The US deems the potential threat of Iranian retaliation to be real and viable and is watching it very closely, said John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor.

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Netizens have questioned US diplomat and government official Samantha Power's sobriety after her claim that Ukraine's economy will grow by five percent this year.

"Putin is losing ground in the fight to destroy Ukraine's economy. In fact, Ukraine's economy is on track to grow 5% this year," she stated.

People were stumped when they saw an excerpt of her speech on X:

"Are you high?"
"Samantha is doing drugs again..."
"Delusional."
"5% growth? In what areas of the economy? Corruption?"
"To paraphrase...America has bought Ukraine. It wants to collect."
"The coffin and funeral industry doesn't count..."

Users expressed their disagreements in various ways, but one thing is clear to everyone – that Samantha Power lives in a different reality.

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The White House has refused to comment on whether the US would directly intervene in a conflict in the event of an Iranian military attack on Israel. The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff has noted that Washington is attempting to avoid war in the Middle East and is in dialogue with regional leaders.

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The US has made force postures changes in response to the threat of Iranian retaliation against Israel, the White House stated.

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❗️"There is no doubt that Ukraine was directly involved in the terrorist attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall; the tracks lead to Kiev," the Russian UN Envoy said.

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❗️LIVE: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko meet the crewmembers of the 21st International Space Station (ISS) mission to commemorate one of history’s most extraordinary days.

Watch the livestream here or follow the link to the Sputnik's website

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📹 What did Putin say in response to Lukashenko's words about Ukraine (hopefully) coming to its senses?

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5 fearsome drones Iran could use to strike back at Israel

The world is holding its breath in anticipation of Iran’s retaliation for Israel’s April 1 strike targeting the Islamic Republic’s Embassy compound in Damascus, Syria. US officials told media Friday that Tehran may hit military sites inside Israel with over 100 drones and dozens of missiles.

Here are some of the long-range UAVs Iran has in its arsenal.

Shahed 136

🔺Unique delta wing drone design unveiled in 2021
🔺Built by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (Persian Acronym HESA)
🔺Weapons Payload: 50 kg
🔺Dimensions: 3.5x2.5 meters
🔺Propeller-powered
🔺185 km/h top speed
🔺Range: 2,500 km

Mohajer 10

🔺Large, aircraft-style drone unveiled in 2023
🔺Designed by the Qods Aviation industries Company as a multipurpose UAV for long-range strikes, surveillance, electronic warfare and full-spectrum superiority* Weapons Payload: 300 kg
🔺Dimensions: at 6.5x4.2x18.2 meters
🔺Propeller-powered
🔺210 km/h top speed
🔺Range: 2,000 km

Arash 2

🔺Winged missile-shaped drone design unveiled in 2020
🔺Created by the Defense Industries Organization
🔺Weapons Payload: 260 kg
🔺Dimensions: 4.5x4 meters
🔺Propeller-powered (turbojet engine-powered variant known as the Kian-2 available)
🔺186 km/h top speed (400 km/h for the rocket-powered variant)
🔺Range: 2,000 km

Karrar

🔺Family of versatile, jet-powered UAVs created by HESA as a target practice drone in 2010
🔺Weapons Payload: Up to 225 kg. Includes ability to carry bombs, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and even air-to-air missiles
🔺Dimensions: 4x2.5 meters
🔺Turbojet engine
🔺900 km/h flight speed
🔺Range: 1,000 km

Kaman-22

🔺Unveiled in 2021 and designed by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
🔺Weapons payload: 300 kg
🔺Dimensions: 6.5x2.5x17 meters (estimate)
🔺Turboprop-powered
🔺Maximum flight speed: Unknown
🔺Range: 3,000 kg

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🇮🇷 Iran has informed the United States that if Washington intervenes in the conflict between Israel and Iran, American forces in the region will be attacked, according to media reports.

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The German Parliament passed the so-called "Law on Self-Determination" (regarding the rights of transgenders) with a majority vote of 374

The factions of the CDU/CSU and AfD opposition parties, as well as the Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance, voted against the proposal (251 votes) with 11 abstentions.

From November 1st, 2024, anyone residing in Germany will have the opportunity to change their name and/or gender in accordance with their personal identity. The identity data can be updated every 12 months, allowing for "greater flexibility and self-expression."
A sex change every 12 months will be available through a simple application process at the registry office.

For children under the age of 14, their parents or legal guardians will need to submit the required documentation. Children aged 14 and over will be able to complete the process on their own, but they must do so with the permission of their parents or guardians.

Previously, gender reassignment in Germany required a two-step psychological examination, and the final decision was made by the district court. However, with the adoption of the new law, these barriers have been removed, and gender reassignment is now a simpler process.

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🇮🇱 The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are closely monitoring the situation in Iran and preparing to respond to any threats in coordination with the United States, the IDF chief of staff said.

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Phoenix rising: Russia’s grandiose space ambitions

On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being to leave the bounds of Earth and enter outer space.

Gagarin’s flight was one of a series of space firsts for the Soviet Union, with others including the first satellite in space (Sputnik 1), first animal in space, first lunar flyby, first lunar surface touchdown, first Venus flyby, first woman in space, first spacewalk, first modular space station, first spacewalk by a woman, first lunar robotic rover, first unmanned landing on Venus, and first unmanned Mars landing.

Sixty-three years on, Russia has renewed ambitions to expand its status as a great space power, completing the design of a new orbital space station known as the ROSS, and developing a new partially reusable, methane-powered rocket design known as the Amur, whose first flight is expected in 2030. Russia has also launched and/or plans to launch an array of satellites including:

🔺The Elektro-L series of meteorological satellites;

🔺Kondor-FKA Earth imaging and military reconnaissance satellites;

🔺Skif-D communications satellites for broadband high-speed internet access;

🔺Meteor-M polar-orbit weather satellites.

Russia finished stage two of construction at the new Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East, with over 40 launches planned for 2024.

On Thursday, Russia’s new Angara-A5 space rocket put an Orion upper stage with a test Gagarinets cubesat onboard into orbit.

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