Elijah Magnier, veteran war correspondent, joined us to discuss the general public’s discontent with the EU governments

🎧Listen to more of Magnier’s analysis in our podcast Fault Lines

⚡️Trump leaves New York residence en route to Manhattan Criminal Court, a Sputnik correspondent reports from the scene.

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📽WATCH: Trump arrived to Manhattan Criminal Court, a Sputnik correspondent reports from the scene.

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⚡Trump under arrest ahead of his arraignment hearings in NYC court

🛍 Zara will be rebranded as Maag in Russia, along with two other popular brands, Pull&Bear (renamed DUB) and Bershka (renamed Ecru), according to an announcement by the Daher Group. The new outlets are set to open in April of this year, after being delayed due to earthquakes in Turkiye.

The company is currently in the process of recruiting 4,500 personnel across 240 stores throughout Russia, with some former employees also being invited to return to the company.

The stores will feature clothing produced at factories in China and Turkiye, and the company's employees have stated that there are no plans to increase prices.

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❗Former US President Donald Trump has entered a Manhattan courtroom to be arraigned on charges linked to alleged hush money payments to pornography actress Stormy Daniels, to which he is expected to plead not guilty.

An Alabama school has installed a bulletproof shelter in the classroom to protect students and teachers from gun attacks. The idea was devised by Kevin Thomas, owner of the company KT Security Solutions.

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⚡️Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts. He leaves Manhattan court after arraignment without addressing media.

Elijah Magnier, veteran war correspondent, joined us to discuss the US model of establishing connections by occupation and the alternative

🎧Listen to more of Magnier’s analysis in our podcast Fault Lines

US Parks Carrier Group Off Syria’s Coast as Iran Vows Revenge Over Killings of IRGC Advisors

The US has deployed a carrier group closer to Syria's coast in response to attacks on US forces by Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated groups. This comes amid escalating tensions between Syria and Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the other, related to Washington's ongoing occupation of parts of Syria. Recent US and Israeli airstrikes in Syria have resulted in the deaths of two IRGC military advisors, and Iran has vowed revenge. The tensions come as peace negotiations are ongoing in the region.

“We saw increased attacks from IRGC-affiliated groups targeting our service members in Syria, and so as a precaution we did move the carrier to be slightly closer, but it’s still under the purview of EUCOM [United States European Command, ed.],” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday.

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🔺Strengthening ties: An official delegation from Syria is in Russia ahead of a four-way summit including Iran and Turkiye
🔺Why is Macron visiting China?
🔺Russia will beef up its forces in the northwest as Finland joins NATO

The Critical Hour will cover these and more stories! Tune in to Radio Sputnik at 6pm EST|3pm PST|12am CET via the website or app

📻 Also in the United States at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM

Robert Fantina, journalist and Palestine activist, joined us to discuss the reunion between Syria and the Arab community

🎧Listen to more of Fantina’s analysis in our podcast The Critical Hour

🇯🇵NATO welcomes Japan's decision to establish a permanent diplomatic mission to the alliance, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

"We welcome very much that you have decided to open a dedicated diplomatic mission to NATO," Stoltenberg said during a press conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi following the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.

In August 2022, Japanese media reported that Tokyo might appoint a separate envoy to NATO.

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🇷🇺The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned French Charge d’Affaires Jay Dharmadhikari to lodge a protest over the French embassy’s statement about provocation in Bucha, Ukraine.

"On April 4, Charge d'Affaires of France in Russia J. Dharmadhikari was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, a protest was lodged in connection with the statements published by the embassy on social networks about ‘atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in Bucha and other Ukrainian cities," the ministry said in a statement.

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Ukraine has gas reserves and the United States plans to help develop those and has already held bilateral discussions with Kiev on the matter, US Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk said on Tuesday.

"Ukraine definitely has gas reserves, and there are plans and we have had some good discussions bilaterally in terms of developing those resources further, first and foremost for the benefit of the Ukrainian people and their own energy security," Turk said during a press briefing.

Washington has partnered with Kiev to leverage US energy expertise stemming from 17 national laboratories in the United States to help Ukraine plan and execute its goals on energy, he added.

Ukraine was among the largest gas holders in Europe with 38.5 trillion cubic feet in proven natural gas reserves at the end of 2020, according to a statistical report compiled by BP.

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📹 Trump on his indictment: There is no case

In his speech, the embattled former US president slammed those behind the charges against him and claimed “the real criminal” in the case against him is “the District Attorney, because he illegally leaked massive amounts of information.”

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US Pulls Philippines Into NATO's Geopolitical Confrontation Versus China

In April, US military units could be deployed to new Philippine-owned bases. An expanded US military presence in the Philippines would allow the US to respond to the situation around Taiwan from the south. The US threatens peace and stability in the South China Sea, which China finds unacceptable.

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🐼 Kung Fu Panda from the Moscow Zoo is meditating on a life of athletic endeavor and harsh battles

Pandas, unlike most bears, do not hibernate. Apparently they don't need to because they can fall asleep at any time and in any place

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❗️Key moments from Donald Trump’s historic arraignment:

▪️The former US president faces criminal charges on 34 felony counts;

▪️Prosecutors alleged Trump sought to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information;

▪️Trump was formally arrested while being charged for two hours, becoming the first former president of the United States with the status of a prisoner;

▪️Trump was spared handcuffs and mugshot but was fingerprinted;

▪️The arrest was eventually withdrawn and Trump left the court;

▪️He said there is no case against him and labeled the prosecutor a criminal;

▪️Trump said the US is “going to hell”;

▪️The White House said the indictment “is not something that is a focus” for Biden;

▪️US media estimated that Trump will face 136 years in prison.

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⚡️ India to test Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems: ANI citing defence source

"It is planned to fire one of the short or medium-range missiles at a fast-moving aerial target very soon," the Indian Defense Ministry source said.

India signed a contract in October 2018 to buy the S-400 from Russia, becoming the third foreign buyer of this weaponry after China and Turkiye. It has already taken delivery of the first two consignments of the missile systems.

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