The proposed ordinance would restrict repeated camping and block encampments on sidewalks. The proposal would prohibit unhoused people from repeatedly camping in the same location, restrict encampments that block pedestrian access on sidewalks, and require authorities to provide notice and make a good-faith effort to offer shelter before destroying camps. Framing the move as an act of “compassion and care,” Newsom's administration announced that $3.3 billion in voter-approved Proposition 1 funds — originally intended to expand behavioral health housing and treatment — would be made available statewide to incentivize cities and counties to adopt the ordinance. Many advocates for unhoused people argue that the state's reliance on punitive measures — such as encampment sweeps and camping bans — criminalize and displace, rather than support, people without stable housing. “[Newsom] is flouting decades of evidence on effective solutions and urging communities to merely move unhoused people out of public view rather than work to solve their homelessness,” Diane Yentel, then-president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in 2024. Newsom's expanded effort for statewide encampment sweeps and camping bans follows the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 ruling allowing local governments to prohibit encampments even when no alternative shelter is available. Local leaders have voiced concerns about Newsom's focus on policing homelessness instead of addressing its root causes — soaring housing costs, a severe lack of affordable housing, and stagnant wages. While he has launched initiatives aimed at these structural issues, critics argue that prioritizing enforcement over long-term housing solutions ultimately deepens the crisis. “Clearing encampments only works if we have places for people to go, and require that they use them,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement.”Without these solutions, we spend precious taxpayer dollars simply shuffling people from one jurisdiction's land to another's.” Advocacy groups have similarly warned that such approaches are not only ineffective but also harmful. “The evidence is actually very clear: forced encampment evictions are ineffective, expensive, and non-strategic,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “The blanket order to clear encampments without addressing the immediate and long-term needs of their residents will displace thousands and increase their risk of harm.” Advocates have also raised concerns about Newsom's emphasis on mental health and substance use interventions as a response to homelessness. They warn that programs like CARE Court and expanded involuntary treatment laws risk violating civil liberties and could result in the forced institutionalization of unhoused people. Fear of placement in locked facilities, forced medication, unacceptable interim shelter, and loss of rights and self-determination will drive unhoused people away from needed services,” explains a 2024 Human Right Watch report. “Without permanent housing, forced treatment will not remove the underlying instability of houselessness.” Under pressure from an array of McCarthy-style tactics, academics, activists and nonprofits face significant threats for speaking out or organizing in resistance. Truthout is appealing for your support to weather this storm of censorship. We've launched a fundraising campaign to find 500 new monthly donors in the next 10 days. They have a master's degree in political science from Central European University and are currently enrolled in law school at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. We've set a goal to add 500 new monthly donors in the next 10 days – will you be one of them?

Hamas released an Israeli American soldier from captivity in Gaza on Monday, seeking to reopen ceasefire negotiations as a gesture of goodwill to President Donald Trump as he visits the Middle East this week. Both Hamas and Israeli officials confirmed the transfer. Alexander was the only living American in Hamas captivity. Hamas released Alexander as a “good faith” gesture toward Trump, reportedly as a result of backchannel negotiations between the White House and Hamas officials and without involvement from Israeli officials. “This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones,” said Trump in a post on Truth Social on Sunday. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!” Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also called for an end to the “war” in a post celebrating Alexander's release in a post on social media. However, Netanyahu's office has said that Israel is still committed to carrying out its plan to indefinitely occupy the entirety of the Gaza Strip, cordoning millions of Palestinians to a small portion of the enclave. Netanyahu's security cabinet approved that plan in a vote last week. Alexander's release comes amid a reported growing rift between Trump and Netanyahu. Trump is not visiting Israel during his visit to the Middle East this week, and The Washington Post reports that there is “total panic” among Israeli officials in terms of Trump seemingly distancing himself from the Israeli regime. In addition, Trump and Netanyahu have disagreements over whether or not to strike Iran — as Saudi Arabia grows closer to Iran and Trump seeks to reenter the Iran nuclear agreement that he had withdrawn from during his first term. The Trump administration is cracking down on political dissent. Under pressure from an array of McCarthy-style tactics, academics, activists and nonprofits face significant threats for speaking out or organizing in resistance. Truthout is appealing for your support to weather this storm of censorship. We've launched a fundraising campaign to find 500 new monthly donors in the next 10 days. As independent media with no corporate backing or billionaire ownership, Truthout is uniquely able to push back against the right-wing narrative and expose the shocking extent of political repression under the new McCarthyism. Sharon Zhang is a news writer at Truthout covering politics, climate and labor. Before coming to Truthout, Sharon had written stories for Pacific Standard, The New Republic, and more. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. We've set a goal to add 500 new monthly donors in the next 10 days – will you be one of them?

Data includes full flight itineraries, passenger name records and financial details which are otherwise hard to obtain. This article was originally published by The Lever, an investigative newsroom. If you like this story, sign up for The Lever's free newsletter. A massive aviation industry clearinghouse that processes data for 12 billion passenger flights per year is selling that information to the Trump administration amid the White House's new immigration crackdown, according to documents reviewed by The Lever. Privacy and travel industry experts interviewed by The Lever said that law enforcement's access to such a vast database — with little information on what privacy or other restrictions are in place — raises serious civil liberties concerns. “This is probably the single most significant aggregated repository of data about American air travelers,” said Edward Hasbrouck, an expert in travel data privacy. “That the government has gotten access to it is a very big deal.” When a passenger buys a flight through a travel agency — including via common online booking sites like Booking.com or Expedia — the transaction is fed through the Airlines Reporting Corporation, which acts as an intermediary between travel agencies and airlines. So, although most airline passengers have never heard of the Airlines Reporting Corporation, there's a good chance that their data has, at some point, passed through the company. Its dataset includes information on 54 percent of all flights taken globally, according to the company's website. But more than 200 airlines settle tickets through the Airlines Reporting Corporation, giving the company unparalleled, comprehensive access to passenger data. Consumer advocates have already been concerned about the monopoly that the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) has established over airline passenger data. “[The company] has long had a virtual monopoly on processing airline bookings,” explained Bill McGee, a senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, a consumer protection watchdog organization. Through this, McGee explained, the Airlines Reporting Corporation “collects massive amounts of personal data on consumers, including information on finances, travel itineraries, shopping patterns.” The Airlines Reporting Corporation has for many years provided commercial access to high-level data, offering travel trend reports and transaction data for a price. “I have never seen government access to ARC — or even ARC itself — mentioned in an airline privacy policy or a travel agency policy,” Hasbrouck said. “Why is [ARC] turning into a side business of selling data about people's travels to the Trump administration?” Stanley asked, saying that the documents raised “a lot of serious questions.” Federal law enforcement has other ways to access flight data. Already, U.S. Customs and Border Protection demands that airlines hand over passenger records for every flight that passes through the United States, and there have been reports in the past of federal law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, accessing passenger data through travel agencies' reservation systems and other intermediaries. But the new documents indicate that the Airlines Reporting Corporation provides data that federal law enforcement cannot obtain elsewhere. “The [Travel Intelligence Program] database holds over one billion records, spanning 39 months of past and future travel data — an unparalleled intelligence resource,” the documents say. In this database, “analysts gain unrestricted access to all sold ticket databases, enabling targeted searches by name or credit card number,” the documents continue. While Customs and Border Protection receives data from individual air carriers, the data is not always in a consistent place or format. “If you've got data that's scattered all over the place in different formats, you've got to query each one separately,” Hasbrouck said. But federal spending records indicate that the access goes back further. The Department of Homeland Security, in procurement records, references an “investigative database” hosted by the Airlines Reporting Corporation as far back as 2018. Furthermore, it's not just ICE that has access to the data. The Department of Defense in 2017 signed a contract with the Airlines Reporting Corporation for “airline ticketing and reporting data,” records show. For the Airlines Reporting Corporation, these federal contracts have been lucrative. According to government spending records, the company has received at least $600,000 from federal contracts so far in 2025, and about $700,000 last year. Hasbrouck said that law enforcement's access to such data comes with “a lot of potential for abuse.” This may be particularly true amid the Trump administration's ongoing immigration crackdown, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement targets green card holders over their political views and sends immigrants to El Salvador without a hearing. “What safeguards on privacy and personal rights will be in place? The Trump administration is cracking down on political dissent. Under pressure from an array of McCarthy-style tactics, academics, activists and nonprofits face significant threats for speaking out or organizing in resistance. Truthout is appealing for your support to weather this storm of censorship. We've launched a fundraising campaign to find 500 new monthly donors in the next 10 days. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. We've set a goal to add 500 new monthly donors in the next 10 days – will you be one of them?

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on May 10, 2025. Russian President Vladimir Putin may have gotten more than he bargained for when, on May 11, he rejected calls for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire and invited Ukraine to engage in direct talks in Istanbul later this week. In what may have been a surprise for the Russian leader, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by accepting the invitation, saying he was ready to meet Putin in Turkey on May 15. "This is not what Putin was expecting," Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian lawmaker and chair of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, told the Kyiv Independent. "This is an incredible move that turns the tables completely — Putin thought that he would send a Russian delegation, and create the illusion of negotiations," he said, adding: "But now, because of this move by Zelensky, he is faced with a dilemma which cannot be solved." Russia has consistently refused to agree to the truce, instead unilaterally announcing short-term ceasefires that Ukraine says have all been violated by Moscow itself. The idea was given fresh impetus over the weekend after talks between Ukraine, France, the U.K., Germany, and Poland, after which they said that no negotiations can begin without a full and unconditional ceasefire. Putin made no mention of any ceasefire during his televised address on May 11 when he floated the idea of talks, but Kyiv's European allies have kept up the pressure, insisting Moscow agree by midnight on May 13. "The clock is ticking — we still have 12 hours until the end of this day," German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said, adding that Berlin is coordinating with European partners on additional sanctions. With no indication at present that the Kremlin is going to agree to a ceasefire, the European nations demanding it will have to follow through with their threat of imposing additional sanctions on Russia. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent that the bloc will unveil its next package of sanctions against Russia on May 14. Details of what will be the 17th package imposed on Moscow since the start of the full-scale invasion remain unclear, though earlier reporting suggested it could include measures aimed at Russia's military-industrial complex, Moscow's shadow shipping fleet, and related support networks. Putin does not see himself as Zelensky's equal, and has repeatedly mocked him and called him "illegitimate," so to appear on the same level on the global stage would, in Russian eyes, make him look "really weak," Merezhko. Whether or not Putin attends in person, there is deep skepticism in Kyiv regarding the prospects of a meeting bearing anything significant. "Putin does not want any peace talks, because his goal is to seize Ukraine," Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a lawmaker from the Holos party and chairman of the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech, said. "Therefore, he is looking for any opportunity to stall for time, gushing with proposals for meetings and demands, hoping that Ukraine will refuse and this will show us in an unfavorable light," he added. Yurchyshyn said Zelensky has "seized the initiative" when saying he would attend the meeting, but expects "Putin will find another excuse not to come." One possible excuse on the cards is a decree approved by Zelensky in the fall of 2022, that "stated the impossibility of holding negotiations with Russian President Putin," as a response to Russia's illegal annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, parts of which it didn't even control. Moscow has previously cited Zelensky's decree as a ban on talks with Putin and used it as an excuse for avoiding direct talks with Kyiv. They added that it had been "twisted" by the Kremlin and it was in fact solely up to Zelensky to determine if he could speak directly with Putin. Regardless, Ukrainian lawmakers who spoke to the Kyiv Independent all believe the Kremlin will find some way to get out of it. Whether Trump will recognize this is an open question," Yurchyshyn said. Trump has been vocal and enthusiastic about the meeting in Istanbul, despite it still falling far short of the full 30-day ceasefire that Trump himself has been calling for. And in a significant development on May 12, he said he believed "both leaders are going to be there," in reference to Zelensky and Putin, putting huge pressure on the Russian president. The U.S. president's stance has hardened in recent weeks, and in Kyiv, there is hope that Russia can only stall and distract for so long until Washington acknowledges the game the Kremlin is playing. "I believe it's achievable, but only with the support of our international partners and strong external pressure on Russia, including through sanctions." Failing any concrete progress, Ukraine must make sure it is in a position to defend against further offensives from Russia, Ariev said. "If China does not begin direct support to Russia in 2026, Russia will not be able to continue a total war," he said. Chris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.

It seems logical that the era of proxy wars would sooner or later result in a state of proxy peace, when even the securing of national security objectives would not guarantee Russia a respectful coexistence with its neighbors. After the 20th century's Cold War, is Europe now destined for a Cold Peace? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Geoffrey Roberts, emeritus professor of history at University College Cork. RT News App © Autonomous Nonprofit Organization “TV-Novosti”, 2005–2025. All rights reserved. This website uses cookies. Read RT Privacy policy to find out more.

Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff didn't mince his words. In a meeting late on Sunday with former hostages and relatives of those still held in Gaza, he told them Israel is drawing out a war the US wants to end, local media reported. Israel is prolonging it – despite the fact that we don't see where else we can go and that an agreement must be reached,” Witkoff told the meeting, according to Channel 12 Television, quoting sources who were present. It was the latest in a series of high-profile and high-stakes snubs from the White House which suggest that Israel's most important ally is frustrated with its government – and possibly losing interest in its fortunes. “As far as Trump is concerned, Netanyahu has become an irritant and an irritant that doesn't contribute to the bank account.” Trump may not have embarked on the open attacks that have characterised his relationship with other leaders fighting a war he wants to end, such as Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia's Vladimir Putin, but recent policy moves have undermined Israeli security, weakened its diplomatic standing and flown against Israeli defence policy, particularly over how to handle Iran. Last week Trump announced a ceasefire deal with the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen which excluded Israel. He described the Houthi rebels as “brave” just days after one of their missiles hit Israel's main airport, prompting many international airlines to suspend flights. He previously dismissed Israeli calls for military action against Iran, instead opening talks with Tehran on ending its nuclear programme. Days after the Houthi ceasefire deal, news leaked that the Trump administration had dropped a Biden-era demand that linked progress on a Saudi Arabian civilian nuclear programme to normalising relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia has ruled out normalisation while Israel is at war in Gaza. That conspicuous absence from the presidential itinerary would have been unthinkable in recent decades. “As to how serious the damage is, I would say right now it is not lasting … not a full blown crisis yet,” he said. “I suspect that both sides will try to mitigate, negotiate, and not make it a public confrontation.” He is already facing the fury of hostage families and their supporters, who say he is extending the war – and their suffering – for personal political gain. One, Einav Tsengauker, described the prime minister on Monday as an “angel of death”. But Netanyahu's truculent response to the release of Alexander risks stirring up the anger of a far more potent enemy, whose endless appetite for praise and deference is now the basis of global foreign policy from Beijing to Brussels. Trump's post celebrating Alexander's release spelt out what he wants to see next. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!” “If he wants Trump back on his side, then he needs to do things that would cost him the coalition,” said Pinkas, the former diplomat. “If you look at his biography and experience, he should be fully aware of all this.

A proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Ukraine to resume direct talks, the threats of new European sanctions and the closure of Russia's Consulate General in Krakow became the main topics of Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov's briefing on Monday. - Putin's approach "aimed at finding a real diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis, eliminating the root causes of the conflict and establishing lasting peace has met with support and understanding by the leaders of many countries." - Russia is set "to seriously seek ways for a long-term peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict." - US President Donald Trump has urged the Ukrainian side to take part in the meeting proposed by Russia "without any conditions." - As for the threat of introducing new European sanctions, the language of ultimatums is unacceptable for dialogue with Russia: "One cannot use such rhetoric with Russia." - By shutting down Russia's Consulate General in Krakow, the Polish government continues to sour its relations with Moscow, "which are already in deteriorated shape." "Poland is consistently choosing to be hostile and unfriendly toward us." - Poland's accusations that Russia was responsible for the 2024 shopping mall fire in Warsaw are "absolutely unfounded" and are part of its "Russophobic and unfriendly stance." - As for media reports about the upcoming visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the Kremlin is preparing for talks: "We will make an official announcement soon. I can say that yes, indeed, we are getting ready for the Russia-Malaysia talks, for contacts.

US senator says Republicans must choose whether to back working Americans or rich corporate executives Josh Hawley, the influential US senator from Missouri, has warned that his Republican party is suffering from an “identity crisis” over whether it stands for working Americans or rich corporate executives, signaling a worsening split among Donald Trump's congressional troops over the president's plans for deep Medicaid cuts. In an opinion piece in the New York Times published on Monday, Hawley warned his fellow Republicans it would be “politically suicidal” to concede to huge cuts in the federal program that provides health insurance to more than 70 million low-income Americans. To pay for the extension, the House energy and commerce committee has been charged with finding $880bn in federal spending cuts over a decade – much of which is likely to come from Medicaid. The plan would strip almost 9 million low-income Americans of their health insurance mainly by trimming Medicaid, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The latest draft proposals would also require millions of low-income Americans who earn above the federal poverty level to contribute co-payments for medical services. Hawley is one of a few Republican senators, including Susan Collins from Maine, who are putting up staunch resistance. He suggests that the Republican party under Trump is facing a blunt choice – does it represent the majority of working Americans? Or, using a term referring to the top executives at companies, will it become a permanent minority party “speaking only for the C-suite”? Hawley's strongly worded intervention carries the weight of a devoted Trump loyalist who has backed some of the most controversial aspects of the US president's Make America Great Again (Maga) movement. And he notoriously presented a clenched fist to the Trump supporters outside the Capitol building on 6 January 2021 before they attacked Congress that day.

Two dozen fasting students also press university system to divest from weapon manufacturers in list of demands About two dozen California State University students began a hunger strike last week to protest against starvation in Gaza due to Israel's aid blockade, marking the latest act of political protest on college campuses. They are also pushing the university system to divest from weapons manufacturers, among other stated goals. The hunger strikes come as Israel's aid blockade in Gaza passes its second month, and is facing mounting international criticism for the millions of Palestinians pushed toward famine, as well as Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich's, recent assertion that “Gaza will be entirely destroyed.” Max Flynt, a hunger striker and undergraduate student at San Francisco State University, cited the aid blockade as a decisive factor for organizing the strike. Flynt sets up daily on the campus quad with other organizers and strikers under a “Hunger Strike for Gaza” canopy. Organizers hold educational workshops and strikers have their vitals taken every few hours, but do not stay overnight. “If we were to put up a tent today, the police would be called on us almost immediately.” Jaime Jackson, a professor at Sacramento State and member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine who studies non-violent protest, pointed out the hunger strike's symbolic ties with the realities in Gaza. International students with vocal support for Palestinians have been especially targeted. The divestment demands from Flynt and other protesters include the California State University system's adoption of San Francisco State University's Human Rights IPS Screening, the severance of study abroad programs with Israeli universities, and divestment from companies producing military, weapons and surveillance technology. San Francisco State University confirmed the offloading of assets in Lockheed Martin, Leonardo and Palantir, while some questions remain surrounding the mechanics of Sacramento State's divestment. A recently killed congressional bill would have expanded penalties for boycotting and divestment. Marcus Bode, an undergraduate and hunger striker at California State, Long Beach, cited his university's partnership with Boeing, a major supplier to the Israel Defense Forces, as something that would disappear under divestment. Bode and his fellow hunger strikers face an uphill battle with the university system.

"I believe both leaders are going to be there," U.S. President Donald Trump said. "I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," President Volodymyr Zelensky said. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent. The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity. "If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said. "Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, said. Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce. The shipment includes 125 long-range artillery rockets and 100 Patriot air defense missiles. Ukraine reportedly has only eight Patriot systems, two of which are currently not in service. An additional Patriot system is on its way to Ukraine from Israel as part of a previously arranged commitment, the NYT reported on May 4. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly urged the U.S. and international partners to provide additional Patriot systems and missiles as Russian attacks against Ukrainian cities intensify. At least two Patriot missiles are needed to intercept a ballistic missile, Ukrainian aviation expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap told the Kyiv Independent on May 6. Russia has escalated its ballistic missile attacks against Ukraine, making April the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since September 2024. Germany has provided Kyiv with air defense support, including Patriot missiles and IRIS-T systems, in previous military aid packages. Newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on May 10, along with other European leaders, to reaffirm Germany and Europe's support for Ukraine and commitment to securing a ceasefire deal. Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.

Russia calls on Ukraine to restart direct talks in Istanbul; India and Pakistan exchange accusations of provocation after reaching a ceasefire deal; and NATO launches a major military drill along Russia's border. These stories have topped Monday's newspaper headlines across Russia. Otherwise, they said, Russia will have to face more sanctions. EU countries seem to still believe that Ukraine is capable of defending its positions on the battlefield, which is why they continue to provide military support to Kiev, Pavel Timofeev, head of the Sector of Regional Problems and Conflicts at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of World Economy and International Relations, noted. Russia has never refused to hold talks, nor has it ever put forward preconditions, Nikolay Silayev, senior researcher with the Center of Caucasian Studies at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, emphasized. Silayev points out that Putin's statement was important for US President Donald Trump who is unprepared to engage in a confrontation with Russia at a scale that was maintained by his predecessor but on the other hand, he is also unwilling to abandon Ukraine, which is seen as a foreign policy asset by the US and the West in general. The main challenge lies in the position of Ukraine and European countries who insist that a ceasefire must come first, Valdai International Discussion Club expert Andrey Kortunov observed. According to him, "such a plan does not suit Russia because there is no guarantee that Ukraine will abide by a ceasefire." The analyst expects several rounds of mediation diplomacy to take place in the next three days in order to bring the positions of Russia and Ukraine closer together. The offer of an immediate launch of talks in Istanbul without preconditions is pulling the rug from under the Kiev regime and its sponsors, Diplomatic Academy Vice Principal Oleg Karpovich told Izvestia. India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire agreement on May 10, after four days of hostilities. The authorities of the opposing countries confirmed it a bit later; however, they continued to exchange accusations of military provocation, Vedomosti writes. US media outlets reported, citing Indian government sources, that New Delhi and Islamabad had agreed a ceasefire in direct consultations, without enlisting Trump as a mediator. Meanwhile, White House sources pointed to the important role that US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had played in the agreements reached by India and Pakistan. Although Pakistan sought mediation from China, Beijing was unable to take on this role due to its tense relations with New Delhi, Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies, observed. According to him, despite close economic ties with Islamabad, China does not have a controlling stake in Pakistan's foreign and internal policy. Both India and Pakistan are interested in de-escalating violence, so they are trying to backtrack now, Boris Volkhonsky, associate professor at Moscow State University's Institute of Asian and African Studies, pointed out. "That said, a further escalation will serve no one. Neither India nor Pakistan wants to cross red lines by using regular forces on each other's territory," the expert elaborated. Volkhonsky believes that Trump decided to interfere in the India-Pakistan conflict in order to demonstrate some diplomatic success to his fellow citizens amid failures in resolving the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Major military drills are kicking off in Finland on May 12, which involve Sweden and the United Kingdom. About 7,000 troops will take part in the operation. NATO is currently trying to master the skills and knowledge gained in Ukraine, military expert Vadim Kozyulin said. "They have come to understand that the unmanned aerial vehicles the alliance has in service are already outdated," he explained. It's safe to say that Ukraine has turned into a kind of testing ground for advanced equipment and weapons, primarily UAVs. Finland has joined NATO just recently, but in fact, it has always been the bloc's ally, repeatedly hosting joint drills with the North Atlantic Alliance. According to the expert, the current exercise is nothing new, it's just that its magnitude is larger, and this is exactly what makes it a threat to Russia. For the time being, we will simply watch what they do, taking it into account. NATO keeps saying that it will only implement defense scenarios, but the drills it holds also practice actions suitable for aggressive operations," the analyst stressed. For years, Sweden and Finland maintained neutrality, preserving good-neighborly relations first with the Soviet Union and then with Russia, which benefited them both economically and politically, Sergey Ordzhonikidze, former United Nations undersecretary, pointed out. "However, they have now taken an overtly anti-Russian position, giving in to the influence of the British and other major Western European nations. This doesn't strengthen their security but undermines it. Russia has never posed a threat to these countries. In the meantime, it must be remembered that any hostile action against a country such as Russia will not remain without serious consequences, Ordzhonikidze concluded. In April, oil shipments through ports rose to 448,000 metric tons per day, recovering to the level recorded in December 2024, when the US introduced sweeping sanctions. Given a stable demand for oil in Asia and a decrease in transportation fees, the current export level is expected to continue into May, Kommersant writes. Alexey Politov, senior analyst at the Price Index Center, says that India, China and Turkey remain the key markets of oil exports as demand for Russian oil brands remains stable there due to attractive prices. Lyudmila Rokotyanskaya, stock market expert at BCS World of Investment, believes that April's export growth stemmed from a decline in global oil prices, accompanied by a speedy recovery of production by OPEC+ countries. If the group continues to gradually restore production to the previous levels, additional conditions may be created for a rise in Russian exports, she noted. Politov adds that market participants expect the level of exports will either remain the same or slightly grow in May. The OPEC+ group's decision to increase output by 411,000 barrels per day in June will have an additional effect on the market as it is three times as much as the initial plan, he stressed. Meanwhile, restrictions on the fleet carrying Russian oil may be expanded. The digital currency's value rose by over 9% in less than a week due to soft rhetoric from the US Federal Reserve and a trade agreement between Washington and London. Experts interviewed by Kommersant expect the bull campaign to continue amid hopes for an easing of frictions between the United States and its trading partners. According to BitRiver financial analyst Vladislav Antonov, market participants paid special attention to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's remarks about the influence that the Trump administration's tariff policy could have on inflation processes. As a result, investors started to predict a potential decline in interest rates in the second quarter of 2025. "Cheaper money always increases demand for risky assets," Roman Kaufman, CEO and founder of Alpha7291, pointed out. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with the UK. On May 11, Trump announced that the US and China reached an agreement to fully reload relations following a meeting in Switzerland, where numerous issues had been discussed and agreements had been achieved on most of them," Neomarkets Chief Analyst Oleg Kalmanovich noted. "If the negotiation process continues and new trade agreements are reached, it will be only a matter of time when bitcoin will hit new records," Kalmanovich said. TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews

Ding Xueliang spent his early teenage years in China as a fervent believer and practitioner of Chairman Mao Zedong's revolutionary ideals — but he never imagined those memories would one day be stirred by a sitting US president. He joined millions of young people across China to participate in the Cultural Revolution, a decade-long upheaval set off by an aging Mao to reassert his absolute control over the ruling Communist Party – with the stated goal of preserving communist ideology. But in recent months, he has begun to see uncanny echoes of Mao's Cultural Revolution in an unexpected place: Donald Trump's America. To be clear, there are profound, incomparable differences between the deadly violence and chaos unleashed by a dictator in a one-party state, and an elected president's divisive attempts to expand executive power within a mature democracy. As Trump upends the very institutions, alliances, and free trade order that have underpinned America's global dominance since World War II, some in China are reminded of their own former leader — one who wielded revolutionary zeal to tear down the old world more than half a century ago. Some referenced the Cultural Revolution – at times obliquely to avoid censorship; others highlighted Trump's apparent appetite for chaos, and the rising signs of authoritarianism and personality cult within his administration. He has waged a war on ideology that conservatives deem “woke” and attacked elite universities – including Ding's alma mater Harvard – for “liberal indoctrination,” threatening to cut their federal funding. And in the US president, Ding noticed what he said were striking similarities with the late Chinese chairman whom he once worshiped as a young Red Guard: despite their vast differences, they both share a deep contempt for intellectual elites, a strong mistrust of the bureaucratic apparatus, and a populist appeal aimed at farmers and blue-collar workers. That campaign stemmed from Mao's long-held belief in “first destroy, then establish” – the idea that old systems, ideologies, or institutions must be demolished before new ones can be erected in their place. Coming from an impoverished family, Ding eagerly took part in public humiliation rallies against teachers, intellectuals, government officials and others labeled as enemies of Mao's vision. Historians estimate somewhere between 500,000 and two million people lost their lives. Now, some Chinese are looking at that tumultuous chapter of their own history to make sense of the change Trump is unleashing in America. Among Mao's most ardent admirers, there's a sense of pride that the US president appears to be borrowing from the revolutionary playbook of their esteemed supreme leader. One blogger likened Trump's February tweet — “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law” — to Mao's iconic slogan: “To rebel is justified.” Other Mao fans cheered Trump for cozying up to Vladimir Putin's Russia while snubbing Ukraine and Europe, said Wu Qiang, an independent analyst in Beijing who is studying Chinese perceptions of Trump. Ever since his first term, Trump has earned the nickname “Chuan Jianguo,” or “Trump, the nation builder” among Chinese nationalists — a mocking suggestion that he is making China stronger by undermining America. For some Chinese liberals, however, Trump's sweeping expansion of executive power and attacks on press freedom, academic independence and the rule of law in the first 100 days of his second term have sparked disbelief, frustration and disappointment. On Chinese social media, users voiced their disillusionment in the comment sections of US Embassy accounts, lamenting that America no longer resembles the ideal they once believed in. But its recent actions have been completely disillusioning … Many Chinese people's faith in America has been shattered!” said a comment on the US Embassy's WeChat account. Another wrote: “The American people also have their own sun,” complete with a smirking dog emoji. For years, Chinese liberals have quietly warned of a creeping return to the Cultural Revolution under Xi Jinping, the most powerful leader since Mao. A devoted student of the “Great Helmsman,” Xi has steered China closer to strongman rule and curtailed individual freedoms in ways critics say are reminiscent of that era. And so, it was all the more striking for some Chinese liberals to witness an authoritarian turn seemingly unfolding in Washington, which under former President Joe Biden had framed the US competition with China as “democracy versus authoritarianism.” Less than a month into Trump's second term, Zhang Qianfan, a constitutional law professor in Beijing, was already alarmed by the emergence of what he called an “American-style Cultural Revolution.” “The Cultural Revolution was essentially a power struggle,” he said. Similarly, Trump believes the “deep state” is out to get him. “Mao unleashed the Red Guards to ‘smash' the police, prosecutors, and courts, so that loyal revolutionaries could seize control of state machinery,” he said. Zhang was equally unsettled by the growing signs of a personality cult in Washington. In China, such a badge carries heavy political symbolism. “During Trump's presidential inauguration speech, Republican lawmakers all stood up and applauded with such fervor that it rivaled North Korea. “People are seeing all kinds of sycophancy in the US that would have once been unimaginable.” Trump has even publicly flirted with the idea of seeking an unconstitutional third term, saying he was “not joking” and claiming that “a lot of people want me to do it.” And he's great,” Trump said at the time in closed-door remarks obtained by CNN. Maybe we'll have to give that a shot someday.” All the parallels aside, the first 100 days of Trump's second term are radically different from Mao's Cultural Revolution, which devastated China, saw millions of people persecuted and resulted in more than 1.7 million deaths, according to the party's own count. Unlike Mao, Trump did not mobilize youths across America to form a nationwide, self-organized political movement. To Ding, the two leaders also differ dramatically in their global ambitions. “Whereas Mao's Cultural Revolution had a grand goal for China to replace the Soviet Union and become the sole guiding force for the global proletarian revolution, Trump's movement lacks such an ambitious, internationalist vision,” he said. “Instead, Trump has utterly damaged America's image, credibility, and influence within the global camp of liberal democracies.” In many ways, Trump is reshaping the global order. He has disrupted the transatlantic alliance – a cornerstone of Western security for decades – and pushed Asian allies to pay more for US protection. He also narrowed the focus of his global tariff war squarely on China, effectively cutting off trade between the world's largest economies – until both sides announced a 90-day reduction in tariffs on Monday. “The enthusiasm for Trump — from intellectuals and elites to ordinary people — reflects a deeper dissatisfaction with China's current political system,” he said. For many Maoists, Trump has sparked their renewed yearning for a political movement that can bring China closer to what they see as the social equality and ideological purity of the Mao era, Wu noted. “In this context, America's ‘Cultural Revolution' can be seen as a desperate response to the failure of democracy,” he said. But Zhang believes there's no need to be overly pessimistic. After Mao's final decade of turmoil and destruction, China moved away from the fervor of ideological and class struggles to focus on economic growth. “After all, every country makes mistakes — what matters is whether it can correct them in time,” Zhang said. If America can mend that contract before Trump and his MAGA movement inflict lasting damage…then there is still hope.

By Liu Jun, Executive Director of the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University, professor, Guancha media contributor, and Yang Shuping, PhD candidate at Moscow State University, young researcher at the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University Approximately 27 foreign heads of state attended the Red Square parade, highlighting Russia's influence on the international stage and signaling a break from Western diplomatic isolation. It also reinforced Russia's ties with friendly nations. However, the parade was not merely a response to Western sanctions and containment. More importantly, it served as a powerful historical symbol and collective memory – a tribute to the immense sacrifices made for the victory in the global anti-fascist war, and a solemn reaffirmation of that great triumph and enduring honor. At President Putin's invitation, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and attended the Victory Day events. President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia signals a shared commitment by China and Russia to promote an accurate understanding of World War II history, defend the post-war international order centered on the United Nations, and uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. At the bilateral level, the two countries will continue to deepen their partnership through high-level exchanges, using the stability of their relationship to offset global uncertainty and advancing strategic coordination to safeguard international fairness and justice. Eighty years ago, China and the Soviet Union fought side by side in the World Anti-Fascist War (World War II), forging a deep friendship through shared sacrifice. Today, Western countries manipulate ideology through historical nihilism, double standards, and discursive reconstruction, deliberately downplaying, distorting, or even rewriting the historical contributions of China and the Soviet Union in World War II. Against this backdrop, the renewed call by the Chinese and Russian leaders to “jointly uphold a correct view of WWII history” serves as a powerful rebuke to historical revisionism and falsification. It reflects a shared strategic resolve to break the West's monopoly on historical discourse and to defend international justice and collective memory. This is not only a shared responsibility to safeguard historical truth, but also a deep convergence between China and Russia in promoting the democratization of international relations, building a fair and equitable global order, and opposing unilateral hegemony. On May 8, China and Russia signed a series of cooperation documents, including two major joint statements. In addition, the two heads of state witnessed the exchange of multiple cooperation agreements in areas such as education, investment, culture, and science and technology. It also systematically establishes a comprehensive dialogue and cooperation framework that includes nuclear security, strategic deterrence balance, and governance of militarization of emerging technologies. Notably, this statement marks the first time that biological security, chemical weapons control, and military ethics in artificial intelligence have been included in the global strategic stability agenda, signaling a significant breakthrough for China and Russia in shaping a new international security paradigm for the future. At the bilateral cooperation level, President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin witnessed the exchange of 28 cooperation documents between China and Russia, covering areas such as trade, biosafety, investment protection, digital economy, scientific facilities, quarantine, media, film, and youth exchanges. Amid unprecedented global changes, the trajectory of China-Russia relations continues to attract international attention. Some speculate about a formal alliance or potential rifts due to diverging interests. In response, China and Russia have demonstrated through deepening cooperation that they are building a new type of major-country relationship based on “highest mutual trust, coordination, and strategic value.” As President Xi has emphasized, their relationship is driven by clear historical logic, strong internal momentum, and shared civilizational heritage, not aimed at or influenced by any third party. History is not only a repository of memories of the past, but also serves as the foundational basis for contemporary international relations, shaping value identities and acting as the spiritual pillar for a fair and just international order. These principles, derived from the collective sacrifices of the war, have provided a framework for diplomacy, conflict resolution, and global cooperation. In this context, the victory in WWII is not just a historical event, but an enduring legacy that continues to shape global governance and the international system. As the renowned Russian historian Vasily Klyuchevsky once said, “Those who refuse to learn from history will ultimately pay a heavy price for their ignorance and arrogance.” China also has a saying: “Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.” The significance of history lies in guiding us forward.

MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Moscow will soon respond to what Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called an "inadequate" move by Warsaw to shut down the Russian Consulate General in Krakow. "Warsaw deliberately seeks to ruin the relations, by acting against its citizens. An appropriate response to these inadequate steps will follow soon," the diplomat told TASS. Earlier on Monday, Polish Foreign Minster Radoslaw Sikorski decided to shut down the Russian Consulate General in Krakow. The decision followed what Sikorski called a sabotage attack on the Marywilska 44 shopping center, allegedly directed by Russian special services, he explained in a post on X. In October 2024, Poland's top diplomat decided to close the Russian Consulate General in Poznan, citing an alleged attempt by Russia to set fire to a plant factory in Wroclaw. In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry shut down the Polish Consulate in St. Petersburg.

"I believe both leaders are going to be there," U.S. President Donald Trump said. "I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," President Volodymyr Zelensky said. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent. The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity. Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12. "If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said. Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw. "Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, said. Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce. The French Presidential Office on May 12 dismissed a fake story pushed by Russia about a paper napkin seen during European leaders' visit to Kyiv. When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.This fake news is being spread by France's enemies, both abroad and at home. "When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted, showing a close-up of the tissue. "This fake news is being spread by France's enemies, both abroad and at home. The three European leaders, as well as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, visited Kyiv on May 10 to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. Zelensky and the European partners also endorsed an unconditional ceasefire with Russia starting on May 12, a proposal Moscow ignored. Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner.