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Russia-Africa 2026: From summits to strategy — RT Africa
Russia-Africa 2026: From summits to strategy — RT Africa Russia Today Nikolay Golovko The Russia-Africa Summit taking place in Moscow on October 28-29 will be the third of its kind, and relations have undergone a great transformation since the first summit. Over the past seven years, permanent frameworks have been established, diplomatic presence has expanded, and trade turnover has grown. This year’s summit will provide an opportunity to evaluate the results of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan, which was adopted at the second summit. It contains 181 points covering politics and security, trade, investment, agriculture, energy, industry, transport, digitalization, science, education, and humanitarian cooperation. Prior to 2022, expert discussions focused mainly on Africa’s place among Moscow’s foreign policy priorities. However, in the past four years, the practical importance of Russia’s relationship with the continent has surged. African nations have become a higher priority for Russia in terms of diplomacy, business, foreign trade, and international coordination. Today, the primary focus is on the quality of cooperation. READ MORE: Africa's bold choices: Examining the strength of Russia ties in 2025 From summits to permanent mechanisms The first Russia-Africa Summit, held in Sochi in October 2019, brought together all 54 African nations, including more than 40 heads of state and government. Its most significant outcome was the establishment of a pan-African approach in Russian foreign policy. This set a framework for regular summits, the ongoing work of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, and cooperation with the African Union. The second summit took place in St. Petersburg in July 2023 and was attended by delegations from 49 African states, 17 of which were led by heads of state. A three-year Action Plan adopted there featured key topics such as financial settlements, banking ties, logistics, investments, information technology, industry, and transport. Following the summit, expert discussions increasingly focused on shipping, insurance, correspondent accounts, currency settlements, and project finance – that is, issues that directly impact corporate business activity and trade volumes. Cooperation has since become multi-dimensional. In November 2024, the first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum took place in Sochi, followed by a second such conference in Cairo in December 2025. In July, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held high-level consultations in Addis Ababa. Russia’s diplomatic network has also expanded.There are currently 45 Russian embassies physically operating in African nations. Since 2023, embassies have resumed operations in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Niger, and Sierra Leone, and a new Russian embassy was opened in South Sudan. The opening of embassies in the Gambia, Liberia, Togo, and the Comoros are next on the agenda. A separate Department for Partnership with Africa has been established within the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The developments are, step-by-step, reducing the extent to which the African agenda depends on meetings between leaders. READ MORE: While the West talks isolation, Lavrov solidifies ties Politics outpaces economics so far Russia’s political presence in Africa has been expanding faster than economic ties. At the same time, tangible progress has been made in commerce: trade turnover between Russia and Africa grew from $16.8 billion in 2019, when the first summit was held, to $27.1 billion in 2025. However, a pronounced imbalance persists: in 2025, Russian exports accounted for $22.7 billion, while imports amounted to only about $4.4 billion. Much of the growth seen in recent years is linked to shifts in the external environment and the redirection of trade flows. Establishing a sustainable presence, however, requires direct supply channels, infrastructure, local partners, and financing. The geography of economic ties is also uneven, with about 70% of total trade turnover still concentrated in North African countries. Food, fertilizers, fuel, and metals account for a significant portion of trade turnover. The modest scale of economic engagement becomes clear when compared to that of other major powers; for example, China-Africa trade reached $348 billion in 2025. Moscow’s policy currently commands fewer financial resources. To make its presence in Africa more effective, Russia is focusing on the sectors where it possesses the necessary technologies and expertise, and where demand is stable. These include the agro-industrial complex, nuclear energy, the extractive industries, digitalization, information security, and education. © RT Food, fertilizers, energy, and education Russia maintains a strong position in the food and fertilizer sectors. Following the 2023 summit, a pledge to provide free shipments of wheat to six African countries was fulfilled. In 2024, Russia delivered 200,000 tons of grain (valued at approximately $60 million) to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Somalia, and the Central African Republic. The deliveries were made independently of any international organizations, which means Russia is establishing a sovereign infrastructure for food supplies to African nations and engages with importers directly. © RT The next phase of cooperation could focus on developing production capacities in African nations. The African Union’s agenda prioritizes fertilizer production, the storage and processing of agricultural products, mechanization, seed production, transport infrastructure, and enhancing local added value. Talks between Russia and the African Union in July 2026 addressed industrialization, the expansion of trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and food security. This approach aligns with the objectives of Agenda 2063 – the African Union’s development blueprint –which calls for the strengthening of national economies, fostering domestic production, creating jobs, and reducing reliance on external supplies. The AfCFTA, designed to dismantle trade barriers between the nations of the region and establish a unified market, supports these same goals. Within this framework, fertilizer production, raw material processing, the establishment of service centers, the assembly of machinery, and the training of local specialists help build a sustainable presence in markets. READ MORE: Missed this? The sneaky trends of 2024 that could flip Russia-Africa relations Cooperation in the field of nuclear energy also offers long-term benefits. The construction of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt is Russia’s largest infrastructure project on the African continent, generating long-term demand for technical support, fuel, personnel training, and maintenance services. In the humanitarian sphere, education plays a comparable role: tens of thousands of students from Africa are currently enrolled in Russian universities. Value is further amplified when educational programs are linked to specific economic projects. African demand The context for cooperation with Africa has also evolved. One of the most notable shifts has been the development of the AfCFTA. By 2026, 50 of the 54 signatory countries had ratified the agreement. The primary challenge now is to ensure that free trade becomes a practical reality. Participants have agreed to phase out tariffs on 90% of product categories – a process set to take five years for more developed economies and 10 years for the least developed nations. READ MORE: Why Russia keeps winning friends in Africa Concurrently, the African Union has taken a more active role in coordinating relations with external partners. African governments are cultivating ties with China, the EU, the US, India, Türkiye, the Persian Gulf states, Japan, South Korea, and other countries. Such diversification has become standard foreign policy practice. For several nations, most notably those in the Sahel, Russia has emerged as a high-priority foreign policy partner. The summit in St. Petersburg in 2023 demonstrated the autonomy of African diplomacy. Prior to the meeting, an African peace delegation visited Kiev and St. Petersburg, presenting their own proposals for resolving the conflict. African leaders raised concerns with the Russian leadership regarding food security and the impact of the hostilities on the continent’s economy. For Moscow, this may signal a need to engage with partners who maintain a broad range of foreign policy options. The number of leaders attending the summit in fact only offers a limited perspective on the state of relations. A more meaningful indicator lies in the ongoing cooperation with the African Union Commission, the AfCFTA, regional economic communities, relevant government ministries, and private-sector companies. What are instruments of sovereignty? There are 54 countries in Africa, and all are very different. The pan-African format is most suitable for education and humanitarian cooperation, international coordination, and shared economic initiatives. Practical projects, however, are better implemented at the level of individual countries and sectors. Russia’s experience in recent years highlights the value of stable regional powers with large economies and well-developed external ties – such as Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and several others. Entering these markets, however, requires more thorough preparation and a solid understanding of local conditions. At the same time, the scale of these economies opens up opportunities for long-term projects. Such ventures can serve not only the market of a single country but may also supply neighboring states, gradually expanding the presence of Russian companies throughout the region. READ MORE: Unstoppable march of the Global South: How Russia and Africa made 2023 a pivotal year for bilateral relations Another promising direction is the exchange of experience in the field of technologies that expand the practical capabilities of the nation in management – generally referred to as “instruments of sovereignty.” In the agricultural sector, these are food reserve systems, the forecasting of climate risks and the storage and processing of products. In the digital sphere, it is data localization, government information systems, satellite communications and fiber optic infrastructure. In the extractive industry, it is geological exploration, personnel training, and regulatory instruments that stimulate the processing of raw materials in the country. This approach is giving practical meaning to Russia’s rhetoric about sovereignty. Results can be measured by an increase in new capacities, trained specialists, a reduction in import dependence and an increase in the tax base. What will the Moscow summit show? The practical results of the summit may be assessed according to five parameters. First, the public assessment of the implementation of the 2023-2026 Action Plan (including by the African side) will reveal functioning aspects, delayed initiatives, and projects that require revision. Then comes the new 2027-2029 Action Plan: Its measurable objectives and realistic timelines will facilitate the work of relevant departments. Third is financial infrastructure: export lending, risk insurance, banking support, and working settlement mechanisms are important for business. Another important point is deepening the economic presence: developing projects, service centers, processing, energy and digital infrastructure. Lastly there is country prioritization, which means that limited resources necessitate that projects be chosen with a clear economic or political effect. READ MORE: Why Russia needs an independent Africa The 2026 summit will essentially serve as an evaluation of Russia’s policy in Africa over the past seven years. This period allows us to separate functioning projects from initiatives that exist mainly as part of the public agenda. The next three-year cycle will show to what extent Russia can play to its strengths and build sustainable mechanisms for financing, trade, local production, personnel training, and constant interaction with African institutions.
2026-10-26 -
Two dead in Ukrainian drone raid on Russian city – governor
Two dead in Ukrainian drone raid on Russian city – governor Russia Today Two people have been killed and 17 others injured, including a child, in a Ukrainian overnight drone raid on the southern Russian city of Voronezh, Governor Aleksandr Gusev has reported. Most of the victims in the attack come from a single apartment block that was hit by a downed drone, the official said on Monday morning. Two of the injured people are in serious condition, he added. Gusev said regional air defenses engaged 113 targets overnight, including 70 drones that were intercepted over the city. A similar large-scale Ukrainian drone raid on Belgorod over the weekend killed two civilians and left 13 others wounded. Kiev continues its long-range strikes on Russian cities amid renewed pressure from Washington to end its conflict with Moscow. READ MORE: Ukraine's strikes on Russian civilian sites are 'off the charts' – Moscow Last week, tech billionaire Elon Musk accused Vladimir Zelensky of abusing his Starlink satellite internet service to conduct strikes against civilians. The rebuke came after Zelensky complained about speed limitations imposed on Starlink terminals, which reportedly made them useless on fast-moving platforms. Starlink reportedly operates only over the part of Russia that the US recognizes as Ukrainian territory. Zelensky has for years been lobbying Musk and the administration of US President Donald Trump to extend the coverage to other parts of the country, including after Washington renewed its efforts to find a resolution to the conflict.
2026-10-26 -
Prof. Richard Wolff: China is waiting and watching as the US empire and the West implodes
Prof. Richard Wolff: China is waiting and watching as the US empire and the West implodes Russia Today On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Richard Wolff, Professor of Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He discusses the causes of the mass protests in France and the rest of Western Europe and the drive by Europe's leaders to gear up for war against Russia, Europe's hypocrisy in buying hundreds of billions of euros' worth of Russian energy while funding Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky, the solution to Europe's terminal decline and loss of power, China and Russia's goal being to stay on the sidelines while the US' unipolar world implodes, whether the US working class can trust progressives and 'democratic socialists' ahead of the midterms, what socialism actually means for progressive politicians in the US, how socialism is likely to evolve in the US in the future, how the Israel lobby's and military-industrial complex's power over Congress is ultimately their downfall, the two scapegoats in the US being immigrants and Russia, and much more. FOLLOW Going Underground https://x.com/GUnderground_TV FOLLOW Afshin Rattansi https://x.com/AfshinRattansi SUBSCRIBE on Telegram: https://t.co/xDEHJ0c6WW FOLLOW on Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/GoingUnderground
2026-10-26 -
Ukraine accuses Google of providing Russian search results
Ukraine accuses Google of providing Russian search results Russia Today Ukrainian language ombudswoman Elena Ivanovskaya has accused Google of not doing enough to promote the national tongue in the global digital environment. The US tech giant's search engine often provides results to Ukrainians in Russian even when the queries are typed in Ukrainian, she told a local media outlet. The government has been cracking down on the use of the Russian language in Ukraine since the 2014 Western-backed Maidan coup, using what Moscow has repeatedly denounced as discriminatory practices. Former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko introduced restrictions on the import of books from Russia and Belarus in 2016, which became an outright ban in 2023. Kiev also purged Russian literature from state curricula and systematically removed cultural monuments, memorials, and inscriptions to remove historical links to Russia. Kiev seeks to block access to Russian music on international streaming platforms inside Ukraine and prevent its performers from appearing in domestic popularity charts, according to Ukrainian Sanctions Policy commissioner Vladislav Vlasiuk. More than 100 Russian performers have been blacklisted in Ukraine, and the list will be expanded, according to the official. In an interview with the outlet Censor.net, Ivanovskaya stated that her office had filed a formal complaint with Google over its search algorithms. “For example, when a user enters a search query in Ukrainian, the system returns results in Russian – solely because of the user's geographic location,” she stated, adding that her office asked the company to address the supposed lack of “accuracy of their search result algorithms.” The Ukrainian authorities have banned the use of any language other than Ukrainian in the public sphere, including government, education, media, and customer service. Violations can result in administrative fines of up to $270. Ivanovskaya has previously suggested increasing the fines tenfold and demanded Russian-speaking children and parents use Ukrainian during breaks and in conversations with teachers, arguing that both instances fall under the “public sphere rule” and could be punished with fines. Despite the concerted persecution campaign, Russian remains widely used in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian polling data, as many as 46% of country's nationals spoke Russian in everyday life before the conflict escalated in 2022. Another survey last year showed the number of Russian speakers had fallen to 30% since four former Ukrainian territories, including the Donbass republics and Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions formally joined Russia after a series of referendums. Ukrainian Culture Minister Tatyana Berezhnaya said earlier this year that 71% of Ukrainians regularly consume Russian-language content, with nearly a quarter doing so every day. Moscow has repeatedly denounced the discriminatory measures as “Russophobic censorship,” warning that attempts to “cancel” Russian culture will ultimately fail.
2026-10-26 -
RT News - October 26 2026 (09:00 MSK)
RT News - October 26 2026 (09:00 MSK) Russia Today As Elon Musk reveals Kiev's use of his Starlink system to carry out lethal operations against civilian areas prompted its slowdown - Vladimir Zelensky now says the comms service is back to working at usual speeds. Fire and tear gas fill the streets of French cities for another weekend, as police clash with protesters demanding economic change. Two major contenders for the Presidency rebuke claims that the Elysee Palace is not to blame for the public fury. Leaders from across the African continent arrive in Moscow for the third Russia-Africa summit. RT will be bringing you special coverage of the big event - all week long.
2026-10-26 -
Zelensky undermines Trump more than Iran and Cuba do – Medvedev
Zelensky undermines Trump more than Iran and Cuba do – Medvedev Russia Today Vladimir Zelensky's disregard for Donald Trump is doing more damage to the US president's interests than Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela do combined, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday. Ukraine's leader has publicly backed Trump's predecessor and former political rival, Joe Biden, rejected US proposals to settle the Ukraine conflict and worked to turn European leaders against Trump, Medvedev alleged. “The Kiev scumbag regularly spits straight in the face of the US president, ignoring his demands and turning influential Americans (and not-so-influential Europeans) against him,” Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said in a Telegram post. He said that Zelensky “shamelessly lined his own pockets with American taxpayer money” under Biden, who Trump says provided Ukraine with some $350 billion in US aid. “And he kept dipping into the pot under Trump, too, taking whatever was left,” Medvedev added. The Ukrainian “cozied up to Mexican drug cartels” by providing drone warfare training in exchange for proceeds from drug sales in the US, he alleged. Zelensky has also “given the American president the finger” by refusing to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries despite Trump's repeated warnings. There is a growing rift between Trump and Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. The US president has demanded that Ukraine stop, accusing it of exacerbating the global fuel crisis and raising prices for Americans – a sensitive issue ahead of the November 3 US midterms. Kiev has thus far refused. Zelensky has also accused Washington of temporarily restricting intelligence sharing and access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network, which Ukraine uses for battlefield communications and drone operations. To ease the fuel crisis, Trump temporarily waived sanctions on Russian fuel exports as part of a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under the agreement, Moscow agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, another 500,000 tons in November and further shipments thereafter. The first three tankers carrying Russian diesel are already heading across the Atlantic, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday.
2026-10-25 -
Deadly Ukrainian drone raid causes 'significant damage' in Belgorod (PHOTOS)
Deadly Ukrainian drone raid causes 'significant damage' in Belgorod (PHOTOS) Russia Today One person has been killed and at least ten others wounded in a major Ukrainian drone attack that caused “significant damage” in the Russian city of Belgorod, according to Mayor Valentin Demidov. Eight of the wounded were hospitalized, while two others were discharged after receiving medical treatment, Demidov wrote in a post on social media early on Sunday. “The enemy launched a large-scale drone strike on residential areas in the center of the city,” he said. The raid damaged multiple residential buildings, personal vehicles, and public and commercial facilities, according to the mayor. More than 50 people were forced to seek shelter in temporary housing centers. Belgorod Region, which borders Ukraine, has been frequently targeted by Ukrainian drone and artillery strikes since the escalation between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022. Ukrainian attacks inside Russia continue despite renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, with Moscow announcing plans to resume trilateral talks with Washington and Kiev following Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday. Oryol Region Governor Andrey Klychkov said that three people were killed in a missile strike on a civilian enterprise, which was carried out during rush hour on Friday. On the same day, an incursion by Kiev's UAVs caused the temporary closure of all four of Moscow's airports, leading to the cancellation and delay of multiple flights. Russia has accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians and infrastructure to compensate for setbacks on the battlefield, where Moscow's forces continue to advance. In response to Ukrainian terrorist attacks, Moscow has intensified long-range missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's military facilities and infrastructure supporting Kiev's war effort. The Russian Defense Ministry maintains that it never targets civilians.
2026-10-25 -
Israel needs sanctions-proof economy – Netanyahu
Israel needs sanctions-proof economy – Netanyahu Russia Today Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country must prepare to adapt its economy to global sanctions, citing declining international support and a potential end to US financial and military aid. Public opinion toward Israel has grown increasingly negative amid the wars in Gaza and Iran. In the US, a recent Chicago Council on Global Affairs report recorded the country's lowest favorability rating since its polling began in 1978, with a majority supporting reducing or ending military aid. Last month, the UK announced a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, with Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband describing settlers as “terrorists” supported by Netanyahu's government and accusing them of ethnically cleansing Palestinians. The same day, 11 other countries, including France, Spain, and Canada, joined Britain in a statement supporting the two-state solution and announcing plans to impose or consider restrictions on trade with the settlements. “We must understand that there could be sanctions, including banking sanctions,” Netanyahu said in an interview aired on Israel's Channel 10 on Friday. “We need to prepare an alternative economy capable of functioning by circumventing these sanctions,” he added, noting that blockchain technology, which underpins cryptocurrencies, was among the options under consideration and that he had already requested an implementation plan. The Israeli PM also expressed concern over a potential shift in Washington's position, saying that “it's only a matter of time” before US military aid is completely “over.” “If you think we're going to continue receiving what I secured twice, and that's tens of billions of dollars in American aid for the defense budget, prepare yourselves and get used to the fact that it won't happen because America has changed,” he said. Under an agreement signed in 2016, Washington committed to providing $38 billion in military aid through 2028. Netanyahu previously said he wanted to phase out the financial component of US military assistance within ten years. Former prime minister and opposition figure Yair Lapid seized on the remarks, saying that “Netanyahu now admits, in his own words, that if his government is returned to power, American military aid will end and Israel will face sanctions that will devastate our economy, trigger uncontrolled price surges, and cause irreparable damage.” The comments come days before Israel's first national election since the October 7 Hamas attacks, with accountability for security failures, the cost of living, ultra-Orthodox military service, and the country's international standing among the issues facing voters. Neither Netanyahu's allies nor the opposition have a clear path to a parliamentary majority.
2026-10-25 -
Vucic concedes defeat in elections
Vucic concedes defeat in elections Russia Today Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has admitted defeat to Serbia's student-led protest movement in Sunday's parliamentary elections. Serbia is voting for its next government and Vucic is running for prime minister. His ruling coalition has been polling strongly against a student-backed opposition movement, attempting to remove SNS from government after 14 years in power. DETAILS TO FOLLOW
2026-10-25 -
Vucic's mother attacked in Serbia on election day – ruling party
Vucic's mother attacked in Serbia on election day – ruling party Russia Today The mother of former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was attacked by his political opponents in Belgrade on Sunday amid the national parliamentary election, his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has said, as the ex-leader seeks a political comeback. Vucic is running for prime minister, with his ruling coalition polling strongly against a student-backed opposition movement. “A group of young men... shoved Angelina Vucic, screamed at her, and tore open the bags of groceries she was carrying from the market,” SNS said in a statement on its official website, alleging that the attackers were aligned with anti-government protesters who have occupied universities and blocked roads. The party denounced the alleged assault as an “unacceptable act of aggression, humiliation, and intimidation.” “No one's mother, no one's grandmother – no woman at all – should ever be a target of violence due to political differences!” it added, demanding that police take decisive action against the attackers. Vucic resigned on September 27 following two years of protests, saying he wanted to participate in the election as an ordinary citizen. His ruling coalition led the student-backed opposition by 47% to 40%, according to an Ipsos poll published on Thursday. Anti-government protests followed the deadly collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad in 2024, which killed 16 people and sparked allegations of corruption and safety oversight failures. Vucic has accused foreign organizations of funding the ongoing demonstrations, alleging on Thursday that actors abroad wanted to remove him from Serbia's political landscape. The politician has also pledged to keep Serbia out of any future war with Russia if elected, warning that Europe is preparing for a military confrontation with Moscow.
2026-10-25 -
Europe's next crisis is already hiding behind the riots
Europe's next crisis is already hiding behind the riots Russia Today These days, European headlines resemble reports from a war zone: from stormed city halls in Marseille and Lille, to looted boutiques along the French Riviera, burned tourist offices in Lyon, and clouds of tear gas enveloping the Élysée Palace. The 'day of rage' in France drew over 800,000 protesters onto the streets – an event that was dismissed by Paris and the European mainstream as merely the “spontaneous revolt of the outskirts” or a “raid by migrants.” However, a closer look at the 'rebels' reveals respectable, bourgeois-looking students and well-off citizens engaging in destruction and violence. None of these people know what to expect from the future of mainstream European politics. In this shifting landscape, old institutions are losing their legitimacy, while right-wing political forces – whose ideas are increasingly seen as rational amid the chaos – are emerging on the broader European stage. French President Emmanuel Macron arrogantly advised the people to express their political will in six months during the forthcoming presidential elections; however, the streets responded to Macron's proposal with looting and arson targeting government buildings. This reaction serves as a precise diagnosis of the French political system. The country's civic framework can no longer hold society together and there is no confidence in a stable future. Many believe that the current riots in France are a “spontaneous revolt of the outskirts.” However, as Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director at the Valdai International Discussion Club writes, we are witnessing an inverted version of May 1968. Nearly 60 years ago, the nationwide wave of protests led by students and leftist intellectuals shaped the liberal framework that has dominated global and European politics ever since. Today, it has reached the point of aggressive absurdity. The old narratives of 'liberation' have been successfully adopted by the bourgeois youth, whose behavior is more violent that of an uncivilized tribe, as HSE professor Alexander Filippov notes. But then, one may remember that, centuries ago, the Bastille wasn't stormed by migrants either. How did this happen? The liberal establishment in Paris and Brussels has become totally detached from ordinary citizens. Its agenda is completely irrelevant to society. Having imposed a rigid “confrontation with Russia” at the expense of the prosperity and development of its own people, the EU offers its citizens no viable ideas for survival. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen suggested at a Paris business forum in August that Europeans should tighten their belts and become a continent that “produces, invests, and protects” by tapping into “idle” domestic savings. Her logic implies using household savings to fund the real economy through the Capital Markets Union. Clearly, the proposal to dip into citizens' savings while shifting the risks of factory bankruptcies onto them can only be met with outrage by the decent bourgeoisie brought up on 'European ideals'. The system has set a trap for itself: in order to retain its waning power, the left-liberal establishment is forced to close its eyes to the riots of anarchists and radical leftists. The authorities fear street protests far less than the rise of their right-wing opponents. The liberal mainstream would rather burn cities than allow rational thinkers with worldviews grounded in national interests to come to power. Despite their passion for destruction, the rioters have no idea how to reconstruct the future of united Europe. Moreover, as Irina Maltseva, head of the 'France and Francophone countries: Politics, economics, culture' project at the HSE Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies points out, the spontaneous street protests will inevitably die down as the presidential campaign approaches. Protests will wane, leaving us to wonder – what comes next? The escalating competition between right and left-wing factions in Europe has transcended mere philosophical debate. It would be a mistake to view each new crisis as an isolated anomaly within the EU. Incidents like the riots in Paris, the brief unrest in Milan, the migration chaos in Ceuta, or the victory of the far-right in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt state are all interconnected threads in the same narrative, best described as the collapse of the prevailing model. Beneath the ideological clash between the right and left lies a harsh economic reality – the struggle over who will bear the costs of the sanctions crisis orchestrated by the European Commission. The establishment has attempted to persuade the world that a post-industrial economy – characterized by AI integration, cryptocurrency transactions, a shift toward green energy, Capital Markets Union speculations, and “normative” values – is more important than factories, raw materials, ports, and affordable energy. However, this is a path to economic self-destruction. The street protests in France and Italy vividly illustrate that Europe can no longer afford to uphold its previous social contract. Budget deficits are spiraling out of control and are becoming the EU's economic curse. Budapest serves as a prime example of this systemic failure. The Hungarian Parliament is currently reviewing the national budget proposal. Prime Minister Peter Magyar acknowledged that the country is grappling with a record-breaking, suffocating budget deficit of 7.5% to 8.3% of GDP. The economic strategies of past years, reliant on uninterrupted cheap energy from Russia and long-term loans from China, have collapsed under the pressure of the REPowerEU plan. The Hungarian government's only remaining support mechanism is the so-called 'solidarity contribution' tax imposed on excessive profits in opposition-led cities, but local governments can no longer afford to pay it amid the current crisis. To prevent Hungary from experiencing large-scale social upheavals similar to those in France, Magyar is urgently implementing a progressive tax system, cutting government contracts, imposing a wealth tax on billionaires, and escalating tensions with EU leadership by demanding the immediate unfreezing of €16 billion in EU grants, while threatening Orban with lifetime imprisonment if he pushes the opposition onto the streets. The analysis of the internal dynamics of economic issues in the EU, however, should not boil down to a simplistic equation of 'budget deficit = street protests'. For example, we may wonder why there are no protests in Poland and Romania, despite similar or even more severe budget deficits (7.3% and 7.9%, respectively), while Albania (a rather financially stable country and non-EU member) is engulfed in turmoil and the Flamingo Revolution. The answer seems to lie in the differing nature of the deficit and the resilience of national institutions. In Poland and Romania, budget shortfalls are currently masked by rampant electoral populism and 'social bribes' – like Romania's subsidies for farmers or Poland's price caps at gas stations. The government manages to mitigate discontent with funds extracted from big business. However, in France, the government has completely exhausted this option. The budget deficit has led to direct cuts in essential social commitments – from school funding to suburban support – quickly eroding its legitimacy. For many Europeans, the right-wing agenda and national self-interest have become the only rational option. Right-wing pragmatists propose a clear audit and financial protection, while Brussels' liberal framework advocates for insolvency for the sake of rather dubious dogmas. Contemporary global politics resembles a sort of 'darkroom' where old rules no longer apply, and new ones are still taking shape. The key revelation is that the 'new right' has learned to navigate this darkness by playing by Brussels' own rules. There's a growing understanding that to save the industrial base from stifling deficits, ideological romanticism must be abandoned. A good example is Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Her approach has shown that it's possible to dutifully follow external Euro-Atlantic rituals while negotiating exceptions from Brussels on crucial issues vital to the national economy – such as energy or migration. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico follows a similar path, cleverly blending leftist social principles with hardline national populism. Bratislava is demanding official transitional periods and exemptions from the European Commission to continue receiving Russian gas, citing the need to protect the wallets of its voters. A comparable maneuver is being executed by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis; while his policies can't be called pro-Russian, pragmatism dictates a simple truth: if Czech factories want to survive amid America's selfish diesel policy, they'll need to negotiate with Moscow. Even Hungary has adeptly shifted the discussion to a language of tough bargaining. Budapest has formally agreed to comply with REPowerEU requirements and phase out Russian energy supplies by October 2027, but insists that the EU must provide compensation, or else Hungarian companies will face bankruptcy. Poland's stance is particularly notable. Rhetorically, Warsaw demands a complete sanctioning of Eurasian projects, presenting itself as Europe's “primary eastern shield.” Yet this is merely an attempt to maintain appearances during a losing game. Internal realities compel Warsaw to negotiate with Beijing to preserve transit through the Malaszewicze hub and to impose a 60% windfall tax on its state-owned company Orlen to temporarily quell public dissatisfaction at gas stations ahead of elections. Remarkably, this 'trial by rage' is unfolding not only within the EU, and it doesn't only affect Western capitalist giants. The trend is taking on a global scale. In Albania, the 'Flamingo Revolution' is brewing. The social upheaval was sparked by the allocation of resort zones for a mega project spearheaded by Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and undermined the decade-long stability of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama's left-liberal government. In a desperate attempt to cling to his dwindling legitimacy, Rama resorted to his usual tactics, accusing street protesters of links to the American Antifa political movement and “Moscow's influence.” The pendulum has swung even further in India, where a massive youth uprising led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and Rahul Gandhi's opposition alliance has paralyzed major cities from New Delhi to Mumbai. Although the immediate trigger was the Special Intensive Revision of electoral polls, the underlying issue is similar to the problem in France: the pro-American digital outsourcing model and liberal dogmas can no longer sustain the younger generation amidst a global crisis. The issue isn't capitalism per se, but rather the collapse of its specific, degenerate form: liberal globalization. In its place arises a rigid, sovereign capitalism rooted in national self-interest. The new right-wing pragmatists are not 'Moscow's friends'. They merely advocate for their own wallets in times of scarcity. For Russia, this is an important signal: the West's 'unified' sanctions policy has turned into an uncomfortable, but purely decorative facade; and behind it, we glimpse scenes of impressive but ultimately meaningless discontent. In this light, a critical question arises – will the political mainstream acknowledge its defeat and negotiate with its opponents, or will it continue to operate under the “apres nous, le deluge” (after us, the flood) principle? A key indicator will be the formation of a coalition between the ruling government and right-wing forces in Saxony-Anhalt, and their ability to govern effectively and maintain power in the long term.
2026-10-25 -
Saudi man who bugged OpenAI office faces espionage charges – WSJ
Saudi man who bugged OpenAI office faces espionage charges – WSJ Russia Today The FBI is examining whether a former OpenAI engineer accused of bugging an executive meeting room intended to offer secrets to Saudi Arabia. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is weighing an economic espionage charge against a former OpenAI engineer accused of bugging a restricted conference room, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing a law-enforcement official. Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was arrested on October 9 after OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, discovered an encrypted recorder behind a television in an executive meeting room at its San Francisco offices. He is currently charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications, an offense carrying up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Investigators are now examining whether Alfozan stole information to offer to the Saudi government, even without having been recruited to do so, according to the WSJ. He is also reportedly being investigated for possible trade secret theft. An economic espionage conviction could carry up to 15 years in prison and a $5 million fine per count. His lawyer, William Pernik, said he had received no information about a possible espionage case, telling the WSJ that his client “will fight these charges and allegations in court, not in the press.” Pernik has stressed that Alfozan was charged with violating a federal recording statute, “not stealing trade secrets or working as a foreign agent.” OpenAI and the Saudi Embassy declined to comment when approached by the newspaper. According to court documents, prosecutors claim that Alfozan, who joined OpenAI in July 2025, had intended to capture sensitive discussions about its AI technology. He allegedly maintained frequent contact with an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family throughout 2025 and 2026, with whom he discussed a potential job at an AI initiative in the kingdom.His ties also included a role at Saudi investment firm Raed Ventures alongside Prince Khalid bin Bader Al Saud, though the prince was not identified as the royal involved. Prosecutors said that Alfozan had booked tickets to the kingdom for himself, his wife, and their infant son for October 12. After his arrest, a flight for his family was reportedly arranged by a member of the Saudi military, whom Alfozan's lawyer identified as his wife's brother-in-law acting in a personal capacity. The Saudi consulate has offered to cover his full bail, arrange supervision, and withhold travel documents, while the defense offered an additional $1 million in his assets. On Monday, Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse nevertheless denied release over flight concerns, describing the offer as “problematic.” “It seems like a blank check: 'We're gonna pay whatever the court wants to make sure he gets out,'” the judge said, noting that Saudi Arabia has no extradition treaty with the US. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, whom US President Donald Trump appointed earlier this month to lead a federal AI task force, said the case underscored why winning the AI race was “a national security prerogative” and pledged to safeguard “America's cutting-edge intellectual property from foreign threats.” The incident comes amid intensifying global technological competition, with Trump insisting that America must prevail in the AI race at any cost. The US president has repeatedly rejected calls by industry leaders to slow the development of increasingly powerful models, stressing that “Whoever wins AI, wins.”
2026-10-25 -
Houthis renew strikes on Saudi airports and oil facilities
Houthis renew strikes on Saudi airports and oil facilities Russia Today Yemen's Houthis have struck several targets in Saudi Arabia, including two international airports and energy infrastructure facilities operated by the oil giant Saudi Aramco, the group's military spokesman said on Saturday.The conflict between Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, and the Saudi-led coalition escalated last month, when the militant group seized the Red Sea port cities of Mocha and Dhubab as well as Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have since tightened their siege of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city and a key stronghold of anti-Houthi forces.In a statement posted on X, Yahya Saree said the Houthis had conducted seven operations using ballistic missiles and drones, targeting King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Najran Airport and Khamis Mushait Air Base, as well as Aramco's facilities in Yanbu, the Rabigh oil refinery and crude oil pumping stations, and a pipeline linking eastern and western Saudi Arabia. The spokesman said the attacks were carried out in response to what the group described as Saudi “aggression” against Yemen. Saree claimed Saudi forces had launched 100 airstrikes over the previous 24 hours, targeting civilian infrastructure in Sanaa and other areas, leaving dozens dead and wounded. He said the Houthis would continue attacking Saudi territory until the “aggression” ends and the Saudi-led coalition lifts its restrictions on the movement of goods and people into and out of Yemen. The latest attack came as Riyadh's main air hub prepared to resume operations after more than two weeks of disruption following earlier Houthi strikes. The facility announced a partial reopening from Sunday. In a separate post on X, Saree warned that airlines, airport staff and passengers against using the site, calling it a military target and saying it would remain unsafe. The spokesman also accused Riyadh of spreading false claims that the Houthis had targeted the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, insisting that the group's operations were directed solely at Saudi oil facilities and military bases and were announced as they took place. The accusation came in response to Saudi Civil Defense claims that debris from the interception of two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis fell in the Mecca and Medina regions on Saturday. The debris landed in several locations, including Wadi Al-Mughammas in Mecca, Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh, the agency said on Saturday. Yemen's civil war began in 2014, with Saudi Arabia leading a military intervention the following year to support the internationally recognized government against the Houthis. Fighting eased under a UN-brokered truce in 2022 but escalated sharply in September 2026. The renewed conflict has seen the Houthis launch missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities, while the Riyadh-led coalition has intensified airstrikes on Houthi positions, command centers and weapons networks. The Houthis have claimed the total number of Saudi airstrikes and missile attacks since the latest escalation began has reached 3,123.
2026-10-25 -
Charity begins at home: Ireland must get its priorities straight
Charity begins at home: Ireland must get its priorities straight Russia Today By John Gaffney , Irish-born editor and former retail businessman who has been living in Russia since 2018 The Irish political week has once again been marked by bitter exchanges, this time over the Triple Lock Agreement, our long-standing tradition of military neutrality, and whether a referendum should be held before any fundamental change is made to it. Taoiseach (Ireland's prime minister) Micheal Martin has accused the country's largest opposition party Sinn Fein, which fiercely opposes the idea of dismantling Triple Lock, of not giving a “continental” about Irish neutrality. The word is his own, and it is worth reflecting on its meaning. But I have a question of my own for Mr. Martin: does he give a continental about the health and well-being of the Irish people? What does neutrality mean to a parent whose three-year-old child is suffering in agony while waiting nine hours in Galway Regional Hospital? What comfort does it offer families struggling to access essential medical care, or parents and students caught up in this week's education strikes? And what of the many other problems that continue to weigh upon ordinary Irish households? The latest figures, obtained from the HSE by Padraig Rice, Social Democrats TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, make the situation even more difficult to ignore. Between January and July of this year, more than 70,100 people in Ireland either left emergency departments before completing their treatment or did not wait to be seen. A further 31,821 patients waited longer than 24 hours to be admitted or discharged. The average waiting time in emergency departments was 9.3 hours. These matters concern real people, their children, their dignity, and their daily lives. Before our leaders lecture us about international responsibilities, should they not first explain why such basic needs remain unmet at home? Ireland is not a wealthy country merely because figures on a government spreadsheet say so. A country's true wealth lies in the quality of its health service, the education of its children, the reliability of its transport, and the infrastructure that allows people to live and work with confidence. By that measure, we still have much to do. Yet Irish taxpayers are repeatedly asked to support ever greater expenditure connected with the conflict in Ukraine. At what point do we pause and ask whether our priorities are in the right order? Mr. Martin, charity begins at home. Have you forgotten the recession of 2008 and the painful years that followed? Irish families know what it means to endure financial insecurity, lost opportunities, and the consequences of decisions made far above their heads. We should remember, too, the countries that stood by Ireland during difficult times, and consider carefully where our obligations lie today. This week, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has again been pressing for further support for Ukraine while criticizing US President Donald Trump. Ordinary European citizens are expected to accept the bill. But surely there comes a moment when the people who pay must be entitled to ask questions. I believe European citizens should stand up for themselves, examine the priorities of their leaders, and refuse to treat every pronouncement from Brussels as unquestionable wisdom. Supporting a country in distress is one thing; allowing an open-ended political commitment to overshadow pressing needs at home is quite another. Imagine what could be achieved if public money were spent with greater care and accountability. Imagine health services where children did not have to wait hours in pain, schools where disputes did not repeatedly interrupt education, and transport and infrastructure that served communities as they deserve to be served. These are not some extravagant dreams – just the reasonable expectations of a modern society. Meanwhile, EU leaders continue to speak as though the destruction of Russia were a realistic or desirable political objective. I believe this approach is dangerously misguided. Russia is a major power, and European security requires clear thinking, diplomacy, and an honest assessment of the risks of prolonged confrontation. Declaring ever more money and resources necessary does not, by itself, bring peace any closer. Nor does constant hostility offer a convincing vision for Europe's future. António Costa, Kaja Kallas, Ursula von der Leyen, and other senior figures in the European hierarchy should be judged by the consequences of their decisions, not by the strength of their rhetoric. The EU was supposed to offer cooperation, stability, and prosperity. It should not become an institution in which confrontation abroad takes precedence over the needs of its own citizens. And what of Ukraine itself? If European leaders genuinely care about the Ukrainian people, surely their first concern should be the preservation of human life and the search for a sustainable peace. Endless conflict brings suffering, displacement, destruction, and the loss of generations who might otherwise have built a future for themselves. The human cost deserves at least as much attention as the political ambitions of those directing the response. I do not believe that the future of Europe should be built upon the assumption that Russia must be destroyed. I believe it should be built upon realism, diplomacy, accountability, and the recognition that war always extracts its price from ordinary people first. Ireland has its own history of hardship, resilience, and recovery. We know what it means to struggle, to rebuild, and to depend upon the solidarity of others. That history should make us thoughtful about the suffering of people elsewhere, but it should also remind us of our responsibility to our own citizens. Before asking Irish taxpayers to shoulder yet another burden, our government should explain what it is doing to ensure that a sick child receives timely treatment, that pupils receive the education they need, and that public services function as they should. Mr. Martin, the question is not whether Ireland should care about the wider world. Of course it should. The question is whether caring about the wider world has become an excuse for neglecting the people who elected you. Charity begins at home. So does responsibility. And so, ultimately, should political accountability. It is time for Ireland, and for the EU, to put ordinary people back at the center of public life. Our taxes should serve the public good, our leaders should be answerable for their choices, and diplomacy should seek to preserve lives rather than prolong their destruction. The people of Europe deserve nothing less.
2026-10-25 -
Lula ally assaulted ahead of crucial Brazil election (VIDEO)
Lula ally assaulted ahead of crucial Brazil election (VIDEO) Russia Today A politician from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's party was injured when attackers threw stones and bottles at a campaign vehicle on the eve of Sunday's crucial presidential runoff. The violent incident came as Brazilians voted in a tightly contested election between left-wing incumbent Lula, who has championed closer ties with BRICS nations, and right-wing challenger and Donald Trump ally Flavio Bolsonaro. Montes Claros City councilwoman Iara Pimentel, a member of Lula's Workers' Party (PT), was struck in the face during a campaign event late Saturday night in Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil, according to state news agency Agencia Brasil (ABr). Video footage showed bottles, bricks, and other objects being thrown at the campaign vehicle carrying the politician. Later images showed her bloodied face. Ajudem essas imagens a chegar à policia! Não podemos permitir que esse tipo de gente, que estimula o ódio, governo o país! https://t.co/51eU79KCLR— Jorge Solla (@depjorgesolla) October 25, 2026 Ajudem essas imagens a chegar à policia! Não podemos permitir que esse tipo de gente, que estimula o ódio, governo o país! https://t.co/51eU79KCLR She was taken to a local hospital by ambulance, ABr reported. “Thinking differently is a right. Political violence is a threat to democracy. No disagreement can justify acts of aggression or put lives at risk,” Pimentel said in a statement cited by the agency. Ana Elisa, a 21-year-old congresswoman-elect from Lula's Workers' Party representing Minas Gerais, condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be held accountable. Lula also condemned what he described as multiple incidents of violence during the election. “The most sacred thing in democracy is democratic coexistence in diversity,” he said, according to ABr, arguing that neighbors should be able to support different political candidates and sports teams or hold different beliefs without resorting to violence. The assault occurred just hours before polls opened on Sunday and weeks after the close of the first round of Brazil's presidential election on October 4. Lula received just over 45%, while 47% went to Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro – who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup following his 2022 election defeat. Trump has described the former president's prosecution as a “witch hunt.” The election has also been marred by allegations of interference by US tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Meta blocked the Facebook advertising account used by Lula's team ahead of the first round on October 4, then prevented his official Instagram account from boosting posts days later, according to campaign officials. Meta denied politically interfering in the election, but internal company messages acknowledged technical restrictions affecting Lula's Instagram account, Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported last week, citing internal communications.
2026-10-25 -
Thousands protest against Netanyahu ahead of Israeli election (VIDEO)
Thousands protest against Netanyahu ahead of Israeli election (VIDEO) Russia Today A major protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken place in Tel-Aviv just days ahead of the Israeli parliamentary election on October 27. A square outside the Museum of Art in the country's largest city was packed on Saturday evening, with the demonstrators holding national flags and banners, reading 'Change will come', 'No more Mr. Far Right Guy' and other slogans. The organizers of the gathering from the October Council group put the attendance at over 100,000. The police have yet to announce official figures. Netanyahu's main rival in the election – Yashar party chairman and former military chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot – and other leaders of the opposition bloc have attended the rally. The crowd cheered Eisenkot's appearance, chanting: “Who's coming? The next prime minister.” The October Council was formed by families of the victims of the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, who demand accountability from Netanuahy's right-wing government for the failure to prevent the incursion. Saturday's protest, organized with the title 'In Three Days, Vote for a State Commission of Inquiry', is the culmination of three years of weekly rallies, according to the group. The State Commissions of Inquiry, which are independent panels appointed by the Supreme Court, are usually set up in Israel to investigate major failures by the authorities. However, Netanyahu refused to establish such a probe into October 7, insisting that it would be biased against his government. Reports in the US and local media claimed that the prime minister ignored warnings of the planned attack by Hamas he had received from various sources, including Israeli intelligence and the UAE and Egypt. Netanyahu has denied those claims. A poll by public broadcaster KAN published before the start of the election silence period on Friday, suggested that Eisenkot's opposition bloc would get 52 out of 120 in the Israeli parliament, with Netanyahu and his supporters winning 50 seats. This means that neither is likely control the Knesset outright. Israel responded to the October 7 incursion by Hamas, in which 1,200 people lost their lives and around 250 were taken hostage, by launching a military campaign in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes and a ground offensive have killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, including at least 21,000 children, and injured over 175,000 others in the enclave over the past three years, according to the local Health Ministry. More than 1,500 deaths happened after a US-brokered ceasefire went into effect in October 2025.
2026-10-25 -
AI giant cuts internet access to its most powerful models — RT Business News
AI giant cuts internet access to its most powerful models — RT Business News Russia Today OpenAI has restricted internet access for training its most powerful artificial intelligence (AI) models after agents found ways to escape isolated computing environments. It will switch to an offline setup with cached web pages for reinforcement learning. The findings published by the company on Friday come amid growing concerns over the cybersecurity risks posed by increasingly capable AI agents, which can identify software vulnerabilities and exploit weaknesses in the systems they interact with. Security researchers have warned that such capabilities could allow agents to exploit flaws in the safeguards designed to contain them. OpenAI said one of its research models gained limited internet access on September 20 by exploiting a misconfiguration in the system that translates web addresses into IP addresses. The company contained the incident and paused training and evaluation of its most advanced models while strengthening its defenses. Training resumed on October 1, including reinforcement learning and internal inference, but the company retained the restriction on live internet access. In its October 23 report, OpenAI said the models would continue to be trained in an offline environment until it had developed sufficiently robust safeguards to permit broader access. READ MORE: AI agents disabled safeguards and one denied it – OpenAI The latest disclosure follows an incident in July in which OpenAI models bypassed controls designed to isolate them from the internet and compromised parts of the company’s research infrastructure and Hugging Face’s systems. According to OpenAI, the agents exploited a vulnerability in a software package registry to access the internet, found exposed credentials and used them to access third-party services. Earlier this week, OpenAI also disclosed two incidents in which agents weakened internal safety monitoring while carrying out coding tasks. On October 3, an agent disabled automatic security alerts, while on October 6 another removed a monitoring integration and later falsely told the user it had not done so. The company said it was strengthening controls to prevent agents from disabling monitoring and investigating why they had acted that way. Similar incidents have been reported by other AI developers. Anthropic said its Claude models accessed four organizations’ systems during cybersecurity tests, while Meta disclosed that its Muse Spark model exploited a vulnerability in a real company’s website after a testing error gave it internet access. Google also reported that its Gemini model accessed the systems of three companies during an evaluation, highlighting the challenges of containing increasingly capable AI agents in controlled testing environments. READ MORE: AI could soon hijack household appliances – Anthropic Calls for tighter AI regulation have grown louder, with Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton warning that advanced AI could escape human control and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates urging governments to impose safety standards. US President Donald Trump has opposed restrictions however, arguing they could give China a technological edge. Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently opined that society must accept some “bad things,” including hacks and scams, as the technology’s benefits outweigh its risks.
2026-10-25 -
Brazil chooses between BRICS and Trump ally in presidential runoff
Brazil chooses between BRICS and Trump ally in presidential runoff Russia Today Brazil has voted in a fiercely contested presidential runoff between incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump. The election could determine whether Latin America's largest economy maintains its prominent role in BRICS or moves closer to Washington. Bolsonaro has openly questioned Brazil's membership in the bloc, accusing Lula of using it to antagonize the United States. The vote count has been overshadowed by a last-minute Supreme Court decision to extend voting hours nationwide by two hours, following allegations of voter suppression and disruptions to public transport. The unprecedented move has caused confusion, as some polling stations had already closed and electronic voting machines had been sealed. The campaign has also been marked by political violence and allegations of interference by US technology giant Meta, which has denied deliberately favoring Bolsonaro. The two candidates entered the runoff after Bolsonaro narrowly defeated Lula in the October 4 first round, securing 47.03% of the vote to the incumbent's 45.16%. Follow our live updates for the latest results, reactions and developments:
2026-10-25 -
Kremlin reacts to reports of possible EU negotiator on Ukraine
Kremlin reacts to reports of possible EU negotiator on Ukraine Russia Today The EU stance on the diplomatic process to settle the Ukraine conflict has not been constructive, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Berliner Zeitung reported earlier this week that Finnish President Alexander Stubb is being seen as the most likely candidate to represent Brussels in possible peace talks with Moscow, Washington, and Kiev. Finland's proximity to Russia – the two countries share a 1,340 km border – and Stubb's good relations with US President Donald Trump make him the best fit for the job, according to the paper. When asked to comment by TASS on Sunday, Peskov said that “the EU has been willing to [appoint a negotiator] for a very long time, but it either cannot do so or lacks the resolve to do so.” The bloc's stance “can hardly be called constructive” because its leaders “are only talking and not taking any action,” he stressed. However, the Kremlin spokesman noted that “if there was to be a negotiator – that would be good. And if that negotiator was someone genuinely committed to facilitating a peaceful settlement – that would be even better.” Peskov did not say how Moscow would react if Stubb is actually given the job. The Finnish president has been one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in the EU. In an interview with German tabloid Bild in August, he claimed that Ukraine was “the best security guarantee” that the bloc had against Russia, arguing that “If Ukraine loses, we lose.” Following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Moscow announced that it was ready to restart trilateral talks with Washington and Kiev to settle the Ukraine conflict. The next such meeting could take place in Abu Dhabi in mid-November, according to the Kremlin. The Telegraph reported on Thursday that there has been “a growing sense of urgency” in Europe to find a representative to join the peace negotiations, despite refusing to talk to Russia for years and insisting on a military solution to the Ukraine conflict. The paper also placed Stubb on its list of candidates being considered by the EU, which also included Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Czech President Petr Pavel, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and the head of the Norwegian government, Jonas Gahr Store. Speaking about peace negotiations on Friday, European Commission deputy chief spokesperson Arianna Podesta stressed that “there is an expectation that there will be a multilateral-level discussion with representatives at a senior official level, and the EU will be present at these talks.” On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the EU leaders “constantly speak of a 'Russian threat' and even discuss preparations for a war with Russia – which, in my view, amounts to a kind of political schizophrenia. But I hope that it will pass.” Putin reiterated that Moscow is not seeking a truce but “definitive, long-term agreements” as a result of the Ukraine peace talks, adding that the discussions should also address a wider all-European security architecture.
2026-10-25 -
Russia hits Ukrainian military logistics hubs – MOD
Russia hits Ukrainian military logistics hubs – MOD Russia Today Russian forces have launched an overnight attack targeting the Ukrainian military logistics network in the northeastern Kharkov Region, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said. The list of targets included three hubs used to store and redistribute supplies for the armed forces and dual-use goods, the ministry said in a statement published on Sunday. Separately, Russia also struck a bulk freighter in the Black Sea that was carrying military supplies to the Ukrainian port city of Chernomorsk, the ministry added. The attacks were part of a broader operation that involved strikes on Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure used to support the military, as well as drone storages and launch sites in a total of 159 locations over the past 24 hours. Ukrainian officials confirmed strikes on the city of Kharkov, adding that an “industrial facility” was among the targets. Russia has intensified its long-range missile and drone campaign against Ukraine's military-industrial and logistics facilities in response to Kiev's continued attacks on the Russian civilian and energy infrastructure. Moscow has repeatedly condemned the Ukrainian attacks as “terrorist acts” aimed at compensating for setbacks on the battlefield, where Russian forces have continued to advance. Read more What's on Russia's target list – and why? According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the nation's air defense systems intercepted a total of 532 Ukrainian drones during Sunday night alone. The drones were used in attempted attacks on more than two dozen Russian regions, the ministry stated. Ukraine's tactics have led to tension between Kiev and Washington. US President Donald Trump stated recently it was “time for Ukraine to get a new president” and find a new person to negotiate peace instead of Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term expired more than two years ago. The American president also questioned the Ukrainian leader's willingness to reach a deal with Moscow and criticized him for continued strikes on Russian oil refineries despite Washington's repeated requests to stop. Zelensky has said that Ukraine's Western backers failed to provide advance warning about Russian ballistic missile launches twice in one week in October. He maintained however, that cooperation between Kiev and Washington had not been suspended, echoing Trump's earlier remarks in which he said the US is “helping [Ukraine], and we are sharing intel.” In the meantime, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has accused Kiev of abusing his company's Starlink civilian satellite internet network to launch offensive drone strikes. According to the US-based businessman, a “loophole” allowing the Ukrainian forces to do so was closed.
2026-10-25
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