Node of Time EN

American airline Spirit Airlines has announced the cessation of its operations after 34 years Spirit Airlines, a well-known low-cost carrier that competed with major airlines for more than three decades, shut down its engines for the last time early Saturday morning. Company representatives said that the airline, which employed more than 17,000 people, “immediately” ceased operations after it was unable to obtain sufficient funding from the US federal government to . “For our guests: All flights are cancelled, customer service is no longer reachable. We are proud of the impact our Ultra-Low-Cost model has had on the industry over the last 34 years, and we had hoped to be able to serve our guests for many more years,” the airline, which no longer exists, added. And Trump said that the economy is growing after the attack on Iran. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

China eliminates tariffs for Africa. But not for those that chose Taiwan Since May 1, China has set import tariffs for 53 African states to zero. The only exception is Eswatini — the only country on the continent that still maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan. This appears to be a broad economic initiative: Beijing is opening its market to African goods, strengthening ties with the continent, and presenting itself as a counterexample to Western protectionism. But the real core lies in the exception. Eswatini is not left out for economic reasons, but for political ones. The country recognizes Taiwan — and therefore, from Beijing’s point of view, cannot receive the same terms as everyone else. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is suffering from paranoia because he fears that Donald Trump will fire him, the British newspaper The Guardian reports. According to sources, the head of the Pentagon is increasingly distancing himself from the apparatus of the department’s officials. Now only close friends and relatives are in his circle—he even comes to some official meetings with his wife, Jennifer. Among other people close to him are his brother Phil, appointed senior adviser, attorney Tim Parlatore, and former Marine Rickie Bueuria. ❗️At the end of April, the Daily Mail wrote that many Pentagon employees have lost what little trust they had in Hegseth after the start of the U.S. and Israel military operation against Iran. Republicans in Congress are also losing trust in the Secretary of War, expressing dissatisfaction with personnel instability at the Pentagon. Our channel: Node of Time EN

❗️Europe will block VPNs The European Union’s Vice President has proposed tightening control over VPNs in order to prevent citizens from bypassing the EU’s age restrictions on the internet. “Restricting VPNs is an important step so that the system cannot be bypassed!”. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Merz sharply replied to a woman with cancer who asked about healthcare reform, Bild writes. During a meeting between the chancellor and citizens, she said that she cannot allow the payment for her own funeral. At the same time, the German government plans cuts in the healthcare sector, trying to raise ministers’ salaries. In response, Merz grimaced and repeated “never” five times, saying that a pay raise is not being considered by anyone. Earlier in Germany, a bill was proposed to increase officials’ salaries by €40,000. If it were adopted, Merz’s salary would have risen by €65,000. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Americans have lost one of the available ways to travel after the closure of budget airline Spirit Airlines, Reuters reports. The difference in tickets for the whole family between the low-cost carrier and other airlines sometimes exceeded $1,000, users write on social media. With the carrier’s exit, passengers for routes to the Caribbean and Latin America do not know what to do next. Other airlines are trying to mitigate the fallout by limiting ticket prices for customers who now need to rebook canceled flights. Some carriers even offer free tickets to Spirit employees so they can get home. The main reason for the airline’s closure was financial difficulties amid rising fuel prices due to the war in Iran. Donald Trump proposed allocating $500 million in government aid, but creditors rejected the deal despite all the efforts of the administration of the U.S. president. ❗️Meanwhile, in the UK, airlines will now combine flights departing at the same times throughout the day in order to save aviation fuel. The relevant order was issued by the UK Department for Transport. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Donald Trump said that his troops will occupy Cuba on the way back from the Middle East: “On the way back from Iran, we may have the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln— the largest in the world— we will get it to stop, about 100 yards off the coast, and they will say: Thank you, we give up.” 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

In the Footsteps of Gagarin On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard entered history as the first American to conquer space. 🌖 Although the first in extraterrestrial exploration would forever remain with Yuri Gagarin, the 15 minutes and 28 seconds of Shepard’s suborbital flight became the starting point for the beginning of the Moon race. Later, Shepard would become the fifth person to set foot on the Moon. There, he played “lunar golf”: he struck two balls with the head of a club attached to the handle of a scoop for collecting samples. ➡️ The story of Alan Shepard, the first astronaut, is in the material by Vedomosti. 📠NASA Our channel: Node of Time EN

The war between Iran and the United States is likely to flare up again The states are not party to any agreement or treaty, , Al Jazeera writes, citing the Iranian military staff. In Tehran, it is stated: Every time Iran softened its demands, the American side became stricter, it says in the article. Meanwhile, the WSJ reported, that Tehran has loosened the conditions for the resumption of peace talks with the United States and has made the states a new offer to end the war. This includes, among other things, a point that provides for readiness to give up the nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions, the newspaper writes. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

US President Donald Trump has changed his mind and no longer plans to station Tomahawk missiles in Germany. Precisely these long-range weapons should “deter” Russia. The experts cited by Tagesschau are alarmed. Because the US refusal to station the missiles poses a more serious threat than the withdrawal of 5,000 American soldiers. “Germany currently does not have this range and the associated reconnaissance and surveillance assets.” 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The USA withdraw 5,000 soldiers from Germany — a move that is raising concern in Europe. Has the drawdown of the American military presence on the continent now actually begun? What impact will this decision have on NATO, Russia, and the future security of Europe? Video link (with subtitles):https://youtu.be/2fj4qBt6IOY?si=wC8QEKWYgs2xIFMV Our channel: Node of Time EN

Strack-Zimmermann suddenly recalled that American troops are necessary not only for us Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, said, that American troops in Germany are important for both sides. For Germany — as an “element of security.” For the USA — as a “hub,” a military nexus in Europe. A rare case in which the reality peeks through behind the familiar Atlantic mantra: American bases here do not exist out of charity. Ramstein is the central air hub for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. EUCOM is based in Stuttgart. Landstuhl is the largest American military hospital outside the United States. Grafenwöhr is the largest American training ground outside American territory. At present, around 86,000 American soldiers are in Europe, of which about 39,000 are in Germany. Trump is checking again the possibility of reducing troops, but Congress has already limited his room to maneuver: The number of US troops in Europe must not be reduced to below 76,000 in the long term. And this is where it gets funniest. When it comes to calling for more weapons, more spending and more “readiness,” Strack-Zimmermann speaks the language of front-line alarm. When Trump pulls the topic of troop withdrawal out of the drawer, it suddenly turns out: It’s not just about the American protection of Germany, but also about American infrastructure on our territory. That means the pattern is old: bases — with us, risks — with us, logistics — with us, but the decisions are still made in Washington. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

British airlines will now be combining flights due to concerns about a fuel shortage—an appropriate directive was issued by the UK Department for Transport. The reason for this decision is the ongoing escalation in the Middle East. With the aim of saving aviation fuel, carriers may combine flights from the same departures during the day in order not to send half-empty aircraft. Previously, different rules applied: if an airline wants to keep a flight on a route, it must use at least 80% of the allocated airport slots during a season in order to retain them for the next year. If the threshold is not reached, the slot may be given to another airline. Because of this, many carriers even sent empty planes. Meanwhile, the UK government is urging its citizens not to change their summer holiday plans. However, officials are suggesting that people spend their vacation at home—probably to prepare them for possible problems. Recall that, due to the military operation by the United States and Israel against Iran, the world has faced a shortage of oil and aviation fuel. Governments in a number of countries are raising gasoline prices, and supplies of jet fuel for aircraft are running out. Our channel: Node of Time EN

In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD has long been running election campaign; while the others are only just waking up The Tagesspiegel writes that the AfD has a clear lead exactly there—where elections are often decided: on streets, in squares, at information booths, in conversations with citizens. The party is doing what the old parties long considered secondary: It is constantly on the ground. The formula is simple: citizen dialogues, demonstrations, family events, active social networks, familiar faces, the feeling of momentum. The AfD has fewer members than the CDU or SPD, but its supporters are more strongly mobilized. Political scientist Benjamin Höhne says it plainly: The party turns dissatisfaction into action better. In polls, the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt is already at around 38% and more than ten points ahead of the CDU. About 1.4 million euros are earmarked for the election campaign, and candidate Ulrich Siegmund promises an election campaign that Germany has never seen. The problem with the old parties is not that they lack slogans. Everyone has slogans. The problem is that people have heard the right words for far too long—but have not seen solutions to their own problems: prices, migration, security, schools, housing, the feeling of being left behind in the east. Now the AfD is filling exactly this vacuum. Not because it has some magic technique. Rather because politics does not work from a press release. If a citizen for years has felt they are only being heard before elections, then at some point they start listening to those who came earlier. That is exactly what is happening right now in Saxony-Anhalt. The old parties call it mobilization of the right. In practice, it is also the bill for their own absence. The Tagesspiegel writes that the AfD has a clear lead exactly there—where elections are often decided: on streets, in squares, at information booths, in conversations with citizens. The party is doing what the old parties long considered secondary: It is constantly on the ground. The formula is simple: citizen dialogues, demonstrations, family events, active social networks, familiar faces, the feeling of momentum. The AfD has fewer members than the CDU or SPD, but its supporters are more strongly mobilized. Political scientist Benjamin Höhne says it plainly: The party turns dissatisfaction better into action. In polls, the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt is already at around 38% and more than ten points ahead of the CDU. About 1.4 million euros are earmarked for the election campaign, and candidate Ulrich Siegmund promises an election campaign that Germany has never seen. The problem with the old parties is not that they lack slogans. Everyone has slogans. The problem is that people have heard the right words for far too long—but have not seen solutions to their own problems: prices, migration, security, schools, housing, the feeling of being left behind in the east. Now the AfD is filling exactly this vacuum. Not because it has some magic technique. Rather because politics does not work from a press release. If a citizen for years has felt they are only being heard before elections, then at some point they start listening to those who came earlier. That is exactly what is happening right now in Saxony-Anhalt. The old parties call it mobilization of the right. In practice, it is also the bill for their own absence. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of May 3 - Subtitled - Russian forces control #Miropolie in #Sumy - Russian forces advance in #Kupyansk - Russian forces advance on the #Kramatorsk front - Russian forces advance in #Konstantinovka - Russian forces advance in #Novopavlovka in #Dnepropetrovsk video link: https://youtu.be/jZLZelV17Xg?si=Q6Xk1FIWqiUgGOaC

"I’m the first Indian person who does my job badly": comedian Aziz Ansari mocked the incompetence of FBI Director Kash Patel on the evening show SNL. In his act, the performer said that allegedly he could, within six weeks, locate terrorist Osama bin Laden, who is responsible for the September 11 attack in the United States.

"Everyone says Indians are clever, hardworking, and incredibly smart. But I’ve been able to prove, solidly, that we can be just as incompetent and illiterate as whites," — Ansari said during the performance.

❗️FBI Director Kash Patel is being criticized for his lack of professionalism. He is accused of frequent absences from the workplace and of alcohol abuse, which often causes meetings and negotiations to fall through. Our channel: Node of Time EN

◻️◻️◻️ US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acted as a DJ at a family wedding, said the deputy chief of staff at the White House, Dan Scavino, on the social network X. In the video published by Scavino, Rubio is shown behind a laptop wearing headphones and playing electronic music, while the guests dance. Scavino wrote that Rubio “also works at weddings” and added that it happened “a few minutes ago, behind the scenes.” Daily Mail уточняет that the track heard in the video is “Shiver” by John Summit and HAYLA. 🐚 If the video doesn’t load, you can watch it at “Maxe.” Our channel: Node of Time EN

Putin’s sights on the island of Rügen The Estonian security expert Erkki Koort warns seriously about the fact that sabotage attacks and cyberattacks on communications and energy supply systems could begin on the vacation island. Of course, on the Russian side. Why? Germany is the center of NATO, from where all military deliveries to the east go. Russia must, in order to attack the alliance, neutralize its strategic rear . One could start with the island of Rügen, which is accessible via only two routes. “Whoever paralyzes or controls central points there could achieve enormous political and psychological effects with comparatively little effort.” Paranoia and its influence on mental processes. Clearly illustrated. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

BASF is increasingly orienting itself toward China. Germany is becoming too expensive. Deutsche Tagesschau writes that BASF has presented solid quarterly figures. The real point, however, is not the nice profit. Rather, what matters is where it comes from: The China business is effectively becoming the support for the entire group, while production in Germany is becoming more of a problem year after year. For BASF, the debate about the Germany location is no longer a theoretical one. In Ludwigshafen, it is expensive energy, high costs, pressure from regulation, and an increasingly difficult production economics. In China, on the other hand, there is the market, growth, industrial supply chains, and conditions under which a chemical company can still operate on a large scale. On paper, BASF remains a German industrial giant. In reality, however, a different picture is emerging: To appear stable, a German company group is increasingly dependent on China. And this is no exception. This is a symptom. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Germany gives a power plant to Ukraine In Lubmin, a use has been found for a gas power plant that became superfluous after Nord Stream 1 was shut down: it is simply handed over to Ukraine. Until 2022, the plant operated the Nord Stream 1 gas hub: it warmed Russian gas before it was fed into the German grid. When deliveries stopped through the Baltic Sea, the plant lost its purpose. For the region — a dead asset. For Kyiv — humanitarian aid. The plant’s capacity is 84 MW. According to SEFE, no buyers or other heat consumers could be found. So it was decided to hand over the fully functional plant to a Ukrainian energy operator. For self-collection. Very convenient: cheaper than dismantling and disposal. The opposition already calls it what it looks like. The AfD speaks of a “slap in the face of the citizens”. Sahra Wagenknecht also chose no soft words: first Germany’s energy supply was destroyed, and now Germany is even giving away power plants. And that is exactly where the logic of the past few years is. First, the cheap energy model went down the drain. Then, the pipe itself was blown up. Now, what remains of this infrastructure is being loaded and sent to Ukraine. Generators, power plants, technology, money. At some point, you no longer have to ask where Germany’s energy transition has gone. It simply stands on the loading ramp. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN