⚡️France seeks to be part of the US-Ukraine talks on mineral resources linked to conflict resolution, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu told French media.

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🌋Mount Etna roars louder with fiery fury: Eruptions and lava intensify, yet nearby residents aren’t at risk

Footage from social media

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💬 Hungarian FM drops truth bomb on 'bureaucracy in Brussels’ for ‘killing Europe’s economy’

Peter Szijjarto highlighted Brussels’ failed policies like “sanctions against Russia, customs tariffs on the Chinese electric car industry, and the complete inability to negotiate with the US”.

He further noted that "von der Leyen’s leadership in Brussels has isolated the European economy not only from China but also from the American market," in a post on his Facebook* account.

*banned in Russia for extremism

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☢️Iran to TRIPLE nuclear-powered electricity production by 2029

The Islamic Republic intends to implement its ambitious plan by focusing on the construction of new nuclear power plants and the expansion of existing facilities.

"We hope to increase the volume of [electricity] production by 2,000 megawatt-hours by the end of the seventh [five-year] development plan [until March 2029] and increase the country's nuclear capacity from 1,000 to 3,000 megawatt-hours," head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami was cited as saying by the Mizan news agency.

Iran has already boosted the construction of two power units at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and resumed the construction of the Karun NPP, the AEOI head said.

The first unit of Iran’s Bushehr NPP, which is being built with Russian assistance, was connected to the national power grid in September 2011. The second stage of the plant will include two power units. Development of the Karun Nuclear Power Plant in Khuzestan province is also a key project geared towards enhancing Iran's long-term energy sustainability.

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🛞Roly poly robocops?

A Chinese company is in talks with foreign clients regarding the supply of its spherical patrol robots, the Global Times reports.

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🇷🇺 Key statements from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's daily briefing:

🟠Persecution of the Republic of Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik is political in nature

🟠Trump, unlike Biden, is ready to listen to others, and Moscow sees this

🟠No one expects easy and quick decisions between Russia and the US

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😱Washington's Asian allies fear US may SELL OUT Taiwan in event of conflict – report

As the shell-shocked West tries to process the Trump administration’s bid to recalibrate its relationship with Russia while sidelining Ukraine and Europe, Washington's allies in Asia are grappling with fears of their own.

There are concerns that the United States won’t support Taiwan if the island's tensions with China, which regards the island as its province, escalate, NBC News reported, citing former US officials.

US allies in Asia are “deeply unnerved” by the US president’s recent policy moves, Michael Green, who served on the White House National Security Council under George W. Bush, told the outlet.

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🤡 Polish PM tries to clap back at Trump’s comment that EU was formed to 'screw' the US

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❗️Russian troops liberated the settlement Nikolsky in Russia's Kursk region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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📹An enchanting underwater show inspired by "Ne Zha 2" animated movie features main characters Ne Zha and Ao Bing dancing with fish in a mesmerizing blue water scene At Ordos Aquarium in Inner Mongolia, China.

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📹THROWBACK: Nancy Pelosi's shaky denial of insider trading that turned her into a multi-millionaire

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💬 Russia hopes talks with the US in Istanbul will be the first in a series of such consultations, Russian FM spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated.

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❗️Russian forces struck military infrastructure and drone storage facilities in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

🇷🇺🪖More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry's daily briefing on the special military operation's progress:

▪️Ukraine lost up to 180 servicemen in the Russian Zapad Battlegroup's combat zone.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 310 troops, a Leopard tank and seven armored vehicles in the Russian Tsentr Battlegroup's combat zone.

▪️Russian aviation shot down seven JDAM bombs and 104 Ukrainian drones.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 150 militants in the Russian Yug Battlegroup's combat zone.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 210 soldiers and three warehouses in the areas of responsibility of Russia's Battlegroup Dnepr and Sever.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 215 troops in the Russian Vostok Battlegroup's combat zone.

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❗️The EU attempting to incite street protests in Georgia - Russian Intel

Other key statements from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) on protests in Georgia:

🟠The EU has decided to shift from promises to pressure in dealing with Georgian politicians.

🟠The EU is determined to bring Georgia back to the path of democracy and European integration at any cost.

🟠Plans are underway to create a range of opposition parties in Georgia to challenge the ruling "Georgian Dream" party.

🟠The EU delegation in Tbilisi has been allocated funds for protests - up to €120 for each participant in anti-government demonstrations.

🟠The EU is also ready to provide Georgian bloggers with up to €50,000 to "promote anti-government sentiments" among the youth.

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🔍Current balance of forces in the Arctic

Insiders have told US business media that Washington has identified the Arctic as a domain for potential cooperation with Moscow on resource and energy exploration and new trade routes.

Who controls what in the Arctic today?

1️⃣Russia: Claims about 50% of the Arctic (2.1M sq. km, including the North Pole) and has the world’s largest icebreaking fleet (45 large vessels) and extensive commercial and military infrastructure to back its ambitions.

2️⃣US: Claims around 10% of the Arctic and recently expanded claims off Alaska, the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean to overlap with Canada. The US has just one heavy icebreaker for sustained operations.

3️⃣Canada: Claims 25% of the Arctic with a 1.9M sq. km continental shelf claim, partly overlapping with Russia’s. Canada has 15 icebreakers, half of them capable of working in the far north.

4️⃣Denmark: Claims 20% of the Arctic via Greenland, including the North Pole. May have a hard time enforcing its claims after scrapping all of its icebreakers. With Greenlanders eying independence, and the US eying Greenland, the Kingdom may have bigger problems to worry about.

5️⃣Norway: Claims 5% (235k sq. km) and operates two Arctic-class icebreakers. Has sought to strengthen its Arctic presence mostly with NATO forces stationed across 13 regional bases.

Note: Due to overlapping claims, the continental shelf claim figures above amount to more than 100%.

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❗️First contacts with the US administration give certain hope - Putin at the FSB board meeting

Other key statements by Vladimir Putin on US-Russian relations:

🟠The current US administration, rejecting the stereotypes and messianic ideological clichés of its predecessors, demonstrates pragmatism and a realistic outlook.

🟠Western elites seek to preserve instability in the world, they will try to undermine the US-Russia dialogue.

🟠The West's actions have led to the unraveling of its own internal systems.

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🇷🇺 Putin congratulates soldiers on Russia's Special Forces Day

The Russian president praised personnel and veterans for their professionalism, selflessness, loyalty to duty and oath, as well as their courage and resilience in carrying out the toughest combat missions.

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