Marine Le Pen on Russia-Ukraine war:

Either NATO enters this war and it will be the Third World War, or we will witness a Hundred Years’ War.

This war has already lasted longer than the First World War, and nobody is talking about it.

There are 2 million victims. This is a real slaughter. It is terrible.

Marine Le Pen on Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations:

I think there needs to be Germany around the table. I think Poland and Türkiye needs to be there.

I believe that the historic role of France is precisely to create the conditions for a negotiation that precedes peace, as we did for Vietnam.

Boris Johnson — the English— are always extremely warlike, often at the request of the Americans, we have to say.

Marine Le Pen on Trump:

We would still need to know what he wanted to do there. Because for now, we still do not know what he wanted to do.

He clearly has not achieved his war aims and he is setting the whole planet on fire.

Today we are in a situation where we risk global inflation that will have consequences for all peoples.

It's better to convince the U.S. not to go and wage war against a country and an ancient civilization, a complicated country and probably much more powerful than Donald Trump imagined.

Marine Le Pen:

We confuse multicultural with multi-ethnic.

There can be countries that are multi-ethnic and that are not multicultural.

Everyone, regardless of where they come from, swears allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, and that is, so to speak, the book of American culture.

There are many countries in the world that understand this, and I believe it is true that a multicultural country is a multi-conflict country.

Marine Le Pen:

I will propose to the French a referendum whose objective is to fight against Islamist ideologies.

I think that Islamist ideologies that have inserted themselves into all sectors of our society are a major danger.

Not only for our security, but for our culture and for our rights, particularly our constitutional rights.

US House Passes Sweeping Russia Sanctions Bill Championed by Lindsey Graham

House cleared the legislation targeting Russian energy, defense, and sanctions evasion while granting Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian gas.

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Zelensky:

The Yaroslavl oil refinery was hit overnight, and a military airfield in Rostov was accurately struck — damage to an An-12 aircraft, two An-26 aircraft, and three more helicopters has been confirmed.

Von der Leyen’s proposal to make Canada the EU’s first “associate member” surprised EU capitals, with diplomats saying the idea was not consulted in advance and lacks a clear definition.

Canada also appeared cautious, with officials saying they were focused on deeper cooperation rather than the proposed status.

Carney is set to address the European Parliament today.

Source: POLITICO

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi:

Friends, India is the mother of democracy.

When such a country succeeds in a critical industry, it strengthens the supply chains of the entire world.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

After the victory, Ukraine will be a huge exporter of military technology and we will be learning about how to conduct a modern war from your militaries.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

We have more tanks and more brigades than Germany, France and Britain combined that we could deploy.

A Syrian man has returned to his home in Damascus and uncovered a private library he hid behind a wall in 2011 before fleeing to Kuwait.

The collection contained books that had been banned by the Assad regime and could not be openly owned or circulated during its rule.

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has stepped back from public duties due to a health issue, the presidency announced.

Ramaphosa’s medical team advised him to rest after his return from the BRICS Summit in India.

The nature of his illness was not disclosed.

EU's von der Leyen:

For every person under 18 the platforms must follow the principle of safety by design. No toxic or addictive features, no traps etc.

Now age will be verified using EU certified tools like our age verification app.

This app is built on zero knowledge proof. That means that the platform only learns one single thing, and that's whether you're old enough to allow access or not.

Zelensky on China:

It's a pity that China is not on our side in this war, politically, even it's not about weapons.

It's about the political will, and it's a pity because this war can be started and stopped immediately by strong leaders, including China.

Zelensky told NHK that the war in Ukraine could threaten security in East Asia, citing North Korea’s growing military ties with Russia.

Zelensky said North Korea has sent tens of thousands of troops to fight alongside Russia, warning that they are gaining battlefield experience.

“It’s a big problem because it was not expensive for North Korea just to send people, and they begin to learn modern war,” he said.

He added that Russia allowed Pyongyang to gain combat experience “without big losses,” increasing the security risks for the region.

NEW: Türkiye is dismantling a Ponzi-like fund scheme on the Borsa Istanbul (BIST), the country's main stock exchange.

Tera Portföy and Pusula Portföy delivered returns measured in thousands of percent by pumping investor money into their own affiliated low-float stocks in a circular loop.

One fund held 99% of assets in a single related stock.

Rising prices attracted more inflows, which bought more of the same stocks, inflating NAVs further. ~133 billion TL fled Pusula funds alone once new rules hit.

When Türkiye’s capital markets regulator SPK enforced new free-float and concentration rules, redemptions crashed the scheme.

Pusula couldn't pay out, then Tera itself defaulted on two funds (~$7.5B combined).

Six more Tera funds switched to delayed redemptions. BIST 100 dropped as much as 7.7%, triggering circuit breakers.

The state stepped in hard.

Emergency Financial Stability Committee meeting held this morning. Criminal complaints filed against 38 people for market manipulation in three stocks — Katılımevim, Gündoğdu Gıda, and Destek Finans Faktoring. Two-year trading ban slapped on Pusula.

All funds from seven portfolio companies — Tera, Pusula, Hedef, Atlas, A1, Pardus and Bulls — frozen on TEFAS (Türkiye’s central fund trading platform) and heading for forced liquidation.

BIG: German Chancellor Merz is facing growing pressure after recent election setbacks and internal criticism.

Ahead of elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, Merz plans to seek support from the CDU leadership in an “indirect vote of confidence” on Sunday.

Merz wants backing for his reform agenda and his continuation as chancellor, while critics have raised the possibility of a leadership change.

Potential successors mentioned include North Rhine-Westphalia Premier Hendrik Wüst, CSU leader Markus Söder, and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.

Source: ZDF

Someone in the European Parliament yells “USA! USA!” as Canada’s PM Mark Carney is about to begin his speech.

Carney laughs.

Canadian PM Mark Carney:

We believe that a strong economy is not an end in itself, but a means to a just society.

Canadian PM Mark Carney:

Canada and Europe are not bound by geography; we’re bound by an affinity, elective, chosen, renewed, and stronger.