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Harnessing Indigenous Knowledge for Africa's Digital Future
Dr. Yeshurun Alemayehu, Ethiopia’s State Minister for ICT and Digital Economy, emphasized the power of education and local innovation:
“Africans have their own indigenous language, indigenous technology, indigenous culture… these indigenous activities can be transformed into technology development,” he told Sputnik Africa.
“What Russia is doing is showing the way how to use local capacity, local cultures, indigenous knowledge for the economic development of the country.”
Preconditions for Further BRICS Expansion to Appear After Certain Time: Russian BRICS Sherpa
While many countries in the newly established BRICS partner category aspire to full membership, further expansion will require time for "mutual adjustment and working out the algorithms for interaction," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and BRICS sherpa Sergey Ryabkov said.
👉 Ryabkov believes that preconditions for considering future membership will "mature" after a period, allowing for a more informed decision-making process.
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African & Asian Countries Eye Russian Medical Products
Russian medical exporters made waves at the "Made in Russia" expo in Istanbul, with companies reporting strong demand from African and Asian markets. Organized by the Russian Export Center, the event sparked 257 business meetings—deals from these talks could be worth $12 million.
🟠 Pul-Sar (surgical products) – Already exporting to Asia, now finalizing registrations for Kenya & Uganda. Their team noted "openness and trust" from partners and confirmed new negotiations with firms in multiple countries.
⚫️ Menora Laboratories – Made their global debut with an iron supplement, drawing interest from distributors from several countries, including Morocco.
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🔍 Trump’s first 100 days in numbers
A weakening dollar, dwindling stock market, and 50% increase in trade deficit — explore Sputnik’s infographic to learn more about the outcome of Trump’s start of his second term.
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Trump Would Like to Be Pope
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Major World Events by Evening of April 29
▪️Trump on Ukraine: In an interview with The Atlantic, Donald Trump said Ukraine will be “crushed very shortly” and positioned himself as trying to save the country;
▪️Easier to Negotiate with Putin: Trump also stated that negotiating with President Putin is "easier" than with Zelensky, whom he described as demanding and “without the cards.”
▪️Urgency from Waltz: Trump's Advisor Michael Waltz urged both Russia and Ukraine to reach an agreement soon, warning that Trump may “lose patience;”
▪️Drone Attack in Zaporozhye: A Ukrainian drone targeted a school bus, injuring a teenager, according to Governor Balitsky;
▪️Historic Blackout Resolved: Spain and Portugal have restored electricity following the most widespread blackout in the Iberian Peninsula’s history. Investigations into the cause are ongoing;
▪️Canada's Political Shift: Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has secured a minority government in Canada’s federal elections. Carney signaled a major shift in relations with the US, declaring “the old relationship is over;”
▪️Oil Prices Drop: Global oil prices declined amid fears of a slowing US economy and persistent global trade tensions, sparking concerns about future demand;
▪️Russia-China Space Collaboration: Thirteen nations, including BRICS members, have joined Russia and China’s initiative to develop an International Research Lunar Station;
▪️Ceasefire Proposal From Russia: Foreign Minister Lavrov said Putin’s Victory Day ceasefire offer marks the start of unconditional negotiations with Ukraine. Moscow awaits Kiev’s response;
▪️Putin on Nazism: The Russian president emphasized the need to “prevent the revival of Nazism” during recent remarks linked to the Victory Day commemoration;
▪️Hungary Exits ICC: The Hungarian Parliament has voted in favor of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court;
▪️Argentina Declassifies Nazi Files: Argentina has digitized and published earlier declassified documents online revealing details about Nazi activities in the country;
▪️Russia's Economic Rise: Russia now ranks as the fourth-largest economy globally, boosting its influence in international markets.
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Breaking Economic Isolation: Morocco to Provide Access to Atlantic for AES
King Mohammed VI and the foreign ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States reaffirmed their dedication to accelerating this project during a meeting in Rabat on Monday.
👉 Initiated in 2024 by the Moroccan king, the project aims to grant landlocked states access to the Atlantic Ocean.
The port of Dakhla, currently under construction, could enable the Sahel countries to export industrial goods, as a Moroccan official disclosed in July 2024.
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❗️Negotiating With Putin Easier Than With Demanding Zelensky Who 'Doesn't Have the Cards', Trump Says
In a recent interview with American journalist Glenn Beck, President Trump stated that negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin is more straightforward than with Volodymyr Zelensky.
"He [Zelensky] is asking for more, and more, and more and he doesn't have the cards, as you know," Trump said.
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Moscow Transformed: How the Capital Glows With Pride Ahead of the 80th Victory Day Celebration
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#viral | 🐝 Bee Attack Disrupts Indian Super Cup Match
Referee and fans ran for cover after a bee nest in the stands was allegedly disturbed.
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❗️Putin's proposal for a Victory Day ceasefire is the start of direct negotiations with Kiev without preconditions, Lavrov says
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Cape Town Wildfires Force Evacuations, Arson Suspected
Nearly 200 households were evacuated due to three ongoing wildfires in Table Mountain National Park, which began on Friday, according to Jermaine Carelse, a spokesperson for the city’s Fire and Rescue Service.
While there have been no reported deaths, one firefighter was injured, and approximately 3,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed.
Over 250 firefighters and four helicopters are battling the uncontained wildfires, which are being fueled by strong winds, Carelse said.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid affected areas for their safety and are investigating the possibility that the fires were deliberately set.
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Africa’s Space Ambitions Are No Luxury — They’re Leadership
Adriana Marais, head of science at the Africa2Moon project, believes Africa must dream big — even while tackling basic challenges.
In a wide-ranging conversation with Sputnik Africa, she defended the vision of launching the continent’s first mission to the Moon:
"We have to balance these kinds of basic improvements with dreaming about the future. Otherwise, we risk not participating in this really exciting era of space exploration. […] When we are outside of our comfort zone… we overcome challenges that we couldn't anticipate, and in doing so, we learn new things and are able to advance."
Eurasia Should Become 'Example of Sustainable Economic, Social & Humanitarian Development': Putin
The international community needs to collaboratively build a new, equal, and indivisible security architecture that reliably protects all states without harming others' interests, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Great Heritage-Common Future forum in Russia's Volgograd.
🗣 "This issue is especially relevant for Eurasia. Our common continent should become a space of peace and stability," the Russian president added.
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🇷🇺↗️ Russia ranked world’s FOURTH-LARGEST economy in 2024 – report
Last year saw Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) reach an all-time high of $6.94 trillion, as compared to $6.48 trillion in 2023, a Sputnik analysis based on IMF data shows.
Apart from Russia, the top-five list of the world’s largest economies includes China, the US, India, and Japan.
The five made the most significant contribution to the world economic growth in 2024. The remaining countries provided less than 2% of global growth in GDP terms.
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#viral | 🤖 Tsinghua University's Humanoid Robots Try Their Hand at Football
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Russia Sees Increase in Its Wheat Exports to Several African Countries
According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the Russian agricultural sanitary agency, wheat exports to several African nations significantly increased in the first quarter of this year:
🟠 Nigeria's wheat imports increased fivefold to 262,000 tonnes;
🟠 Morocco doubled its imports, reaching 174,000 tonnes;
🟠 Mozambique saw its imports surge 11.7 times, totaling 73,800 tonnes;
🟠 Cameroon's wheat imports grew by 2.2 times to 50,000 tonnes;
🟠 Burundi's imports increased 9.6 times, reaching 30,500 tonnes;
🟠 Russia exported wheat to Togo for the first time since 2022, with supplies amounting to 27,000 tonnes.
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BRICS Space Agency Heads Support Space Council Creation
Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov proposed creating a BRICS Space Council to coordinate joint space projects at a meeting in Brazil. The Council could become the association's key advisory body on issues of exploration and use of space for peaceful purposes, he specified.
The proposed BRICS Space Council will consider:
🟠 Joint space projects and initiatives;
🟠 Long-term sustainability and safety of space activities;
🟠 Space traffic management;
🟠 Satellite navigation;
🟠 Space debris mitigation;
🟠 Development of space resources.
Bakanov highlighted the group’s massive space capabilities:
⚫️ 1,500+ satellites currently in orbit
⚫️ 100+ rocket launches this year alone
⚫️ 21 active launch sites across BRICS nations
He emphasized using this infrastructure to benefit their economies and citizens.
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🇭🇺 Hungary’s ICC exit highlights court’s failure to deliver justice and fairness
"The ICC has no international legal standing. It's really a fairly arbitrary collection of countries... created to target adversaries of the West in a moral, legalistic way," Dr. George Szamuely, senior research fellow at The Global Policy Institute, tells Sputnik, commenting on Hungary's decision to withdraw from the organization.
South Africa Reportedly Starts Troop Withdrawal From DRC via Rwanda
This follows a regional decision to end the SADC mission amid intensifying M23 rebel offensives.
Key information:
🟠Two convoys carrying troops and equipment left Goma Tuesday, escorted by Rwandan forces;
🟠Around 1,800 South African troops were stationed in the region; many had saw combat and suffered casualties earlier this year;
🟠The withdrawal comes after talks involving South Africa, M23, and Rwanda.
The timeline and full scale of the withdrawal remain undisclosed.
Footage circulating on social media allegedly shows the withdrawal of troops
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BRICS Foreign Ministers Convene in Brazil: Voices From the Global South
As BRICS foreign ministers met in Rio de Janeiro (April 28–29), member and partner states stressed multilateralism, peace, and reform of global governance:
💭 China: FM Wang Yi warned against US unilateralism and protectionism, urging BRICS to safeguard multilateral trade and serve as a pillar of global stability;
💭 Ethiopia: FM Gedion Timothewos called for reforming global institutions to give Africa fair representation and praised BRICS efforts for peaceful conflict resolution;
💭 India: Emphasized the Global South’s role in reinforcing multilateralism, represented by Sherpa Secretary ER Dammu Ravi;
💭 Indonesia: Attended the foreign ministers' meeting for the first time as a full member; discussed governance reform and strengthening multilateralism;
💭 Uganda: Officially welcomed as a BRICS Partner State; pledged to champion Global South interests and deepen ties with Brazil.
The ministers will adopt a joint statement as the forum prepares for the BRICS Summit in July.
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🚨🇪🇺Europe to become a THIRD-WORLD CONTINENT by 2100 (or sooner) 🥴😬
Former European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell once described the continent as a "garden" of prosperity surrounded by the "jungle" of the rest of the world.
Here’s why the “garden” of Europe isn’t the Eden it seems to be.
1️⃣Compromised energy architecture
▪️Europe’s worst energy crisis in years caused blackouts across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, exposing major flaws in the EU’s energy infrastructure.
▪️Spain and Portugal declared a state of emergency as the crisis triggered panic, highlighting Europe’s failure to ensure energy reliability.
2️⃣Migration inferno
▪️In the UK, foreign nationals are over-represented in prisons, especially for sex crimes. Non-British citizens were 3.5 times more likely to be arrested for sexual offenses, The Times reported.
▪️Europol’s 2025 report revealed that hybrid threat actors are exploiting irregular migration, boosting migrant smuggling networks.
3️⃣Dependence on China
▪️In 2023, the EU had a €291 billion trade deficit with China, signaling an imbalance, Modern Diplomacy reported.
▪️China supplies around one-third of over 200 products the EU depends on, including pharmaceuticals and chemicals, with some sectors reaching 90% dependence.
4️⃣Rising unemployment
Youth unemployment in the EU was 14.5% in February, reflecting difficulties integrating young people into the labor market, the European Commission reported.
5️⃣Dependence on external powers for security
▪️A significant portion of European NATO states' arms imports come from the US.
▪️This reliance covers capacities, including intelligence, and existing systems, particularly in ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), French media reported.
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“Playing God”? Why Africa Needs to Dream Bigger Than Earth
“Humans have always been toolmakers and, in parallel, explorers… so it’s only natural that we would continue exploring,” Adriana Marais, head of science for the Africa2Moon project, told Sputnik Africa.
“The lessons we learn when we are traveling so far from home will foster a greater appreciation for our home planet… and perhaps lead us to become better stewards of Earth.”
Decolonizing Education: Africa Must Teach for Itself
“Most of the African education system is imported… and as a result it has some ideological and also colonial overtones in many ways,” Kora Tushune, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Education, told Sputnik Africa.
“Decolonization means adapting education to our local needs and valuing our cultural and traditional values… to solve the African problem.”
'A Return to Normalcy' – Lavrov Downplays Hype Around US-Russia Dialogue
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned against portraying recent Russia-US contacts as sensational, speaking during a BRICS foreign ministers' press conference:
Key points from Lavrov’s remarks:
🟠Moscow keeps BRICS partners regularly updated on talks with Washington;
🟠Russia is committed to developing US ties without compromising its partnerships;
🟠Dialogue with the US continues on various issues — "always preferable," according to Lavrov;
🟠BRICS members remain concerned about unilateral sanctions, protectionism, and economic fragmentation;
🟠Lavrov reiterated that the Bucha provocation "still remains on the conscience of the West;"
🟠Trade between BRICS nations is increasingly de-dollarized — over 65% of settlements now occur in national currencies;
🟠On Ukraine, Lavrov stated the conflict can only be resolved by addressing its root causes, notably abandoning Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.
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Open-Heart Surgery Now Possible in Niger Thanks to Cooperation With Burkina Faso
On April 28, Health Minister Garba Hakimi introduced a pioneering open-heart surgery at Niamey General Hospital, with surgical teams from both countries in attendance.
The development marks a major step towards health sovereignty, allowing patients with heart disease to receive care locally.
🗣 "Thanks to this partnership, we are taking a significant step towards treating cardiovascular diseases, a crucial public health issue," said Professor Daou Mamane, director of the hospital.
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🎥🎥 Sergey Lavrov holds a press conference following the plenary meeting of the BRICS Ministerial Council
☝🏾 Follow the event live on our Telegram channel
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Victory Day 'Sacred Holiday' Not Only for Russia, But Also for Many Former Soviet Republics: Putin
Foreign military personnel attending the Volgograd Great Heritage-Common Future forum are expected to participate in Moscow's May 9th Victory Day parade, the Russian president said.
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#viral | Putin Orders to Send Emergencies Aircraft to Help Extinguish at Shahid Rajaee Port
Several aircraft of the Russian Emergencies Ministry will be sent at Iran's request, the embassy in Tehran noted.
🔺Meanwhile, the death toll from the blast has risen to 36, a member of the parliamentary health commission reportedly said.
Social media footage shows ongoing efforts to extinguish the fire after the blast
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