Aldrich Ames, a former high-ranking CIA officer recognized as one of the most destructive spies in US history, died at the age of 85 in a federal prison in Maryland. He was serving a life sentence for spying for the Soviet Union and Russia. Ames, who worked in the CIA's...
Russia’s shadow fleet and the threat to the Black Sea
On December 15, 2024, a major environmental disaster occurred in the Black Sea, near the Kerch Strait. During a severe storm, the Russian oil tanker Volgoneft-212 broke apart and sank. The vessel Volgoneft-239 also suffered critical damage and was washed ashore. Both tankers were carrying heavy fuel oil. These vessels,...
US operation in Venezuela: political motives, international reaction, and risks
On the night of January 3, the US conducted an unprecedented military operation on Venezuelan territory, as a result of which American special forces captured the country's incumbent president, Nicolás Maduro, and took him to the US, where he is to stand trial on charges of narco-terrorism and participation in...
Keir Starmer made an unexpected statement about a profound “reset” of Brexit
At the beginning of the new year, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a sharp statement that many politicians and media outlets are already calling the most unexpected turn in British politics since Brexit. In an interview with the BBC, the prime minister announced that a special bill was being...
The cost of creating a “drone wall” for the EU: estimates and project details
The European Union is actively promoting the European Drone Defense Initiative; a project aimed at protecting its eastern borders from Russian drones. The initiative arose against the backdrop of frequent incidents involving violations of EU airspace, including cases over Poland, Romania, and the Baltic states. This is not a physical...
Germany views Russia’s hybrid attacks as preparation for a large-scale war
In a secret document, the German Ministry of Defense assesses the intensification of Russian hybrid attacks on the country's critical infrastructure as possible preparation for a broader military conflict with NATO. This was reported by Bloomberg, citing the OPLAN (Operational Plan for Germany) military plan it had obtained. According to...
Former Great Ormond Street Hospital surgeon suspected of harming nearly 100 children
An independent review of cases treated at the prestigious Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London has found that former orthopedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar caused harm to between 85 and 100 children during lower limb surgery. According to a report published following an examination of 789 patients operated on by...
The UK has introduced a ban on advertising unhealthy foods on television and the internet
Today, new strict restrictions on advertising products high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS, or “unhealthy foods”) came into force in the UK. The ban introduces a 9 p.m. cut-off time for television: advertising of such products is prohibited until 9 p.m. In addition, paid online advertising of these products...
Khamenei prepares plan to flee to Moscow amid protests in Iran — intelligence report
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has developed a secret “plan B” to flee to Russia in case security forces are unable to suppress mass protests or begin to desert. This was reported by the British newspaper The Times, citing an intelligence community report. According to intelligence sources, the plan...
The NHS crisis: between reforms and reality
The maternity services of the UK's National Health Service (NHS) are currently experiencing one of their most challenging periods. What were recently perceived as isolated incidents of concern are now increasingly recognized as a systemic crisis affecting the safety of mothers and newborns across the country. Staff shortages, deteriorating conditions...