🗣️”Republicans and Democrats are battling each other, and who's going to lose the American people, especially those in the lower socio-economic tiers of our society, those who really need some type of assistance in order to just lead a normal life, in order to pay for things that are necessary, those inelastic goods that people need to survive, those are going to be in jeopardy”: Dr. Colin Campbell, DC senior news correspondent, on the consequences of the power struggle between Republicans and Democrats

🎧Listen to more of Campbell’s analysis in our podcast The Critical Hour

What are Anti-Drone systems and how do they work?

The NATO-Russia proxy conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated the significance of drones in modern warfare, with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by both sides for reconnaissance, targeting and kamikaze attacks.

What are the four main kinds of anti-drone defenses? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Sputnik explores

Venezuela wants to become part of BRICS

"If they ask Venezuela whether we want to join the BRICS at some point — Venezuela says yes, we would like to be part of the BRICS and take part in the construction of this new architecture and global policy," Maduro said at a press conference, following his meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

BRICS, formed by five powerful countries, is transforming into a big magnet for those who want another world based on peace and cooperation, the president added.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday that he is in favor of the possibility of Venezuela joining BRICS.

"If you ask what I think, then I will tell you that I am in favor of this," Lula said at a press conference, following his meeting with Maduro, answering a relevant question.

At the same time, such initiatives should be coordinated by all countries, Lula added.

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Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, after winning a match at Roland Garros tournament, wrote on a camera where players traditionally leave autographs: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence." "Kosovo is our home, our stronghold," he told reporters explaining his act.

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Russia pays coupons on eurobonds in rubles maturing in 2026, 2036

The paying agent for Eurobonds — NCO JSC National Settlement Depository — received funds to pay coupon income in the amount of 5.7 billion rubles ($70.7 million) for 2026, and 2.3 billion rubles for 2036, The Russian Finance Ministry said in a statement.


"Thus, the obligations to service Russian government securities were fulfilled by the Russian Ministry of Finance in full," the ministry added.

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Taiwan's navy to receive 4th Tuo Chiang corvette in June

A total of 11 such ships are to be built for the Taiwanese navy by the end of 2026, a Taiwanese state news agency reported.

The corvette is 60.4 meters (198 feet) long and 14 meters wide, with a maximum speed of 30 knots and a displacement of 685 tonnes. The ship is armed with eight Hsiung Feng-III supersonic anti-ship missiles, eight Hsiung Feng-II subsonic anti-ship missiles, a 76 mm cannon and Tien-Chien II air defense missiles.

Taiwan's Lungteh Shipbuilding is involved in the production of the Tuo Chiang corvettes.

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Ghanaian Researcher Studies Microbial Pigment That Can Improve Human Health

🇬🇭 Osman Kanwugu, a Ghanaian PhD candidate at Ural Federal University (URFU) in Russia, is among the researchers who have recently explored the various biological and health benefits of astaxanthin – a naturally occurring carotenoid pigment found in marine organisms – beyond its pigment properties.

"So that's to say it has outstanding antioxidant properties, also research has shown, that it has some neuroprotective properties, it has skin rejuvenating properties, it's good for the eyes and stuff like this," Kanwugu said in an interview with Sputnik Africa

👉 READ THE FULL STORY

Photo courtesy of URFU

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Iran to present new hypersonic missile soon - IRGC

"The tests of this [hypersonic] missile have been conducted and it will be demonstrated soon," a Iranian news agency quoted him as saying.

The commander added that the new missile can fly at a speed of 12-15 Mach (8,893-11,116 miles per hour), is maneuverable both inside and outside the atmosphere and is capable of targeting enemy missile defense systems.

In November 2022, Tehran said it had developed the first national hypersonic ballistic missile. The United States said at the time that it was "skeptical" of Iran's reports.

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🇳🇬 🇷🇺 'Formidable Engagement Synergy' Between Russia & Africa Needed, Nigerian CEO States

Despite the inherent challenges associated with global politics, it is essential to build bridges and create a "formidable engagement synergy" between Russia and African countries, including Nigeria, the continent's top oil producer, Adekunle Patrick Adedeji, CEO of the Nigerian company Fitzpatrick Energy and Logistics Ltd., told Sputnik Africa in an interview.

🗣 "Like you know, Nigeria is the seventh-largest producer of crude oil on the global stage and of course, Russia is the second. Now there's a need for us to build a formidable engagement synergy to be able to actualize our dream," said Adekunle. "Russia is a great nation, is a superpower. We have a lot to learn from you. You have a lot to learn from us as well. Like I said, synergy."

👉🏼 Read the full story!

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Zelensky's aide mulls creating demilitarized zone in Russian regions bordering Ukraine

💬 "The key topic of the post-war settlement should be the establishment of safeguards to prevent a recurrence of aggression in the future," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said, adding that it will be necessary to introduce a demilitarization zone of 100-120 km to ensure security for residents of Kharkov, Chernigov, Sumy, Zaporozhye, Lugansk and Donetsk regions and protect them from shelling.

The presidential aide suggested creating such a zone on the territory of Russia's Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk and Rostov regions. "Probably with a mandatory international control contingent at the first stage," Podolyak wrote.

💬 "Such statements by Ukrainian officials confirm their complete detachment from reality and their persistent hostile aspirations," a Sputnik source in Moscow said, commenting on Podolyak's remarks.

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⚡️ Several residential buildings in Moscow have sustained minor damages after a UAV attack, the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

The city’s emergency services are at the scene and no injuries have been reported, he added.

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🇷🇺🇹🇷 Turkiye unbowed despite ‘incredible pressure’ from west over ties with Russia, Erdogan spox says

Ankara’s refusal to bend to demands by the West to severe ties with Russia has led to “incredible pressure” being placed on Ankara, Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has said.

💬 “Have other countries not put pressure on us? Of course they have…For a year-and-half, Western countries are putting incredible pressure on us, demanding that we slap sanctions [on Russia], asking why we cooperate with Russia, etc. But we didn’t listen to anyone, and held a ceremony on the delivery of the first fuel to the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant,” Kalin said in an interview with local media.

Highlighting Turkiye’s transformation into an “independent, self-sufficient” power on the world stage, Kalin stressed that Ankara will continue to “try to develop our relations of mutual interest with everyone.”

💬 “We have had two main problems [with the US, ed.] since the Obama era – the [US] support given to the YPG/PYD,and the FETO issue,” the presidential spokesman said, referring to Washington’s support for Kurdish militants which Ankara classifies as “terrorists,” and America’s refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric whom Turkish officials blame for the July 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan.

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❗️Emergency services are working at the scene of the UAV attack in Moscow's Leninsky Avenue

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🇸🇦🌍 Building BRICS of new world order: Saudi push to join BRICS bank will benefit kingdom, world

💬 “This decision has a political motive, but the economic aspect is of course the most important one,” Lebanese economist Jassem Ajaka told Sputnik Arabic, commenting on the talks between Riyadh and the New Development Bank.

The economist expressed cautious optimism about the rise of a new world economic order, saying the kingdom can play a positive role, but that the realignment will be “a rather long process.”

💬 “Riyadh’s benefit from joining is clear, given the potential for increased trade, and Saudi exports especially. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the largest suppliers of oil in the world, and the BRICS countries produce many different goods. Therefore, such cooperation can be considered to be mutually beneficial,” Ajaka said.

Saudi membership in the NDB would result in the expansion of the internal market of BRICS countries, meaning new opportunities for economic growth in these countries, according to Ajaka.

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🇨🇳🚀 China launched the Shenzhou 16 manned spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province in northwestern China, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

After the launch of Shenzhou 16, the number of people simultaneously in Earth's orbit has reached 17, breaking the previous record of 14 people, set in 2021.

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What is the CFE Treaty and why has Russia renounced it?

The past five years have seen an acceleration in the breakdown of the post-Cold War order, with a number of security agreements revoked, and NATO continuing its push toward Russia’s borders. The Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty is the latest agreement on the chopping block.

What is it? And why has Russia decided to abrogate it?

Sputnik explains

⚡️ Kiev regime plotted to carry out terrorist attack in Moscow using UAVs, Russia’s MoD says

▪️Eight aircraft-type UAVs were used in the attack, all of them were destroyed;

▪️Five drones were shot down by the Pantsir-S surface-to-air missile system;

▪️Three more UAVs were disabled using electronic warfare, going off course and straying from the intended targets.

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💰 Ukraine's public debt up $4.4bln in April, exceeds $124bln

💬 "As of April 30, public and publicly guaranteed debt amounted to 4,544.9 billion hryvnias or $124.3 billion. Over the last reporting month, public debt increased by 3.7%, plus $4.4 billion. At the end of 2022, the ratio of public debt to GDP amounted to 78.4%," Danil Getmantsev, the head of the Ukrainian Parliament's finance committee, said.

The first tranche under the Extended Fund Facility from the International Monetary Fund amounting to $2.7 billion and the third tranche of macro-financial assistance from the EU this year worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.61 billion) are among the main contributors to the debt increase, the lawmaker noted.

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📹 The situation outside one of the residential buildings on Profsoyuznaya Street, struck by a Ukrainian drone, remains calm as emergency services continue their work, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

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❗️The drones used in the Ukrainian terrorist attack on Moscow were previously unknown types of UAVs, and were built using a closed-coupled canard design, Alexey Rogozin, head of the Transport Technology Development Center said.

According to the design of these drones, the horizontal tail unit is located in front of the wing. This may be due to the desire to increase the carrying capacity, the expert said.

Ukraine has probably launched production of these types of UAVs, and their range can be up to thousands of kilometers with a wing span of up to 4 meters, Rogozin said.

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📹 A resident of a building struck by a Ukrainian UAV shared a video showing the wreckage of one of the drones

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