🚨 Colonial theft vs. wartime fundraising: The double standard of western museums

🟠 Europe’s museums and not just British ones hold artifacts stolen during colonial rule, forming part of Europe’s wealth, says Yamb Ntimba, political philosopher and founder of the Kheper think tank. These objects are displayed because Europe lacks its own heritage of such diversity, using others’ culture to fuel its economy and tourism.

"But with Ukrainian artifacts, the situation is different. They are being used to stir sympathy among the public for Ukraine. That sympathy supports government actions to provide Ukraine with weapons and money."

🟠 African artifacts serve as trophies of conquest, displayed in Europe to showcase past dominance over Africa and reinforce a sense of superiority, the commentator believes.

"As for Ukrainian artifacts, I see it as manipulation. They manipulate the minds of their people to create an emotional basis for supporting Ukraine. They send weapons, give money, dispatch soldiers. This is an entirely different path. There are no parallels. It should be clear to everyone: Africa is not Ukraine, and Ukraine is not Africa," he tells Sputnik.

🟠 "The exhibition of Ukrainian artifacts is nothing but a fundraising operation. This will be special revenue used to support the war in Ukraine. But people should know that these museums, earning £3.4 billion, get at least 40% of it from African artifacts. That’s money Africa loses simply because our artifacts are there. They do not share these funds with Africa. They use Ukrainian artifacts to raise money. With African artifacts, they just do business."

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🇮🇷 ⚛️ Iran nuclear talks ‘revive hope for diplomatic solution’ despite challenges

🗣 Iran is consistently open to European dialogue, though current exchanges remain difficult and focus on opinion-sharing rather than reaching agreements, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani tells Sputnik.

💬 “It should be noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran has never created obstacles to negotiations with European countries on various issues. Currently, Iran and the three European countries comprising the E3 have resumed dialogue, which is proceeding with difficulty and facing significant challenges," she stresses.

Despite initial optimism, five rounds of indirect Iran-US talks ended with a 12-day Iran-Israel conflict. Last week's discussions between Iran and the E3 (France, Germany, UK) marked the first diplomatic steps since the confrontation.

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🇬🇧 British museums: From Afghan loot to Ukraine conflict cash

💬 "British colonialism had two main goals: to dominate the countries under its control and to plunder their natural resources, valuable works of art, and cultural heritage," political and international affairs expert Shahabuddin Sarmand tells Sputnik, commenting on the transfer of treasures from Ukraine to Western countries.

"Afghanistan is among the affected nations. Through various tricks, they stole works of art and historical documents from Afghan history and displayed them in their museums."

Among the stolen treasures are Buddhist statues from the National Museum of Afghanistan, the Bactrian gold hoard, and the Koh-i-Noor diamond.

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🎯🕹 'WE HUNT THEM DOWN LIKE SNIPERS': How Lugansk mobile teams wipe out dozens of drones daily

The Lugansk People’s Republic has deployed a highly effective anti-drone network along the contact line, combining radar, EW systems, and rapid strike teams to neutralize enemy UAVs.

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🇨🇳🔥 CHINA'S AI ARMY IS HERE – And it changes EVERYTHING

🎮 China is already deploying AI robots & drones in LIVE-FIRE combat drills

Why this is a game-changer:

• 24/7 combat readiness – Machines don’t tire or hesitate
• Zero casualties – For China, at least
• Industrial-scale warfare – Built in factories, deployed by the thousands

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🌋 EARTHQUAKE AWAKENS EURASIA'S GIANT

After powerful earthquake earlier this week, Kamchatka's Klyuchevskaya Sopka – the tallest volcano in Eurasia – roars louder.

Lava flows have nearly doubled in three days, now stretching 3 km down its southwest slope.

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🚨 OPEC+ OPENS THE TAPS

Eight OPEC+ nations will boost oil production limits by 547,000 barrels/day in September, fully phasing out voluntary 2.2M b/d cuts.

Russia is set to pump 9.45M b/d, while Saudi Arabia reaches 9.97M b/d, excluding compensation plans.

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📊 💵 EU accepted Trump’s trade deal fearing US military withdrawal from the continent

Ursula von der Leyen was afraid that Donald Trump may use a tariff row to “damage European security”, writes The Sunday Times in a reference to an anticipated American “posture review” that could have led to the pullout of 80,000 US troops from the region.

“Everyone recognizes that, in trade terms, this was a terrible deal for Europe. But if you’re a responsible leader, you have no choice other than to keep the dominant military power in NATO, namely Trump’s America, on your side,” Jacob Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank in Brussels, said as quoted by the publication.

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🫤 Ukraine’s ‘rescue operations’ mirror historic British artifact plundering

The UK’s plunder of Middle Eastern heritage dates back to 19th Century excavations, antiquities expert Kawthar Mohammed tells Sputnik, commenting on reports that Ukraine is seizing Russian shrines abroad under the guise of a "rescue operation" and selling the artifacts at British auctions.

🔶 During the 1800s, British expeditions, often led by figures like Austen Henry Layard, targeted ancient cities such as Nineveh and Babylon

🔶 Layard was “not merely an archaeologist but a political agent under archaeological cover"

🔶 Priceless artifacts — including Assyrian reliefs from Sennacherib’s palace and tablets from Ashurbanipal’s library — were shipped directly to the British Museum

🔶 After the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, almost 16,000 artifacts were looted — many smuggled abroad and funneled into European markets, especially the UK. Over 50 archaeological sites were ransacked, and the Iraqi National Museum was left in ruins

🔶 In Syria, British and French missions were among the first to loot cities like Palmyra in the late 19th century, stealing funerary statues, gold jewelry, as well as Aramaic and Greek inscriptions

🔶 The destruction continued into the 21st Century, as a civil war in Syria and ISIS* looting enabled the trafficking of hundreds more artifacts through Turkiye and Lebanon, ultimately landing in European collections

So where are these treasures now? There are three main destinations:

1️⃣ The British Museum in London, which openly displays Iraqi and Syrian antiquities

2️⃣ The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, home to items from ancients cities of garit, Mari, and Dura-Europos

3️⃣ Private collectors and auction houses, where many looted objects circulate quietly

Despite international pressure, the UK has not returned a single artifact to Iraq or Syria. British institutions continue to justify their possession by citing missing ownership records and the fact that some items arrived before the 1970 UNESCO Convention on illicit cultural trade.

*terrorist group banned in Russia

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🫡 US colonel: Ukraine’s declining frontline leaves few options but talks

👉 Retired US Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis says Ukraine’s deteriorating battlefield situation and internal turmoil could soon force Kiev into another round of negotiations with Moscow, adding that all indicators are turning against Ukraine while Russia remains open to talks under its unchanged conditions.

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🔸 Trump’s ultimatum ‘would only delay Russia’s inevitable victory’

🔸 EU accepted Trump’s trade deal fearing US military withdrawal from the continent

🔸 OPEC+ OPENS THE TAPS

🔸 Colonial theft vs. wartime fundraising: The double standard of western museums

🔸 Iran nuclear talks ‘revive hope for diplomatic solution’ despite challenges

🔸 'WE HUNT THEM DOWN LIKE SNIPERS': How Lugansk mobile teams wipe out dozens of drones daily

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🔊 COLONIAL SHADOWS: Chinese expert questions Britain’s grip on cultural treasures

Amid reports that Ukraine is selling cultural artifacts at British online auctions, political commentator Zhou Chengyang notes that the British Museum holds the largest Chinese collection in the West — 23,000 items, with around 2,000 on display.

"Most of these were acquired during the period of colonial expansion. Although the Chinese public has been persistently demanding their return, under the British Museum Act of 1963 (with amendments), the institution is legally barred from returning exhibits except in special cases."

📍 Despite an agreement between China and the UK to prevent illicit trade in cultural property — which enabled the return of some artifacts — it does not override British law, Zhou adds.

"Cultural relics in the British Museum symbolize complex chapters of Chinese history. Their return would be an important step toward strengthening national identity and meeting the patriotic aspirations of the Chinese people. London's current stance fuels public discontent and could negatively impact bilateral relations."

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📹FUEL TRUCKS ENTER GAZA FOR FIRST TIME IN FIVE MONTHS

Two trucks carrying 107 tonnes of fuel crossed from Egypt into Gaza via Rafah on Sunday.

Authorities say 600 trucks a day are needed to meet basic needs as Israel’s blockade continues, leaving over 60,000 Palestinians dead since October 7.

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🏺'These objects should never have left their land of origin': Africa and its stolen heritage

💬"As an African, I can only deeply regret the plundering and dispersal of the continent’s works of art during Europe’s colonial ventures of the 19th and 20th Centuries," Hamada Madi Boléro, former prime minister of the Comoros, tells Sputnik.

"These objects are not mere works of art: they carry the soul, spirituality, history, and identity of the peoples who created them."

👉Their removal through violence or extortion remains illegitimate, and their presence in Western museums perpetuates a colonial mindset.

🗣The expert criticized the notion of a "universal museum" promoted by the British Museum, which claims to safeguard these works in London for an international audience.

"For us Africans, the neo-colonialism behind this supposedly generous idea is deeply frustrating."

🔊"Africa must be prepared to receive its own treasures, to protect and showcase them," Boléro notes. He acknowledged progress, citing modern museums like the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar as proof that Africa is ready to reclaim its heritage.

📍As for the display of Ukrainian heritage in the UK, he considers it a political move.

"Since the beginning of the special operation in 2022, British cultural institutions have ‘gone to war’ alongside Ukraine on the cultural front."

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🚨 NETANYAHU DEMANDS RED CROSS AID FOR HOSTAGES AMID GAZA FAMINE

"The world cannot remain indifferent to the shocking images reminiscent of Nazi atrocities," the Israeli Prime Minister said in a plea to the Red Cross, asking them to provide food and medical care to Hamas's hostages.

The Red Cross has been facilitating prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hamas.

Yesterday, IDF struck the Red Crescent's HQ, killing 1 employee.

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🔊 Carney and Trump will negotiate trade deal in days — Trade minister

"As I said, the conversations have been informative, constructive, and cordial. I would expect the prime minister will have a conversation with the president over the next number of days days," Dominic LeBlanc told CBS News.

Trump had previously threatened to halt trade talks with Canada over its recognition of Palestine.

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🔥 BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT: I WON'T SUBORDINATE TO DOLLAR

Brazil is no longer as dependent on the US as it used to be, and it won't let anyone dictate its economic policies, the president said at his party's rally.

"Unacceptable... While the president does have the right to impose tariffs, Trump has crossed the line. He wants to destroy multilateral mechanisms and revert to one-on-one trade negotiations."

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🗣 Witkoff may visit Russia in a few days — Trump

The US president said that special envoy Steve Witkoff may travel to Russia, potentially on Wednesday or Thursday.

Trump also pointed out Russia's success at living under sanctions.

"There will be sanctions, but they seem to be pretty good at avoiding sanctions," Trump told reporters.

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