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France 24
09-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Musk's AI chatbot Grok is 'spewing anti-Semitic garbage on X'
Syria is still struggling to tame wildfires that erupted at the beginning of the month in the western parts of the country. Arab News reports that Syria is now seeking assistance from Europe to control the "six-day forest inferno". Because of the exceptional weather conditions and a lack of resources after 14 years of war, Syria needs help. Meanwhile, thousands of kilometres away in Catalonia, fires have ravaged more than 3,000 hectares of land, Spanish daily El Pais reports. The winds there are complicating the work of firefighters. In France, fires are burning in the south of the country. In Marseille, the blaze has destroyed more than 700 hectares of land. According to a local paper from Marseille, La Provence, the fire now seems "frozen", but not yet "fixed". Locals from the affected regions have spoken to left-wing daily Libération about what they went through, saying "it's unbreathable". Libération writes that we have entered a new reality "to which we are painfully adapting". We turn next to Russia, where independent papers are discussing the apparent suicide of the country's former transport minister. The Moscow Times writes that the Kremlin is "shocked" by the death of Roman Starovoyt. He was found dead with a gunshot wound hours after being fired by President Vladimir Putin on Monday, this amid media speculation that he was potentially facing corruption charges. Another article from The Moscow Times says that from 2018 to May 2024, Starovoit served as the governor of the Kursk region of Russia. But after Ukraine's surprise incursion last summer, law enforcement made several high-profile arrests. And while he was not arrested or directly investigated, unnamed sources say that suspects in the case have testified against him. Independent paper Meduza 's headline says that his suicide "is linked to a case of embezzlement during the construction of defensive lines in the Kursk region". The paper writes that public Russian media aren't connecting the dots between Starovoyt's resignation, his suicide and the corruption charges. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is again making international headlines. The Washington Post reports that an unknown individual contacted high-level officials, including three foreign ministers, using an AI-generated " Marco Rubio" voice. The impersonator copied the style of the US Secretary of State "with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts", according to Rubio's office. On another note, "Grok is spewing anti-Semitic garbage on X", reports tech magazine Wired. Elon Musk 's chatbot recently praised Hitler online and made a series of deeply offensive remarks, and this is only the latest example. The hateful posts started appearing after a software update last Friday. Musk had claimed that Grok had been "significantly improved" by the update and that users should notice a difference. Finally, with the start of the French state visit to Britain yesterday, some papers are commenting on the fashion choices of the leaders. Fashion magazine Vanity Fair calls Kate Middleton 's classic Dior outfit a "dazzling display for the occasion". Her outfit is seen as a nod to both France and the late Princess Diana. Vogue looks at her second outfit, a Givenchy dress. The robe was designed by British designer Sarah Burton for the French fashion house – a clear statement of what Vogue calls "fashion diplomacy" and a symbol of the relationship between the two countries.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Why Russia blacklisted Yale University? Hint: There's a Navalny angle to this
Russia on Tuesday (local time) blacklisted Yale University branding it an "undesirable organistaion", accusing the US institution of facilitating the "deterioration of the socio-economic and political situation' and training anti-Kremlin activists, including associates of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny . According to the prosecutor general's office, Yale's activities 'are aimed at undermining Russia's territorial integrity, supporting an international blockade of the country, destabilizing its economic foundations and contributing to the deterioration of the socio-economic and political situation,' Moscow Times reported. Russian authorities claim Yale University offers scholarships to foreign 'opposition leaders,' including members of Alexei Navalny's banned anti-corruption Foundation, who allegedly applied their Yale training to intensify protest movements within Russia. It also accused Yale of aiding legal efforts to justify the seizure of frozen Russian assets abroad, allegedly to redirect them toward funding Ukraine's military. Being labeled 'undesirable' in Russia prohibits organizations from operating in the country and exposes anyone affiliated with them to potential criminal charges.
United News of India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Sergey Lavrov says Russia monitoring Serbian protests, hopes they will be resolved as per law
Moscow/Belgrade, June 30 (UNI) Expressing concern over the massive student-led demonstrations in Serbia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Moscow is monitoring the situation and hopes that the protests in the Slavic country will be resolved on the basis of the country's Constitution and laws. 'We are monitoring the situation. We support calming the unrest, as Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said, in line with the Constitution and laws of this friendly state,' he said, reports Moscow Times. "We note the readiness of the Serbian leadership for dialogue. Dialogue is the way to resolve any issues," Lavrov said, with the Kremlin stating that Serbian authorities would 'no doubt' be able to 'return law and order' to the country, while also suggesting some hand of Western governments behind the unrest. 'We hope Western countries, which often exploit domestic affairs in other states to advance their interests, will refrain from colour revolutions this time,' Lavrov added. This comes as protests across the Central European nation only seem to be intensifying. On Saturday, around 140,000 people took part in protests in central Belgrade, demanding snap elections and an end to Vučić's 12-year rule. Police, who estimated the crowd at 36,000 people, used tear gas and batons to disperse demonstrators, some of whom threw flares and bottles. Serbian authorities said 48 police officers were injured, 22 people sought medical help and 77 were arrested. Eight protesters face charges, including planning to block roads and attack government buildings. Demonstrations intensified further on Sunday, as thousands blocked major roadways in Belgrade and other cities. The demonstrations mark the latest in over six months of public anger, initially sparked by the deadly collapse of a train station roof in Novi Sad last November — an incident widely blamed on corruption. The protests have already led to the prime minister's resignation and a cabinet reshuffle. Today, thousands of students staged anti-government protests in the country, and took to the streets in mass demonstrations, blocking roads and traffic points across 18 cities in Serbia. UNI ANV SS
Egypt Independent
21-06-2025
- Business
- Egypt Independent
What's behind Russia and China's lack of support for Iran?
Russia and China have merely condemned Israel for its attacks on Iran while the US fully stands behind it, providing Israel with direct protection. But what is the secret reason behind the lack of direct support from China and Russia to Iran? According to political analysis from The Telegraph, Russia and China possess nuclear weapons and therefore do not wish for Iran to acquire any, as this would mean weaker control over Tehran, reducing its dependence on the two countries for its weapons needs. A nuclear weapon would also give Tehran a significant qualitative advantage and influence the policies of other countries toward it. The escalation of the conflict has also impacted China's oil needs. Beijing is the main importer of Iranian oil and is currently affected by Israeli attacks and the targeting of oil refineries there. Furthermore, if the war escalates and Iran targets military bases in the Gulf states, China's second-largest oil supplier, Beijing will face a real energy supply problem. On the other hand, according to the Moscow Times, an escalating conflict between Iran and Israel will lead to a short-term increase in oil prices, which will have a positive impact on Russian budget revenues from oil and gas. Another vital angle addressed by the Telegraph is that both countries believe that Iran is not managing the conflict with the US well, and the country's severe economic situation resulting from US sanctions is a prime example of this. This is one of the primary reasons as to why China is reluctant to implement infrastructure projects in Iran. And Russia believes that Iran will be unable to fulfill its arms purchase contracts. Ultimately, both countries view a weak Iran as an unhelpful ally. The Moscow Times added that Russia has previously emphasized that its partnership with Iran is a strategic one, not a military alliance, and that Russia is carefully trying to maintain its relationship with between Israel and Iran. According to the British political magazine The Spectator, Russia has long stalled on selling advanced Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets to Iran – despite official Iranian statements that it possesses them, there are numerous doubts that Russia has delivered them – which could rival Israeli aircraft in the air. An Al Jazeera News Channel report indicated China also desires to maintain its relations with Israel – particularly trade relations such as the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive economic project involving several countries to expand trade and investment. The Telegraph also noted that Iran overlooked what happened in Syria with the Bashar al-Assad regime, which was heavily and directly supported by Russia. Despite this, they were unable to help it when it fell. Ultimately, Russia and China are still seeking a political solution to the crisis, and Putin spoke directly with US President Trump to de-escalate the situation.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kremlin fabricated story on Putin's near-miss with Ukrainian drones, Moscow Times reports
Claims of Russian President Vladimir Putin's helicopter being "at the epicenter" of a Ukrainian drone attack in Kursk Oblast were reportedly fabricated by the Kremlin, the Moscow Times reported on May 30, citing four Russian government sources. A Russian military commander claimed on May 20 that Putin's helicopter was subject to a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia's Kursk Oblast, as Putin made his first known visit to the region since Moscow claimed its recapture. "We were simultaneously engaged in an air defense battle and ensuring airspace security for the president's helicopter flight," Yury Dashkin, commander of an air defense division, said, as cited by the Russian news agency RBC on May 25. "The helicopter was effectively at the epicenter of the response to the massive drone attack." Multiple sources in the Kremlin told the Moscow Times that Russia's Defense Ministry had disseminated the story to Russian-state media as a means to make Putin appear as though he "shares the danger" of the war, in an attempt to garner support for the Russian president by painting him as more closely involved in the fighting. Despite the claims, Putin's visit to Kursk Oblast was conducted in secrecy, with Russian-state media reporting on the trip after it had concluded, according to the Moscow Times. "President Putin himself is suffering, struggling, and even risking his own life. Your problems are trivial. You must grit your teeth and endure," a government official told the Moscow Times, in describing the Kremlin's motivation behind the staging. The reportedly fabricated story comes as Kyiv has ramped up its attack on Moscow, launching hundreds of Ukrainian kamikaze drones towards the Russian capital. While none have appeared to have reached Moscow, the attacks have caused significant disruptions to commuter air traffic. Ukrainian drones have forced at least 218 temporary airport closures across Russia since Jan. 1, independent Russian outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on May 14, citing data from Russia's state aviation agency Rosaviatsia. During his visit to Kursk, Putin met with Acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein, heads of local municipalities, and members of volunteer organizations. He also visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, the Kremlin's press service said. The exact date of the visit was not revealed at the time of publication. Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II. The operation aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive on the neighboring Sumy Oblast and draw Russian forces away from the embattled Donetsk Oblast. The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify the Moscow Times' reporting or claims made about the alleged attack. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
