Fear and loathing in Vilnius;
Another day, another Russian soft power play;
Moldova sides with Europe;
Russia's African footprint falters;
Kremlin seeks highest conscription target in nearly a decade;
Europe eyes Russia's frozen assets anew
China mobilizes to counter Starlink;
Moscow pushes its own messaging app;
North Korea weaponizing AI;
Rebalancing Al-Jazeera;
The scope of Hamas propaganda
Iran's water crisis and the Taliban;
Washington moves to secure critical mineral supply;
In Syria, a deepening food crisis;
All eyes on Ukraine's lithium sector;
Mining ambitions divide Pacific nations
A polymer that heals on impact;
Navy tests first sea-based hypersonic launch;
Progress toward power beaming;
Sound waves expose hidden seafloor bombs;
Fix the data, fix the AI
As the economic problems grow, Putin’s government has increased its efforts to distract its population from the extent of the financial and political disaster it has brought upon them. This is evident in the holiday atmosphere that fills its capital city, featuring pop-up gardens, light shows, fountains, and theme parks. Street festivals are the most common form of such celebrations, with over 10,000 events held in Moscow this summer alone.