Russian ‘shared values' visa draws 700 Westerners amid culture clash
In a brightly lit conference room of a Moscow police department, a smiling officer flanked by Russian flags and gilded double-headed eagles handed over small blue booklets to an American family-of-five.
The booklets were asylum certificates granting them the right to live and work in Russia after fleeing Texas because
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Drones have made the war more brutal, with people on the move targeted within expanding zone
An artillery unit of the 28th Mechanised Separate Brigade fires an M109 howitzer on Russian positions, on the outskirts of Kostiantynivka, eastern Ukraine, in May. As ceasefire talks have flared and faltered, the battle for eastern Ukraine has only intensified under drone attacks around the towns of Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk and Kupiansk. Photo / Tyler Hicks, the New York Times Even several kilometres from the front line, anything that moves is a target. That's because as Russia's summer offensive gains momentum, it is increasingly relying on drones of all kinds to gain control over Ukraine's territory. Under attack by drones, Ukrainian soldiers are struggling to maintain supply lines around the
Scoop
17 hours ago
- Scoop
ACT To Hold Annual 'Free & Equal' Rally In Auckland This Sunday 13 July
The ACT Party will host its flagship annual event, the 'Free & Equal' Rally, on Sunday 13 July at Auckland's Shed 10. The rally will feature policy updates from ACT's Ministers and MPs, a keynote address from Deputy Prime Minister and ACT Party Leader David Seymour, and an international guest keynote by Dr. James Lindsay. The event is expected to attract a strong audience, following last year's rally which sold out and saw keynote speaker Paul Henry's address viewed more than 200,000 times online. ACT describes its annual gathering as an opportunity to connect with supporters, outline the party's policy direction, and foster open debate on the country's future. 'ACT's annual rally is about more than politics – it's about lifting the standard of public debate in New Zealand,' says David Seymour. 'It's a chance to talk directly to voters about our vision for a freer, fairer, and more ambitious country.' Attendees will hear updates from ACT's Ministers on the Government's policy programme, including progress on crime, economic reform, and reducing regulatory burdens. International guest Dr. James Lindsay, an American author, mathematician, and prominent advocate for free speech, will deliver this year's keynote address. Dr. Lindsay is best known for his bestselling book Cynical Theories. 'Dr. Lindsay is one of the world's leading lights in challenging ideological extremes,' Seymour said. 'His insights on defending free expression and liberal values are especially relevant in New Zealand today.'
Scoop
20 hours ago
- Scoop
NACI Unreservedly Rejects The Baseless Smears & Insinuations Peddled Against A Trusted Friend To The African Continent
Dutch and German intelligence agencies came out on Friday, 4th July, 2025 with a new narrative, assuming that Russia is now using chemical weapons in the war with Ukraine. They went further to call for punitive action be taken to further punish Russia, and for continued NATO weaponry supply and support for Ukraine's aggression on Russia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This claimed which was pushed by the Dutch military and general intelligence services, MIVD and AIVD, along with Germany's foreign intelligence service BND, accused Russia of violating the Chemical Weapons Convention. This allegation has been rejected by Russia as just another baseless piece of propaganda intended to embarrass the competent authorities in Moscow. Normally it is not the policy of the New African Charter International (NACI) to join arguments with former colonial masters on issues bordering the rules of engagement in war time. We cannot argue either with the German or Dutch security on the situation in Ukraine, because they have already taken sides to execute the unipolar world order, whereby countries like Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, South Africa and more are top on the list for destabilization. They have the money, the technology and the mainstream media, to make the public believe they are always on the side of the truth, and any other opinion is considered an affront to western values. The current report against a trusted and progressive friend, and strategic partner to Africa, i.e. Russia, and especially when such report focuses on baseless smears and insinuations, we see it our duty to join the millions of voices around the world to defend truth against unjust attacks. Having read the allegation peddled against Russia, with its ill-intentioned goal, we therefore state as follows: The New African Charter International (NACI) notes with regret the unstopped race-filled propaganda and ethnic purification war that is being initiated and fought against Russia and Russian-speaking peoples. NACI vehemently rejects the malicious narrative in relation to the use of chemical weapons in the Ukraine war, which has been peddled by politically-motivated, war-profiteers and anti-Russian agents whose so-called concerned for human rights depends on spreading misinformation, disinformation and misleading narrative of hatreds. Such irresponsible and polarizing assumptions by German and Dutch security are meant to promote war, and against peace and reconciliation. NACI wishes to make it pellucid that Russia had reported in 2024 that hostile European countries supplied ban weapons to Ukraine, which are now used against Russian soldiers in the frontlines. NACI wishes to make it clear that the German and Dutch security are only concern with the clinical execution of the plan to destabilise Russia, and not to promote peace, reconciliation, understanding, development and progress. That one should speculate that Russia is using chemical weapons in Ukraine is outrageous and completely baseless. The allegations echo similar past claims, and this is not the first time Russia's military has faced such accusations that were given prominent headlines in the mainstream media. These claims have previously been fully rebutted by Moscow in detailed published technical reports, press statements, as well as in submissions made to the United Nations Security Council in New York. Such claims amount only to pure speculation, apparently designed as a last ditch attempt at milking the last millions stashed away from the European tax papers' money. This latest allegation came at a time when Ukraine was making deals with its European masters and US defence companies to step up the production of drones that are needed to destabilize the Russian federation. Denmark has agreed to provide its territory as a pad to produce Ukrainian weapons and drones on the Scandinavian soil. Ukraine has also been promised to receive hundreds of thousands of additional drones this year, with many more in the following year, to boast its aggression against Russia. Needless to remind politicians in Germany about their attempt to influence the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICF) for the case of genocide committed in Gaza, brought before it by South Africa, against Israel. Is it not hypocrisy and double standards at the highest international level for European politicians to unabashedly attacked South Africa for seeking justice at the ICJ, for the people of Palestine, and now want the world to bid their tailored narratives against Russia? For the sake of peace, we urge European leaders and the US government to refrain from making comments or statements which promote hatred, misinformation and misguided beliefs and to cease meddling in the internal matters of Russia through distorted facts. We urge caution at a time when the world is seeking peace and not violence, progress and not retrogression, good governance and not political gangsterism. God bless Russia! Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh Co-founder and President
