Academic Block 
Pro-Putin United Russia Wins Record 355 Seats in Russia’s Parliament Russia’s ruling United Russia party has secured a record 355 seats in the 450-member State Duma, according to preliminary results announced by Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova. The party won 57.83% of the vote, up from 49.8% in 2021, after more than 95% of … Read more
European Spy Chiefs Warn Russia Could Test NATO in Coming Months European intelligence officials have warned that Russia could test NATO in the coming months as the war in Ukraine continues. Czech intelligence chief Michal Koudelka said Moscow could consider a limited incursion, a false-flag provocation or a major influence campaign in “months, not years.” … Read more
Meloni Proposes Burqa and Niqab Ban, Limits on Foreign Students in Italian Schools Italy is preparing new school rules on face coverings and the number of foreign students in each classroom. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the proposals on Sunday at a youth event organised by her Brothers of Italy party. The plan would ban … Read more
Warren Buffett Ends Tenure as Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett, one of the most influential investors in modern financial history, has stepped down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, bringing an important chapter in the company’s leadership to a close. The 96-year-old investor has handed the chairmanship to his son, Howard G. Buffett, while continuing to … Read more
Canada’s Carney Backs EU Associate Membership Proposal Amid US Tensions Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has backed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal for Canada to become the European Union’s first “associate member”. Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on September 17, he stressed that Canada was not seeking full EU membership. … Read more
Russia’s Fuel Buyers Push Back as Trump Gains New Sanctions Powers Congress has given President Donald Trump new leverage over Russia’s oil trade through the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026. The House passed the bill 262-159 on Wednesday, after the Senate had approved it 86-11 last month. In addition, the measure could … Read more
Russia Urges Space Arms Treaty After US Admits Orbital Weapons Russia is calling for a legally binding space arms treaty after the United States confirmed that it operates weapons in Earth orbit. Moscow says there is still time to prevent a wider arms race in space. Such a treaty could set limits on offensive weapons … Read more
US declines to back Saudi Arabia in Yemen after meeting Houthi leaders US officials held secret talks with Houthi representatives in Oman over the weekend as Houthi forces expanded their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Oman helped arrange the meeting at the US Embassy in Muscat, while neither side made the discussions public. The … Read more
Canada’s Big Tax Bet: Canadian PM Carney Unveils “Mega Deduction” to Power the Economy In the recent rapidly changing economic and international landscape, Canada plans to power its economy through the introduction of “Mega Deduction” during the first Canada Investment Summit 2026 aiming to build a more independent and resilient economic foundation. Through this summit … Read more
India Introduces New UPI Fee Framework, Keeps P2P and Small Payments Free India’s digital payments system is entering a new phase as the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) introduces new UPI fee rules from October 15, 2026. The framework introduces a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for selected merchant payments, but it does not charge … Read more