CEO Alex Karp casts the surveillance giant as “sentinels of the inner sanctum, against the assault of AI slop”
Palantir Technologies reported a blowout first quarter, saying revenue rose 85% year on year to $1.63 billion as its US business more than doubled, driven by rapid growth across both commercial and government customers.
The company said in its Q1 report, published Monday, that US revenue jumped 104% to $1.28 billion, with commercial reve
CEO Alex Karp casts the surveillance giant as “sentinels of the inner sanctum, against the assault of AI slop”
Palantir Technologies reported a blowout first quarter, saying revenue rose 85% year on year to $1.63 billion as its US business more than doubled, driven by rapid growth across both commercial and government customers.
The company said in its Q1 report, published Monday, that US revenue jumped 104% to $1.28 billion, with commercial revenue up 133% to $595 million and government revenue up 84% to $687 million. The results beat Wall Street estimates, and the company also raised its full-year guidance, saying it now expects 2026 revenue of up to $7.66 billion, implying annual growth of about 71%.
CEO Alex Karp, who has increasingly framed Palantir’s AI tools as central to Western military and industrial power, said the “twin pistons of our US business are now firing in sync.”
Palantir reports Q1 ‘26 U.S. revenue growth of 104% Y/Y and revenue growth of 85% Y/Y; raises FY ’26 revenue guidance to 71% Y/Y growth and U.S. comm revenue guidance to 120% Y/Y, crushing consensus expectations.
“We believe it is not hyperbolic to say that nearly all AI workflows that actually create value – especially on the battlefield – are built on Palantir,” Karp wrote in an accompanying letter to shareholders, stating that the company “was founded to strengthen US national security, to protect Americans and their freedom.”
Palantir – named after the obsidian seeing-stones from Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, through which the dark lord Sauron keeps watch on his underlings – is a software firm primarily serving the defense and intelligence sectors.
Palantir’s flagship product is a system called Gotham, which pulls together and analyzes satellite footage, human intelligence from the CIA, signals intelligence from the NSA, and other data that might otherwise take days to sift through. Gotham and MOSAIC – another Palantir target-identification program that pulls digital data, including surveillance footage and IP addresses, from a target area – use AI to label the most effective targets for military strikes.
The US has acknowledged using these programs to select targets during its ongoing war on Iran, but insists that humans make the final decision to fire. Abroad, Palantir’s technology is used by the British Ministry of Defence, the Israel Defense Forces, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The company’s earnings update came weeks after Palantir drew criticism for a 22-point manifesto summarizing themes from Karp’s book The Technological Republic. The manifesto argued that Silicon Valley has an “obligation” to participate in national defense, that “hard power” will be built on software, and that AI weapons are inevitable. Critics labeled it a blueprint for “technofascism.”
The head of US Central Command said the American military had struck six boats in the Strait of Hormuz
The head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, told journalists on Monday that the American military had “eliminated” a small Iranian naval force that was allegedly threatening commercial shipping in the key waterway.
The reported attack was part of Project Freedom, announced by President Donald Trump on Sunday, to escort tanker
The head of US Central Command said the American military had struck six boats in the Strait of Hormuz
The head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, told journalists on Monday that the American military had “eliminated” a small Iranian naval force that was allegedly threatening commercial shipping in the key waterway.
The reported attack was part of Project Freedom, announced by President Donald Trump on Sunday, to escort tankers and other vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran in late February.
“The US claim regarding the sinking of a number of Iranian combat boats is a lie,” a senior Iranian military official told the IRIB news agency on Monday.
The CENTCOM commander claimed that the US military had sunk at least six Iranian boats, while boasting of what he called “an enormous amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the strait, including AH-64 Apache and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters.”
Earlier on Monday, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that the Iranian military had hit a US Navy patrol boat near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM, in turn, rejected the claim, stating that no US Navy ships had been struck.
Washington and Tehran remain at odds over the fate of the key waterway, which accounts for about 20% of global seaborne oil trade. Iran reportedly suggested a new mechanism to govern the strait as part of its latest peace proposal, which was rejected by the US.
Trump ordered a naval blockade of Iranian ports in a bid to make Iran agree to a peace settlement that would be satisfactory to Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the blockade an “act of war” violating a ceasefire the sides reached in early April.
“Project Freedom is Project Deadlock,” Araghchi said in a post on X, warning Washington to “be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers.”
The Secret Service has reported a person having been shot just south of the Washington Monument
The White House was put on lockdown during a business event attended by President Donald Trump following reports of gunfire nearby, Newsmax and Al Jazeera journalists reported on Monday. The Secret Service announced that an individual had been shot by law enforcement in the neighborhood.
The gunfire erupted just south of the Washington Monument, the Se
The Secret Service has reported a person having been shot just south of the Washington Monument
The White House was put on lockdown during a business event attended by President Donald Trump following reports of gunfire nearby, Newsmax and Al Jazeera journalists reported on Monday. The Secret Service announced that an individual had been shot by law enforcement in the neighborhood.
The gunfire erupted just south of the Washington Monument, the Secret Service communications office said in a statement on X.
“One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown. Please avoid the area as emergency crews are responding,” it said.
“The incident resulted from a confrontation between an armed individual and Secret Service Police,” the USSS added in a follow-up statement.
Journalists attending the event reported that they were immediately herded off the White House north lawn and locked in the press room.
The scare follows just over a week after an alleged assassination attempt on Trump.
Cole Allen, a teacher from California, was charged with trying to kill the US president after he allegedly breached security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner while armed with guns and knives.
In his purported manifesto, Allen, without identifying Trump by name, slammed his policies and described intent to take action against “a pedophile, rapist, and traitor.”
Moscow must sharpen nuclear deterrence, revise doctrine and defeat Kiev to avert a wider war with the West and NATO powers
The accelerating flow of events, each overlapping and contradicting the other, is bewildering and makes it difficult to grasp the essence of what is happening. I shall attempt to interpret the course of history, drawing on my own experience and knowledge, as well as on the fact that over the past 35 years I have never been si
Moscow must sharpen nuclear deterrence, revise doctrine and defeat Kiev to avert a wider war with the West and NATO powers
The accelerating flow of events, each overlapping and contradicting the other, is bewildering and makes it difficult to grasp the essence of what is happening. I shall attempt to interpret the course of history, drawing on my own experience and knowledge, as well as on the fact that over the past 35 years I have never been significantly wrong in my assessments and forecasts. Sometimes I was a little behind, but more often I was several years, or even a couple of decades, ahead of the expert community.
A full-scale world war has already begun. Its roots go back to 1917, when Soviet Russia broke away from the capitalist system. First, the interventionists were set upon us; then Nazi Germany and almost all of Western Europe, but the latter lost. The second round began in the 1950s, when the peoples of the USSR, at the cost of enormous hardship and in their quest to secure sovereignty and security, created the nuclear bomb and subsequently achieved nuclear parity with the United States. By doing so, without realizing it at the time, we knocked the foundations out from under five centuries of Western dominance in the ideological sphere, which had allowed them to plunder the rest of the world and subjugate even the most advanced civilizations. That foundation was military superiority, upon which the system of exploitation of all humanity was built.
From the mid-1950s onwards, the West began to suffer one military defeat after another. A wave of national liberation swept across the globe, accompanied by the nationalization of resources that had been seized by Western countries and their corporations. The global balance of power began to shift in favor of the non-Western world.
The United States first attempted to regain the upper hand under Reagan, with a rapid surge in military spending aimed at restoring its dominance, and the launch of the “Star Wars” program. It intervened in the tiny, defenseless nation of Grenada to demonstrate that the Americans were still capable of victory.
And here, the West was fortunate. For internal reasons, due to the erosion of its ideological core and the refusal to reform a national economy that was becoming increasingly inefficient, the Soviet Union collapsed. The global capitalist system, which had itself been in crisis, received a massive injection of energy in the form of a multitude of hungry consumers and cheap labor.
It seemed as though history had turned back. A period of euphoria began, but it didn’t last long. Dazed by its victory, the West made a number of spectacular geostrategic blunders, and then Russia began to revive, primarily through its military might.
The immediate roots of the current world war came to the surface in the late 2000s. Even under Obama, the policy later branded “America First” began to take shape as a revival of US power. Military spending started to rise, and a wave of anti-Russian propaganda surged. Moscow tried, by reclaiming Crimea, to halt the West’s latest attempt at revenge, but this only sent the West into a frenzy. We failed to capitalize on this success because we clung to hopes of “reaching an agreement,” dithered over the “Minsk process,” and refused to see how, on Ukrainian territory, the army and the population were being prepared for war with Russia.
New waves of sanctions followed, and an economic war began even during Trump’s first term. We were all waiting for something. Then came the distraction of Covid, which was most likely one of the fronts in the war that had already begun, but which turned against the West itself.
We were slow to respond to attempts at retaliation. When we finally did so in 2022, we made several mistakes. Among them was underestimating the West’s intention to crush Russia as the cause of its historical failure, so that it could then turn its attention to China and once again subjugate the global majority, the Third World, the Global South, that had been liberated by the USSR. We underestimated the Kiev regime’s readiness for war and the extent to which the Ukrainian population had been conditioned. We hoped that “our people” were there, although west of the Dnepr there were few of them to begin with, and their numbers were dwindling.
Another mistake was that we began fighting the Kiev regime without recognizing that the main adversary and source of the threat was the collective West – particularly the European elites, who sought to divert attention from their own failures and, ideally, to take revenge for the historical defeats of the 20th century, chief among them the defeat of the overwhelming majority of Europeans who marched against the USSR under Hitler’s banners.
Our main mistake, however, was the underutilization of the most important weapon in our arsenal , one for which we paid with malnutrition and even starvation in the 1940s and 1950s, nuclear deterrence.
We have been drawn into a conflict dubbed a “special military operation,” effectively accepting the imposed rules of the game, a war of attrition, given the enemy’s superior economic and demographic potential. The war has taken on a trench-like character, albeit with a 21st-century technological dimension. In 2023 and 2024, we did, however, step up our nuclear deterrence, sending several military-technical signals and modernizing our doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons.
The Americans, who under no circumstances intended to fight for Europe, especially when there was a risk of escalation to the nuclear level, and thus the spread of the conflict to US territory, began to withdraw from direct confrontation even under Biden, continuing to profit from the war while effectively plundering the Europeans in the process. Trump, amid talk of peacemaking, continued along the same line, profiting from the war while avoiding the risk of direct confrontation with Russia.
The world war currently has two main, converging flashpoints, the European one, centered on Ukraine, and the Middle Eastern one, where the United States and its junior ally Israel are attempting to destabilize the entire Near and Middle East. South Asia may be next. Venezuela has already been crushed; Cuba is being squeezed.
A new policy is needed.
First. We must understand that the deep-seated contradictions in the existing global economic system, which undermine the very foundations of human development, threaten the destruction of mankind. At the same time, the continuation of our current half-measured policy in Ukraine risks exhausting the country and undermining the strength and spirit of Russia that have only recently begun to revive.
Second. In the military-political sphere, we can discuss a ceasefire and even speak of a “spirit of Alaska.” But at the same time, we must clearly understand the essence of what is happening: long-term peace and the development of our country, as well as of humanity as a whole, are impossible without thwarting the West’s attempt at military-political revenge, with Europe once again at its forefront.
To prevent this revenge, it is necessary to destroy the Kiev regime and liberate the southern and eastern territories of the quasi-state “Ukraine” that are vital to Russia’s security. Our brave fighters and field commanders can and must continue to advance. But we must understand that a modernized trench war will not bring victory. We could lose, or at the very least squander, hundreds of thousands more of our finest men, who are needed for the struggle and victories in the coming, extremely dangerous and difficult period of history, one that is almost certain to involve a broader clash.
Third. It is impossible to bring the current conflict in Ukraine to a victorious conclusion, let alone prevent it from escalating into a global thermonuclear war, without significantly strengthening the policy of relying on nuclear deterrence. To achieve this, we must stop talking about “arms control.” The issue of a new START treaty must be closed. At the same time, agreements on the joint management of nuclear deterrence and strategic stability may remain useful and even necessary. We must intensify the build-up of missiles and other medium- and strategic-range delivery systems in order to deter the West from attempting to regain its superiority. Our adversaries must understand that superiority and impunity are unattainable.
When deployed in optimal numbers and guided by the right doctrine, nuclear weapons render non-nuclear superiority impossible and reduce the need for excessive military expenditure. Systems such as Burevestnik, Oreshnik, and other hypersonic delivery platforms must convince the enemy of this reality.
We must prepare the next generation so that American elites understand in advance that their dreams of restoring supremacy and imposing their will by force are unrealistic.
The accelerated increase in the flexibility of nuclear capabilities is intended to remind everyone that it is impossible to defeat a great nuclear power through a non-nuclear arms race or through conventional warfare. This, of course, assumes that we avoid the mistake of an uncontrolled nuclear build-up, as the USSR and the United States did in the 1960s. That was costly and largely pointless. We simply need to make clear that any such arms race would be futile and even suicidal for our adversaries. On this matter, it is worth engaging in dialogue, at the very least with the Americans.
At the same time, to restrain a Washington that has lost its sense of proportion, we should include in our doctrine on the use of nuclear and other weapons, should the United States and the West continue on their current course toward unleashing a world war, a provision for genuine readiness to strike at American and Western European assets overseas, including those located in third countries. They would do well to divest themselves of such assets. To this end, we must continue to develop the flexibility of our military capabilities. The United States and its allies are far more dependent on overseas infrastructure, bases, and logistical and communications bottlenecks than we are. The enemy must feel its vulnerability, and know that we are fully aware of it.
It’s worth drawing on Iran’s experience in defending itself against current US-Israeli pressure. Tehran began to strike at the enemy’s vulnerabilities, and the enemy felt the impact and was forced to step back. Adjustments in doctrine and in specific military planning, including readiness for asymmetric strikes, will strengthen the deterrent effect and may have a sobering impact on an opponent that is increasingly prone to reckless actions.
We should reconsider the priorities for preemptive strikes, beginning with non-nuclear options, followed, only if necessary, by nuclear ones as a last resort. Among the first targets should be not only communications and command centers, but also locations where elite decision-makers are concentrated, particularly in Europe. This would strip them of their sense of impunity. They must understand that if they continue the war against Russia, or choose to escalate it further, devastating strikes will follow.
To reinforce the credibility of such deterrence, efforts to develop both conventional and nuclear munitions capable of penetrating hardened underground structures should be intensified, and such systems should be tested. The illusion that political and military elites can hide in bunkers or remote locations must be dispelled. The recent publication by our Ministry of Defense of a list of European companies involved in supporting the Kiev regime is a small but necessary step in this direction.
At present, this elite pretends to fear us. In reality, they do not. They constantly insist that Russia will never resort to nuclear weapons. This illusion must be broken. They must be made to understand that continued escalation carries existential risks. Perhaps then they will step back. Perhaps their own internal structures, the so-called “deep states,” will restrain them. Perhaps even public opinion will awaken from its complacency.
Reinforcing the credibility of nuclear deterrence is also necessary to overcome what might be called “strategic complacency," the belief that war on a large scale is impossible. That belief has already proven dangerous.
This is particularly relevant in the case of Germany. A country that unleashed two world wars and bears responsibility for immense destruction should not be allowed to develop overwhelming military power once again. If such ambitions emerge, it must be clearly understood that they will be met with decisive countermeasures.
Fourth. To make deterrence credible, further adjustments must be made to the nuclear doctrine. It should explicitly state that in the event of aggression by a coalition possessing greater economic, demographic, and technological potential, the use of nuclear weapons may become unavoidable. This must be framed as a last resort, but a real one.
It may also be necessary to resume testing in order to reinforce the credibility of our capabilities. It is unclear why we continue to wait for others to act first.
At the same time, escalation must remain controlled. Initial responses should prioritize conventional strikes against command centers and strategic infrastructure. Only if escalation continues should further steps be considered.
Reliance on nuclear deterrence is also essential in countering the growing role of drones and other new forms of warfare. Those responsible for such attacks must understand that retaliation will be unavoidable.
Fifth. In addition to doctrinal and military-technical measures, command structures must be adapted. It would be advisable to appoint a dedicated commander for the European theater of operations, a figure with real authority and responsibility, supported by experienced personnel.
Sixth. It is time to reconsider the notion that nuclear war can have no winners. While such a conflict would undoubtedly be catastrophic, deterrence depends on the recognition that escalation carries consequences. The refusal to acknowledge this reality may itself encourage reckless behavior.
Let me be clear: the use of nuclear weapons would be a tragedy. But the refusal to maintain credible deterrence may lead to an even greater catastrophe, that being the uncontrolled expansion of war.
Seventh. Alongside military measures, Russia must deepen cooperation with key partners. In particular, coordination with China is essential. Efforts should also be made to stabilize other regions, including the Middle East, through new security arrangements involving major powers.
Eighth. Given the risks of the coming decades, it may be necessary to consider a closer strategic alignment with China, potentially including a temporary defensive framework. Such an arrangement could help prevent further escalation and maintain global balance.
Naturally, additional measures will be required. But those outlined here may be sufficient to halt the current conflict, preserve Russia’s strength, and, most importantly, prevent a slide into global catastrophe.
If we fail to act decisively, the consequences will be profound, not only for Russia, but for the future of humanity itself.
This article was first published by the magazine Profile and was translated and edited by the RT team.
American strikes deliberately targeted civilian medical and educational sites, analyst Christopher Helali has told RT
The US-Israeli bombings of Iranian fertility clinics, hospitals, schools and universities were aimed at “destroying Iran’s future,” geostrategic analyst Christopher Helali has told RT.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that one of the core goals of the war on Iran was to liberate its people from its government. He has also cla
American strikes deliberately targeted civilian medical and educational sites, analyst Christopher Helali has told RT
The US-Israeli bombings of Iranian fertility clinics, hospitals, schools and universities were aimed at “destroying Iran’s future,” geostrategic analyst Christopher Helali has told RT.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that one of the core goals of the war on Iran was to liberate its people from its government. He has also claimed that the country was left in a state of collapse after the US strikes.
Helali, who recently returned from reporting from inside Iran, said he saw “the exact opposite – I saw a people of dignity.”
Despite Washington’s claims of wanting to bring freedom to the Iranians, US strikes had deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, including Iran’s largest fertility clinic and egg bank, he said.
This is not about liberating the Iranian people. This is about destroying Iran’s future.
In addition to key medical facilities, US strikes hit numerous universities and schools, including in Minab, where some 120 schoolchildren were killed, Helali added.
According to the analyst, Iranians are “fed up” with being betrayed by the US during negotiations and want to end the war “on their own terms.”
Helali added that he visited the Strait of Hormuz and saw the traffic in the key waterway.
“It’s clear that Iran maintains control over the entire Strait of Hormuz. Nothing goes in and out without approval from the IRGC’s navy,” he said, calling reports of Iranian forces firing on the US Navy on Monday “totally plausible.”
Washington’s denial that a US ship was fired upon should be taken with “a whole bag of salt,” he added.
Should open hostilities break out once more, the Iranian response will be protracted, and would result in “a much larger level of destruction in the region than we have already seen,” he said. “In Iran, the sentiment is no negotiations until we have complete victory at this point.”
India’s Ruling BJP clinched a win in the key state of West Bengal for the first time in history
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made unprecedented gains in regional elections, according to the results announced by the Election Commission on Monday.
Votes for the election, which was held in April, were counted throughout the day on Monday across four states – Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala – and the un
India’s Ruling BJP clinched a win in the key state of West Bengal for the first time in history
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made unprecedented gains in regional elections, according to the results announced by the Election Commission on Monday.
Votes for the election, which was held in April, were counted throughout the day on Monday across four states – Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala – and the union territory of Puducherry.
The BJP swept to victory in the northeastern state of West Bengal, a major battleground, for the first time in the state’s history, taking power from the opposition Trinamool Congress led by popular politician Mamata Banerjee. Modi’s party also retained its position in the neighboring state of Assam for the third consecutive term.
The BJP also made surprise gains in the southern state of Kerala, winning three seats for the first time. In Kerala, the main opposition party, Indian National Congress, returned to power, defeating a coalition led by the Left parties. However, the Congress failed to make gains in other states.
The election results are viewed by political commentators in India as a significant boost for Modi and the BJP, which has governed at the federal level for three consecutive terms since 2014 but is now facing strong resistance to its plans to increase parliamentary seats ahead of the 2029 general elections.
Addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Modi called the win in West Bengal “historic and unprecedented.”
Aftershocks of these results will be felt for a long time, probably all the way up to 2029, Omar Abdullah, a prominent opposition politician from India’s Jammu and Kashmir, said.
Elections in India have always meant @PrannoyRoy7749 for sane, sensible interpretation of the trends & results and that’s why today the screens in my office have been tuned to @DeKoderAI to watch the unfolding political earthquake in West Bengal & Tamil Nadu. The aftershocks of…
Elections in Tamil Nadu brought another surprising victory – that of recently formed party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor-turned-politician Vijay. The party won 107 seats in its electoral debut, thus becoming the largest single party. It also shattered the decades-long domination of the two key regional parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
In this southern state, over 12 million voters aged between 18 and 29 made up 21.2% of the electorate, local media reported, noting that the scale of participation of the so-called Gen-Z likely influenced the outcome.
The effort is part of a campaign to boost the country’s military ranks due to the ‘Russian threat’
The German Armed Forces have said they sent tens of thousands of young people a questionnaire on joining the military. Every 18-year-old male is obliged to fill it out and register for potential military service under a new law.
Around 194,000 young people received a letter from the military with the questionnaire between January 15 and April 24, a
The effort is part of a campaign to boost the country’s military ranks due to the ‘Russian threat’
The German Armed Forces have said they sent tens of thousands of young people a questionnaire on joining the military. Every 18-year-old male is obliged to fill it out and register for potential military service under a new law.
Around 194,000 young people received a letter from the military with the questionnaire between January 15 and April 24, a spokesperson for the armed forces told KNA news agency following a request. A spokeswoman for the Defense Ministry said it has “no reliable” data on the responses yet.
The questionnaire asks for personal data, including physical condition, health, and education, and whether they would like to join the army. Those who show interest are asked to choose their preferred branch and potential duration of service, from six months to more than six years.
Women can also fill out the form but are not required to under the Military Service Modernization Act adopted late last year. The legislation is part of an effort by Berlin to boost the military ranks from 186,000 troops to 260,000, plus 200,000 reservists by the mid-2030s. German officials have discussed the need to grow the military since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, citing the supposed “Russian threat.”
President Vladimir Putin has dismissed speculation that Russia harbors aggressive intentions against NATO countries as “nonsense.”
Some German politicians, including the head of the state of Bavaria, Markus Soder, have argued for the reinstatement of the draft. The government’s plans have drawn criticism from young people, with thousands of students taking to the streets of Berlin to protest in early March.
Soaring energy costs are squeezing the bloc’s industry and pushing it further behind global rivals, Pierre Wunsch has warned
The EU is “not competitive” against global rivals as high energy costs weigh on the bloc’s industry, Belgian’s central bank governor, Pierre Wunsch, has warned.
In an interview with the Financial Times published on Monday, Wunsch said the EU’s energy‑intensive sectors are under mounting pressure, as the bloc struggles to k
Soaring energy costs are squeezing the bloc’s industry and pushing it further behind global rivals, Pierre Wunsch has warned
The EU is “not competitive” against global rivals as high energy costs weigh on the bloc’s industry, Belgian’s central bank governor, Pierre Wunsch, has warned.
In an interview with the Financial Times published on Monday, Wunsch said the EU’s energy‑intensive sectors are under mounting pressure, as the bloc struggles to keep production going amid persistently higher power costs following the Covid pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and the US-Israeli war on Iran.
According to Wunsch, the EU is failing to adjust to a new geopolitical reality, citing US protectionist policies and Chinese subsidies, warning the bloc is losing its ability to shape global standards.
The EU is “just not competitive, that’s it,” he added.
The fallout from the repeated crises has already forced the bloc to scale down its green energy policies over concerns about weak growth, Wunsch said.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen has warned that the bloc is facing prolonged uncertainty as its energy crisis deepens, with member states now paying significantly more for fossil fuel imports.
The EU has been grappling with the fallout from its decision to cut energy ties with Russia following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, alongside the costs of its green transition policies.
The US-Israeli war on Iran has added pressure to global energy markets, driving oil prices higher and increasing fuel costs for consumers worldwide. The EU, which imports around 75% of its jet fuel from the Middle East, has been hard hit by the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that handles around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.
The latest developments have prompted some EU politicians to step up calls to reconsider sanctions on Russia.
In January, the European Commission restated its goal of phasing out Russian fossil fuels by 2027. However, EU countries have reportedly increased imports of Russian LNG in the first quarter of this year.
Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev has warned the EU risks deindustrialization under “Russophobic politicians” and that Western governments will eventually be forced to seek renewed access to Russian energy.
The Iran war and rising costs are reportedly driving dissatisfaction with the president’s job performance among 62% of Americans
US President Donald Trump’s disapproval rating has reached a new high of 62%, according to the latest Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos poll.
The survey published by WaPo on Monday shows most Americans are dissatisfied with Trump’s job performance, while his approval stands at just 37%. Trump has repeatedly attacked the ou
The Iran war and rising costs are reportedly driving dissatisfaction with the president’s job performance among 62% of Americans
US President Donald Trump’s disapproval rating has reached a new high of 62%, according to the latest Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos poll.
The survey published by WaPo on Monday shows most Americans are dissatisfied with Trump’s job performance, while his approval stands at just 37%. Trump has repeatedly attacked the outlet, accusing it of publishing “fake” news stories.
Opposition to the Iran war is a key factor in Trump’s declining popularity, with 66% disapproving of his handling of the conflict. His weakest ratings are on the economy, with 76% disapproving on the cost of living, 72% on inflation and 65% overall.
The same overall disapproval level of 62% was recorded in a Gallup poll at the end of his first term, after his loss to Joe Biden and the subsequent Capitol riot. His high disapproval at the time was driven by his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and unrest following the killing of George Floyd.
The latest findings come six months before the midterm elections, a period when presidential approval ratings often shape the incumbent party’s performance at the ballot box.
Trump’s declining support, however, is not translating into a proportional boost for the Democrats. Many voters remain wary of the party, with around 54% describing it as “too liberal,” according WaPo polling director Scott Clement.
Analysts point to the Democrats’ weaknesses, including internal divisions and a lack of a clear message. Writing in The Guardian, political commentator Osita Nwanevu argued the party relies too heavily on Trump’s unpopularity rather than offering a clear alternative.
Many Americans also say they trust “neither” party to handle immigration, the economy, crime and inflation.
Republicans continue to back Trump despite declining overall support, with about 85% of GOP voters approving of his performance. His approval among independents stands at 25%.
Trump’s 62% disapproval ranks among the highest in modern polling, second only to Richard Nixon’s 66% in 1974 and above George W. Bush’s 61% in 2009, according to Gallup data.
CDC data shows fertility has fallen below even Depression-era levels, raising fresh questions about family stability and long-term decline
According to vital statistics data published in April by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the birth rate in the United States has reached a new record low. In 2025, there were 53.1 births per 1,000 women of childbearing age (15-44) in the US, 1.3% lower than in 2024 and 23% lower than in 2
CDC data shows fertility has fallen below even Depression-era levels, raising fresh questions about family stability and long-term decline
According to vital statistics data published in April by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the birth rate in the United States has reached a new record low. In 2025, there were 53.1 births per 1,000 women of childbearing age (15-44) in the US, 1.3% lower than in 2024 and 23% lower than in 2007. The decline in birth rates reflects the impact of decades of social change that have undermined the institution of the American family.
Today, the total number of births per year is far lower than in earlier periods, when the US population was much smaller. For example, in 1961, 4.3 million children were born when the US population stood at 184 million. In 2025, only 3.6 million children were born across the entire country, even though the population now stands at 342 million.
The current birth rates are even lower than during the Great Depression, when births fell to 75.8 births per 1,000 women in 1936.
The fundamental decline in fertility in American society began in the 1960s, following the sexual revolution. In the 1990s and early 2000s, when the US reached the peak of its geopolitical power, the country experienced some growth in birth rates. But from 2006 onward, a new wave of decline began – one that is now unfolding in parallel with a rapid drop in the share of White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs) in the US population. Why is this happening?
An answer can be found in RT’s global survey, the Social Well-Being Index (SWI). While the West compares who has more money and greater consumption opportunities, we measure what truly matters for the survival and flourishing of nations: the ability to produce life (birth rates); the preservation of life (infant mortality, longevity, homicide mortality); and the minimization of oppression (the level of inequality between rich and poor, and children’s education). As a result, the great Western powers did not even make the top 20 in the SWI rankings. France ranked 29th, Germany 41st, the US 48th, and the UK 53rd.
Gen Z and Millennials are driving an unexpected return to the pews, reversing decades of decline in faith and worship attendance
Growing up in southwestern Pennsylvania in the 1970s, it seemed like everyone I knew attended church services every Sunday without fail. Then something unexpected began to happen. The Catholic school I attended – like others around the country – was forced to merge with other schools to keep classrooms filled. At the sa
Gen Z and Millennials are driving an unexpected return to the pews, reversing decades of decline in faith and worship attendance
Growing up in southwestern Pennsylvania in the 1970s, it seemed like everyone I knew attended church services every Sunday without fail. Then something unexpected began to happen. The Catholic school I attended – like others around the country – was forced to merge with other schools to keep classrooms filled. At the same time, many churches of all denominations began closing their doors only to reopen as shopping malls, restaurants, or boutique hotels.
In total, over the past several decades, median worship attendance in the US plummeted by more than half. And the reason cannot be blamed on demographics. The US population has consistently increased for over a century, growing from roughly 76 million in 1900 to over 343 million by 2025, reinforced by heavy rates of immigration, both legal and illegal. Yet 40 million Americans have stopped attending church in the past 25 years, which works out to about 12% of the population.
Some people have pointed to mental health problems in American society as the culprit.
“The problem in front of us is not that we have a healthy, sustainable society that doesn’t have room for church,”writes Jake Meador in The Atlantic. “The problem is that many Americans have adopted a way of life that has left us lonely, anxious, and uncertain of how to live in community with other people.”
The downturn in church membership was at least partially due to alarming problems within the church as lurid scandals involving sexual abuse charges among the clergy and young boys grabbed the headlines. But now it seems that worshippers are willing to forgive the church for past offenses and are making a gradual return to the pews.
A new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows signs of a shift – for the first time in two decades, church attendance is up. “Across a range of indicators, there are signs of recovery and, in some cases, renewal,” the study’s authors wrote in a report released on April 24, which surveyed a representative sample of leaders at 7,453 congregations between September and December of 2025.
Median in-person attendance, which dropped from 137 per service in 2000 to 45 during the Covid pandemic, is now at 70 adults. That is higher than the 2020 Faith Communities Today survey from the Hartford Center for Religious Research, which put the figure at 65.
Surprisingly, it is young people who are leading the charge back to the houses of worship. For decades, older adults – Boomers and older – were the most frequent churchgoers. Today, the pattern has been turned on its head.
According to 2025 Barna Group data, Gen Z (18-28) and Millennials (29-44), who once had a notorious reputation for their disinterest in church services, are leading a historic resurgence in church attendance, now attending more frequently than older generations. Gen Z averages 1.9 weekend visits monthly, while Millennials average 1.8, reversing a decades-long trend. Among Gen X – those born between 1965 and 1980 – churchgoing has landed at about the same rate as it was in 2000. This shift indicates a strong, renewed interest in faith, community, and purpose, with some reports noting young men are key drivers of this growth.
“The significant drop-off among older generations shows that the fabric of congregational life is changing. It’s more frayed and less gray than it was a decade ago,” notes David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group. “The influx of new generations represents a massive opportunity for congregational leaders, but this renewed interest must be stewarded well.”
“Our research clearly shows that churchgoing alone does not in itself create devoted disciples. Even with the increasing participation of younger generations, there is still the challenge of shaping hearts and minds to live out their faith beyond church participation,” adds Kinnaman.
So what is responsible for getting people, predominantly the young, back in the pews? Part of the growth is explained by churches – particularly nondenominational ones – understanding that it was important to make attendance an interesting and vibrant event for youth to get them through the doors. The empty recital of prayers was no longer working. This has led to the modernization of church services, which now includes social events, musical concerts by popular religious bands, and other such ‘gimmicks’. The introduction of the so-called nondenominational ‘megachurches’, which allows for more publicity, has also played a part in the rise among the youth.
Moreover, young people may be feeling empty inside from their endless addiction to their smartphones and social media. A return to religion and spirituality might just be what they need to fill the void.
Any attempt by Kiev to disrupt celebrations would be met with a major strike on Kiev, the Defense Ministry has said
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced a two-day ceasefire on May 8–9 to mark the end of World War II in Europe, calling on Kiev to follow suit. It warned that any attempt to disrupt the celebrations, including a strike on Moscow, would be met with a retaliatory strike on the Ukrainian capital.
The ministry pointed in particular
Any attempt by Kiev to disrupt celebrations would be met with a major strike on Kiev, the Defense Ministry has said
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced a two-day ceasefire on May 8–9 to mark the end of World War II in Europe, calling on Kiev to follow suit. It warned that any attempt to disrupt the celebrations, including a strike on Moscow, would be met with a retaliatory strike on the Ukrainian capital.
The ministry pointed in particular to a statement made by Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan on Monday, which it said contained threats to target Moscow during the Victory Day celebrations. The Ukrainian leader claimed that Moscow fears Ukrainian “drones may buzz over Red Square.”
The Russian military will take all the necessary measures to ensure the security of the celebrations, the ministry said, warning that if Ukraine attempts to disrupt them, “the Russian Armed Forces will launch a major retaliatory strike on the center of Kiev.”
Moscow has so far refrained from such actions for humanitarian reasons, the ministry added, urging residents of the Ukrainian capital and foreign diplomats to leave the city “in a timely manner.”
Talking to journalists earlier on Monday, Zelensky branded the two-day ceasefire “unfair” and claimed that “no one officially suggested anything” to Kiev and that Moscow only discussed a potential truce with the US. He referred to a phone call between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in late April, during which the Russian president informed his American counterpart about the Victory Day ceasefire plans.
Shortly after the Russian Defense Ministry’s announcement, he took to X to say that Ukraine would unilaterally declare a ceasefire starting at midnight on the night of May 5–6, adding that Kiev would “act reciprocally” from that point despite what he claimed was the lack of any “official appeal” from Russia.
Russia has repeatedly declared pauses during various holidays throughout the Ukraine conflict.
Last year, it also suspended its offensive operations in early May to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Moscow expressed its hope at the time that the move would contribute to the “start of direct negotiations with Kiev without preconditions.” Zelensky dismissed it as “manipulation.”
In 2023, Russia observed truces both during the Orthodox Christmas holiday in January and on Easter weekend in April upon the initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2025, the Easter truce was declared again.
Last month, Moscow also declared an Easter truce, which was violated by the Ukrainian military more than 6,500 times within just 32 hours, according to the Defense Ministry.
Login
