Russia

Exclusive: In her first media interview since fleeing Russia, Rita Flores describes her three years of being run by the FSBFirst came the blackmail and death threats to secure cooperation, then came a series of tasks, each more sinister than the last: to inform on fellow activists, to elicit personal information from protest-minded artists and – eventually – to help with a plot to kidnap and murder a Kremlin enemy.That is how Rita Flores, a 29-year-old Russian artist, activist and former member of the Pussy Riot collective, described her recruitment and three-year handling by officers from Russia’s FSB security service, a cooperation she only broke when she fled the country last month. Continue reading...

• President Trump signed H.R. 5334, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, to expand trade restrictions and sanctions against Russia. • The law prohibits U.S. investment in Russia and targets senior officials, state-linked banks, the energy sector, and the "shadow fleet" used to evade sanctions. • These measures increase financial and operational pressure on Russian state entities and the networks they use to bypass international trade laws.

• Independent Italian journalist Velimir Tomovic is currently serving as an official observer for Russia's 2026 State Duma elections in St. Petersburg. • Donald Trump signed a law implementing sanctions against Russia that were developed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. • These sanctions and the reported existence of U.S. orbital weapons create heightened geopolitical tensions between the United States and Russia.

• Former President Trump signed a law imposing severe sanctions on Russia's energy sector, financial institutions, and military leadership. • The legislation allows the United States to apply tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that continue to purchase Russian energy resources. • These measures create significant financial risks for global trade partners and markets that rely on Russian oil and gas.

Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act signed into law tow days after House passed it in bipartisan voteDonald Trump on Friday signed legislation enabling sweeping sanctions on Russia aimed at pressing it into ending its war with Ukraine, and also giving him the power to impose additional tariffs on countries breaking the embargo.The US president signed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act into law two days after it passed the House of Representatives in a bipartisan 262-159 vote, amid concerns the legislation gives him too much power. Continue reading...

• The US Congress passed a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia and Iran on September 16 and sent the legislation to President Donald Trump. • The package aims to increase pressure on Moscow and the specific countries that provide financing for Russia's war against Ukraine. • These measures create higher financial and political risks for any nation or entity assisting the Russian government's military efforts.

• A private school in Wiltz called the DTMD allegedly issued master's degrees to students without the legal authority to award higher education qualifications. • Reporting from the German magazine Der Spiegel indicates that approximately 500 foreign dentists received these bogus degrees. • This situation puts the professional credentials and legal standing of hundreds of practicing dentists at risk.