Ukraine ‘will lose the war’ – former foreign minister
Dmitry Kuleba has said that Kiev was “lucky” to get the support it did, but now lacks the ability to defeat Russia
https://on.rt.com/d1gu
Russia’s Trade: 80% Rubles, Yuan, and a Bit of Salt in the Dollar’s Wounds.
The share of Russian export revenues settled in rubles and "friendly" currencies has exceeded 80%, according to Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Russia, Philip Gabunia.
Earlier reports from the Central Bank revealed that by September 2023, the share of "toxic" currencies in the revenue of Russia's major exporters had fallen to 17%.
The majority of transactions were conducted in rubles and "friendly" currencies, with the yuan playing a dominant role.
Clashes between protesters and riot police continued for the second night in a row in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, where opposition denounced the government’s decision to freeze negotiations on joining the EU.
A coalition of opposition parties and Georgia’s pro-EU president, Salome Zourabichvili, have called the current government “illegitimate” and accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of rigging last month’s parliamentary election.
Russia’s MoD Head Meets North Korea’s Kim in Pyongyang
During talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, Andrei Belousov noted that the ratification of the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and the DPRK confirms both nations' commitment to advancing their relations - TASS.
EU calls to replace Russia as gas exporter amid looming energy crisis
European media are warning of volatile energy prices and dwindling gas reserves, highlighting a growing crisis in the bloc. Meanwhile, EU leadership appears to be ignoring these pressing issues. RT correspondent Donald Courtier reports.
OnlyFans model shocks internet revealing she made $43M this year
Influencer Sophie Rain revealed she made $43.4M in one year on OnlyFans, sharing a screenshot on X.
Her post reignited debates about creator earnings on the platform, which vary widely despite reports of massive payouts by top creators. According to a Variety analysis, OnlyFans creators average $1,300 yearly despite the platform’s overall explosive growth.
This better not give Vladimir Zelensky any ideas…
#OnlyFans
40K people affected by floods evacuated in Northern Malaysia
Torrential rains inundated streets across northern Malaysia, causing massive floods and forcing 40,000 people to evacuate to temporary shelters.
PM Anwar Ibrahim claimed there are over 300 reception centers organized for those displaced.
#Malaysia
Australia passes social media ban for under 16s, to take effect in November 2025
The law requires platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat to implement age verification systems and could impose fines of up to $32 million if they fail to stop younger users from having accounts.
The Senate committee added a condition preventing platforms from demanding passport or other private information to protect collection of sensitive personal data.
The full details of how the age-verification system will work are expected to emerge after a trial in mid-2025, giving companies a year to prepare before the law is enforced.
#Australia
Deaths of Western fighters in Ukraine conflict is ‘dangerous escalation’ – Orban
The reported presence of Western soldiers among the casualties in Ukraine marks a dangerous escalation and risk of an “expansion of the war,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said.
In an interview with Kossuth radio on Friday, Orban described the current state of affairs as paradoxical, stating that while peace appears closer than ever, the situation has never been as dangerous.
#Ukraine #Orban
‘American-Zionist plot’ behind jihadists’ Syria offensive – Iran
The US and Israel are responsible for the resurgence of Salafist terrorism in Syria, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has claimed, adding that Tehran will support the efforts by the government in Damascus aimed to to halt the ongoing jihadist offensive.
Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), the terrorist group formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, attacked government-controlled territory in northern Syria on Wednesday alongside a collection of allied militias, breaking a fragile truce brokered by Russia and Türkiye in 2020. By Friday, HTS fighters had entered Aleppo, which had been under Syrian government control since 2016.
More: https://on.rt.com/d1gk
#Syria
Russia’s Airstrikes Target Advancing Jihadists in Syria’s Aleppo, Idlib – Military
The Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Opposing Parties has reported the aviation conducting missile and bomb strikes against the “equipment, manpower, command posts, warehouses, and artillery positions” of "Jabhat al-Nusra" terrorists and other radical opposition groups.
According to the report, at least 200 militants have been eliminated in the past 24 hours.
IDF to remain in Gaza ‘for years’ – minister
Israeli Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter stated that the Israeli military would maintain a presence in Gaza for many years to combat Hamas recruits, according to a report by The Guardian on Friday.
“I think that we are going to stay in Gaza for a long time. I think most people understand that [Israel] will be years in some kind of West Bank situation where you go in and out and maybe you remain along Netzarim [corridor],” he was quoted as saying.
#Israel #Gaza
Russian embassy in Sweden vandalized by drones - again
Swedish media failed to report that the incident on Friday morning, in which paint was dropped on Russia’s diplomatic mission in Stockholm, was the 10th since May this year already, the embassy stated.
Although all incidents have been reported to police and the Swedish Foreign Ministry, no perpetrators have been found while new attacks have mysteriously been allowed to continue, the statement continued.
The attack comes a day after three men reportedly threw bottles at the Swedish embassy in Moscow's guard booth.
#Russia #Sweden
Footage: Syria airstrikes militant armored column – RIA
Syrian Air Force jets carried out strikes on a convoy of militants’ armored vehicles in the northern Aleppo region, according to RIA Novosti, which published the footage of the attack.
The unit was reportedly preparing to launch a joint offensive with terrorist groups on Tel Rifaat.
#Syria
Foreign armed forces can only bring more instability to Donbass – Janus Putkonen
RT hears from Janus Putkonen, Finnish MV-Lehti chief editor. He says the presence of any armed foreign forces will only destabilize the situation in the Donbass region.
#Donbass
Heartbreaking scene: crowds struggle for bread at a Gaza bakery amid worsening food crisis
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Syrian Government Forces Clash with Terrorists in Aleppo
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadists claim to have seized over 50 villages in the western countryside of Aleppo province and entered the city.
Russia Launches Kondor-FKA Satellite into Space
The Kondor-FKA radar satellite was successfully launched aboard a Soyuz-2.1a rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East.
Balloon with Pro-Palestinian Patterns Fly over Türkiye - Watch!
A hot air balloon decorated with traditional ‘keffiyeh’ scarves, whose patterns symbolize Palestinian independence soared over Cappadocia, Türkiye's iconic tourist destination known for its stunning canyons and volcanic rock formations.
DPRK-facing Starbucks opens across border
Visitors to the new Starbucks cafe in the Korean border town of Gimpo can enjoy a view across the Jo River, which separates the two states; on a clear day, you can see several farms and low-rise buildings, and if you have binoculars, you can even see people.
The observation terrace was reportedly packed as it opened Friday.
#Korea #DPRK
Crypto mogul eats banana ‘art piece’ after buying it for $6.2m
Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun has fulfilled a promise he made after spending $6.2m on an ‘artwork’ of a banana duct-taped to a wall, by eating it.
The conceptual piece, Comedian by Maurizio Cattelan, was auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York last week. “It’s much better than other bananas,” Sun claimed as he munched the pricey snack.
#China #Art
Cocaine smuggler busted at Beijing airport
Customs officials caught a foreign citizen attempting to smuggle over 1.5kg of cocaine in 123 pills concealed in his body at Beijing Capital International Airport recently.
The haul is Beijing Customs' largest of its type in the last five years.
#China
Russian defense minister visits North Korea
Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov is visiting North Korea for talks with his counterpart, No Kwang-chol, focusing on implementing a strategic cooperation agreement that Moscow and Pyongyang sealed this year.
The treaty “is designed to play a stabilizing role in Northeast Asia, to contribute positively to preserving the balance of power in the region, and reduce the risk of war reigniting on the [Korean] peninsula, including with the use of nuclear weapons,” the Russian military official said at the start of the meeting.
#Russia #DPRK
RT DE Correspondent Shot at Tbilisi Protest Recalls Moment of Impact
Dominik Reichert, who was shot while covering the unrest in Tbilisi, recounted his harrowing experience:
"I suddenly heard a loud bang... I was deaf for a few seconds. Later, I noticed blood running down the side of my face."
Georgian police deploy water cannon to disperse rioters as the capital Tbilisi sees another night of protests.
The unrest erupted after the ruling party suspended talks on Georgia's EU membership until 2028.
‘We all live in…’: Cocaine-filled submarine busted by Colombian navy
The Colombian navy intercepted a semi-submersible carrying cocaine in the Pacific, believed to be part of a new smuggling route to Australia. The vessel, already loaded with enough fuel for the journey, marks the third such drug bust in the region.
Smuggling to Australia is particularly lucrative, experts say, with cocaine fetching $240,000/kg there, six times the US price. Officials linked the route to high Australian demand.
#Australia #Colombia
On air today - join Inland Visions on a journey to discover the Republic of Bashkortostan. Their culture, language and traditions create a unique mix of northern resilience and southern hospitality.
Watch the full episode here
🌏 Inland Visions
Jihadists claim to re-enter Syria’s Aleppo
Jihadist Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) fighters have entered the Syrian city of Aleppo, the terrorist group claimed on Friday, two days after it launched a surprise offensive against Syrian government forces.
In a statement to Al Jazeera, HTS said that its militants had begun to press into several neighborhoods in the northern Syrian city, which has been controlled by government forces since 2016.
#Syria
Nobody asked for this, and here it is: All-female ‘Three Musketeers’ movie to be released in France
'Toutes pour une' is an upcoming feminist take on Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers. The story follows Sara, a young runaway who discovers that the Musketeers protecting the Queen of France are actually women.
Up next: an All Quiet on the Western Front adaptation, where it turns out there were no men at all during WWI...
#France
Big if true: Activist argues Europeans came up with two biological sexes
Writer JK Rowling was challenged on her gender politics, when a ‘Gender Studies academic’ challenged, saying that there is a “massive literature” proving that the notion of there being two biological sexes was historically a “first world notion”.
Rowling responded by joking that in all likelihood non-Europeans did not in fact “need Whitey’s help to tell a man from a woman”.
Could it be that the ‘gender academic’ merely referred to the early seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race?
#Gender
