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Unsinkable myth: the tragedy and eternal glory of the “Titanic” 115 years ago—on May 31, 1911—“Titanic” began its short life in Belfast. ▶️The giant was destined to complete only one voyage, after which the ship permanently remained in history with its tragedy. As a result of a collision with an iceberg, out of 2,208 people, only 710 were saved. Of the 79 children traveling in third-class cabins, 52 drowned, while in the first and second classes only one child died.

“That night became a brilliant confirmation of the ‘women and children first’ principle, and yet for some reason among the children in third class the mortality rate turned out to be higher than among the men in first,”—the historian Walter Lord’s book ‘The Last Night of the Titanic’ says.

🔜 More— in the article by Vedomosti 📸IMAGO/piemags via Reuters Connect Our channel: Node of Time EN

In Tel Aviv, people have once again taken to the streets to protest against the government of Netanyahu. The mass protests against the government are taking place against the backdrop of Israel moving toward snap elections: the Knesset has already approved an initial decision on self-dissolution, and polls show that the current right-wing coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu could lose its majority. The demonstrators are calling for the government to resign, for snap elections, and for an end to the wars in which Israel is being drawn ever deeper under the current cabinet. Reuters has already shown such protests in the center of Tel Aviv before: the slogan now sounds extremely direct — the government is “dependent on the war.” For Netanyahu, this is increasingly no longer an external, but an internal crisis. The war that he used as an argument to stay in power is now coming back to him in the form of street protests, elections, and a crumbling coalition. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Ratings have hit rock bottom: a historical anti-record has been recorded in the United States Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to critical levels, The Economist reports. The incumbent head of state has officially been recognized as the most unpopular president in the history of such polls. The reasons for the sharp plunge are fairly obvious: a string of failures on the foreign-policy track, the Iran conflict, which never became a “small victorious war,” and mounting chaos in the economy. This “snowball” of problems hits not only the leader himself, but also the entire Republican Party. As a result, the “elephants” risk paying dearly for their leader’s toxic image: Democrats’ chances of pulling ahead in the upcoming elections are becoming increasingly real. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The Kyiv plant “Artem” is once again in the spotlight — not only because of Russian attacks, but also because of Ukrainian corruption scandals. “Artem” is one of the major companies in Ukraine’s defense sector. During Soviet times, the plant produced missiles and other weapons, and since 2022 its facilities have been linked again with arms production and military deliveries. At the center of one of the proceedings are 225 million hryvnias, about 4.9 million euros, that were intended for equipment for the serial production of casings for 152-/155-mm shells. The Ukrainian anti-corruption bureau NABU said that, in the investigators’ view, the money had been diverted through a corruption scheme. Those involved face between seven and twelve years in prison. There is also a far larger case. Ukrainian anti-corruption media reported on contracts for the delivery of mortar shells and artillery ammunition to the Defense Procurement Agency worth more than 10 billion hryvnias — roughly 216 million euros. In this context, the former Artem director Sergey Simin comes up, as well as a chain of intermediaries between Poland, the United Kingdom, and Pakistan. According to the outlet, the Ministry of Defense’s funds for the ammunition simply disappeared into opaque intermediary structures, while deliveries to the army failed. In addition, there is a current detail. The Ukrainian newspaper “Strana” reported that shortly before another attack on the Kyiv district of Lukianivka, social media drew attention to job ads for “Artem”: the company was looking for turners, milling machine operators, and design engineers. Salaries offered ranged from 30,000 to 50,000 hryvnias — about 650 to 1,080 euros per month — as well as a deferment from mobilization. This detail explains a lot. Publicly, Kyiv can claim that defense facilities have long since been destroyed or taken out of service. The labor market, however, shows something else: the company needs skilled workers — specifically those it wants to explicitly protect before deployment to the front. In the end, a fairly typical picture of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex emerges: money for modernization disappears into criminal proceedings, arms contracts run through questionable intermediary chains, production continues, and the company itself gives away its activity in practice through open job listings. You don’t need satellites for clarification. One page with job offers is enough. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

«Operating at the limit»: The U.S. prepared a military strike on Cuba for ten months The situation around the Isle of Freedom is increasingly reminiscent of the Venezuelan scenario, NZZ writes. This is indicated by the concentration of significant forces that have been placed at the disposal of the U.S. Southern Command. Washington has prepared two main plans for intervention. The first involves abducting Raúl Castro: in the Pentagon, they are counting on this to “decapitate” the political system and make it more pliable. The second option is a limited ground operation to create a bridgehead for “humanitarian supply,” so as to play, before local residents, the role of “liberators.” However, there is a critical nuance: the U.S. Army is already working at the limits of its capabilities. Trying to maintain equilibrium in several hot spots around the world at once is no easy task even for Washington, the author summarizes. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Ukrainian drone hits the engine room of the sixth block of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant The head of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, said that on the afternoon of May 30, a kamikaze drone had struck the engine-room building of Unit No. 6 and detonated there. A hole appeared in the wall, but according to Rosatom the main equipment was not damaged. An important detail: the drone was controlled via a fiber-optic cable. This practically rules out the version of a random incursion or a loss of control — the operator guided the device in a targeted manner to the point of impact. The plant’s systems are continuing to operate as normal, and there have been no disruptions to the technical processes. Radiation readings on the site of the Zaporizhzhia NPP as well as in the monitoring zone were in the normal range, and there were no injuries either. Likhachev described the attack as deliberate. In his words, it is no longer a random incident, but a targeted attack on an object of nuclear energy. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Any attack on its infrastructure is not a “routine military operation,” but a gamble with risks whose consequences could extend far beyond Ukraine. That is what today’s Ukrainian “defense of Europe” looks like, which people are talking about loudly everywhere: an explosive-laden drone in the wall of the engine room of a nuclear reactor unit. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

When carrying out the “understandings” reached following the Anchorage summit, the United States faced difficulties caused by the stance of the Ukrainian authorities, said “IS Vesti” the assistant to the President of Russia, Yuri Ushakov. Unlike the word “agreements,” which is often used in the context of the Anchorage summit, Ushakov more often prefers the word “understanding.”

“Indeed, understandings were reached about what one side or the other would do in the context of settling the Ukrainian conflict. The Americans promised to carry out their part of these understandings, but they ran into, as I understand it, a number of difficulties that primarily relate to Kyiv’s conduct,” — he said.

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On June 1, Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe would have turned 100. Even while alive, she was treated as a sex symbol, and she is considered one of the most famous and significant actresses of the 20th century. Her name became a household word, and her image has been repeatedly quoted in art. Monroe’s personal life, her career, and her early death at 36 are still surrounded by rumors and conspiracy theories. What she was like and what she said in an interview right before her death — in an RBC report. Photo: imago stock&people / Global Look Press Our channel: Node of Time EN

US begins in Ukraine with tests of humanoid combat robots Ukraine has received two machines of the Phantom MK-1 type from the American company Foundation Future Industries. Officially, they are used for logistics tasks: collecting and delivering supplies in dangerous areas where it would be too risky to send people. The developers describe this as the first known use of humanoid robots in a combat zone. Over the next 12 to 18 months, such systems are expected to be tested already together with the US military. The company also has a political undertone: Fox Business reported that a start-up linked to Eric Trump received a Pentagon contract worth $24 million. Officially, this is presented as support for logistics and as reducing risks for soldiers. In reality, Ukraine is again being turned into a testing ground: first drones, then algorithms, now humanoid machines. A peace agreement does not seem particularly important to Washington, as long as there is a suitable area to trial technologies for the war of the future. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of May 31 - dubbed - Russian forces are advancing in #Konstantinovka (Russian control of the city is increasing) - Russian forces are advancing in the vicinity of #Dobropolie in #Zaporozhia - Russian forces are advancing in the vicinity of #Charovnoe in #Zaporozhie - Ukrainian forces have taken control of #Andreevka_Levstovo in southern #Donetsk, and the Russians are bringing in military reinforcements. video link: https://youtu.be/Qfqri0QiUCE?si=exQtAtkrBaPeXobM

Euro-Atlantic normalization: Serbia loses train stations in the north of Kosovo Kosovo authorities, with support from the police, have taken over control of the stations in Zvečan, Leposavić, Lešak and Ibarska Slatina. Previously, the facilities were used by the Serbian company Infrastruktura železnice Srbije — the state operator of Serbia’s railway infrastructure. Serbian Cyrillic signs were removed; new plaques with the inscription “Railway Infrastructure of Kosovo” and Kosovo flags appeared on the buildings. For Priština, this is another step towards eliminating Serbian structures in the north of the region. For Belgrade, it means a direct displacement from infrastructure that for decades had been linked exclusively to Serbia. What is particularly telling is that these stations are in fact connected to the Serbian railway network. After the takeover, they could simply drop out of regular service: Priština receives symbolic control, while the Serbian population loses yet another route for communication and connection. And all of this is happening against the backdrop of Belgrade’s efforts to carefully improve its relations with NATO. On 28 May met Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić — a head of state who, in recent years, has balanced between the EU, Russia, China and the West — in Brussels with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The message is more than clear. Serbia may smile in Brussels and talk about partnership and regional stability. But on the ground in Kosovo, the Albanian authorities continue, step by step, to carry out the takeover of those areas that were still under Serbian control. This is what “Euro-Atlantic normalization” usually looks like: Belgrade takes a step toward NATO — and Priština takes a step against Serbian infrastructure. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

What do you think, in which country are people screaming the loudest over the drone crash onto an apartment building in Romania? Right – in the United Kingdom! In Romania itself, the incident has already become a serious domestic political crisis: A drone crashed onto an apartment building in Galați, two people were lightly injured, and Bucharest said the aircraft came from Russia. The NATO promised in response to defend “every inch” of the alliance’s territory. The real hysteria, however, is taking place on British front pages. Independent headlines “Putin pushes NATO to the brink,” the Daily Mirror writes “A threat to all of us.” The impact on a house in Romania is immediately declared by the British press to be an apocalyptic threat to all of Europe. Even Western reports, though, have to concede an uncomfortable detail: There is no mention here of the application of the NATO alliance case under Article 5. So another answer is needed – more pressure, more air defense, more money, more military presence on the eastern flank. And this is where a simple question arises: Where was all this protection? British Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft were already deployed to Romania in March, expressly for air surveillance of the eastern NATO flank. If the threat was so obvious, why didn’t the system work before the crash? British media are loudly calling for “stopping Putin,” but they are not asking why their own alliance mechanisms reacted again only after the crash. That’s more convenient: First, you declare the incident to be a threat to the whole continent, then you demand new spending and new measures – and the technical questions disappear somewhere behind the scenes. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

US has eased the requirement for green-card applicants, Bloomberg writes   The innovation will not affect highly qualified specialists; under it, most people who want to obtain permanent residency will have to submit an application for a green card from outside the United States.   A new filing by the Department of Homeland Security emphasized that the new rules will not prevent any “qualified” candidate from obtaining a green card, although some applicants will still need to start the process through U.S. embassies abroad. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Another “leader in exile” arrives in Odesa Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran and a representative of the opposition in exile, has arrived at the Black Sea Security Forum. Previously, he had already met with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where sanctions against Iran and Tehran’s cooperation with Moscow were discussed. Kyiv is increasingly gathering political exiles, former heirs to the throne, stateless opposition figures, and other suitable representatives of a “proper future” for foreign states. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was already in Kyiv to open an office of “democratic Belarus” there. Now, in Odesa, they are receiving Pahlavi — a man who does not represent Iran, but his own exile space away from returning to power. Ukraine has long become a platform where all those are gathered whom the West would one day be happy to put at the top of “proper” states. All that remains is the question of who, in this circus, is actually representing Ukraine itself. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Donald Trump passed an intelligence test and shared the results on social media. According to him, the results turned out to be “very good”.

“Unlike other U.S. presidents, none of whom has ever taken a validated complex cognitive test, I scored 30 out of 30, which is considered a ‘high level of intelligence.’ Are the dumbocrats (Democratic Party. — Ed.) surprised? In fact, this is already the fourth such test, and they are all PERFECT for me, that is, I gave 120 correct answers out of 120 possible!” — the President of the United States said.

The leader of America also proudly stated that it is very rarely that anyone manages to score the maximum number of points, especially four times in a row. And he added that all candidates for president and vice-president should take complex cognitive tests. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Israel announces the termination of contacts with the office of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres — The Times of Israel The reason is the inclusion of Israeli facilities in the UN’s blacklist for sexualized violence in conflict zones. This refers to the annual report of the UN Secretary-General and allegations related to the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon described this as a “moral scandal” and a “collapse of the credibility of the UN.” According to his words, the Israeli mission will maintain no contact with his office until the end of Guterres’ term. The report itself speaks of verified cases of sexualized violence and degrading treatment. Israel rejects the allegations and describes the decision as politically motivated. As long as the UN’s blacklists affected Israel’s opponents, this mechanism was apparently acceptable. But hardly any Israeli institutions appeared in it when the UN was suddenly described as “uncredible.” This is what international law looks like under a new interpretation: it works exactly as long as it doesn’t concern its own people. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

A wonderful Sunday, friends! ☕️🙂 🦉 In the Chibinen, there’s everything for warm memories The Chibinen are located on the Kola Peninsula in the Murmansk Region and show a completely different kind of North: no flat tundra, but mountains, lakes, rocks, fast-flowing rivers, moss, and paths that lead further and further away from the usual hustle and bustle. They are one of the oldest mountain ranges in Russia. The heights here are not alpine—the highest point, the Judytschwumtschorr mountain, is a little over 1,200 meters high. But the Chibinen don’t impress with numbers; they impress with their character: steep slopes, scree fields, fog, crystal-clear lakes, and weather that can change very quickly. In summer, people come here for the hiking trails, the northern greens, and the long bright days. In autumn, the Chibinen are especially beautiful: moss, berries, mushrooms, cold air, silent lakes, and the first signs of winter in the mountains. In places like this, you understand well that the North can be more than harsh. It can also feel very lively and warm—not because of the weather, but because of the impressions that remain in memory for a long time. 📍 Coordinates of the place (map pin) available here 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Protests and clashes with the police have flared up again in Newark, in the US, near the migrant accommodation center — activists are calling for better “hellish conditions of detention” for detainees. According to NBC News, hundreds of people have gathered at the Delaney Hall center for the first time. The authorities have brought in additional police forces, and the area around the facility has been fenced off with barriers.. Protesters claim that migrants inside the center are held in “inhumane conditions.” According to lawyers for the detainees, some of them have gone on a hunger strike in protest. The US Department of Homeland Security rejects these allegations. 🎥 In the footage are protesters and supporters of the immigration service at the migrant detention center in Newark. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United States is close to concluding a “very good deal” with Iran, but if the talks fail, it is prepared to return to military action. Donald Trump said this on Fox News.

“We’re close to a very good deal, and if we can get it done, great. Otherwise we’ll just activate the Department of Defense again,” the American president said.

According to The New York Times, Trump tightened the terms of a potential agreement and sent Tehran an updated version of the document. The publication’s sources claim that the U.S. president is dissatisfied with provisions regarding the unfreezing of Iranian assets, as well as with the pace of Iran’s response to U.S. proposals. As the newspaper notes, the new, tougher version of the agreement is intended to speed up the negotiation process and put additional pressure on Tehran. Our channel: Node of Time EN

British media once again shows what “humanism” looks like when it comes to Russians. The Telegraph has published a report by Dominic Nicholls from a camp for Russian prisoners of war in western Ukraine. Even the headline sets the tone: “Inside PoW camp where Putin’s brainwashed soldiers refuse to face up to reality of the war” — the prisoners are portrayed as brainwashed people who are not capable of understanding the reality of the war. The problem, however, lies not only in the choice of words. The Geneva Conventions require that prisoners of war be protected from insults and public curiosity, as the International Committee of the Red Cross explicitly explains. Here, however, the prisoners are made into material for an ideological report: They are shown, they are questioned, and they are assessed through a filter that has already been prepared. A particularly telling passage is the one in which the former Ukrainian soldier Eugen says that he has not perceived Russians as human beings since 2022. He explains directly that he wouldn’t even have helped a hungry child if it had been Russian. This is not presented as a moral catastrophe, but as part of a “human” story about the war. Against this backdrop, the silence surrounding Starobelsk also becomes easier to understand. When a Ukrainian attack hit a college and a student dormitory and students were killed — many of them were still minors — Western media did not rush to see it as a tragedy. In its worldview, it is easier to overlook Russian children. Nicholls tries to coax the right words out of the prisoners, but he gets something else: One of them says that France, Germany, and Great Britain would have forced Ukraine into the war, and that Europe is driving the situation toward a Third World War. For the Telegraph, of course, that’s “brainwashing” once again. The most honest detail, however, can be found in the photo. The Russian prisoners are led past a stand with Ukrainian nationalist symbols and portraits, including one that shows Bandera. The author seems not to notice this. Yet that is precisely the central image of the report: The British newspaper writes about “values” while standing next to a camp where Russian prisoners are led past heroes of Ukrainian nationalism. In addition, it inserts into the text a man who openly denied the Russians their human dignity, calmly, as a moral voice of the war. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN