the Western-backed coup in Kiev, the so-called Integrity Initiative program was designed to counter what it called Russia’s disinformation. It was run by the UK Foreign Office-funded Institute for Statecraft – an organization posing as an independent charity that was founded by Christopher Donnelly, a former adviser to a NATO secretary general, and Daniel Lafayeedney, a former Special Air Service officer. The definition of ‘Russian propaganda’ developed by the organization, which received funding not just from London but also from the NATO-linked Atlantic Council, was so broad that it virtually included any criticism of NATO and the EU. “They are not really after Russian disinformation,” Lane said. “They targeted independent journalists. And that’s very clear in their own communications.” Read more Integrity Initiative is the biggest story of 2018 – but not because of anything it did For the Integrity Initiative, Russian disinformation was “any position that is counter to the NATO position,” according to Swann. Among the most prominent targets of the Integrity Initiative were former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and retired Spanish Army colonel Pedro Banos, who lost his appointment as director of national security in the Spanish government in 2018 amid a concerted campaign portraying him as a Russian asset. The campaigns were focused on “killing the image” of any dissenter to the point where their political careers were ruined, Lane explained. “If you assassinate their image, no one wants to be associated to that person. And that’s what happened with Pedro Banos. That’s what happened with Jeremy Corbyn.” Read more Inside NATO’s online propaganda machine The network established “clusters” of politicians and journalists it treated like “assets” in virtually all NATO nations, with many of them often unaware that they were part of a media influence network, according to Lane. “They are just given the script and they legit trust the story and they run the story and turns out they are part of the propaganda,” she said. The Integrity Initiative came into the spotlight in 2018 when hackers, claiming to be linked to the Anonymous collective, leaked a trove of documents revealing the scale of its operations. The revelations led to an investigation into the Institute for Statecraft’s activities by the Scottish charity regulator OSCR, which concluded in 2019 that the organization was violating charity rules. The institute then formally announced that it was terminating its involvement with the Integrity Initiative in 2019 but continued to operate until August 2023, when it was dissolved several months after being declared an “undesired organization” by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office over what officials called “aggressive militarist rhetoric” and a “discreditation campaign” against the Russian authorities. Watch the full episode of the exclusive investigative series here:

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[l] at 9/23/26 2:42pm
Moscow is grateful and appreciative of Washington’s move, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said The Kremlin has responded to the invitiation the US has extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, Florida in December. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed earlier today that Washington had invited Putin to attend the gathering. Russia is “grateful and appreciative,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told told RIA Novosti on Wednesday night. Peskov added that a decision on Putin’s possible attendance will be made and relayed through diplomatic channels. The summit is scheduled for December 14-15 in Miami, with US President Donald Trump set to host it at his Doral golf resort. Putin has not attended a G20 summit in person since 2019, initially because of the pandemic and later amid the fallout from the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Read more Trump welcomes Russia at G20 despite EU tantrum Moscow said earlier that Russia will be represented at the summit at a high level but it remains unclear whether Putin plans to attend personally. Speaking to journalists earlier on Wednesday, Rubio expressed his hope that the Russian president would arrive for the summit. “We hope that’s an invitation he’ll accept. There’s an opportunity in December if that happens.” Trump himself had stated earlier that he would like to see his Russian counterpart at the summit. “If he came, it would be probably very helpful,” the US president said in April. He also welcomed the presence of a senior Russian delegation at the G20 in early September despite protests from EU officials who refused to appear alongside Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov in the gathering’s traditional “family photo.”

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[l] at 9/23/26 2:17pm
Politico’s parent company is bestowing its highest award on Peter Thiel, who serves the same globalist agenda Germany’s Axel Springer media monolith is about to award its highest honor to Palantir founder Peter Thiel, in a ceremony illustrating the incestuous relationship between the mainstream media, the defense tech industry, and the US-Israeli order. Read more Wired for War: Palantir rewards its best Ukrainian salesman Thiel will receive the ‘2026 Axel Springer Award’ at a ceremony in Berlin on Thursday. According to Axel Springer CEO Mathias Dopfner, Thiel “is one of the rare entrepreneurs who does not merely found or finance companies but helps determine the direction of technological development.” “He reminds us that progress requires courage and nonconformism,” Dopfner added. Previous recipients of the Axel Springer Award include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky. None of these laureates have proven as controversial as Thiel, however.  According to Status News, employees at Politico and Business Insider – both of which are owned by Axel Springer – have pushed back against the decision. In a letter to management on Tuesday, 120 staffers argued that Thiel, who funded the lawsuit that destroyed Gawker, should not be honored by a company which, in the words of Dopfner, “stands for freedom of speech and a culture of open discussions.” They’re missing the point. Palantir and Axel Springer are cogs in the same machine. They share an almost identical world view, marked by a devotion to US-Israeli hegemony, a belief that private companies must serve the interests of this hegemony, and a common parent: the CIA. The CIA connection During the Cold War, the US saw strategic control of media outlets as key to preventing the rise of socialism and communism in Western Europe. Axel Springer, the anti-communist press baron who gave his name to the company, was a natural ally in this fight. Springer received $7 million in funding from the CIA in 1957, two former agents told The Nation in 1982. Adjusted for inflation, the donation would be equivalent to more than $80 million today. (L) Axel Springer stands next to the Berlin wall in an undated archive photo; (R) A 1982 letter introducing Springer to CIA Director William Casey ©  Getty Images;  CIA Although the agents claimed that Springer ended his relationship with the agency in the mid-1970s, declassified documents show that he was still in contact with the United States Information Agency (USIA) – which funded pro-American news outlets – in the early 1980s. In 1982, Springer was introduced to CIA Director William Casey as “a strong supporter of the United States” who “is doing all he can to strengthen the ties between the United States and Europe.” Thiel, who co-founded PayPal, launched Palantir in 2003 with the stated goal of taking “the approaches that PayPal had used to fight fraud…into other contexts, like fighting terrorism.” The CIA took notice, and invested $2 million in the company in 2005 via its in-house venture capital firm, In-Q-Tel. A reply by Peter Thiel from a 2014 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit ©  Reddit;  Getty Images;  Alex Wong “I wish I had Palantir when I was director,” former CIA chief George Tenet – who set up In-Q-Tel – told Forbes magazine in 2013. “I wish we had the tool of its power.” The Axel Springer investment pays off In both cases, the CIA’s investments paid off. Axel Springer is now Europe’s largest publisher, and owns Politico, Business Insider, Bild, Die Welt, The Telegraph, and nearly a dozen other outlets. The American deep state continues to finance its operations, with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department’s National Endowment for Democracy (NED) pumping just under $34 million into Politico between 2016 and 2025. In return, Axel Springer has openly pledged fealty to American neoliberalism. Whereas Springer himself described his first newspaper, the Hamburger Abendblatt, as “geared to the underdog and the little man,” staff at Axel Springer publications are today required to adhere to the following code of conduct: “We stand up for freedom, free speech, the rule of law, and democracy” “We support the right of existence of the State of Israel and oppose all forms of anti-Semitism” “We advocate the alliance between the United States of America and Europe” “We uphold the principles of a free market economy” “We reject political and religious extremism and all forms of discrimination” In practice, this means that Axel Springer publications will feature lively debate over ‘red versus blue’ politics in the US and Europe, but will never question key tenets of US foreign policy, including America’s alliance with Israel, its dominance over Europe through NATO, and the legitimacy of its proxy war with Russia in Ukraine. The world according to Palantir Read more Wired for War: Silicon Valley’s military AI Ukrainian testing ground More than two decades after taking CIA money, Palantir is now the largest of the Silicon Valley defense kingpins, and a synonym for the burgeoning surveillance- and military-tech sector as a whole. Palantir is valued at around $427 billion, a figure bolstered by lucrative contracts with the US’ defense and intelligence agencies, including all six branches of the US military, the CIA, FBI, NSA, and DIA. Palantir’s flagship product is an operating system called ‘Gotham’, which is essentially a data analytics platform for military, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies. Gotham pulls together and analyses existing data that may otherwise take days to sift through. For example, if US Central Command is planning a missile strike in a foreign country, Gotham can combine maps and satellite footage from that country, data from other agencies, including human intelligence from the CIA and signals intelligence from the NSA, and local surveillance data to present CENTCOM with potential targets for military strikes.  Palantir’s international customers include the British, Israeli and Ukrainian militaries, NATO, domestic intelligence agencies in France and Germany, and police departments in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, among others.  However, Palantir is not a mercenary company selling its products to anyone with money. According to CEO Alex Karp, Palantir is inseparable from the US deep state, and “was founded to strengthen US national security, to protect Americans and their freedom.” Because we get asked a lot.The Technological Republic, in brief.1. Silicon Valley owes a moral debt to the country that made its rise possible. The engineering elite of Silicon Valley has an affirmative obligation to participate in the defense of the nation.2. We must rebel…— Palantir (@PalantirTech) April 18, 2026 Earlier this year, Karp set out Palantir’s world view in a manifesto, which RT already covered in depth in our ‘Wired for War’ series. In the 22-point bulletin, Karp argued that “the engineering elite of Silicon Valley has an affirmative obligation to participate in the defense of the nation,” that “free and democratic societies” must pursue AI superweapons to preserve the hegemony of the US, which “has advanced progressive values” more than “any other nation on the planet.”  In separate comments, Karp has described pro-Palestinian protesters as a “cancerous” influence on American politics, while Palantir describes its work with the Israeli state as “in line with our global support of US allies and liberal democracies.” Critics called Karp’s manifesto “technofascist,” but it differs little in substance from Axel Springer’s code of conduct. Karp’s remaining points wade into US-centric culture war territory, but the core argument of both documents is the same: the US and Israel are a benevolent force and the private sector has a duty to aid their foreign policy goals; by argument, in the case of Axel Springer, and by force, in the case of Palantir. The incestuous security state Read more Wired for War: What’s in Palantir’s ‘Technofascist’ manifesto? Back in Berlin, the guest speakers at Thursday’s ceremony further illustrate the incestuous relationship between Axel Springer, Palantir, and the US-Israeli order. Before Dopfner hands him his award, Thiel will be lauded by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, a self-described “Zionist fanatic” who was appointed head of the network following its acquisition last year by billionaire and pro-Israel megadonor David Ellison, whose family has donated more than $26 million to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since 2014. Before the acquisition, Weiss repeatedly complained about CBS’ supposedly “anti-Israel bias.” Once in control of the network, she set about hiring pro-Israel editors and reportedly intervening personally in stories concerning the Jewish state.  Thursday’s ceremony will also feature a questions-and-answers session with PayPal co-founder Max Levchin, a vocal defender of the NSA amid Edward Snowden’s revelations of warrantless wiretapping. The award is equivalent to an ‘Employee of the Month’ prize from one department of the same company to another. It’s like USAID and CIA agents meeting for after-work drinks, or Weiss congratulating the IDF for its service.  Dopfner, Thiel, Weiss and Levchin understand they’re all on the same team. Anyone who’s followed RT’s ‘Wired for War’ series will grasp this. The only people yet to figure it out, apparently, are the Politico and Business Insider staffers complaining about the threat posed by Thiel to “Axel Springer’s own commitment to freedom.” Thursday’s ceremony might help them understand the true nature of the power they serve a little clearer.

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[l] at 9/23/26 2:11pm
Ben Swann and investigative journalist Elizabeth Lane examine fake accounts, purchased engagement and efforts to shape online narratives NATO has spent years researching online influence techniques involving fake profiles, targeted advertising and purchased social media engagement. RT’s America Now has examined the bloc’s experiments and what they could reveal about efforts to shape online narratives. Host Ben Swann and investigative journalist Elizabeth Lane reviewed NATO promotional material, published research and reports on experiments involving social media manipulation. One example is a 2024 NATO promotional video featuring predominantly white European women as the alliance’s “future” in a potential conflict, apparently with Russia. Swann and Lane argue that the unusually non-diverse casting could be intended to prepare European audiences for women taking a greater role in a possible confrontation as Ukraine struggles with manpower shortages. They also examined two 2019 experiments by NATO strategic communications researchers. In one, researchers created fake Facebook pages and profiles, collected publicly available information on military personnel and used targeted advertising to reach them. They reportedly identified around 150 soldiers, tracked troop movements and even induced some personnel to act against orders. The experiment cost roughly $60. Read more Integrity Initiative: UK-funded network framed dissent as Russian disinformation for years In another test, researchers spent €300 on artificial engagement, buying more than 3,500 comments, 25,000 likes, 20,000 views and 5,000 followers. They identified over 18,000 accounts involved in providing fake engagement. Four weeks later, roughly 80% of the purchased activity remained online, highlighting weaknesses in platforms’ ability to detect manipulation. NATO described the experiments as defensive research aimed at identifying online threats. Swann and Lane, however, questioned why a military alliance was developing practical expertise in techniques that could also be used to influence public opinion. They also pointed to NATO researchers’ cooperation with Ukrainian social media analytics company Singularex. The episode also revisited false stories that had circulated during the early stages of the Ukraine conflict, including the “Ghost of Kiev” fighter pilot and initial claims about the “defenders of Snake Island.” Lane argued that journalists who repeat compelling wartime stories without verifying them can amplify false narratives. Lane also said independent journalists covering Russia and Ukraine regularly face bot attacks, abuse and threats. She said she had received such messages herself, including one stating, “Zelensky sends his love,” which she suggested could point to coordinated activity. Check out the full episode here.

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[l] at 9/23/26 12:58pm
Media outlets need to rebuild public trust as audiences increasingly turn to unverified social media for news, Khairul Alam has told RT Journalism must remain “independent of political power” and offer audiences verification, context and accountability as social media increasingly competes with traditional news, Bangladeshi journalist and editor Khairul Alam has told RT. Alam, editor of DBARTA24 and former General Secretary of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), spoke to RT on Wednesday on the sidelines of the International Forum ‘Dialogue about Fakes 4.0’ in Moscow. “Rebuilding public trust begins with one simple principle: journalism must be independent of political power,” he said. According to Alam, media outlets can restore confidence through transparent sourcing, fact-checking, openly correcting mistakes and giving different sides an opportunity to respond. They must also protect reporters from political retaliation and separate journalism from “political activism,” he added. Alam pointed to Bangladesh’s 2024 political unrest as an example of how social media can both provide information quickly and amplify false or misleading claims. “The same platforms can spread misinformation, manipulated videos, old footage presented as new, misleading headlines and politically motivated narratives at extraordinary speed,” he said. Read more Nepal votes in first general elections since ‘Gen Z protests’ The problem becomes more acute when confidence in traditional media declines, Alam argued, pointing to political pressure and legal cases against journalists in Bangladesh. The 2024 protests began over civil service job quotas before developing into a broader anti-government uprising that led to the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The UN has estimated that as many as 1,400 people were killed during the unrest. Hasina has since alleged that the US orchestrated her removal after Dhaka refused to allow an American military base on Saint Martin Island. UN experts raised concerns in 2025 that more than 140 journalists had been charged with murder following the protests. The Committee to Protect Journalists has also documented arrests, criminal cases and other pressure against media workers in the country. Alam argued that journalists should not face pressure or punishment over their perceived political affiliations, regardless of who is in power. Read more West training own public to swallow lies – Lavrov “Journalism should not become a reward for supporting whoever is currently in power, nor should it become a punishment for having worked under a previous government,” he said. At the same time, Alam stressed that social media itself is “not the enemy of journalism” and can serve as an important tool for reporters. Professional media, he said, must instead distinguish itself by providing what social platforms often cannot: “verification, context, responsibility and independence.”

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[l] at 9/23/26 12:01pm
The Russian foreign minister has shut down what Moscow sees as an underhand attempt to “pump the Kiev regime with weapons” Moscow will not pause its special military operation while peace negotiations are underway, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the UN Security Council on Wednesday, asserting that a temporary ceasefire only benefits Kiev. Ukraine and 51 of its allies released a statement on Wednesday demanding that Russia accept an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” so that peace talks between Moscow and Kiev can take place. The statement, whose signatories included the EU and its member states, the UK, Canada, and Australia, was published before the security council met to discuss the conflict.  “We are not going to have a pause in our special military operation,” Lavrov said during the meeting. “Europe, whatever it thinks, just wants to get a pause and it wants to use it to pump the Kiev regime with weapons.”  Kiev is “clearly and blatantly using terrorist methods,” Lavrov added, referring to Ukraine’s long-range strikes on civilian targets in Russia.  Ukraine and its allies issued their ceasefire demand less than four days after Ukrainian forces launched their largest-ever drone raid on the Russian capital. The attack killed two civilians in its suburbs and damaged an oil refinery, residential buildings, and civilian infrastructure. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said the “unprecedented” raid involved more than 1,600 UAVs from all directions. Read more You still don’t have the cards: Did Zelensky bring bluff to Trump? Throughout the conflict, Ukraine has repeatedly followed such attacks with appeals for ceasefire, which Russia has rebuffed. Moscow maintains that it will only cease military action when both sides seek a comprehensive settlement that addresses the root causes of the conflict. Russia has dramatically stepped up its missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian military and dual-use infrastructure in recent months, in response to Vladimir Zelensky’s 40-day “influence campaign” of long-range strikes on civilian targets.  Zelensky’s stated aim was to foment discontent among the Russian public, but the campaign ultimately ended with the destruction of Ukraine’s Black Sea port infrastructure and an earlier-than-usual start to Russia’s winter campaign against its power plants and substations. In a statement released after the latest drone raid on Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian army would further “intensify its high-accuracy strikes against military targets in Kiev” in response. 

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[l] at 9/23/26 10:57am
Ukraine’s new regional initiative has turned the Carpathians into a test of how far its neighbors will follow Kiev’s lead The inaugural summit of the new Carpathian Eight (C8) cooperation format, initiated by Ukraine with EU support, took place on September 18-20. Leaders and representatives from eight countries in the Carpathian region were invited to discuss security, energy, logistics, and cross-border cooperation. The initiative – intended to unite nations, some of which do not officially supply weapons to Ukraine but wish to foster “good-neighborly relations” – has turned into a zero-sum game. Yielding no significant economic benefits and failing to address real economic challenges, it only serves to isolate the region from pan-continental logistics corridors. Is the Carpathian Initiative a Ukrainian or European project? The foundation for the Carpathian Initiative was laid by Ukraine back in 2001-2003, when it acted as the primary initiator and depositary of the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians. Initially, the format was strictly environmental and conservation-oriented. Countries of the Visegrad Group, and primarily Poland, breathed geopolitical life and economic scale into the concept. For years, Warsaw actively advocated for the creation of a full-fledged EU Macro-Regional Strategy for the Carpathian Region (EUSCARP), aiming to transform the shared mountain range into a major logistics and infrastructure hub. Over time, the EU fully took over this regional initiative, turning it into a systemic tool for the “soft integration” of Ukraine. After developing a strategic vision for the region in 2009 and adopting the Carpathian Roadmap in 2019, Brussels institutionalized the project in line with its own bureaucratic standards. What began as a modest environmental initiative has, through the efforts of European neighbors, transformed into a large-scale EU geopolitical project aimed at drawing Ukraine into the European orbit via infrastructure grants. Read more Trans-Carpathian conflict: Why are Hungary and Ukraine fighting again? The September summit marked the latest stage of this project. Ukraine (backed by EU funding) attempted to reclaim its role as the primary “driving force” of the whole initiative by shifting the focus from environmental issues to matters essential for bolstering Ukraine’s influence on NATO’s eastern flank. Ukraine’s autonomy is illusory, however. For the European Commission, the Carpathian region serves as a convenient geographic ‘sandbox’; the supranational bureaucracy seeks to bind the EU’s eastern fringes together through mutual dependency. Brussels’ ultimate goal is to dilute the agency and curb the independence of countries like Hungary and Slovakia, whose ‘Eastern’ initiatives – such as linking Central and Eastern Europe with Greater Eurasia – are gaining momentum. Ultimately, this measure would allow regional financial and other flows to be fully contained within the EU. What’s wrong with the project, and why is it a zero-sum game? Beneath the facade of discussions on “cross-border cooperation” set against the picturesque backdrop of the Ukrainian Carpathians lie pragmatic objectives that turn the Carpathian Eight into a classic zero-sum game. This is confirmed by the project’s geography: countries with the greatest interest in the initiative find themselves subordinate to those countries for whom the project is not a key priority. Ukraine’s actual geographic weight in the project is minimal; despite Kiev’s ambition to act as the main engine of regional integration, the Carpathians account for a mere 3.6% of Ukraine’s total territory. Ukraine possesses only 10% of the total area of the mountain range, yet it attempts to dictate the agenda to Romania and Slovakia, where the Carpathians form the backbone of national geography, covering 47% and 72% of the territory, respectively. Such evident disparity between Ukraine’s actual geographical “contribution” and its political ambitions sows the seeds of conflict within the project.   Read more Germany’s age of political stability is ending Moreover, the Carpathian macroregion is considered depressed and heterogeneous. Unlike the economically developed, navigable, and homogeneous Danube region – which served as a model for this project conceived by the Visegrad Group – the Carpathians are a patchwork of isolated mountainous areas. For centuries, this 190,000 sq km area has remained a remote periphery. Due to the highly underdeveloped infrastructure – the lack of modern roads, tunnels, and logistics hubs – the border regions of these eight countries have been trapped in a state of deprivation. In the past 25 years, no amount of targeted European funding has been able to rectify this situation. This should have compelled Brussels to step out of its comfort zone and realistically assess the physical boundaries of the region. This also explains why the Visegrad Group supports eastern initiatives in Greater Eurasia. However, instead of this, along with the economically unfeasible Three Seas Initiative and the “frontline zones” project, the Carpathians are being turned into another logistical dead end resembling an artificial buffer zone. This perspective reveals the true purpose of the revived format: to serve as a covert logistical corridor for NATO. The projected budget of €9.4 billion ($10.7 billion) for 90 infrastructure projects is specifically aimed at modernizing narrow-gauge railways, bridges, and tunnels in the Carpathian Mountains. Under the guise of Euro-integration, Brussels is aggressively attempting to create a secure alternative route through the complex mountainous terrain for rapid deployment of heavy equipment, weapons, and NATO reserves, bypassing vulnerable border logistics nodes. Consequently, supranational strategists get to fully benefit from this venture while Central European countries bear all the attendant military and strategic risks. Intrigues, scandals, and investigations For the countries physically located in the Carpathians and those interested in developing the region, the hidden agenda of the initiative is apparent. Citing a sudden illness, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico canceled his visit to Bukovel and expressed his outright opposition to turning the region into a frontline zone and dragging Bratislava into the conflict under the guise of NATO obligations. As a result, Slovakia was represented at the summit only by the state secretary for foreign and European affairs. Local experts openly stated that Bratislava guessed the proposed zero-sum game: under the guise of cross-border corridors, Brussels and Kiev are attempting to establish a rear hub for supplying NATO’s eastern flank. For Slovakia, participating in such “road modernization” carries direct military risks, not security benefits. This forces the country to navigate a precarious line – seeking economic grants while sabotaging the military-political agenda of the proposed C8. Read more The West won’t fight Russia itself. Eastern Europe may have to Following Slovakia, the Czech Republic demonstrated passive resistance to the project by adopting a stance of cautious pragmatism. Unlike Warsaw, Prague notably refrained from sending top officials to Bukovel, opting instead to send the vice-president of the senate. Czech economic analysts expressed doubt about the €40 billion investment portfolio announced by Kiev. The most important indicator of the failure of the “unified front” was that the Czech Republic effectively refused to sign the summit’s final declaration. As regional analysts point out, the country has “cooled” towards Ukraine’s ambitions. Moreover, unlike Ukraine, the Czech Republic has a realistic grasp of its geography; possessing only 8.5% of Carpathian territory, Prague saw no tangible economic benefit in a project burdened with militarization issues rather than cross-border development. Consequently, it chose to remain on the sidelines, unwilling to endorse someone else’s frontline agenda. Predictably, only Poland and Romania expressed full and unconditional support for the project, emerging as the principal political beneficiaries of the initiative. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Romanian President Nicusor Dan signed the final declaration, explicitly linking it to military-strategic objectives. For Warsaw, the Carpathian Eight provided a convenient platform for lobbying an anti-ballistic missile defense coalition on NATO’s eastern flank, while for Bucharest, it offered a means to logistically connect the Ukrainian border with NATO’s largest European base, which is being constructed on Romanian territory. As a result, the document was signed only by those players intending to gain direct benefits from the region’s militarization, firmly establishing the C8 as a frontline coalition. Hungary’s reaction is particularly noteworthy. On X, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar compared Kiev’s actions to village sports: “Hi, we have formed a football team in the next village. We don’t know each other, but you are in it, and you have to bring the ball.” Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrey Sibiga, expressed surprise over Hungary’s attitude, but the situation is very clear and leaves no room for doubt.  Read more The EU is militarizing the Arctic. Here’s how it plans to do it Budapest was expected to sign the memorandum between its oil and gas company MOL and Ukraine’s Naftogaz to establish joint strategic fuel reserves along the border. However, Magyar firmly blocked this initiative, fully aware of the risks involved in turning Hungary’s bordering territories with oil depots into targets for someone else’s military needs. Apparently, even Euro-Atlantic solidarity has its physical boundaries.  Moreover, Budapest’s negative stance is reinforced by the situation in Transcarpathia. From 2014, the Hungarian population in the region has decreased from 150,000 people to around 70,000-80,000 due to stringent Ukrainianization policies in schools. The remaining population is facing selective forced conscription, with military recruitment offices compiling lists of Hungarian students and workers to send to the front lines, resulting in several widely reported casualties, including the death of 45-year-old Jozsef Sebestyen. Notably, Moscow’s Foreign Ministry is closely monitoring these developments: mobilized residents of Transcarpathia occasionally end up as prisoners of war, and Russian diplomatic agencies, in coordination with intelligence services, work on their direct transfer to Hungary, bypassing Ukraine. Aware that Brussels and Kiev are attempting to exploit Hungarian resources and territory, Magyar chose to flip the script. Budapest refused to fund this military version of ‘Carpathian soccer’ which is too costly for it, and vetoed Ukraine’s integration efforts. In summary, we must note that despite the ambitions of European supranational entities to create artificial buffer zones (essentially ‘sandboxes’) in Central and Eastern Europe, their era is coming to an end. Attempts to impose a zero-sum game on other countries only exacerbate the internal rift which is becoming inevitable, considering the region’s actual geography and the projects gaining momentum across Greater Eurasia.

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[l] at 9/23/26 10:14am
More than 4,300 people have been killed in just over six months, including over 250 children and 130 medics, official figures show Israel is facing accusations of genocide over its military campaign in Lebanon, where thousands have been killed and large areas devastated. RT correspondent Steve Sweeney reports from Nabatieh, a city in the south of the country that has been repeatedly hit by Israeli strikes. More than 4,300 people, including over 250 children and 130 medical professionals, have been killed since the latest escalation began in March, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Doctors Against Genocide have accused Israel of pursuing what they called a “genocidal policy of absolute destruction,” targeting the foundations of life of Lebanon’s Shia communities. The groups said attacks on medical personnel were part of a sustained pattern affecting “the very systems necessary for civilian survival.” Around 56,000 hectares of agricultural land have been affected, with losses to the sector estimated at more than $1 billion, according to Lebanon’s Agriculture Ministry. Read more Lebanese man tells RT how Israeli strike killed his bride (VIDEO) Israel denies that its campaign targets Lebanon’s Shia population, saying its operations are directed against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has warned, however, that Beirut’s predominantly Shia Dahiya district would “look like Khan Yunis,” referring to a war-devastated city in Gaza. The latest Israeli campaign in Lebanon began in early March, after Hezbollah attacked Israel following the start of US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Israel responded with airstrikes and later expanded its military operations in Lebanon. Israeli attacks have continued despite a US-brokered framework agreed upon in June aimed at ending the fighting. The deal calls for a progressive Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon alongside Lebanese Army deployments and the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah, but implementation has stalled. Under the 1948 Genocide Convention, genocide requires intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. RT looks at whether the destruction and statements accompanying Israel’s campaign could meet that definition.Watch the full report below.

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[l] at 9/23/26 10:06am
Evidence used by Brussels to justify the continued sanctioning of Oleg Tkach was insufficient, the bloc’ General Court has ruled The EU has failed to provide sufficient evidence to keep a former Russian official on its sanctions blacklist, the bloc’s General Court ruled on Wednesday. The decision came a day after the EU removed two Russian businessmen from the list as part of a deal to extend restrictions on thousands of others. The court annulled the September 2024 and September 2025 extensions of sanctions against former Russian Senator Oleg Tkach, who represented Kaliningrad Region in the Federation Council from 2004 to 2022. He was also involved in publishing, founding and chairing Olma Media Group. The EU first sanctioned Tkach in March 2022 over his vote to ratify treaties with the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, which later became part of Russia following referendums rejected by Ukraine and most Western countries. The case centered on whether the EU Council had grounds to keep extending the restrictions after Tkach left office. According to Wednesday’s ruling, the Council failed to demonstrate that Tkach retained close ties to Russian authorities. The court also found that his failure to publicly oppose Russia’s military operation in Ukraine did not, by itself, constitute continued support for the authorities. Read more An inconvenient truth: What the EU won’t admit about why it de-sanctioned Alisher Usmanov Brussels had also cited Tkach’s publishing background, including his links to Olma Media Group and textbook publisher Prosveshcheniye. However, the court found the evidence insufficient to establish his current role or influence at the companies. The ruling does not affect the EU’s most recent sanctions extension from March 2026, which Tkach is challenging separately. He argues that condemnation based on his former Senate position is outdated and that the Council’s evidence is unreliable and lacks a “sound factual basis.” He has also argued that the measures are disproportionate. A day before Wednesday’s ruling, the EU agreed to remove Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list. Both had previously mounted legal challenges related to EU restrictions, while Fridman has also filed a multibillion-dollar arbitration claim against Luxembourg. READ MORE: EU drops Usmanov from sanctions list after infighting Their removal came as part of a compromise to renew sanctions against around 3,000 other individuals and entities for three years, until September 2029, replacing the bloc’s usual six-month renewal cycle.

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[l] at 9/23/26 9:10am
Washington has threatened to cut foreign companies servicing Iranian carriers off from the dollar system, RT reports from Tehran Iranian airlines are being cut off from international routes and airport services as Washington steps up pressure on the country’s aviation sector. Several regional connections have already been suspended or restricted, although some foreign flights continue, RT’s Saman Kojouri has reported from outside the Tehran headquarters of Mahan Air, one of Iran’s major carriers. The US Treasury targeted 27 Iranian airlines earlier this month as part of a broader campaign against the country’s aviation sector. Foreign companies providing services to the carriers risk US secondary sanctions, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the restrictions would effectively shut Iranian airlines out of international aviation from September 23. ”If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” Bessent said. The impact is already spreading across the region, according to RT’s Kojouri. Azerbaijan has suspended flights operated by Iranian carriers, while Iraq has reportedly stopped accepting Iranian aircraft. Flights between Tehran and Muscat have also been suspended, while Georgia has said it will comply with sanctions affecting Iranian carriers. Mahan Air is among the airlines facing the squeeze. Washington first sanctioned the carrier in 2011, accusing it of providing support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF). The Treasury has since targeted companies abroad accused of providing commercial and logistical support to the airline. Read more Trump threatens to ‘annihilate’ Iran in UN speech (VIDEO) The aviation crackdown comes as Washington ramps up pressure on Tehran while simultaneously pursuing diplomatic contacts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to “annihilate the Islamic Republic” if negotiations fail, saying he faced a “big decision” between reaching an agreement and further military escalation. Most of the Iranian delegation walked out of the General Assembly hall during Trump’s speech, leaving only one representative seated. The US president defended the nearly seven-month US-Israeli war and accused Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism. Despite the hostile rhetoric, indirect contacts continued later in the day. US envoy Steve Witkoff said mediators had shuttled between the American and Iranian delegations during “lengthy talks,” while Tehran said it had used the channel to clearly convey its conditions to Washington, including lifting the US naval blockade and releasing frozen Iranian assets.

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[l] at 9/23/26 8:50am
Von der Leyen’s public courtship of Mark Carney says as much about Europe’s weakness as it does about Canada’s leverage European Commission president and unelected de facto “queen” of Europe, Ursula von der Leyen, can’t get enough of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Her annual “State of the European Union” address last week should have been called “State of my crush on Mark Carney.” It seemed to transform into one giant excuse to gush about him while he sat in front of her, as she mused aloud to “Dear Mark” about her vision of some kind of “associate EU membership” for Canada. It reminded me of a kid back in grade school who once did an entire speech on “seals” in French class, just so he could constantly repeat the French translation of the subject, “phoques,” at a rate of once per sentence.  “President Metsola, Prime Minister Carney, Honorable Members,” she began. “Mark, your presence here is a symbol of the enduring friendship between our people. Our cultural, historical and personal links run deep within the fabric of our societies.” That’s what we used to call a group date to hide your crush. Only the group here consists of Canada’s 41 million people and the EU’s 452 million. “Dear Mark,” she continued. “I said we must urgently reimagine our partnerships… We share one ocean, one set of values, one way of seeing the world. And we will now build our shared future as well.” Read more The world is just enough: Ursula von der Leyen goes Bond villain Carney may be glad that ocean she speaks of is there, as it seems to be perhaps the only thing preventing her from camping out on his front lawn at this point. For his part, Carney has made it clear that he’s playing the field, and that any commitment is welcome in that context.“We’re not looking to become a member of the European Union,” Carney said, unequivocally. “What we are looking – and will begin discussions for – is a unique alliance between Canada and the European Union.” In other words, he isn’t looking to flee Trump’s 51st state threat in favor of Canada willingly being the EU’s 28th. No one in their right mind can blame him. You have to think that Carney – the former central banker of both Canada and the UK, and the onetime head of the G20’s Financial Stability Board in Basel – knows an economic basket case when he sees one. And it’s one thing to hang out, have a good time, and fill your boots. But it’s quite another not to have the total freedom to just zip up and peace out when the next inevitable self-imposed meltdown comes along. Which is at about the rate of one a week, at this point. A lot of the EU’s problems come down to a lack of accurate foresight and an inability to prioritize by coordinating their agenda with existential reality. Had European leaders been more adept at doing so, they might not need Carney to stand there in front of the EU Parliament and explain that it’s okay not to kiss Washington’s behind to their own detriment. Or that dating around allows for a more chill approach to all relationships.Until recently, anyone adopting this position in either Canada or Europe would immediately be subject to a proctology exam, accused of being some kind of secret tool of the Kremlin. EU officials have repeatedly warned that fragmentation and multipolarity that de-centers the Washington-led agenda hinders Western unity to the benefit of rival powers such as Russia. Read more Hey Ursula, angry voters aren’t ‘pro-Russian,’ they’re just fed up But Carney is basically saying that it benefits any country to pursue strategic non-alignment. He’s cutting deals with Europe and with BRICS countries. He said to a standing ovation at Davos earlier this year that it was important to be “pragmatic in recognizing that progress is often incremental, that interests diverge, that not every partner will share all of our values. We are engaging broadly, strategically, with open eyes. We actively take on the world as it is, not wait for a world we wish to be.” This isn’t a guy who’s into nation-building beyond his own. Ursula may think that she’s acquiring Canada and its resources for Europe, but she’s also importing, first and foremost, a political instinct that the bloc has long lacked. Carney is now articulating – to resounding applause – a position that, until recently, was far more closely associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s worldview than the one that orbits around Washington. Still, Carney is singing from the EU’s hymn book on Ukraine and Russia right now. He’s also literally negotiating for Canada to get some defense manufacturing revenues from the EU’s massive fear-driven spending spree on its defense security blanket. It’s not hard to see a profit motive here. Nor in the fact that he’s literally pitching for Europe to replace Russian natural resources with Canadian equivalents. So right now, Canada and Russia are positioned as competitors on the global economic playing field. At least for the time being. But that won’t always be the case once he’s secured the bag. Carney – now officially the most popular prime minister in Canadian history at 70% approval – got himself into that position by ditching right-left ideology for pragmatism. He could turn out to be an important interlocutor for Russia with the West. Someone who’s blunt, action-oriented, and doesn’t much honestly care what you do as long as it doesn’t annoy him. Ursula is clearly smitten with Carney. And if her new boyfriend ends up showing Europe how to be a little less cliquey about engaging with the rest of the world, then perhaps there’s hope for us all yet.

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[l] at 9/23/26 8:39am
The Democratic Party has been “captured by madness” and will revive trans policies if it regains Congress, A.J. Rice has warned The US Democratic Party has embraced a transgender agenda that amounts to “the normalization of sadism,” author A.J. Rice has said, warning that radical trans policies would return if the party is allowed to regain power. Speaking to RT’s America First host Scotty Nell Hughes about his new book, ‘The Curse of the Bearded Lady: How the Trans Mafia Whacked American Sanity’, Rice argued that activists have gained significant influence in schools, medicine, and corporate America while people who questioned the agenda have faced pressure to stay silent. The author described the “trans mafia” as the sprawling network of people and institutions that have helped the movement gain influence. He singled out parts of academia, wealthy backers, and corporations, and stated that providers of transition-related treatment also have a financial incentive to keep young people in their care indefinitely. Rice argued that the consequences of these policies ultimately fall on children who are being drawn toward gender-affirming medical treatments and on girls who are expected to share locker rooms or compete in sports with biological males. Read more US hospitals billed $120mn for sex-change procedures on minors – report He noted that while voters rejected the Democrats’ approach to gender in 2024, the party, which has been “captured by madness,” has since only doubled down and is seeking what is effectively “the normalization of sadism.” Rice framed the opposition to trans policies as “a fight for human nature,” adding that the 2024 election had become “more about sane versus insane” rather than a contest between Democrats and Republicans. The author warned that if Democrats manage to take back Congress, “the 72 genders are coming back,” and urged opponents to keep challenging the trans agenda, noting that humor could help them overcome the fear of speaking out. “Sometimes, ridicule can move faster than rebellion,” Rice said. Watch the full interview below.

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[l] at 9/23/26 8:28am
Evonik plans site closures and thousands of job cuts amid industry-wide structural crisis German chemicals giant Evonik is overhauling its domestic operations amid what it has described as a “structural and economic crisis” in the industry. The German and wider European chemical sector has been hit by plant closures, job losses and high energy costs following the loss of cheap Russian supplies; the US-Israeli war with Iran has added new pressure. The measures, announced on Tuesday, include site closures, job cuts and a reshaping of Evonik’s six main German plants, even as the company considers increasing investment in Asia and the Americas, where it sees “good opportunities for growth.” Evonik’s plans to eliminate 2,150 jobs in Germany through 2029 have drawn criticism from industrial policy spokesman for the opposition Left Party (Die Linke) Mirze Edis, who called the cuts “a damning indictment” of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Economy Minister Katharina Reiche. “Their inaction regarding chemical industry sites has now become a nationwide economic risk,” Edis said. Read more AfD is Germany’s new ‘people’s party’ – co-leader Evonik produces chemicals and additives used in everything from car tires and plastics to cosmetics and medicines, making it a key supplier across the economy. Germany’s chemical sector has been among the hardest hit by the country’s energy problems. Berlin moved to end its dependence on Russian energy following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 and turned to alternative suppliers, leaving energy-intensive manufacturers facing substantially higher costs. Evonik said at the time that it consumed around 15 terawatt-hours of natural gas annually, more than a third of it in Germany, and warned that losing Russian supplies could “seriously jeopardize chemical production” in the country. The war with Iran and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have added to the pressure this year. While Germany gets most of its LNG from the US rather than the Persian Gulf, the de facto closure of the strait disrupted flows accounting for almost 20% of the global LNG supply, tightening the market and driving up European prices. The crisis extends beyond Germany. Permanent chemical plant closures across Europe have surged sixfold from pre-2022 levels amid high energy costs, weak demand and cheaper overseas competition, according to the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic). READ MORE: The EU wanted a green revolution. It may get a rust belt instead British chemicals giant INEOS said this week it would close its three acetyl plants in Hull, the last major facilities of their kind in Europe, blaming soaring energy costs and carbon taxes. It said natural gas in Europe now costs 12 times as much as it does in the US, making even highly efficient plants uncompetitive.

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[l] at 9/22/26 6:36am
The coalition has accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s ruling party of imposing “dictatorial” rule and pushing Ethiopia toward disintegration Seven Ethiopian armed groups, including former battlefield enemies, have formed an alliance seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establish a transitional administration. The Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, unveiled on Sunday, includes the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Amhara Fano National Movement, and the Oromo Liberation Army, alongside four smaller groups. In a joint statement, the groups accused Abiy’s ruling Prosperity Party of imposing “dictatorial” rule and pushing the East African country toward disintegration. “We, the peoples’ forces concerned with the survival of Ethiopia’s peoples, bear the historic responsibility of overthrowing this regime,” they declared. They pledged an inclusive transitional government tasked with ending “all wars” and organizing a national and constitutional dialogue. The alliance urged government troops and their commanders “to join and become partners in the struggle to save” the country.” It also appealed for support from civic organizations and the international community. Abiy’s spokesperson, Billene Seyoum, told Reuters on Monday that the groups had long collaborated with financial backing from neighboring Eritrea. Asmara has repeatedly denied allegations of supporting the groups. The Ethiopian government says its national dialogue aims to address political divisions and internal conflicts. READ MORE: Ethiopian PM’s party secures dominant election win Ethiopia has struggled to secure lasting stability since a November 2022 peace accord ended the two-year Tigray war, which killed hundreds of thousands. Fano fought alongside federal troops against Tigrayan forces before turning against the government in 2023. The Oromo Liberation Army has fought federal forces since 2018. Renewed clashes and reported drone strikes in Tigray have further undermined the peace accord. Read more Colonial chains broken? The largest African dam tests water legacy The alliance members pledged to resolve their differences “peacefully.” Amhara and Tigrayan groups have competing claims to Western Tigray, which became part of Tigray when regional boundaries were redrawn in the early 1990s. Amhara nationalists dispute that allocation, and their forces took control of the area during the Tigray war. The UN said on Monday it is “deeply concerned” by Ethiopia’s worsening security situation, including the formation of the new armed coalition and reports of continued insecurity and drone strikes. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric urged all sides to avoid actions or rhetoric that could further escalate tensions and recommit to dialogue, saying “military action will not resolve political differences or address underlying grievances.”

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