Author: Mikhail Bogdanov

The Union of Shopping Centres (STTs) estimates that half of the country’s shopping centres are facing high debt burdens. Many have taken out loans with floating rates, which creates a risk of widespread bankruptcies. Marina Malakhatko, a senior director at the consulting firm CORE.XP, told the Russian media outlet Kommersant that at least 200 shopping malls will be at risk of bankruptcy in 2025. She said some owners are already looking to sell their assets. Debt servicing has become even tougher after Russia‘s Central Bank was forced to hike interest rates to 21 percent – the highest level in over 20 years. The…

Singapore 23/10 (28.57). Ten fake websites have been blocked by the Singapore authorities over concerns that they could potentially be used to lay the groundwork for disinformation campaigns here. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said the websites masquerade as Singapore websites by spoofing or using terms associated with Singapore in their domain names and incorporating familiar local features and visuals. Singapore biggest newspaper the Straits Times takes a closer look at the banned websites. Alamak.io The site’s name uses the colloquial expression of shock often used by Singaporeans. It presents itself as a local news…

Dmitry Golenkov served as chief of staff of an aviation squadron, and was found dead with head injuries likely “caused by hammer,” per HUR. The Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported on 21 October, that Dmitry Golenkov, a Russian military officer implicated in airstrikes on civilian targets in Ukraine, has been found dead in Suponyovo village, Bryansk Oblast, Russia. The HUR has been actively targeting collaborators and quisling officials in Russian-occupied areas, and occasionally reports the deaths of Russian military officers on the Russian soil. The intelligence organization never explicitly confirms involvement in assassination operations but consistently ends…

The national football teams of Tajikistan and Pakistan have refused to play in friendly matches against Russia. A match against Tajikistan had been set to take place in December, but the federation declined, saying they already had matches booked for those dates. Pakistan has also cancelled an October game against Russia due to a lack of preparation time. However, the Pakistanis said they would play in December. When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Russian teams were barred from competing in any FIFA or UEFA championships. As a result, the team has had to settle for friendly matches. The Russians…

North Korean soldiers have been filmed receiving uniforms and equipment at a training ground in Russia’s far east, appearing to confirm reports from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) that 1,500 soldiers have been shipped over for military training to be deployed in Ukraine. The North Korean troops are thought to be receiving training before being sent to the front line in Ukraine, in what is thought to be a clear sign of the ever-warming relations between Moscow and Pyongyang. In a video shared with CNN by Ukrainian government organization the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security, a long line of…

“They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, I am sure many Americans,” CIA Deputy Director David S. Cohen said “Tens of thousands” of fans were the target of a thwarted terrorist attempt at Taylor Swift’s recent Vienna shows, a CIA official told reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 28. CIA Deputy Director David S. Cohen shared new details of the thwarted terror plot that canceled all three of the 34-year-old pop star’s planned Eras Tour concerts in Austria earlier this month during the annual Intelligence Summit just outside Washington, D.C., reports The New York Times and NBC News. “They…

Washington/Vienna/Berlin (10/8 – 45.45)After a tip-off by U.S. intelligence officials and only a few hours left Austrian police made swift arrests. The plot seems too bizarre not to be true. Abul Baraa, aka Ahmad Armih, the German based hate-preacher in Berlin radicalized via Tik-tok or Istagram a 19-year Beran A. to swear the oath of alliance to the Islamic State. After a tip-off by U.S. intelligence officials and only a few hours left Austrian police made swift arrests. The plot seems too bizarre not to be true. Abul Baraa, aka Ahmad Armih, the German based hate-preacher in Berlin radicalized via…

Once worn by political prisoners in Nazi camps, the symbol has recently been associated with Hamas, but also with pro-Palestinian activism. Opinion is divided on whether Germany is justified in mulling a ban. A target, a sign of resistance, a badge of honor, a Nazi-era symbol — the inverted red triangle means many things to many people. The upside-down triangle appeared in videos released by the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, to mark potential Israeli military targets, such as tanks, shortly after the Israeli invasion of Gaza. The European Union as well as the United States, Germany and several other countries have…

While Russia’s army is bogged down in Ukraine, its mercenaries are faring no better in Africa. In late July 2024, mercenaries from the the Wagner Group, a Moscow-aligned private military company, accompanied the Malian army in what the Malian regime called a “stabilization operation” in the West African country’s northeastern town of Tinzaouaten, near the Algerian border. That mission quickly went sideways when fighting broke out between that coalition and rebels from the Permanent Strategic Framework, an ethnically Tuareg separatist group. In retreat, Wagner and Malian forces were ambushed by militants from the al-Qaida affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM. Upward of 80 Wagner personnel…

Warner Music Group (WMG) has announced a new structure for its Recorded Music operations, with industry vet Simon Robson now in charge of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. According to the company, the move is to better support artists, connect local expertise with global opportunities, and drive growth. Robson, appointed as WMG’s president of international recorded music in 2020, began his Warner Music career in 1998 as director of finance for the Asia Pacific region. After working at Warner Music Japan, he became VP of operations and finance for Europe in 2004. He served as COO and CFO of…