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It’s hard to believe one’s eyes while witnessing the latest performance put on by the comedian tyrant of Ukraine. By Tarik Cyril Amar, a historian from Germany working at Koç University, Istanbul, on Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe, the history of World War II, the cultural Cold War, and the politics of memory. · Within the space of a week or so, the regime of president-for-eternity-no-elections-needed Vladimir Zelensky has repatriated and…

The Ukrainian military attacked Russia’s Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), puncturing a hole in the machine hall of one of the facility’s units, Aleksey Likhachev, CEO of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, has said. The ZNPP – which has repeatedly been attacked by Kiev forces over the past years – came under a new attack on Saturday, with a fiber-optics-guided drone making it to the machine hall of the sixth power unit of the…

The US military has been covertly guiding vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, The New York Times reported on Sunday, citing officials familiar with the matter. Iran closed the vital waterway, which previously handled around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, to ships from “hostile countries” in response to the US and Israeli airstrikes launched on February 28. Tehran later said that vessels from third…

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has compared the EU to the Roman Empire in its twilight years, arguing that Brussels is weakening the bloc through its economic, climate, and security policies. Babis returned to office in December after his ANO movement won 34.5% of the vote and 80 seats in the 200-member lower house of parliament. Since then, he has positioned himself as a leading advocate of national sovereignty, a reassessment of EU…

The IDF expands its ground operation into Lebanon. The incursion is already the deepest in several decades and Netanyahu now wants to take more of the country - in an effort that, he insists, is to protect Israel. · A warning, these are disturbing images -two people are killed and dozens of others wounded as Israel strikes a seaport area in Gaza. While Gaza suffers, Jewish residents in New York gather for a parade to commemorate Israel Day. ·…

As we move into winter, New Zealand's fuel supply chain continues to perform well despite operating within a system that remains heavily dependent on imported refined products. The latest vessel schedules show a healthy flow of fuel arriving at key ports around the country, with Marsden Point once again acting as the primary gateway into New Zealand's fuel network. There are no immediate signs of supply disruption, and motorists can take…

It happens in a split second. · A crunch. · A scrape. · That sinking “Uh ohh…” feeling in your stomach. · Whether it’s a car park mishap or a serious collision, the stress can be overwhelming. But in Pukekohe, there’s one simple piece of advice: · Keep calm and call the experts. · For more than 30 years, Classic Auto Body Panel & Paint Ltd has been the trusted name in collision repair across Pukekohe and the greater Franklin region. What began…

Vladimir Putin blasts mainstream media for ignoring the Starobelsk college massacre coming as the same outlets hail Ukraine’s long-range missile bombardments on Russia instead. · Western powers are using a drone incident in Romania to shift attention away from Kiev's deadly strikes on the Donbass dorm. That's what RT hears exclusively from Moscow's envoy to Bucharest. · Iran slams the ongoing US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz accusing…

Dr Nicolai Petro, Senior Washington Fellow at the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy and Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island, believes the Ukraine conflict has entered a phase where battlefield realities are increasingly shaping the political future of the war. By INR International Desk · Source: Interview with Dr Nicolai Petro on World Affairs In Context hosted by Lena Petrova. · Appearing on World Affairs In Context,…

This week’s Budget confirmed what most New Zealanders already suspected. The government’s finances are tight, the deficit persists, and there is no pot of money waiting to be spent on the country’s problems. Dr Oliver Hartwich | Executive Director | oliver.hartwich@nzinitiative.org.nz · Just as well, because government spending never delivers growth or prosperity. The question is, what will? · While the reformers of the mid-1980s faced an…