RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine could cause ‘global nuclear disaster’ – Putin Ukrainian attacks on Russian nuclear power plants (NPP) could lead to a global disaster, President Vladimir Putin has warned. He suggested that Kiev think about what could happen if Moscow responded in kind. Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on Thursday, Putin was asked to comment on what Moscow claims are regular Ukrainian raids on the Zaporozhye and Kursk NPPs, both located not far from the frontline. “Those are very dangerous terrorist acts. One could only imagine what would happen if we responded in kind.…

Netanyahu says Israel will not leave Gaza border corridor until it is secure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel will only agree to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza that guarantees the border area between southern Gaza and Egypt could never be used as a lifeline for the Islamist movement Hamas. "Until that happens, we're there," he told a news conference in Jerusalem. Netanyahu repeated his outright rejection of a withdrawal from the so-called Philadelphi corridor in the first phase of a deal, expected to last 42 days, saying international pressure would make it effectively impossible to…

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Zelenskiy orders war's biggest reshuffle to give Ukraine 'new energy' President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Ukraine needed "new energy", as he ordered a major government reshuffle at a crucial juncture in the war against Russia. A total of six ministers, including Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, submitted their resignation and parliament accepted the resignations of four. They included the resignations of a deputy prime minister in charge of European integration, the strategic industries minister overseeing Ukraine's arms production and two other ministers, the lawmakers said. "We need new energy today, and these steps are related only to…

US charges Hamas leaders over Oct. 7 attack on Israel The United States announced criminal charges on Tuesday against Hamas' top leaders over their roles in planning, supporting and perpetrating the deadly Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel. The charges against Yahya Sinwar, the militant group's chief, and at least five others accuse them of orchestrating the Oct. 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people, including more than 40 Americans. That attack triggered an Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed more than 40,800 Palestinians and laid waste to much of the territory. "As outlined in our complaint, those defendants --…