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Euronews
4 hours ago
- Business
- Euronews
Trump–Putin talks propel Russian markets to 3-month high
Russian markets are reacting positively to the upcoming visit by President Vladimir Putin to the United States — his first since 2015 — with the MOEX Russia Index climbing above 2,950 points, its highest level since late April. The index initially rose last Wednesday as Putin met with Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow. It then began to climb again as the location of the Trump-Putin summit was announced on Friday. On Tuesday at around 15.15 CEST, the MOEX was trading at 2,959.63, a bump of 1.2% compared to its close at around 2,924.63 on Friday. Investors are hopeful about a diplomatic breakthrough at the upcoming Trump–Putin meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, likely counting on an easing of sanctions or new trade channels being unlocked. The jump was buoyed by Russian energy giants, with Gazprom shares climbing 3.65% and Novatek surged 5.44%, according to the Moscow Times. Geopolitical buzz Geopolitical buzz can swing markets as investors are encouraged by the possibility of conflict resolution or escalation. Just the prospect of high-level talks can trigger climbs in sectors tied to trade, energy or infrastructure. However, uncertainty or lack of results can just as quickly reverse the gains, which could happen if the much-anticipated summit does not produce any tangible results — something that is likely due to the fact that European powers are so far not involved in the talks between Trump and Putin. It also remains unclear how Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be incorporated in the talks, as he and European powers insist there can be no lasting deal without Kyiv agreeing to it as well. Before the 2022 sanctions caused by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the MOEX Russia Index was trading near record highs above 3,800 points in late 2021, backed by strong oil prices and post-pandemic recovery momentum.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Vladimir Putin 'plans nuclear missile tests' for weapon with 'unlimited range'
Russia President Vladimir Putin unveiled the Burevestnik nuclear missile in 2018 and increased activity at the Pankovo test site has fuelled suspicions of an imminent test Vladimir Putin is feared to have green lighted new tests for his 'Flying Chernobyl ' nuclear missile, which is supposedly capable of flying for days or even weeks on end as it probes weaknesses in Western defences. The 'miracle' Burevestnik was originally announced by Putin in 2018 but more than a dozen tests so far have been deemed failures. The super weapon has previously been described as 'a radically new type of weaponry' with 'unlimited range and unlimited ability to manoeuvre'. Increased activity at the Pankovo test site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic has fuelled suspicions of an imminent test, according to Decker Evelet, a nuclear weapons expert at the CNA analytical company. It comes after Putin warns of nuclear war after unleashing another night of hell on Ukraine. The US also recently sent a WC-135R radiation reconnaissance aircraft of the Air Force to Novaya Zemlya, which suggests a possible test could be imminent, according to the independent Moscow Times. The aircraft - which is equipped with sensors to track nuclear tests - flew from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk for about 14 hours over the Barents Sea, and close to the coast of Russia 's Murmansk region, west of Novaya Zemlya. Russia has made multiple attempts to test the unlimited range Burevestnik - also known as Skyfall - none of which have been successful. The Burevestnik's longest flight was only around 22 miles, lasting two minutes. In 2019, the Burevestnik notoriously crashed into the Barents Sea, and a retrieval operation led to an explosion that killed seven scientists from the closed nuclear city Sarov, triggering radiation in Scandinavia. Putin dubbed them 'national heroes' without explaining details of their deaths. Last year traces of radioactive Cesium-137 were measured along Norway's border with Russia, leading to unconfirmed concerns over activity at the Pankovo test site for the Burevestnik. The readings were from analysis of filters from Viksjøfjell and Svanhovd in Norway. The Burevestnik is viewed by the Russian dictator as a game-changing 'doomsday' weapon with an unlimited range. It is seen by the Kremlin as a low-flying 'stealth' cruise missile incapable of interception by existing Western air defences and delivering nuclear warheads anywhere around the globe. A report by the Nuclear Threat Initiative - a non-profit arms control group - said Russia had conducted 13 known tests between 2017 and 2019, all of which were unsuccessful. It is called the 'Flying Chernobyl' because it emits radioactive exhaust due to its unshielded or partially shielded reactor, raising ecological and safety concerns. The nickname relates to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant explosion in 1986. The Burevestnik is believed to be launched by a solid-fuel rocket motor. Then a small nuclear reactor activates in flight, which potentially allows it to stay aloft threatening Western countries almost indefinitely. The nuclear weapon was among a group of 'doomsday' weapons unveiled by Putin in March 2018, alongside the Poseidon nuclear torpedo, Kinzhal hypersonic missile, Avangard glide vehicle, and the Sarmat - or Satan-2 - giant nuclear rocket.
The Hill
04-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Why did these prominent Americans attend a festival of Russian supremacy?
What do Putin's most notorious warmongering propagandist, his foreign minister sanctioned by the U.S. and several other countries for his role in the Ukraine War, and a distinguished American economist have in common? Their names are Aleksandr Dugin, Sergei Lavrov and Jeffrey Sachs, and they all appeared as featured speakers at the Tsargrad Institute's June conference in Moscow, which was titled 'Forum of the Future 2050.' According to the Moscow Times, the event also featured 'conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, right-wing influencer Jackson Hinkle … British politician George Galloway and Elon Musk's father Errol Musk,' as well as the American journalist Max Blumenthal. Konstantin Malofeyev, a proponent of Russia's use of nuclear weapons and the deputy head of the World Russian People's Council, founded the Institute — named after the Russian equivalent of Constantinople — in 2023. Dugin is the institute's director. The meeting took place at the same time that Tsargrad issued its report, 'Russia 2050. A picture of the Future.' The following snippets, translated by Google, will give you a sense of what the Institute's aspirations are. 'The main reason for what is taking place in the world today is the fundamental crisis of liberalism,' the report reads. 'Liberalism has not only led humanity into a dead end of ideological, cultural, scientific, technological and economic development, but it has also created a threat to its very existence.' 'The symbol of the anti-liberal turn in the West is the Trump revolution and Trumpism,' it states. 'The final victory of the Trumpists will lead to the strengthening of presidential power and the transformation of the political regime of the USA into an autocracy.' Once 2050 rolls along, 'Russia is a sovereign power pursuing a truly independent domestic and foreign policy. All territories of the former Russian Empire and the Soviet Union are part of the zone of vital interests and exclusive influence of Russia. The existence of Russophobic political regimes hostile to Russia and its people in these territories is completely excluded. In addition to the countries of the former USSR, the macroregion created by Russia includes some countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, as well as individual countries in Africa and Latin America.' In short, by 2050, Russia will have been made great again, while the degenerate West will have been reduced to third-rate status. One could object by suggesting that so rosy a scenario could happen only if Russian President Vladimir Putin leaves office before fully succeeding in transporting his country into the Stone Age. But no matter: Tsargrad is entitled to dream. As may the Russian people. A recent poll conducted by the Levada Center asked Russians to rank the 'most outstanding people of all times.' The top 10 were all Russians: Stalin took first place with 42 percent, Putin was second with 31 percent and Lenin took third with 28 percent. Poor Albert Einstein managed 11th place with 8 percent. Isaac Newton came in 18th with just 5 percent. The numbers speak for themselves: Russians believe they are superior and they worship at the altar of autocracy. In that sense, the Tsargrad report is an accurate reflection of Russian political culture. So why did prominent Americans like Sachs and Blumenthal decide to give the event their imprimatur? It is doubtful that they would accept an invitation to a conference organized by the Ku Klux Klan or the Proud Boys. And yet, in speaking at such a questionable forum, they have done something quite similar. To be sure, they, like Galloway, are already tainted by their willingness to appear on Putin's propaganda television network, RT. But it's a big step up from going on TV to sit in the same room as Dugin and Lavrov and engage them in chitchat. No, let me take that back — this is far worse than attending a KKK or Proud Boys event. After all, the KKK is yesterday's news. The Proud Boys are too small to matter. The Tsargrad conference, in contrast, reflects the ideas of a regime which, as Sachs and Blumenthal know, invaded Ukraine and is systematically killing Ukrainians and destroying their culture. That's not just war. It's genocide. Sachs and Blumenthal should be ashamed. The West in general and liberals in particular should be prepared. The Russian assault on civilization has only just begun. Alexander J. Motyl is a professor of political science at Rutgers University-Newark. A specialist on Ukraine, Russia and the USSR, and on nationalism, revolutions, empires and theory, he is the author of 10 books of nonfiction, as well as ' Imperial Ends: The Decay, Collapse, and Revival of Empires' and ' Why Empires Reemerge
Shafaq News
30-07-2025
- Climate
- Shafaq News
No fatalities reported after 8.8 quake off Russia's Far East
Shafaq News – Petropavlovsk / Kamchatsky Russian authorities confirmed on Wednesday that no fatalities occurred following the powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula, although several people sustained minor injuries. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov attributed the absence of fatalities to the effectiveness of Russia's early warning systems and the resilience of local infrastructure. He noted that emergency protocols functioned smoothly, allowing residents in coastal areas to evacuate before the arrival of tsunami waves. Regional officials reported minor structural damage in some locations. In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital, a kindergarten undergoing renovation was affected. Several individuals were injured while fleeing buildings, and one hospital patient was hurt after jumping from a window. All injuries were described as non-life-threatening, according to the regional health department. In the Kuril Islands, waves flooded the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk and temporarily cut power supplies. Authorities declared a state of emergency, though no major damage was reported. Footage showed waves crashing against breakwaters and residents seeking shelter in evacuation centers. Footage published to social media shows the moments when the earthquake hit in the Kamchatka region. — The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) July 30, 2025 The earthquake struck at 8:25 a.m. Japan time, with its epicenter located about 120 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 21 kilometers. It triggered tsunami alerts across the Pacific, including in Japan, Hawaii, California, and multiple island nations. The US Geological Survey measured the event at 8.8 magnitude, making it one of the six strongest earthquakes ever recorded. It is the most powerful globally since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, which killed over 18,000 people and caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. According to the Russian Oceanography Institute, tsunami waves along the Kamchatka coast reached heights between two and fifteen meters. Waves of 2 to 5 feet were also recorded in Northern California and parts of Japan, prompting evacuations and temporary disruption of transportation services. Most tsunami alerts have since been downgraded to advisories as conditions began to stabilize. Despite the earthquake's intensity, no critical infrastructure damage was reported in Japan or the United States. Japanese nuclear regulators confirmed that all plants were operating safely, including the Fukushima complex, where workers temporarily relocated to higher ground while continuing remote monitoring. Tsunami warnings were also issued in the Philippines, Mexico, New Zealand, and several Pacific Island nations. While residents were urged to avoid coastal areas, no significant damage has been reported outside Russia.
France 24
09-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Musk's AI chatbot Grok is 'spewing anti-Semitic garbage on X'
Syria is still struggling to tame wildfires that erupted at the beginning of the month in the western parts of the country. Arab News reports that Syria is now seeking assistance from Europe to control the "six-day forest inferno". Because of the exceptional weather conditions and a lack of resources after 14 years of war, Syria needs help. Meanwhile, thousands of kilometres away in Catalonia, fires have ravaged more than 3,000 hectares of land, Spanish daily El Pais reports. The winds there are complicating the work of firefighters. In France, fires are burning in the south of the country. In Marseille, the blaze has destroyed more than 700 hectares of land. According to a local paper from Marseille, La Provence, the fire now seems "frozen", but not yet "fixed". Locals from the affected regions have spoken to left-wing daily Libération about what they went through, saying "it's unbreathable". Libération writes that we have entered a new reality "to which we are painfully adapting". We turn next to Russia, where independent papers are discussing the apparent suicide of the country's former transport minister. The Moscow Times writes that the Kremlin is "shocked" by the death of Roman Starovoyt. He was found dead with a gunshot wound hours after being fired by President Vladimir Putin on Monday, this amid media speculation that he was potentially facing corruption charges. Another article from The Moscow Times says that from 2018 to May 2024, Starovoit served as the governor of the Kursk region of Russia. But after Ukraine's surprise incursion last summer, law enforcement made several high-profile arrests. And while he was not arrested or directly investigated, unnamed sources say that suspects in the case have testified against him. Independent paper Meduza 's headline says that his suicide "is linked to a case of embezzlement during the construction of defensive lines in the Kursk region". The paper writes that public Russian media aren't connecting the dots between Starovoyt's resignation, his suicide and the corruption charges. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is again making international headlines. The Washington Post reports that an unknown individual contacted high-level officials, including three foreign ministers, using an AI-generated " Marco Rubio" voice. The impersonator copied the style of the US Secretary of State "with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts", according to Rubio's office. On another note, "Grok is spewing anti-Semitic garbage on X", reports tech magazine Wired. Elon Musk 's chatbot recently praised Hitler online and made a series of deeply offensive remarks, and this is only the latest example. The hateful posts started appearing after a software update last Friday. Musk had claimed that Grok had been "significantly improved" by the update and that users should notice a difference. Finally, with the start of the French state visit to Britain yesterday, some papers are commenting on the fashion choices of the leaders. Fashion magazine Vanity Fair calls Kate Middleton 's classic Dior outfit a "dazzling display for the occasion". Her outfit is seen as a nod to both France and the late Princess Diana. Vogue looks at her second outfit, a Givenchy dress. The robe was designed by British designer Sarah Burton for the French fashion house – a clear statement of what Vogue calls "fashion diplomacy" and a symbol of the relationship between the two countries.
