russia

Russia-Ukraine War: Key Events On Day 1,321

Russia-Ukraine War: Key Events On Day 1,321

As the war in Ukraine enters its 1,321st day, fighting and diplomatic tensions continue across multiple fronts.

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that two rounds of shelling struck roughly 1.25 km from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Monday afternoon. The plant has been relying on emergency diesel generators for nearly two weeks after losing external power. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of carrying out the attacks near the facility.

Ukraine’s General Staff said its drones hit the Feodosia oil terminal in Russian-occupied Crimea, sparking a “large-scale fire.” In northern Ukraine, a Russian strike …

Oil Prices Rise On Ukraine Conflict And Supply Concerns

Oil Prices Rise On Ukraine Conflict And Supply Concerns

Oil prices climbed on Tuesday amid growing concerns over supply disruptions as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, while investors also weigh upcoming U.S. jobs data that could influence interest rate decisions.

Brent crude rose 37 cents, or 0.54%, to $68.52 per barrel by 7:17 AM WAT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained $1.01, or 1.58%, to $65.02 per barrel. WTI futures did not settle on Monday due to the Labor Day holiday in the United States.

The market is closely watching U.S. labor data, set to be released this week ahead of the Federal Reserve’s September meeting. …

Trump Claims India Offers Tariff Cuts Amid Trade Tensions

Trump Claims India Offers Tariff Cuts Amid Trade Tensions

US President Donald Trump said India has offered to cut its tariffs “to nothing” even as he described the current trade standoff with the country as “a totally one-sided disaster.”

The remarks come after the United States imposed tariffs of 50% on certain Indian goods last week, including a 25% penalty linked to Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. India has not formally responded to Trump’s latest comments, but tensions over the issue of Russian energy have strained ties between Washington and New Delhi to historic lows.

Trump accused India of benefiting disproportionately in trade, writing that the country sells …

White House Official Links Ukraine War To Modi Amid Tariffs

White House Official Links Ukraine War To Modi Amid Tariffs

A senior White House trade adviser has touched off a diplomatic storm by describing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “Modi’s war,” sharply criticizing India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil.

Peter Navarro, the U.S. trade adviser, made the remark in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Wednesday, just hours after sweeping U.S. tariffs on Indian goods—some as high as 50 percent—took effect. The duties include a 25 percent penalty linked directly to India’s imports of Russian oil and weapons, which Washington argues bankroll Moscow’s war machine.

“Everybody in America loses because of what India is doing,” Navarro said. “Taxpayers lose …

Ryazan Factory Blast Leaves 20 Dead And 130 Injured

Ryazan Factory Blast Leaves 20 Dead And 130 Injured

A devastating explosion at a factory in Russia’s Ryazan region has claimed the lives of 20 people, with more than 130 others injured, authorities confirmed Monday. The blast, which occurred last week, has left a community in mourning and prompted a criminal investigation into possible industrial safety violations.

“As of 7 a.m. on August 18, 20 people died as a result of the emergency in the Shilovsky district. There are 134 injured, of which 31 patients are in hospitals in Ryazan and Moscow,” the region’s operational headquarters reported via Telegram. The remaining 103 injured are undergoing outpatient treatment, while …

Russia Agrees To ‘Some Concessions’ On Ukraine – US Envoy

Russia Agrees To ‘Some Concessions’ On Ukraine – US Envoy

Russia has signaled a willingness to compromise on all five of the Ukrainian regions it annexed unilaterally in 2022, according to a senior U.S. envoy, in what could mark the most significant shift since the war began.

The concessions emerged during Friday’s Alaska summit between President Donald J. Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin, a three-hour closed-door meeting that both men later described as productive.

Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Peace Missions, said that Moscow had shown flexibility on Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. “There are five regions here. It’s always, in our view, been …

The Energy Conundrum: Rising Costs And The Path Forward

The Energy Conundrum: Rising Costs And The Path Forward

Across the expanse of the global arena, the simmering energy crisis has emerged as a prominent fixture, sending shockwaves through nations and economies alike. With geopolitical undercurrents casting shadows, notably the tumultuous state of affairs in Ukraine, the delicate equilibrium of the energy sector finds itself in disarray. Nowhere is this more evident than in Europe, ensnared in the throes of surging natural gas prices, the ramifications of its deep-seated reliance on Russian energy corridors.

While governments grapple with depleting treasuries, the true impact of this crisis is felt at the grassroots. Households, already besieged by economic uncertainties of …

BRICS: Africa's Call For Fair Talks, Not Sacrifice

BRICS: Africa’s Call For Fair Talks, Not Sacrifice

In the corridors of global economic power, the emergence of BRICS—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—stands as a transformative chapter in the narrative of 21st-century geopolitics. Representing a profound shift away from traditional Western dominance, BRICS brings to the table an ambitious agenda of recalibrating the global economic order. Yet, as history unfolds, the continent of Africa finds itself at a decisive juncture, confronting a seminal question: How can Africa, with its extraordinary wealth of natural resources and burgeoning market potential, ensure that it isn’t marginalised or exploited within this new paradigm?

The implications are vast. Given …

Africa's Role Weighing Putin's Deal And Ukraine Peace

Africa’s Role: Weighing Putin’s Deal And Ukraine Peace

As the two-day Russia-Africa summit came to close, African leaders wrestled with unmet expectations, fluctuating grain agreements, and an incessant conflict in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin provided nebulous commitments, leaving Africa, caught in the crossfire of global politics, on the brink of reassessing its diplomatic strategies. Amidst economic challenges and a convoluted political landscape, Africa’s role in facilitating peace in Ukraine and protecting its interests has become more crucial than ever.

The Russia-Africa summit, a tumultuous panorama of political posturing and complex negotiations, has ended with an air of palpable uncertainty. African leaders now find themselves standing at a …

Why The World Must Unite To End The Madness In Ukraine

Why The World Must Unite To End The Madness In Ukraine

It’s been 17 months since Russia invaded Ukraine and since then, the sensibilities of people across the world have continually been assaulted by scenes of destruction, death and misery. This avoidable war has left big scars on the world, impeded supply chains, strained the global economy, and made a mess of our humanity.

The outrage generated following the recent release of footage showing elderly women and children, including a 95-year-old World War II female survivor, killed or injured by Russian missiles fired on apartment buildings once again accentuates the urgency for the international community to accelerate diplomatic efforts to stop …

Wagner Rebellion And The Exposure Of Putin’s Underbelly

Wagner Rebellion And The Exposure Of Putin’s Underbelly

It is generally believed that most dictators who start wars do so because they often need external enemies to enable them to exert some internal control over their own people. This is the situation in Russia, which many did not understand until last week, when, for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow was placed under a state of emergency.

What was even more shocking was that it was not the Ukrainian army, which had recently begun to demonstrate clear signs of its ability to hurt Russia, that was responsible for that move; rather, …

ICC's Spot-On But Hypocritical Arrest Warrant On Putin

ICC’s Spot-On But Hypocritical Arrest Warrant On Putin

It is beyond reprehensible when you discover that people who have put up an air of morality and pointed damning fingers at others, staring down their noses in condemnation of their actions, turn out to be worse off than the victims of their castigation.

Hearing world powers and leading organisations describe developing countries and institutions as backward, primitive, and immoral makes you wonder just how organised and righteous they are. But in truth, they are no worse than the uncivilised nations they ridicule, because, by our very nature, we are the same. No amount of denial or pretentious behaviour can …