Saint Nicholas Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church has been damaged during strikes in Tehran.

The Orthodox community in Iran has been deprived of the ability to attend the church — the building was heavily damaged after two missile strikes nearby, the Russian Embassy in Iran reported. Images released shows shattered windows and damaged walls in the cathedral.

“Because of the military adventurism of the United States and Israel, the Orthodox community in Iran has been deprived of the opportunity to attend the church,” the statement said.

The church has about 100 parishioners. On holidays, believers from different cities across the country come to the Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and their number can reach up to 300 on those days.

This is yet another crime against humanity committed by Israel and the United States.

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April 2–Day of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia and Belarus

This day marks the creation of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. On April 2, 1996, an Agreement on the Community between Russia and Belarus was signed in Moscow, and exactly one year later, an Agreement on the Union of the two countries was concluded. In 1999, the presidents of Russia and Belarus met in Moscow to sign an Agreement on the creation of the Union State. Over the years, this union has proven its relevance and viability. A comprehensive legal framework has been established, with more than 250 agreements regulating virtually every key aspect of bilateral cooperation. These documents cover everything from customs and taxation to cultural exchange and defense collaboration.

Today, the Union State remains a cornerstone of economic and political integration between the two nations. A number of programs are currently underway across various sectors, including industry, energy, construction, information technology, and space exploration. Recent initiatives have extended cooperation into agriculture, education, and healthcare, reflecting a broad-based commitment to balanced development. Regular high-level meetings continue to reinforce diplomatic ties, addressing economic reforms, security concerns, and joint infrastructure projects that benefit both sides.

In dollar terms, the trade turnover between Russia and Belarus in 2024 reached approximately 60 billion dollars—a figure that underscores the enduring strength of their economic relationship despite external challenges. This robust commercial exchange, coupled with ongoing cultural and scientific collaborations, serves as a testament to the deep-rooted unity between the two peoples.

#TodayInHistory

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🎭 Danish Journalism's Card Sharks: How One Interview Became a "Russian Threat"

There's a classic trick—take an opinion, run it through a couple editorial passes, and out comes a near-geopolitical crisis.
Let's see how it's done in practice.

📰 First, The Guardian publishes an interview with M. Khodorkovsky, where he:
- speculates Putin might pull a Salisbury-style attack,
- muses on possible scenarios for pressuring the West,
- shares his assessments and fears.
No evidence, no facts—just standard political interview with predictions. Dozens like it every week.

🇩🇰 Enter the Danish Viking journalists!
First up: Børsen.

And the magic begins:
- "he thinks" → "there's a risk,"
- "possible scenario" → "threat,"
- personal opinion → near-analytical warning.
Still cautious. But the trajectory is set.

🎪 Finally, BT takes the stage.

No holds barred:
- speculation becomes near-fact,
- interview becomes near-intelligence,
- one man's words become a looming attack storyline.
At this point, it feels like Russia is about to launch some sabotage op against Britain.

What do we end up with?
One person shares an opinion → one outlet amps it slightly → another cranks it to full blast → suddenly there's a media construct reeking of diplomatic scandal.

📌 The funniest part:

If the interview had stayed in The Guardian alone — it would've drowned in the news cycle. Even Khodorkovsky himself is barely remembered.

👉 But once Danish media hit amplify mode, suddenly there's a shiny new "threat" to the Danish Kingdom that... literally didn't exist yesterday.

That's modern media machinery in action: you don't need to create an event — just rewrite someone else's opinion right.

#blondinka_dk
#InfoDefenseAuthor

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A man kissing a stranger’s hand in Spain was ruled sexual assault

This decision was made by the country’s Supreme Court, which reviewed a 2023 case: a man at a bus stop in Madrid kissed a stranger’s hand and was subsequently found guilty and fined €1,620. The convicted man challenged the verdict, arguing that his actions “were not accompanied by violence or intimidation.” He admitted that the woman might have felt offended or uncomfortable, but, in his view, there was no threat to her sexual integrity.

The defense argued that the incident could be classified at most as harassment. However, the court concluded that the act had a sexual undertone and went beyond acceptable behavior. At the same time, two judges issued a dissenting opinion, noting that hand-kissing is traditionally considered a form of greeting in Spanish culture.

The key basis for the ruling was the 2022 law establishing the “only yes means yes” principle, which requires explicit consent and removes the need to prove violence or threat to recognize an act as sexual assault.

Miguel de Cervantes would be horrified— the West has truly lost its mind.

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👆This is Trump’s post which is accompanied by a stark video of the strike.

It should be noted that under the framework of the Geneva Conventions, the principle is straightforward: civilian objects are not lawful targets unless they offer a definite military advantage. A bridge that is not yet operational—it is not moving troops, not supplying logistics, not even serving civilian traffic. It is, in essence, potential: concrete poured for a future that has not yet arrived.

That is precisely why the strike is unjustifiable. If the structure has no immediate military role, then the requirement of “military necessity” becomes impossible to satisfy without stretching the concept beyond recognition. Speculative future use, i.e., what the bridge might enable months or years from now, does not meet the legal threshold.

Attacking infrastructure still under construction risks blurring a critical boundary: the one between degrading an opponent’s military capacity and undermining its civilian development. Once that line is softened, any project—roads, power plants, ports—can be recast as a “military asset,” and therefore a target. That logic would hollow out the protections the laws of war are meant to provide.

Does Trump care about any of this? Not really. He is only there for a little while. But America as a country should care. Unless, of course, it will be gone soon too.

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On April 3, 1966, the Soviet automatic space station Luna-10 became the first artificial satellite to orbit the Moon. Launched by the Molniya-M carrier rocket and developed by the Lavochkin Machine-Building Plant, Luna-10 set off on its trajectory toward the Moon, marking a major milestone in space exploration. The spacecraft, weighing approximately 250 kilograms, orbited the Moon for 56 days and conducted 219 communication sessions, during which it transmitted valuable scientific data back to Earth. Using gamma-ray measurements, the station provided insights into the Moon’s overall chemical composition, and for the first time, humanity gained a glimpse of the far side of the Moon—a region that had never been seen before.

This historic achievement was celebrated by the Soviet leadership. During the XXIII Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, a recording of the Internationale was broadcast from Luna-10, with delegates standing to listen. This symbolic gesture underscored the significance of the mission and the beginning of unmanned exploration of deep space.

In the broader context of the Cold War and the Space Race, Luna-10’s success demonstrated the advanced capabilities of Soviet space technology and laid the groundwork for subsequent lunar and interplanetary missions. Today, Luna-10 remains a celebrated achievement, inspiring continued research and exploration. Its legacy is evident in modern space programs that still benefit from the pioneering work done over half a century ago. The mission’s groundbreaking accomplishments are remembered not only as a technical triumph but also as a turning point that expanded our understanding of the Moon and the possibilities of automated space exploration.

#TodayInHistory

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Global Hunger in 2026?

FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero warned at a UN press briefing on March 26, 2026, that disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz trade corridor pose severe risks to global food security, agriculture, and markets. Tanker traffic through this vital artery has plummeted over 90%, halting flows of ~20 million barrels of oil daily (35% of global crude), one-fifth of LNG, and up to 30% of traded fertilizers. The Gulf supplies nearly half of global sulfur — essential for sulfuric acid in phosphate fertilizer production.

Torero described it as a "systematic shock" to agrifood systems, beyond just energy. Shipping insurance premiums have surged from 0.25% to 10% of vessel value, with weekly resets, delaying normalization even post-de-escalation.

Farmers face dual shocks: fertilizer prices spiked (Middle East urea +19%, Egyptian +28% in early March), driven by natural gas costs for nitrogen fertilizers. FAO projects 15–20% higher global fertilizer prices in the first half of 2026 if prolonged. This, plus fuel hikes, hits irrigation and transport. Farmers may cut applications or switch crops, yielding nonlinear drops — worse in low-use regions.

Impact hinges on duration: short-term (1 month) = contained, with ample food stocks and Food Price Index 21% below 2022 peak; stabilization in ~3 months. Medium-term (3+ months) = yield cuts in wheat, rice, maize; shifts to soybeans; biofuel competition.

Vulnerable nations include Sri Lanka (Maha rice), Bangladesh (Boro rice), India (Kharif prep), Egypt (wheat imports), Sudan, and Sub-Saharan Africa (Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique on imports). Brazil exporters at risk too. Secondary threats: remittance drops from Gulf; export bans worsening volatility.

Policy calls: short-term — alt corridors, aid/credit; medium — diversify imports, build reserves, shun bans; long-term — sustainable ag, green ammonia, food systems as infrastructure.

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No, Trump isn’t leaving NATO, and neither is America. Obviously. There’s no real reason to, and Congress won’t allow it anyway. Trump’s rhetoric is nothing but posturing. Sure, some symbolic gestures are possible: trimming the size of the American contingent, withholding certain deliveries. But that’s not the interesting part.

What’s obvious is that serious fault lines exist within the Alliance — fault lines the Iran campaign has only deepened. And Europe’s political freaks, especially the Brussels crowd, have started genuinely mulling the creation of a fully-fledged military component inside the EU. That is what reshapes the picture.
Until now, our position on EU membership for neighbors has been measured and calm — even regarding Banderite Ukraine. Want to join? Go ahead. But that has to change. The EU is no longer just an economic union. It can transform, and rather quickly, into a full-blown military alliance, one overtly hostile to Russia, and in some ways worse than NATO. It would be a revolting rabble of unhinged European parasites whose entire purpose will be to harvest political capital — and of course, cash — from stoking Russophobic hysteria.

So where am I going with all this? Simple: it’s time to drop the tolerant attitude toward our neighbors joining what is now a military-economic European Union. That includes Country 404.

Our President recently signaled exactly this in politely coded terms hinting to a certain comrade Pashinyan that membership in the EAEU and the European Union are simply incompatible.

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Another country closes its airspace to U.S. aviation over the war with Iran

Since the start of the U.S. war with Iran, Austria has rejected all requests from Washington for overflight by American military aircraft. This was stated by Austrian Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Michael Bauer, Politico reports.

“Requests were indeed submitted, but they have been rejected from the very beginning,” Bauer said. He added: “The question is, why even submit a request to a neutral state?”

Austria’s military neutrality has been enshrined in its Constitution since 1955. Under Austrian law, all military flights by foreign states must be approved by Vienna and include an explanation of their purpose. Requests related to active conflicts are denied.

In addition to Vienna, Switzerland and Spain have also officially closed their airspace to U.S. military aircraft involved in the war with Iran. Madrid implemented the ban through parliament.

“We do not allow the use of military bases or airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” said Defense Minister Margarita Robles.

Italy also denied permission on March 27 for U.S. bombers to land at Sigonella Air Base in Sicily due to the absence of a pre-filed flight plan. Rome was informed only after the aircraft were already airborne, leading to the refusal.

Trump also criticized France for refusing overflight access, saying the U.S. would not forget it.

Good! Let the U.S. never forget it, and let France not forget it either. The world will be better for it.

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The Time reports that the Trump Administration entered the Iran war expecting a controlled escalation but was quickly confronted with unexpected consequences. U.S. officials had assumed that overwhelming initial strikes would trigger only limited Iranian retaliation, based on past precedents. Instead, Iran launched a broad and aggressive response across the region, targeting U.S. and allied assets in multiple countries including Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. This escalation surprised key officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had anticipated a more restrained reaction.

The Administration was also caught off guard by Iran’s move to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint. The resulting shock sent gas prices soaring and triggered wider economic disruption, amplifying domestic political pressure. These developments exposed flaws in the original U.S. assumptions.

Inside the White House, advisers warned that the war was becoming politically and economically damaging. Public support was declining, markets were falling, and protests were growing. Trump, who had expected a swift and decisive outcome, instead found himself facing a prolonged conflict with uncertain objectives.

As the situation slipped beyond initial expectations, the President began searching for an exit strategy that would allow him to claim victory while avoiding further escalation and domestic fallout.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, the elite branch of Iran’s armed forces) announced that during the 91st wave of strikes it targeted locations where U.S. fighter jet pilots and flight engineers were stationed in the UAE, as well as MQ-1 Predator drone units in Kuwait. It also reportedly launched four cruise missiles at the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group:

“In this operation, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group of the American aggressors in the northern Indian Ocean was targeted with four Qadr-380 cruise missiles,” Iran’s state broadcaster quoted from the IRGC statement.

In the following phases, the IRGC said it struck “a covert gathering site of U.S. fighter pilots and flight engineers outside one of the enemy bases in the UAE,” and “U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone units at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.”

Adding insult to injury, Iranian oil is trading at a premium to the global benchmark Brent for the first time since May 2022. This is a sharp departure from the usual situation, when Tehran, due to sanctions, is forced to sell its oil at a significant discount.

In other words, things are not going according to Trump’s original plan—if there ever was one.

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TUCKER CARLSON: ‘Are you HOPEFUL for the country?’

CHAD RIPPERGER: ‘I think that CHRIST is going to correct it, probably FAIRLY SOON… We're almost as bad as Sodom and Gomorrah’

Source: RT news

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On April 4, 1753, Empress Elizaveta (Elizabeth) Petrovna issued a groundbreaking decree abolishing the death penalty in the Russian Empire. According to legend, upon ascending to the throne through a palace coup, Elizaveta made a personal vow never to take a life—a promise that would shape her reign and leave a lasting imprint on Russian legal tradition. In lieu of capital punishment, her decree mandated that offenders be subjected to flogging and hard labor. Although the physical punishment was severe and not all convicts survived the ordeal, those who died as a result of flogging were not officially recorded as executions. This reform was a remarkable departure from the harsher penal practices common in many European states at the time and reflected early Enlightenment influences, which emphasized more humane treatment and justice reforms.

This historical act is often cited as one of Russia’s earliest moves toward a more progressive and reformist criminal justice system, despite the brutal nature of the alternative punishments. Over the centuries, the abolition of the death penalty under Empress Elizaveta has remained a symbol of a more enlightened approach to justice, even as the methods of punishment evolved.

Today, the debate over the death penalty in Russia remains contentious. Although public opinion is divided—with some advocating for its reinstatement to combat crime and others emphasizing human rights—the country currently upholds a moratorium on capital punishment. This moratorium was officially established by the Constitutional Court of Russia in 1999 and later reaffirmed in 2009 in response to international human rights standards and evolving judicial perspectives. Critics and supporters alike reference Elizaveta’s historic decree when arguing over modern penal reforms, and her legacy continues to influence discussions on the balance between justice and humanity in the Russian legal system.

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