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🇮🇷🇵🇰 The Iranian gas pipeline has been pulled back out of the drawer The Iran–Pakistan Pipeline project has been discussed for decades. Iran built its portion of the pipeline up to the Pakistani border many years ago; Pakistan has not started construction of its 781 km section to date. Now Islamabad is looking for a way out. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has set up a special committee tasked with finding a “solution acceptable to both sides” for the Iran–Pakistan pipeline. The reason for the sudden resurgence is very much material: the dispute is already in an international arbitration proceeding in Paris, and Iran’s potential claims could amount to billions of dollars. Pakistan is caught between two unpleasant options. If it abandons the project, it will have to deal with Iran and possible enormous compensation. If it begins construction, there is a risk of American secondary sanctions. At the same time, the country actually needs the gas. Pakistan is regularly confronted with a fuel shortage, and neighboring country Iran has some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves. That is why the Pakistani Dawn directly writes that stable deliveries from Iran could help solve the gas shortage problem. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is preparing to accuse Russia of an incident involving drones at Leipzig airport and to announce new large-scale sanctions, Politico reports, citing sources.

"In connection with the incident in Leipzig, it is not enough simply to expel diplomats or to close the 'Russian House'. More stringent measures were required, such as tightening sanctions or even larger-scale arms deliveries to Ukraine", — a source for the outlet said.

The measures could be announced as early as the beginning of next week, ahead of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union countries in Ireland, Politico уточняет. ❗️In early August, at Leipzig airport several drones were found, one of which, carrying explosives, crashed into a Ukrainian cargo aircraft. Later, German media reported the discovery of a third UAV and traces of explosive material. In Russia’s SVR, they said that the law enforcement agencies of Germany are seriously considering Ukraine’s involvement in this incident. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇩🇪 Russia’s answer to the West’s AI fears: Man remains the boss While more and more voices are being raised in Europe and the USA warning against the disenfranchisement of humans by Artificial Intelligence, the Russian philosopher and methodologist Yuri Gromyko outlined a completely different path in a widely discussed conversation. For Russia, it is clear: AI is not a ruler, but a servant — a tool for unlocking the endless expanses, building new cities, and reviving forgotten regions. The Russian mathematical school continues to be among the best in the world — the case of Grigori Perelman, who solved a millennium problem and refused the prize because, to him, the result mattered more than the hype, speaks for itself. Gromyko thinks in concrete projects: autonomous transport systems, a hovertrain between Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, which cuts travel time to one hour, and the revival of the Non-Black-Earth region through flax cultivation — a culture that not only provides fine fabrics, but also raw materials for powder, cellulose, and composite materials. “The shirt grows in the field,” he says — and means a new symbiosis of technology and tradition that reconnects people with their land. While the West sees digitalization primarily as a threat to its own identity, Russia is betting on a “multi-infrastructure” that allows digital nomads to become rooted again without losing cultural continuity. In the German debate about AI, fears of losing control and job losses predominate. Russia shows that it can also be done differently: technology as an assistant, not a substitute. Human beings remain the benchmark; their natural intellect is the guiding authority. Perhaps one should ask in Berlin and Brussels whether the one-sided fixation on regulation is not obscuring the view of what really matters — the creative, sovereign person who rules over his tools and not the other way around. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

NASA will not be able to independently bring the astronauts back to the Moon and is counting on close cooperation with private aerospace companies. NASA chief Jared Isaacman said this in an interview with Fox News. Isaacman noted that NASA will not be able to carry out all of its ambitious plans solely using its own resources: commercial companies, technology developers, and private capital are needed. He links such a partnership to the task of maintaining the United States’ leadership in today’s space race. According to him, the agency’s specialists are working around the clock on the SLS launch vehicle for the “Artemis 3” mission and are preparing the Orion spacecraft. At the same time, the spacesuits for the mission are being developed by Axiom Space, and the landing modules are being made by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇮🇷 Iran: “We are already waging a comprehensive economic war” The military confrontation is gradually changing its form. The spokesman for the Iranian parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, said the country is in a state of “comprehensive economic war”. According to him, after the military and sanctions-related pressure, the economy, the population’s purchasing power, employment, and the stability of the private sector will become the main battleground. Ghalibaf said that it is precisely the support for domestic production and for companies that must enable Iran to withstand the new phase of American pressure. The wording did not appear by chance. Washington is not only trying to maintain the sanctions, but also to limit as much as possible Tehran’s ability to generate export revenues and to conduct international trade. Iran, in turn, is trying to redirect trade relationships around countries that do not want to comply with the American restrictions. Only recently, Pakistan publicly said that it does not consider the unilateral US sanctions against Iran to be binding. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇨🇳🇺🇸 Chinese hackers gained access to NASA, the Fed, the Department of Justice, and the US Senate The US Department of Justice has announced the dismantling of the infrastructure of two hacker platforms, QScan and QTRouter, it said, which, according to Washington’s account, were used by a China-supported group to carry out attacks on US government agencies. The list of targets is impressive. The Department of Justice states that among the victims were ⁠NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice itself, the Department of Health, the National Institutes of Health, and the US Senate. According to the investigation, the infrastructure was built by the Chinese company Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, and its services were used, among other things, by offices of the Ministry of State Security of the People’s Republic of China and the People’s Liberation Army of China. The approach was highly sophisticated: thousands of internet-connected devices were infected worldwide, after which they were converted into an intermediary network. This made it possible for an attack on an American organization to appear as though it did not come from China, but essentially from any other country. The FBI and the Department of Justice now say that ⁠the domains required to operate both platforms have been seized, which has effectively taken QScan and QTRouter out of service. Beijing rejects the allegations and calls for China to no longer be linked to cyberattacks without sufficient evidence. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇨🇭 Switzerland votes on a return to strict neutrality – sanctions against Russia are also up for consideration On September 27, the Swiss will decide whether the principle of permanent armed neutrality should be enshrined in the constitution. The initiative prohibits Switzerland from joining military alliances, participating in conflicts involving third states, and, above all, independently imposing sanctions on belligerent states. Only UN sanctions and measures against their circumvention are to remain exempt. For Russia, this is of particular importance, since after 2022 Switzerland has joined the EU sanctions almost entirely, even though there was no decision by the UN Security Council. If the initiative is adopted, Bern will no longer be able to freely follow Brussels’ sanctions policy in the same way. However, the text of the initiative does not promise an automatic lifting of the already existing restrictions—this would have to be decided separately. In other words, the question is put to the Swiss of whether a neutral state should actually be neutral—even if Brussels demands that it join the next sanctions package. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇯🇵 Japan is drastically speeding up the buildup of drone defenses The Japanese Ministry of Defense has decided to urgently develop a cost-effective means against Shahed-type attack drones, so that it does not have to use expensive air-defense missiles against them. To this end, the procurement agency ATLA has launched a special accelerated program: 38 companies submitted proposals. After selection and testing, it was the Japanese Terra B1 by Terra Drone that made it into the final as the only one. In late August it completed, as the only demonstration, flight tests, after which the state signed a contract for its series production. The Terra B1 is an interceptor drone that launches from a ground station to destroy long-range attack drones. In its development, Terra Drone used experience from the conflict in Ukraine as well as technologies from companies working there with interceptor drones. The entire process, from the start of the program to contract signing, took about three months—for Japanese military procurement, that is a unprecedentedly fast process. The first units are expected to be handed over to the Maritime Self-Defense Forces as early as September. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Ottawa city council is considering renaming a street named after Trump. One of the options being considered is Taco Avenue—a reference to the abbreviation Trump Always Chickens Out (Trump always chickens out), reports CNN, citing Ottawa city council member Tim Tierney. The article notes that the residential street in the Central Park area of Ottawa has borne the name of the American president for about 25 years. The city also has Staten Way, Madison Park, and Gotham Private, which refer to the United States. However, due to deteriorating relations between the countries, local authorities believe that having Trump’s name on one of the streets is “a disgrace.” The vote on renaming took place one day before a Trump executive order, which provides for renaming Lake Ontario as the “America Lake.” Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, refused to acknowledge the renaming of the lake. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇪🇺🇷🇺 Kyiv is once again running out of money – that is why Brussels is recalling Russia’s reserves Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and Poland have officially put one of the most controversial issues of recent years back on the European agenda. In a joint letter, the four governments call on them to have the use of 210 billion euros in frozen Russian state assets for financing Ukraine examined again. Most of this money is in Belgium. Why is the question coming up again now? The EU has already agreed a loan for Ukraine of 90 billion euros for the years 2026–2027, which is 45 billion euros per year. But the math does not add up again. Zelenskyy informed the European allies of an additional deficit of around 23 billion euros in the defense budget. In Brussels, they now fear that the agreed 90 billion euros for the originally calculated period will not be enough. There is also a political deadline: in 2027, elections will be held in several major European countries, including France, Italy, Poland and Spain. That is why supporters of the initiative want to secure Ukraine’s financing in advance. However, the old problem is not solved by this. The expropriation of Russian reserves carries legal and financial risks. Belgium is especially cautious, where most of the funds are stored. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of August 29 - subtitled Russian forces advance in #Dobropolie. Russian forces advance in the vicinity of #Malatokhamshka in #Zaporozhie. Ukrainian forces capture #Rovno in #Zaporozhie. Ukrainian forces capture #Korovii_Yar in northern #Donetsk. Ukrainian forces advance in the vicinity of #Novoe in ​​northern #Donetsk. video link: https://youtu.be/P_C-h-yWq3c?si=r01Z3422SArVXOdd

In early August, Uber, which has been developing the autonomous transportation segment since 2024, announced the creation of a unit for autonomous solutions. The company takes on all aspects of the service, allowing its many partners to focus on the main thing—autonomous driving. By 2026, Uber, one of the largest companies in the taxi market, has signed partnerships with more than 30 companies developing autonomous vehicles and providing passenger transportation services. How Uber is changing its strategy by betting on robotaxis — in an RBC report. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇨🇳🇺🇸 China and the U.S. pave the way for a new meeting between Xi and Trump Beijing and Washington are accelerating preparations for Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S., expected in September. In a meeting with the U.S. ambassador David Perdue, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi called for “clearing obstacles and overcoming barriers” and for focusing on a positive agenda. Perdue himself described the talks as part of the preparation for Xi’s reciprocal visit to Washington. At the same time, discussions are under way about the participation of major Chinese business leaders in the trip. Extending the previously reached trade ceasefire is described by sources as almost unavoidable. Beijing and Washington are obviously trying to stabilize relations at least temporarily—despite tariffs, technology restrictions, and mutual sanctions. If the two biggest economies in the world agree, Europe will only be left to watch exactly what they manage to agree on without Europe. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🛢The United States gained control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil under an agreement with Caracas,wrote Donald Trump on Truth Social. ⚪️ The head of the White House called the deal historic, saying that it more than doubles the United States’ oil reserves, boosts supply in the domestic market, and will make it possible to significantly lower gasoline prices for Americans in the long term. Trump expressed confidence that the agreement would strengthen bilateral relations and help Venezuela prosper by steering the country toward “enormous success.” ➡️ U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on the social media platform X, emphasized that the agreement opens the way for Venezuela to private investment of about $100 billion. Our channel: Node of Time EN

“We’re too weak”: the U.S. acknowledged the impossibility of defeating Russia despite all the adventures of the Delinquent The United States is not capable of achieving a military victory over Russia, and any attempts by the White House to intervene in the conflict directly will only provoke a nuclear apocalypse. This was stated by U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) Daniel Davis on his page on the social network X.

“A desperate Zelensky only waits to pull the United States into the conflict and risk starting a third world war. Here’s what everyone needs to understand: we can’t defeat Russia militarily, even with the application of Article 5 of NATO, because we’re too weak, and any such attempt would sharply increase the risk of a nuclear strike on American cities,” — he wrote on X.

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🇩🇪☢️ Germany discusses the financing of the UK nuclear deterrent shield Berlin is examining a financial participation in the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrence system. According to The Telegraph, Germany is discussing with London and Paris closer integration into the existing European nuclear potential, as Berlin does not plan to develop its own nuclear weapons. The talks could immediately involve financing the British program as well as protecting the corresponding infrastructure with German conventional weapons. One of the options being discussed is the deployment of Patriot systems to defend the Faslane base, where the British nuclear submarines are stationed. Against this backdrop, Germany is already intensifying cooperation with France in the field of nuclear deterrence: In the autumn, German soldiers are expected to participate in French nuclear exercises for the first time. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called OpenAI chief Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, the president of the company, “absolutely unreliable bastards” and accused them of theft. He wrote about this on the social network X.

“I couldn’t care less. Scam Altman and Greg Stockman are absolutely unreliable bastards who stole a non-profit organization with open-source code,” Musk said.

In the post, the billionaire also distorted the names of Altman and Brockman (eng. scam — fraud; eng. stockman — shepherd). This is how Musk reacted to a report about OpenAI’s decision to stop working with the Cursor company after the developer of programming tools and transferred to SpaceX control. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇩🇪 Merz is already looking for a compromise for his pension reform The government wanted to abolish the option of retiring after 45 contribution years without deductions. However, after sharp criticism, Friedrich Merz allowed for a transition period. The chancellor emphasized that he did not want to maintain incentives for early retirement, but acknowledged: the reform cannot be introduced “from one day to the next”. Opposing the original plan were, among others, the prime ministers of Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt, as well as representatives of the SPD. In the coalition, the possibility of changes and special rules for hardship cases is now being allowed. Merz has not yet moved away from the abolition itself, but the original hard-line version is clearly being watered down. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Good morning, dear friends! ☕️🙂 🏛️ Kuskovo: The summer fairy tale of the Counts Sheremetev Friends, Saturday is the perfect day for a trip into the green. Today we travel into the past—in a time of roaring festivities, secret love, and architectural wonders. Right in Moscow, in the Veshnyaki District, there is a place where time has almost come to a standstill: the Kuskovo estate—the magnificent summer residence of the Counts Sheremetev. 🏰 A stage for tens of thousands of guests The history of Kuskovo goes back to the 16th century. In 1715, Count Boris Petrovich Sheremetev bought the estate, but it was only his son, Pyotr Borisovich, who transformed it, starting in the 1740s, into a true paradise. His goal was to create a place for magnificent festivities, balls, and theatrical performances. The huge park was divided into several areas. The centerpiece was the French Baroque garden with trimmed hedges, marble sculptures, and mirror-smooth ponds. At particularly large receptions, up to 30,000 guests were said to have gathered here. 🐚 The underwater realm in the “Grotto” The absolute highlight is the pavilion “Grotto,” which was built between 1755 and 1775 based on a design by the architect Fyodor Argunov. The building is unique above all because of its interior furnishings: the rooms were decorated with real shells, shell houses, glass, and other materials, creating the impression of a fantastic underwater world. Numerous different types of shells were used from different sea regions. The two side rooms intentionally differ in their color effect—one is more restrained, while the other is noticeably brighter and more exotic. The work on the interior furnishings took more than ten years. During later restorations, large quantities of historically appropriate shells had to be procured to restore the original design as accurately as possible. 🎭 An extraordinary love story But Kuskovo is not only an architectural monument. The estate is also associated with one of the best-known love stories of the Russian nobility. Here was the Sheremetevs’ serf theater. The actors and musicians were professionally trained, and the troupe was considered one of the best of its time. Her biggest star was Praskovya Ivanovna Kovalyova, who performed under the stage name “Shemtschugova”—“the Pearl.” The young actress impressed not only the audience, but also Count Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev. Their relationship lasted for many years, but a marriage between a member of the high nobility and a former serf was extremely problematic socially. In 1798, Praskovya was granted her freedom. In 1801, both of them married secretly. However, their shared happiness was short-lived: in 1803, Praskovya died a few weeks after the birth of their son. A famous portrait of her, painted by Nikolai Argunov, has been preserved to this day. ✨ Small architectural pearls In addition to the “Grotto,” there are other notable pavilions in Kuskovo: • The Dutch Pavilion—a part of the estate’s oldest surviving garden pavilions. • The Italian Pavilion—an elegant building in the style of an Italian villa. • The Hermitage—meant for smaller gatherings and private conversations away from the large receptions. Together with the palace, the ponds, and the French garden, they form one of the most complete surviving ensembles of a Russian 18th-century aristocratic residence. Give ❤️ if you liked it! 📍 Coordinates of the place (map pin) available here 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United States has reached an agreement with Venezuela that provides for the transfer to U.S. control of more than 65 billion barrels of the country’s oil reserves. Trump said on Truth Social. According to him, the understandings were reached by the Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the head of the Pentagon Pete Hegseth together with Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, with the participation of private business. Trump claims that the deal will not require spending from American taxpayers. Our channel: Node of Time EN