🔊 COLONIAL SHADOWS: Chinese expert questions Britain’s grip on cultural treasures

Amid reports that Ukraine is selling cultural artifacts at British online auctions, political commentator Zhou Chengyang notes that the British Museum holds the largest Chinese collection in the West — 23,000 items, with around 2,000 on display.

"Most of these were acquired during the period of colonial expansion. Although the Chinese public has been persistently demanding their return, under the British Museum Act of 1963 (with amendments), the institution is legally barred from returning exhibits except in special cases."

📍 Despite an agreement between China and the UK to prevent illicit trade in cultural property — which enabled the return of some artifacts — it does not override British law, Zhou adds.

"Cultural relics in the British Museum symbolize complex chapters of Chinese history. Their return would be an important step toward strengthening national identity and meeting the patriotic aspirations of the Chinese people. London's current stance fuels public discontent and could negatively impact bilateral relations."

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📹FUEL TRUCKS ENTER GAZA FOR FIRST TIME IN FIVE MONTHS

Two trucks carrying 107 tonnes of fuel crossed from Egypt into Gaza via Rafah on Sunday.

Authorities say 600 trucks a day are needed to meet basic needs as Israel’s blockade continues, leaving over 60,000 Palestinians dead since October 7.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🏺'These objects should never have left their land of origin': Africa and its stolen heritage

💬"As an African, I can only deeply regret the plundering and dispersal of the continent’s works of art during Europe’s colonial ventures of the 19th and 20th Centuries," Hamada Madi Boléro, former prime minister of the Comoros, tells Sputnik.

"These objects are not mere works of art: they carry the soul, spirituality, history, and identity of the peoples who created them."

👉Their removal through violence or extortion remains illegitimate, and their presence in Western museums perpetuates a colonial mindset.

🗣The expert criticized the notion of a "universal museum" promoted by the British Museum, which claims to safeguard these works in London for an international audience.

"For us Africans, the neo-colonialism behind this supposedly generous idea is deeply frustrating."

🔊"Africa must be prepared to receive its own treasures, to protect and showcase them," Boléro notes. He acknowledged progress, citing modern museums like the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar as proof that Africa is ready to reclaim its heritage.

📍As for the display of Ukrainian heritage in the UK, he considers it a political move.

"Since the beginning of the special operation in 2022, British cultural institutions have ‘gone to war’ alongside Ukraine on the cultural front."

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🚨 NETANYAHU DEMANDS RED CROSS AID FOR HOSTAGES AMID GAZA FAMINE

"The world cannot remain indifferent to the shocking images reminiscent of Nazi atrocities," the Israeli Prime Minister said in a plea to the Red Cross, asking them to provide food and medical care to Hamas's hostages.

The Red Cross has been facilitating prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hamas.

Yesterday, IDF struck the Red Crescent's HQ, killing 1 employee.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔊 Carney and Trump will negotiate trade deal in days — Trade minister

"As I said, the conversations have been informative, constructive, and cordial. I would expect the prime minister will have a conversation with the president over the next number of days days," Dominic LeBlanc told CBS News.

Trump had previously threatened to halt trade talks with Canada over its recognition of Palestine.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔥 BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT: I WON'T SUBORDINATE TO DOLLAR

Brazil is no longer as dependent on the US as it used to be, and it won't let anyone dictate its economic policies, the president said at his party's rally.

"Unacceptable... While the president does have the right to impose tariffs, Trump has crossed the line. He wants to destroy multilateral mechanisms and revert to one-on-one trade negotiations."

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🗣 Witkoff may visit Russia in a few days — Trump

The US president said that special envoy Steve Witkoff may travel to Russia, potentially on Wednesday or Thursday.

Trump also pointed out Russia's success at living under sanctions.

"There will be sanctions, but they seem to be pretty good at avoiding sanctions," Trump told reporters.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔥 CHINA CHOKES WESTERN DEFENSE SUPPLY WITH MINERALS STRANGLEHOLD

Beijing tightens rare earth exports to stall US/EU weapons production—jet fighters to bullets, the WSJ reports.

Key leverage:

▫️ China controls 90% of global rare earths and critical minerals

▫️ Post-"concessions" lock maintained exclusively on defense materials

▫️ Forces Western firms into global scavenger hunts for stockpiles

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🚨 HAMAS DEMANDS HUNDREDS OF TRUCKS INTO GAZA

The movement set the provision of aid as a precondition for ceasefire talks, according to a Jerusalem Post report citing sources.

This comes as UNICEF warns of famine, stating that 1 in 3 Gazans has gone without food for days.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔊 TARIFFS WILL PAY OFF OUR DEBT — Trump

The US president promised dividends for low- and middle-income families and said he would reduce debt.

Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Trump's tariffs could bring in up to $600B a year for the US economy.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

💥📹 RUSSIA AND CHINA LAUNCH JOINT NAVAL DRILLS

The two countries' naval forces are conducting live-fire artillery and anti-submarine exercises in the Sea of Japan as part of an operation dubbed Maritime Cooperation-2025.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🤝🤡 US-EU DEAL: Perfect plan — except for everything

“Part of the deal was that the Europeans are going to buy lots of weapons from the US so they can give them to Ukraine, Jim Jatras, former GOP Senate foreign policy adviser, says.

He adds that there are only three problems with that:

🟠 The Americans don't have the weapons
🟠The Europeans don't have the money
🟠And the Ukrainians don't have the manpower

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📊 💵 RUSSIAN OIL STILL ON THE TABLE: US tariff-related threats fall flat as India buys Russian crude

India buying “cost-effective and high-quality” Russian oil is based on “certain economic considerations,” Chinese political analyst Qian Feng told the Global Times.

He stressed that the purchase of Russian oil enables India “to secure its petroleum reserves and provide robust safeguards for its economic development."

📈 Another Chinese political commentator, Lu Xiang, stressed that India’s move to continue purchasing Russian oil despite US tariff-related threats reflects Indian authorities’ adherence to an independent foreign policy.

Washington now treats tariffs as a panacea for all the difficulties it confronts, yet reality tells a different story,” Lu emphasized.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔸 Witkoff may visit Russia in a few days — Trump

🔸 'These objects should never have left their land of origin': Africa and its stolen heritage

🔸 Hamas demands hundreds of trucks into Gaza

🔸 China chokes Western defense supply with minerals stranglehold

🔸 Trump's threats fall flat as India buys Russian crude

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔥US calls out India over Russian oil

Washington accuses India of “funding” the war by buying Russian crude — oil the former needs to keep its economy running.

🗣 Meanwhile, the West ships weapons to Ukraine and bankrolls a corrupt regime.

Because… why not?

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🧨 FSB foiled terror plot in Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria

Three terrorists planned a terror attack on law enforcement officers in the region. During the arrest, the suspects opened fire but were neutralized when the officers retaliated.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺🚨 KREMLIN UPDATE: Putin may meet US envoy – Peskov briefs on nuclear caution & Ukraine

Key statements from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

▫️ Putin-Witkoff meeting: Not ruled out this week

▫️ Nuclear rhetoric: Russia urges caution on nuclear-related statements, stressing the need for responsible rhetoric

▫️ US subs on duty: "This is a constant process"

▫️ On Trump’s remarks: No escalation sign – just sensitive topics being discussed

▫️ Ukraine solution: Russia remains committed to political & diplomatic settlement

▫️ Putin-Zelensky talks? Possible after expert preparations

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIA'S MOD UPDATE: UKRAINE'S AIRFIELDS HIT WITH KINZHAL MISSILES

◻️ Airfield strikes: Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and long-range drones targeted Ukrainian military airfield infrastructure.

◻️ Mercenaries targeted: Strikes hit 142 locations, including concentrations of foreign fighters supporting Ukrainian forces.

◻️ Ukraine's heavy losses: Ukrainian forces lost around 1,160 personnel in the past 24 hours.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⛰💥 KAMCHATKA SHAKEN: Two volcanoes erupt multiple times in one day

Volcano Krasheninnikov has spewed ash for the second time today, reaching up to 4 km high after an earlier 6-km eruption.

🔥Meanwhile, the neighboring Klyuchevskoy joined the chaos, vomiting out ash for the third time today.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt