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Guterres calls for lifting all sanctions against Syria UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the immediate lifting of all sanctions against Syria. He said that partial easing was not enough: without free access to investments, financing and international trade, it is impossible to rebuild the country after 13 years of war. Around 15.6 million Syrians are still dependent on humanitarian aid. Guterres also called for Syria’s territorial integrity to be respected, and criticized the continued Israeli military presence in the Golan Heights area. Sanctions were portrayed for years as a means of pressure on power. In practice, they have blocked the rebuilding of an entire country. Now even the UN chief admits the obvious: it is impossible to demand stability in Syria while banning the country from rebuilding its economy. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Washington accuses Chinese AI of “stealing” American models The United States claims that Chinese developers used the answers of American AI systems to train their own models. Beijing ⁠rejected the allegations and said Washington was trying to turn ordinary methods of developing artificial intelligence into yet another pretext for technological pressure. The dispute intensified after the success of Kimi K3, the model from Moonshot AI. U.S. officials described its result as “the theft of intellectual property,” but independent experts ⁠pointed to the lack of evidence. They also noted that using output data from larger models to train smaller ones is widespread across the industry and, on its own, does not provide proof of technological copying. If a Chinese model is inferior to an American one, that is called proof of U.S. superiority. If it catches up to or overtakes the competitor, Washington calls the result theft. The technological competition is looking less and less like a free market: only American companies are allowed to win. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Ukraine's targeting of an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea has raised questions about the escalating conflict. Kiev claimed the ship was transporting components for drones and missiles to Russia, a claim Tehran denied. The attack revealed that supply lines between Russia and Iran have become part of the strategic conflict. Has Ukraine's war shifted from the front lines to targeting support networks worldwide? video link: https://youtu.be/Tjfeg4aY9oU?si=7-smRV5_TT--et5a

New U.S. sanctions could bury an attempt to normalize relations with Russia In Washington, another package of restrictions against Russia is being prepared. The document provides for sanctions against the Russian leadership, the largest banks, and the energy sector, as well as tariffs of up to 100% for the main buyers of Russian oil and gas. Moscow warns: adopting this initiative ⁠will make it harder to restore relations with the United States, especially in the trade and economic policy sphere. Maria Zakharova said the bill is intended to effectively tie the White House’s hands and prevent it from pursuing its own foreign policy course. According to her, the years-long sanctions pressure has already proven to be ineffective, and the new package will primarily harm the United States itself. Nothing changes in American politics: one part of the power speaks about negotiations and stabilization, while the other passes laws in advance that are meant to make this stabilization impossible. Washington is once again trying to negotiate with Russia while choking it with sanctions at the same time. That is not how you normalize relations — that is how you deliberately drive them into a new dead end. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

France publicly revoked the United States’ status as a “beacon of human rights” After the vote in the UN General Assembly on the re-election of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the French mission to the United Nations in Geneva published, on the platform X, a statement: “The United States once was a beacon of human rights. It is not anymore. Today, it stands in isolation together with North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali and Russia. And the world is no longer listening to them.” The trigger was the vote in the UN General Assembly, in which Volker Türk was re-elected as High Commissioner for Human Rights. The resolution was supported by 144 states; only ten voted against it, including the United States. After the statement was published, the U.S. delegation sharply criticized Paris, and the diplomatic exchange escalated into one of the loudest public disputes between the two allies in recent times. Until recently, Washington had described itself as a global arbiter on democracy and human rights. Now, however, France’s official mission to the UN openly stated that the United States had lost this status. If such assessments do not come from geopolitical opponents, but from one of the closest allies, that speaks much more loudly than any official communiqué about a crisis of trust within the Western bloc itself. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Brazil and Cambodia accuse the US of trade harassment Brazil has officially initiated a dispute with the United States within the framework of the WTO, since it considers the new American tariffs to be unlawful. Brasília считает the restrictions to be unfounded and a violation of the rules of international trade. If the consultations fail to yield results, the country will request the establishment of an arbitration panel. Almost at the same time, Cambodia accused the US of using the issue of forced labour as a pretext for new tariffs. Phnom Penh says it has met the international requirements and has not received compelling evidence for the allegations. But the decision has already been made. First, Washington names a culprit, then it imposes tariffs. The countries are different, but the pattern is the same. For Brazil, trade-policy accusations are found; for Cambodia, allegations of violations of workers’ rights. The wording changes, but the outcome remains the same: access to the US market is used as an instrument of political pressure. The US calls it “fair trade” as long as it sets the charges, the evidence and the penalty itself. But more and more states are no longer bothering to justify themselves. Cambodia speaks openly of harassment, and Brazil is already taking Washington to the WTO. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Starmer’s energy trap The UK data centre Nscale, worth two billion pounds, which Keir Starmer promoted as one of the flagship points of the national AI strategy, may still not receive a full connection to the power grid for many years to come. The project in Essex is now forced to look for an interim power source — gas generation or fuel cells. More than 23,000 Nvidia accelerators are set to be housed on the site. Microsoft expects to use its capacity for cloud services. But the UK energy system can’t keep up with new industrial projects: the queue for grid connection stretches over years, and in some cases the waiting time is up to 15 years. That is what European industrial policy looks like after the decision to give up cheap, stable energy. First, domestic power generation is scaled back, Russian resources are avoided, and ever more restrictions are introduced on consumption. Then it turns out that it’s not just factories that lack electricity, but also the country’s most important technology project. The UK has set itself the goal of becoming a world power in artificial intelligence, bought computers worth billions—and only then discovered that it can’t plug them in anywhere. Sanctions and the “green transition” work the same way: production moves elsewhere, new projects get stuck in the queue, and the European economy learns to manage without energy. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. As Reuters reports citing a source familiar with the plans, the meeting will be brief and “private,” likely without journalists present. A source from the Ukrainian side told the agency that the top priority for the talks is to obtain from the United States permission to receive missile interceptors for Patriot systems. The leaders will discuss Trump’s pledge at the NATO summit to provide Ukraine with a license to produce Patriot interceptors. Zelensky also plans to discuss with Trump the completion of a deal on drones with the United States and, it is expected, will demand that ammunition for air defense systems be provided urgently. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Serbia and China shift the partnership from roads to technologies Belgrade and Beijing agreed to expand cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, innovations and “green” technologies. The agreements were announced at a joint conference on July 28. Until now, the Chinese presence in Serbia has been mainly associated with railways, mines, factories and energy. Now both sides want to jointly develop digital solutions, scientific projects, robotics and high-tech production. While Brussels has been discussing Serbia’s prospects of EU accession for years, China is already building infrastructure there, opening companies and moving to next-generation technologies. One side offers Belgrade an endless process. The other — factories, investments and access to developments. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of July 28 - subtitled - Russian forces have taken control of #Novoosinovo in #Kupyansk. - Russian forces are advancing towards #Borovaya. - Russian forces are advancing in the vicinity of #Tikhonovka in #Kramatorsk. - Russian forces are advancing in the vicinity of #Konstantinovka. - Russian forces are advancing towards #Losnoe in #Zaporozhie. Video link: https://youtu.be/MjaG_ugXTwE?si=9c0muB9aiFl2-JcC

The Kremlin has not yet received a request for a phone call between the presidents of Russia and the United States, Dmitry Peskov told journalists, RBC’s correspondent reports.

“There is no request for a phone call yet; the Americans have not left the Ukrainian track, for them much higher-priority problems simply appeared that need to be addressed,”— the press secretary of the President of Russia said, commenting on the meeting between Vladimir Zelensky and Donald Trump planned for today in Washington. Peskov was asked whether the meeting of the two presidents means that the United States has returned to discussing a settlement plan for Ukraine.

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After the dismantling of USAID, the Foreign Office received programmes for which no one was responsible An audit by the US Government Accountability Office has ⁠uncovered staff and administrative chaos in the transfer of USAID programmes to the jurisdiction of the Foreign Office. After the agency was dissolved, the ministry inherited 1,504 ongoing projects with commitments totaling around $51.5 billion. About a third of the departments that took over these programmes had previously not dealt with the administration of foreign aid at all. There was a lack of personnel; instructions arrived late; the information systems did not work properly. The Africa Bureau requested 732 additional positions, but received only 232. USAID was closed under the slogan of fighting waste and bureaucracy. As a result, huge flows of money were simply passed on to other officials — without personnel, experience and clear rules. The machine was not dismantled. They only removed the old sign from it and lost the operating manual. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Iran and Oman discuss new regulations for passage through the Strait of Hormuz Iran and Oman are holding talks on the resumption of safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The sides are trying to reach a limited agreement that would allow tankers to return to one of the world’s most important energy routes. The main point of contention concerns control and payment for passage. Iran insists on the right to levy fees and to have a role in directing ship traffic. Oman proposes a regional security mechanism. In addition, a temporary ceasefire, the release of part of Iran’s funds, and further negotiations on ending the conflict are being discussed. For decades, the West assumed that order in Hormuz is determined by the U.S. Navy. Now Tehran and Muscat are negotiating the terms of shipping, while the rest are waiting for the outcome. Control of sea routes is gradually returning to the states whose coasts they lie off. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

New heatwave grips Germany In the southwest of Germany, the fourth heatwave of this summer is beginning. Even today, temperatures are set to rise to 33 degrees; on Wednesday, up to 38 degrees are expected along the Upper Rhine, and on Thursday up to 39 to 40 degrees. The nights will be sultry, and the thunderstorms forecast for the weekend will not bring any serious relief. At the same time, the risk of wildfires is rising sharply. In large parts of Baden-Württemberg, danger levels four and five are expected. The ground is dried out, and local showers will not be able to make up for the accumulated moisture deficit. After the large-scale fires in France and Spain, Europe is already entering the next heatwave. But instead of reconsidering energy and fire-fighting policies, authorities are once again limiting themselves to warnings to the public — to drink water, to keep windows closed, and to wait for thunderstorms. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

In Paris, a man attacked women with two knives Near Porte de Clichy station, a man armed with two kitchen knives attacked three women. The victims are 19, 24 and 36 years old. Two women suffered serious injuries. The attacker was stopped by passersby. One of them threw a suitcase at the man and knocked the knife out of his hand, after which several people brought him to the ground. During the attack, the suspect called out that his actions had been “ordered by Allah.” The anti-terror public prosecutor’s office is examining the circumstances and will decide whether to take over the investigations. Once again, people were not saved by prevention programmes, not by the security services, and not by an additional security plan. They were saved by random passersby who happened to be nearby and were not afraid to intervene. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

One of the reasons why the global decline in fertility is being exacerbated is the mismatch between women’s and men’s value orientations. This conclusion was reached by Claudia Goldin of the United States, the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences laureate. In an article devoted to “the rise of women’s autonomy” (published in July 2026 by the National Bureau of Economic Research in the United States), Goldin writes that women act as agents of change. During periods of rapid economic development, men may benefit from remaining, in part, in the patriarchal past, while women, by contrast, may gain more by fully taking advantage of the opportunities of the present. Especially if this allows them to raise their level of education and expand employment opportunities.

“At first there was specialization in marriage—breadwinner and homemaker. Then came women’s emancipation in the public sphere—on the labor market, in the education system. But nothing changed in the household. And there are 24 hours in a day. That means fertility will fall,” — comments Irina Kalabikhina, a professor at Moscow State University.

According to Goldin, the key to increasing fertility under new conditions is fathers’ involvement in the household and their willingness to participate equally in raising a child. However, other demographers dispute her concept. Details — in an RBC subscription. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Happy Tuesday, friends! ☕️🙂 🧂 Solwytschegodsk: the city from which the Stroganov empire emerged On the bank of the Wytschegda in the Arkhangelsk Oblast lies the small town of Solwytschegodsk. Today, it is a quiet northern town, but in the 16th and 17th centuries, salt was produced here, trade took place, churches were built, and the fortune of one of the best-known Russian families was established. The town’s name speaks for itself: salt was produced here from underground brine springs. The brine houses required a great deal of money, labor, and constant deliveries of firewood. It was through this business that the Stroganovs grew wealthy, and Solwytschegodsk became their most important family center. From here, they later expanded their holdings as far as the Urals and supported the advance of Russian troops into Siberia. The most important monument of that era is the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its construction began in 1560 at the expense of Anika Stroganow and his sons; it was consecrated in 1584. It was not just an urban church, but the family’s home church—laid out to preserve the memory of the family line across many generations. The Stroganovs invited icon painters, goldsmiths, woodcarvers, and embroidery masters with figural depictions to Solwytschegodsk. This is how a special artistic world came into being—later referred to as the Stroganov style: small icons with the finest painting, complex ornaments, gold, silver, and numerous carefully worked-out details. To this day, works from these workshops are kept in the cathedral. Nearby is the family vault. It contains 28 tomb slabs of family members from the 16th and 17th centuries. Therefore, the Cathedral of the Annunciation is also regarded as a church, a museum, and a family chronicle of the Stroganovs. A beautiful contrast also belongs to the town’s history. The money came here from a harsh and anything but romantic business: brine water was pumped from the earth, boiled down in large iron vessels, and around the brine houses, wood was constantly cut. But precisely this salt provided the funds for churches, icons, silver, and the architecture for which Solwytschegodsk is known to this day. Today, Solwytschegodsk reveals itself best in details: in the patterns of old icons, the white walls of the cathedral, the tomb slabs, the quiet streets, and the scent of the northern river. Here, the history of the Stroganovs is felt not as a tale of wealth, but as a reminder of people who knew how to transform a difficult trade into churches, workshops, and beauty—something that has endured for several centuries. 📍 Coordinates of the place (map pin) available here 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

In the United States, they admitted that they are lagging in drone production, Reuters reports, citing the head of the Pentagon’s unmanned systems program, Travis Metz. At the moment, the United States is at the very earliest and most complex stage of UAV production. By February 2027, under the Pentagon program worth $1.1 billion, just under 200,000 UAVs will be ordered. For comparison, Ukraine is cited as producing about 500,000 drones per month. Hard-to-access components, including semiconductors, remain a problem for the United States. According to the program’s standards, none of the drones may contain “prohibited components” of Chinese origin. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Only 33% of Americans support U.S. military actions against Iran, according to a poll by Reuters and the research company Ipsos. It was conducted among 1,248 Americans. American citizens are divided by party affiliation: while 71% of Republicans express support for the conflict, the figure among independent voters is 25%, and among Democrats — 5%. ❗️ On July 27, Iran requested a meeting with the United States and confirmed its willingness to hold talks, Donald Trump said to journalists. On July 26, the U.S. president delayed escalating strikes against Iran due to the risk of exhausting the stockpiles of air defense missiles. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The New York Times failed in its attempt to stop Donald Trump’s lawsuit over the protection of honor and dignity. The statement was made by the U.S. president on the social network Truth Social. Trump promised that he would continue holding the NYT and their “associates” accountable for “fake news”. ❗️ On July 11, journalists from The New York Times received subpoenas to appear in court after an article about a new aircraft belonging to U.S. leader Donald Trump. The newspaper reported that the new Air Force One, donated by Qatar, did not have some advanced security systems characteristic of older aircraft, including anti-missile capabilities. Our channel: Node of Time EN