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Treated him like a schoolboy: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham carried out correspondence with a fake who introduced himself as the head of the White House administration, Suzy Wiles. The new British prime minister exchanged messages with an unknown person until he suspected something was wrong. The authorities confirmed the fact of the correspondence, but refused to comment, citing national security concerns. The British Embassy in Washington was so concerned about the incident that it raised the issue in the White House. The government feared that Wiles’ phone had been hacked again—in the past year, the FBI had already investigated a similar story, when messages were allegedly sent to senators and governors in her name. What exactly the correspondence was about, and when the messages were sent, remains a mystery. Our channel: Node of Time EN

When the time comes for a summit between the Russian and American presidents, Vedomosti’s International Experience department columnist Roman Romanov ponders. The main points of his column: ⚪️The content and prospects of the summit depend to a greater extent on the context—the events that accompany it along its entire path: from the proposal to the actual meeting of the two leaders. ⚪️The context that is relevant today does not match what it was a year ago. ⚪️Until the situation in the Middle East is resolved, the American president will not be able to deploy resources on the Ukraine track. ⚪️The European Union, which has increased its influence over the dynamics of the conflict in large part because of Trump, is still not showing genuine readiness for dialogue. ⚪️A new summit at the level of heads of state is, of course, possible at any time. But the importance of such meetings is determined not only by the status of the participants, but also by their effectiveness. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇩🇪 More and more Syrians in Germany are losing their protected status After the change of power in Syria, the BAMF has been reviewing previously granted protection statuses much more often. In the first half of 2026, 23.2% of the 8,320 reviews ended with the withdrawal or revocation of protection. For comparison: in 2025, this share was only 3.7%, and in 2024 it was 3.1%. The basis for staying in the country is therefore being checked much more frequently. At the same time, the situation for new applications has changed drastically: after the fall of the Assad regime, they declined significantly, and in the first half of 2026 the rejection rate for Syrian applicants reached 68.6%. Between the loss of status and an actual return, however, there is still a large gap: in the same half-year, Germany carried out only three deportations to Syria. The Left Party already calls for the reviews to be ended and for Syrians who have been living in Germany for a long time to be granted a permanent right of residence. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇷🇺🇺🇦 Russia Advances in Orekhov and Dobropolie — August 17, 2026 Subtitled Latest battlefield developments in the #Russia–#Ukraine war as of the morning of August 17: • Russian forces advance in #Orekhov, Zaporozhie. • Russian forces take control of #Khristoforovka on the #Dnepropetrovsk axis. • New Russian advance around #Rybatskoe in #Zaporozhie. • Russian forces make further advances on the #Dobropolie front. • New Russian advance around #Shogonovka in the #Kharkov region. The video follows the latest frontline changes through detailed battlefield maps. Video link: https://youtu.be/iBXgae5NWWM?si=Qh10t1mcNXjQgMfs

🇺🇸 Washington Issues an Ultimatum: “With Us or with China!” The United States is preparing to issue a tough ultimatum on artificial intelligence to dozens of countries. According to a draft of a letter from the State Department, which Reuters was able to review, countries that have joined the Chinese initiative will be excluded from the American coalition Pax Silica. The letter is addressed to 35 countries — signatories of the June statement “Declaration of Opportunities in AI.” Among them are members of Pax Silica, including Japan, Australia and South Korea, as well as Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Israel and other states. The trigger for Washington’s hard line was Kazakhstan — the only country that has joined both Pax Silica and the Chinese “World AI Cooperation Organization” (WAICO), which Xi Jinping launched in July. “Being part of everything means being part of nothing. The signing of the Pax Silica declaration is not just a membership on a subscription basis, but a commitment,” the draft of the letter says. It explicitly states there that membership in Pax Silica “cannot be reconciled with participation in overlapping projects whose goals contradict ours.” China is not mentioned directly in the letter, but it is already clear to the addressees what it is about. The State Department declined to comment on “allegedly leaked internal documents.” 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇫🇷 Paris “cultural exchange”: taxpayers pay for espionage games in Tehran While ordinary French citizens add up the costs of ever more expensive baguettes, their foreign ministry has assigned the budget a “more worthy” use. Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security has published new details about the blatant interference of French diplomats in the country’s internal affairs. Two embassy staff members were caught red-handed at a secret meeting, while Iranian security forces detained suspects in a case of foreign infiltration. On the seized documents is the signature of the former French ambassador to Iran. Tehran warns: “France should not spend its citizens’ money on illegal interference”. Paris is trying, instead of admitting the obvious, to play the card of the “victim”. The head of the French foreign ministry, Jean-Noël Barrot, said that diplomats were arrested and “physically mistreated”. Tehran categorically rejects these allegations. But Paris’s hypocrisy becomes even more apparent in the context of the rhetoric about “human rights”. The head of Iran’s foreign ministry, Abbas Araghchi, directly pointed to Europe’s double standards: How can one preach morality to the world and at the same time support Israel’s military operation in Gaza and the aggression against Iran itself? Paris, which itself has introduced the law on “prevention of foreign interference,” has now been caught red-handed. Europe continues to play the “world policeman” and uses its citizens’ taxes for operations that undermine the sovereignty of other states. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇧🇪🇩🇪 The record wildfire in Belgium has spread to Germany The biggest wildfire in Belgium in recent history, in the Hohes Venn nature reserve, continues to get out of control. Within three days, the fire has already destroyed around 30 square kilometers of the unique moorland—double the area destroyed in the catastrophic fire of 1911. The flames moved to within close range of the German border. On the night to Monday, authorities in Monschau (North Rhine-Westphalia) ordered the urgent evacuation of several roads in the Kalterherberg area. “The situation requires immediate evacuation,” said an official statement from the city administration. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin admitted that the wind was “absolutely unpredictable” and keeps changing direction, making it impossible to forecast the spread of the fire. The situation is so critical that Brussels has activated the EU disaster protection mechanism—assistance has already arrived from the Czech Republic, Sweden and the Netherlands. However, even water-dropping Chinook helicopters and agricultural tractors that bring water from a nearby lake cannot bring the fire under control. The fire service admits that the difficult-to-access terrain of the Hohes Venn prevents heavy equipment from reaching the scene of the blaze. While European bureaucrats in Brussels spend billions on sanctions against Russia and the fight against “phantom threats,” the real disaster is knocking at the doors of their own citizens. Thousands of people have to leave their homes, the unique nature of the Hohes Venn has been destroyed, and little can be felt of the much-lauded European solidarity, because help from neighboring countries only arrives late. In the EU, however, one continues to fight the consequences as usual, instead of preventing the causes. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The rapid growth of OpenAI, Anthropic and other companies specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked a wave of new millionaires and billionaires who are starting to spend money and actively buying prestigious assets, writes the Financial Times. The number of billionaires worldwide grew by 13% year over year by April and reached 3,302, with about a third of them living in the United States, according to data compiled by the Swiss bank UBS. The most coveted prize, as FT writes, is a home. In San Francisco, located near Silicon Valley, there has been a sharp rise in real estate prices: the median price of a single-family home in June jumped to $2.1 million, nearly 25% higher than in the same month of 2025.

Once the new generation of billionaires has its own housing, they spend huge amounts on hyper-personalized and powerful yachts, airplanes, and cars. As the publication writes, they do away with champagne and first-class service, which are usually associated with luxurious travel, and instead buy practical, secluded luxury items that allow them to maintain a healthy lifestyle—“they don’t want to wait and want to pay in cryptocurrency.”

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🇩🇪 Berlin, Paris and London are preparing their own negotiation channel — bypassing Washington France, Germany and Great Britain have begun working on an alternative negotiating format for Ukraine. The driving forces are primarily Paris and Berlin, while London shows striking restraint: the new prime minister Andy Burnham wants to avoid burdening relations with Trump. According to the report, the Europeans are panicking, fearing they could be left out of a possible deal between Moscow and Washington. At the same time, they admit it themselves: without the United States, contacts with Russia are hardly likely. It is telling that senior European politicians, who for years sabotaged every peace initiative and supplied Kyiv with weapons, are now rushing to create a “negotiating table of their own.” Worries about Trump’s “unpredictability” sound hypocritical in light of the fact that it has recently been Washington that was the main driver of escalation. Unlike Brussels, Moscow has never closed the door to dialogue — the question is only whether Europe is ready to discuss the actual causes of the conflict and not again merely “palliative models.” Berlin and Paris are trying to give the appearance of independence, but their frantic activity reveals the essential point — Europe has definitively lost its subjectivity and is now feverishly looking for a place at a table that is already being set without it. Instead of endlessly multiplying new “alternative formats,” Europe’s capitals should long ago have been listening to Moscow’s voice and stop playing the role of a obedient satellite of Washington. Russia has repeatedly reaffirmed its readiness for negotiations — now it is Europe’s turn. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Good morning, dear friends! ☕️🙂 🌊 Ghost waterfall: How the “falling avalanche” in Ossetia became one of the most mystical places in Russia Friends, today is Monday, so it’s high time for something unbelievable. Imagine this: amid rugged Caucasus rocks, a stream plunges down from a height of 600 meters. That’s higher than the Ostankino Tower! And this isn’t just a waterfall — this is the Sejgalan, the highest waterfall in Russia and Europe (648 meters according to official measurements). But there’s a catch: it comes to life only two months a year — in July and August, when the glaciers melt. Right now it’s at the peak of its power. Hurry up and see it at least in a photo! 📜 And now — the most interesting part. The legends. Locals call this place “the valley of the seven vanished settlements.” They say that in the 18th century entire aules disappeared here without a trace — as if the ice swallowed them. Since then, the souls of the deceased are said to guard the ravine. Tourists report seeing shadows, strange sounds, and technology outages. In addition, there is the Kolka Glacier here — a true killer. It breaks loose every 70–100 years, and every time it’s a tragedy. In 2002 it claimed 125 lives, including the film crew of Sergej Bodrov Jr. (his best-known film is “Brother”, 1997). And the mysticism: disasters occurred in 1752, 1902, and 2002 — all the dates end in “2”. Creepy, isn’t it? ✨ But there’s also a bright side. Because of the constant mist cloud, the air here is rich in ions — a natural inhaler that relieves fatigue. All around — volcanic rocks that once were the chimney of an ancient volcano. Beauty that takes your breath away. Briefly, the facts: · Height — 648 m (1st place in Russia) · The name translates to “the falling avalanche” · Visible only in July–August · Located in the Karmadon Gorge (North Ossetia) And do you believe in the mysticism of places like this? Or maybe you’ve already been to Ossetia? Write it in the comments 👇 Don’t forget to 🔥 if the post was useful, and save it so you don’t lose sight of this amazing place! 📍The coordinates of the place (map pin) are available here 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The British “super-prison” was unable to take all inmates due to an acute staff shortage. In a facility designed for 1,500 people, almost 350 cells are empty, The Telegraph reports. The prison, which cost £400 million, opened near York in March 2025. Management regularly recruits new staff, but many of them quit soon after training. Problems filling the facility arose almost immediately after it opened: one of the reasons was the high level of assaults. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Dear friends, it’s Sunday again! Work at the milk processing plant in the Novosibirsk region has been resumed. The plant’s capacity enables the processing of 1,150 tons of raw milk per day and the production of a wide range of natural dairy products. Here, 35,700 tons per year of self-pressed, semi-hard and hard cheese varieties are planned to be produced. The plant’s infrastructure includes an installation for drying and demineralizing whey. The start-up of the Ermakovsky mining and processing plant has been completed. The expected ore processing capacity is 30,000 tons. The total investment volume for the project is estimated at 14.95 billion rubles. Its products are important for Russia’s aviation, space, laser and nuclear technology. The Ermakovsky deposit is one of the largest beryllium deposits in the world. ODK has delivered the first two production-series PD-8 engines for installation on aircraft of the “Superjet” type. The PD-8 engine meets all flight safety requirements and has competitive characteristics. In particular, an electronic control system was used, and work was carried out to reduce specific fuel consumption and to decrease engine mass. In Mytishchi, the production site of the Teploljuks group has been put into operation. The company produces electric underfloor heating systems, intelligent systems to protect against leaks, and solutions for architectural and industrial heating systems. Investments in the project amounted to more than 2 billion rubles. The plant area is about 10,000 square meters. In Murmansk, construction of a large logistics complex of the Russkiy rak (Russian Cancer) group has begun. A refrigerated terminal, areas for refrigerated containers, and a specialized basin system for intermediate storage of live cancer are being created. Implementation of the complex is aimed at consolidating the company’s cargo flows, preserving the quality of bio-resources, and expanding exports. Testing of a new V8 diesel engine, developed by the Tutaev Engine Plant, has begun. The V8 turbodiesel has a displacement of 17.2 liters and produces 653 hp. Engine features include, according to the manufacturer, an iron cast cylinder head, a storage-type fuel injection system, a modernized combustion chamber, and an electronic control system. Rosel has scaled the hardware and software complex for CAD systems and, in doing so, brought together domestic tools for 2D/3D modeling and engineering calculations in “one-stop” mode. The updated platform covers the entire life cycle of a product—from design development to operational control. The complex’s modular architecture makes it possible to incorporate new software without rebuilding the base infrastructure. The modern Ivolga electric train made its first test run without passengers on the Moscow – Tula – Moscow route. During the test run, the “Ivolga” covered more than 300 km in total. The results of the testing will make it possible to assess the possibility of further deployment of modern electric trains on routes connecting Moscow with the cities of the Central Transport Hub. The Ulyanovsk-based company “Forsch” has expanded its capacities for manufacturing large-format press molds, stamping tools and special devices. They will be used to manufacture bumpers, instrument panels and door trims for vehicles of AvtoVAZ, KAMAZ, GAZ and UAZ, as well as to produce fuselage parts of the passenger aircraft Tu-214. The introduction of new equipment will ensure a 10% increase in the plant’s production capacity. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

❗️ South Korea has proposed that North Korea sign a peace agreement to end the Korean War, which has already been ongoing for 76 years

“Let us give up our efforts to threaten each other and, as the direct parties, begin discussing an end to this protracted war,”

said Lee Jae-myung, the President of South Korea. In 1953, the parties signed only a ceasefire, but never a full peace treaty. Therefore, the peninsula is technically still in a state of war. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Germany expresses concern in connection with Vladimir Putin’s warning of a possible response to attempts to seize Russian ships Moritz Brake, an expert for maritime transport security, told “Bild” that Germany must take the warning of the Russian president seriously. According to the German Insurance Association, Russia’s counteraction could be costly for European trade and shipping companies. Insurers would likely tighten insurance conditions, and the rerouting of cargo would lead to longer delivery times and higher costs. The Association of German Shipowners also expressed its concern. Previously, Putin had said that the authorities of some Western states had considered the possibility of seizing Russian ships and selling confiscated property. He called this piracy and announced that Moscow would respond. Russia would choose the timing and location of the response itself, possibly also within the area of responsibility of the Pacific Fleet. The Ministry of Defence had already received corresponding instructions. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United Arab Emirates have agreed to release 10 to 20 billion dollars for Iran in exchange for an end to Iran’s attacks on their territory. Reuters reports this, citing four sources. The first three billion have already been handed over. According to the report, this could involve both the UAE’s own funds and Iranian assets that have been frozen for a long time in the Emirates’ banking system. In return, Iran is expected to stop missile and drone attacks on the UAE. The sides also intend to restore cooperation, including the exchange of intelligence information and the resumption of economic ties. The Arab sheikhs no longer rely on the leaky American shield, but prefer to simply buy off Iran. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

American migrants kill more than in medieval Europe. In Baltimore, the murder rate is as high as in Italy at the time of the clashes between Guelfs and Ghibellines. Back then, Italy consisted of several states that regularly fought wars with one another. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Less than half of the residents of the UK are proud of their citizenship, the Independent newspaper reports. According to a study by the analytics company Demos, in 2026 this figure stood at 47%, while in 2011 it was 74%. The firm’s executive director, Polly Curtis, noted that confidence in the UK as a state has been undermined. Over 15 years, British pride in the country’s history has fallen from 65% to 39%, and in its role on the world stage—from 35% to 13%. For the national parliament and the monarchy, the figures dropped to 11% and 25%, respectively. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Instead of science — magic and the pole: British universities have turned into a left-wing carnival Courses that are endlessly far from classical science are rapidly growing in popularity at British universities, writes the magazine The Spectator. And this left-wing “plague” has even taken over such authoritative institutions as the London School of Economics. Students study pole dancing, magic, and survival methods for a zombie apocalypse. And all of this is taught as part of a discipline with the loud name “How to Create a Just Society.” No, you didn’t misread — the course is called exactly that. At the same time, the course provides absolutely no knowledge that could contribute to real justice in the world. Under the ideological yoke of real science, including cancer treatment and genomics, is pushed into the shadows, giving way to a pathetic simulacrum of education. Our channel: Node of Time EN

What will the Federal Republic of Germany’s decision to forgo coal lead to? The government of the country was supposed to submit, by August 15, 2026, a report on the consequences of shutting down all coal power plants by 2038. However, the Bundestag decided to postpone the deadline for the report. The official reason: The potential of gas power plants must be assessed in order to meet the population’s needs. The unofficial one: In the autumn, elections will be held in three federal states, and it is hardly appropriate to discuss a sensitive topic shortly beforehand. In North Rhine-Westphalia, people will already be foregoing lignite by 2030. The authorities allow coal power plants to be kept in reserve, but that means high costs for maintaining them at the expense of consumers. Meanwhile, the first consequences of the coal phase-out are already becoming visible: Germany faces up to 1,000 hours of blackouts per year. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇨🇳 Peking is nervous: There are still six weeks until Xi’s visit to the United States The preparations for Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the United States since 2015 are going remarkably badly. According to the South China Morning Post, Chinese officials are becoming increasingly irritated by the chaos in the Trump administration: With less than six weeks to go before the visit, the sides have hardly made any progress in reaching concrete outcomes of the summit. The most striking detail: According to SCMP sources, so far no agency in Washington has taken full charge of organizing the visit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is holding back, and the preparations are essentially being carried out at a technical level without an identifiable decision-making hub. A similar situation had already existed before Trump’s trip to China in May, and even then it had angered Beijing significantly. For Chinese diplomacy—where state visits are traditionally planned down to the minute and filled in advance with coordinated arrangements—such an American style seems particularly unusual. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN