U.S. and Russian government officials engaged in discussions over several potential energy deals on the sidelines of negotiations held this month that were intended to achieve peace in Ukraine, according to five sources with direct knowledge of the talks.

These deals were put forward as incentives to encourage the Kremlin to agree to peace in Ukraine and for Washington to ease sanctions on Russia, they said.

Russia has been cut off from most international investment in its energy sector and from striking major deals due to sanctions following the Ukraine invasion that began in February 2022.

The officials discussed the possibility of Exxon Mobil re-entering Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project, three of the sources said.

They also raised the prospect of Russia purchasing U.S. equipment for its LNG projects, such as Arctic LNG 2, which is under western sanctions, four sources said.

None of the sources could be named because they were not authorised to speak publicly on the negotiations.

Another idea was for the U.S. to purchase nuclear-powered icebreaker vessels from Russia, Reuters reported on August 15.

Talks During Witkoff’s Moscow Trip

The talks were held during U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s trip to Moscow earlier this month when he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, three of the sources said. They were also discussed within the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump, two of the sources said.

These deals were also briefly discussed at the Alaska summit on August 15, one source said.

“The White House really wanted to put out a headline after the Alaska summit, announcing a big investment deal,” said one of the sources. “This is how Trump feels like he’s achieved something.”

Trump and his national security team continue to engage with Russian and Ukrainian officials towards a bilateral meeting to stop the killing and end the war, a White House official said in response to questions about the deals. It is not in the national interest to further negotiate these issues publicly, the official said.

A spokesperson for Dmitriev declined to comment.

Exxon Mobil declined to comment. Rosneft and Novatek did not respond to requests for comment.

Talks Coincide With Threats

Trump has threatened to impose more sanctions on Russia unless peace talks make progress and to place harsh tariffs on India, a major buyer of Russian oil. Those measures would make it difficult for Russia to maintain the same level of oil exports.

Trump’s dealmaking style of politics has been on display before in the Ukraine talks, when earlier this year the same officials explored ways for the U.S. to revive Russian gas flows to Europe. These plans have been stalled by Brussels, which put forward proposals to fully phase out Russian gas imports by 2027.

The latest discussions have shifted to bilateral deals between the U.S. and Russia, pivoting away from the European Union, which, as a bloc, has been steadfast in its support for Ukraine.

On the same day as the Alaska summit, Putin signed a decree that could allow foreign investors, including Exxon Mobil, to regain shares in the Sakhalin-1 project. It is conditional on the foreign shareholders taking action to support the lifting of Western sanctions on Russia.

Exxon exited its Russian business in 2022 after the Ukraine invasion, taking a $4.6 billion impairment charge. Its 30% operator share in the Sakhalin-1 project in Russia’s far east was seized by the Kremlin that year.

The U.S. has placed several waves of sanctions on Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project, starting in 2022 and cutting off access to ice-class ships that are needed to operate in that region for most of the year.

The project is majority-owned by Novatek, which started working with lobbyists in Washington last year to try to rebuild relations and lift the sanctions.

Arctic LNG 2 Resumes Production

The Arctic LNG 2 plant resumed natural gas processing in April, albeit at a low rate, Reuters reported. Five cargoes have been loaded from the project this year onto tankers under sanctions. A production train was previously shut down due to the difficulties in exporting, given the sanctions.

This project was intended to have three LNG processing trains. The third is in planning stages, with technology expected to be supplied by China.

Washington is seeking to prompt Russia to buy U.S. technology rather than Chinese as part of a broader strategy to alienate China and weaken relations between Beijing and Moscow, one of the sources said.

China and Russia declared a “no limits” strategic partnership days before Putin sent troops into Ukraine. Xi has met Putin over 40 times in the last decade, and Putin, in recent months, described China as an ally.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Sri Lanka, known for its scenic beaches, wildlife and ancient Buddhist heritage, is now eyeing casinos to draw high-spending tourists from India and China, with the country’s first Marxist president backing the move to boost foreign earnings.

The success of the casino strategy is crucial for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who completes one year in office next month and has vowed to improve the lives of ordinary Sri Lankans after the devastating economic collapse of 2022 and 2023.

Casino Development

Sri Lanka had a handful of small casinos but earlier this month, Dissanayake inaugurated a $1.2 billion City of Dreams casino complex in Colombo, a joint venture between John Keells Holdings and Macau-based Melco Resorts & Entertainment.

The launch of South Asia’s first integrated resort was headlined by Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan, who danced to hit Hindi songs in front of a packed house.

Dissanayake has also got legislation passed in parliament to regulate gambling, including in casinos, reflecting the importance he is placing on the industry.

Economic Importance And Recovery

The push is part of Sri Lanka’s aim to raise tourist arrivals by 50% to 3 million this year, potentially lifting revenues from the industry to $5 billion from $3.7 billion last year, the deputy tourism minister, Ruwan Ranasinghe, told Reuters.

“Tourism plays a very significant role for us to get out of these economic issues that we have,” he said.

“So these couple of years we are working more on short-term targets and getting traffic, but in the long run, our plan is to go for quality, more sustainable, and high-end tourism and casinos and gambling will be a segment of that.”

Tourism accounted for about 4% of GDP last year and the government hopes it will eventually hit 10%, backed partly by high-end gaming, he said. Tourism is the third biggest dollar earner after remittances and apparel exports.

The central bank this month forecast full-year economic growth of about 4.5%, partly on the back of strong tourism numbers, sharply higher than the World Bank’s April projection of 3.5%.

The $99 billion economy returned to growth only last year after two years of big contractions that forced the country to seek a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

Sri Lanka must resume repaying its creditors from 2028 after defaulting on its foreign debt in 2022.

City Of Dreams Features

City of Dreams, located on Colombo’s beachfront, features 800 rooms, a luxury mall, and conference facilities that investors anticipate will attract affluent visitors.

“It is a total greenfield market. It is similar to how we developed other markets in the past – in Manila, Macau and also in Cyprus,” Melco Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho told Reuters.

“I think we are barely scratching the surface in terms of the tourism potential and also the integrated resort gaming potential of this country.”

Focus On Indian, Chinese Tourists

Minister Ranasinghe expects Indians to be the main arrivals for the next decade. India, the world’s most populous country, permits casinos only in a few designated locations, while China restricts all legal casino operations to Macau.

Indians made up nearly a quarter of the 2 million tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka last year, while Chinese visitors accounted for 7%. Sri Lanka maintains close economic ties with both New Delhi and Beijing, and citizens of both countries benefit from visa-free entry.

Policy And Regulation

To boost revenue collection and encourage responsible gambling, Sri Lanka’s parliament last week approved legislation to create a Gambling Regulatory Authority.

The legislation, however, has drawn criticism from experts for granting extensive powers to the finance minister, excluding state-run lotteries from oversight, omitting tourism industry representation in the authority and imposing low penalties for violations.

The government defends the legislation as vital to reduce social harm and raise employment, while it works to promote the industry.

“There has been gambling in Sri Lanka and in Colombo but not that significant,” Ranasinghe said. “With the arrival of City of Dreams – clientele from all over the world, I’m sure they will also come to Sri Lanka.”

(With Inputs from Reuters)

Home South Korean President Lee Averts ‘Zelenskyy Moment’ During Pivotal Trump Talks

South Korean President Lee Averts ‘Zelenskyy Moment’ During Pivotal Trump Talks

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he narrowly escaped what he described as a “Zelenskyy moment” after United States President Donald Trump greeted him in Washington with right-wing conspiracy theories, though the two ultimately concluded a high-stakes summit without unexpected turmoil.

Monday’s summit, the first between the two leaders, was largely what South Korea had hoped for, despite its inauspicious start, officials and analysts said.

Most importantly, the South Koreans dodged their biggest fear: an Oval Office ambush similar to the testy exchange in February when Trump berated Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy over U.S. aid and the war with Russia.

‘Better Than Expected’

“President Lee’s Oval Office press availability appeared to go better than expected,” said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, noting Trump expressing support for Lee’s approach toward North Korea and enthusiasm for engaging Kim Jong Un.

Major questions remain over how much exactly South Korea will agree to pay toward the basing of 28,500 American troops, and many details are still being worked out in the hastily negotiated tariff agreement, which has yet to be put in writing.

But Lee avoided any explosive clash that some observers feared could publicly fracture the long-term alliance at a time when North Korea is leaping forward with nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development, and deepening ties with Russia.

Lee and Trump displayed a chummy and mutually flattering vibe while glossing over the prickly trade and defence issues and defusing a potential conflict related to South Korea’s political crisis in December.

Trump Slammed Seoul Before Summit

Just a few hours before the pair was due to meet at the White House on Monday, Trump penned a social media post saying, “WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution,” and saying he would raise the issue with Lee.

“Before I met with President Trump today, he posted on Truth Social a very threatening post,” Lee said with a laugh at an event at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies after the summit.

“My staff was worried that we might face a Zelenskiy moment,” Lee said. “But I already knew that I would not face that kind of situation. That’s because I had read President Trump’s book, ‘The Art of the Deal.'”

Trump eased his tone and described his earlier comments as a potential “misunderstanding” and “rumour” after Lee explained that investigators conducted a raid confined to the Korean side of a base operated jointly with the U.S. in connection with the political crisis. Lee’s office said he didn’t really raise it again in their private discussions.

Ended Without Drama

Instead of a dramatic clash, flattery and warm words dominated the conversation in the Oval Office, where the two sat down and talked about Trump’s “good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“The summit ended without drama,” said Cheong Seong-chang, vice president at Seoul-based Sejong Institute.

But keeping things vague means South Korea had policy goals of its own that went unaddressed, including requests for U.S. approval for nuclear fuel reprocessing and revising American laws on shipbuilding, Cheong noted.

“Trump didn’t embarrass Lee, and both sides seemed to try to avoid sensitive issues, such as South Korea’s political position in the tensions between China and Taiwan,” said Jun Kwang-woo, chairman at the Institute for Global Economics. “Trump is probably not in a situation now to create tensions with Lee while he’s already under pressure with frictions with other countries.”

Yang Uk, of Seoul’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said Trump’s pressure on South Korea was a sign that he understands how much he can potentially gain from the country.

“(Trump’s) basic formula of first shaking the other person as much as possible, then getting what you want, was applied,” Yang said.

Lee said he had observed in negotiations with other countries that Trump would often present difficult conditions, but at the final stage would come to a reasonable conclusion.

“And because of the importance of the Korea-U.S. alliance, I was confident that he would not inflict a wound to our alliance,” Lee said. “Everybody gave me the advice to have patience.”

(With inputs from Reuters)

Home China’s Social Media Is Going To Town About India-US Rift

China’s Social Media Is Going To Town About India-US Rift

Among the many derogatory references to India and Indians in the Chinese language, there is “Ah San”, a term dating back to colonial times when Indian policemen and soldiers enforced Britain’s writ. Why is it trending now on Weibo?

Chinese web users are relishing the rift between the US and India, seeing in it a reduction in the possibility of the two countries ganging up against China. But doubts remain about how long lasting this rift could be.

“Ah San is still very cunning!” warned a Chinese netizen, while another pointed to a video going viral on Weibo featuring a pro-China academic from Taiwan. The programme carried the provocative title: “Did India and the US really fall out, or are they just pretending?”

In the academic’s view, “I think the falling out between the US and India is real on the American side, but on India’s side it is just for show.”

Washington, he argues, is genuinely frustrated with India’s “front residence, back palace” policy. It’s a Chinese idiom describing how one partner in a relationship quietly maintains other relationships. In other words, India seeks deeper ties with the US while refusing to cut links with long standing partners such as Russia.

In the same context, an article circulating on China’s social media makes the point that the Make in India initiative has failed to achieve its goal of replacing China as a global manufacturing hub. Despite early support from Western investors, the piece claimed, poor infrastructure, weak labour quality and unpredictable government policies drove much foreign investment away.

While acknowledging India’s progress in electronics, locomotives and exports, the article claims these advances have only deepened India’s reliance on Chinese supply chains. India’s manufacturing drive continues to operate under China’s shadow.

Trump’s 50% tariff is also a matter of debate with videos speculating whether Apple’s September iPhone product launch will be hit, and the question: “How long can India withstand this?”

It reflects the broader unhappiness in China when Apple began shifting manufacturing and assembly operations from China to India. With tariffs now looming large, India is portrayed as overextended and vulnerable. India’s gains in electronics manufacturing are fragile, while China remains the dominant player.

These narratives form part of the larger China government strategy that portrays the United States as genuinely angry, India as inconsistent and calculating, and China as the calm observer. It is intended to reassure domestic audiences of China’s strength, that the India-US relationship is not robust and that India’s ambitions cannot be realised without China.

Home Police Launch Manhunt After Gunman Fatally Shot Two Officers In Rural Australia

Police Launch Manhunt After Gunman Fatally Shot Two Officers In Rural Australia

Australian police have launched a manhunt for a gunman who fatally shot two officers and injured another on Tuesday, during an attempt to serve a warrant related to historical sex abuse allegations at a rural property in Victoria, according to local media reports.

In a statement on social media, Victoria police said they were attending an active incident in the alpine town of Porepunkah, about 300 km (186 miles) north-east of the city of Melbourne, and asked people to avoid the area.

Police have not released details of the incident.

Local media outlet The Age reported that police visited the property to serve a warrant for historical sex abuse allegations when two officers were shot dead and another wounded in an ambush attack.

The Age said heavily armed officers from the Special Operations Group were deployed to the scene, and the gunman was now on the run with several family members, including children.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said police believe the shooter is a “sovereign citizen”. Sovereign citizens believe the government is illegitimate.

‘Grave Concerns’

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said there were “grave concerns” for the police officers involved.

“Just from the police blue family, the wider family across Australia and overseas, our thoughts and prayers are with Victoria police right now,” Kershaw said at a news conference.

The town of Porepunkah is home to 1,000 residents and is located at the base of Australia’s alpine ranges.

“Today has been a day of deep sorrow and shock for our community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the two police officers tragically killed in Porepunkah,” Mayor Sarah Nicholas said in a statement.

Local council’s facilities across the town, including libraries, information centres and depots, would remain closed until further notice, Nicholas added.

Porepunkah Primary School principal Jill Gillies told ABC Radio Melbourne that the school was forced to lockdown, with around 90 students sheltering indoors from 11:30 a.m. (0130 GMT). ABC has since reported that the lockdown has been lifted.

The local airfield also closed due to the ongoing emergency response.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Home Afghan “Secret Schools” Mostly Serve Elites, Not Rural Poor

Afghan “Secret Schools” Mostly Serve Elites, Not Rural Poor

Flashy “secret schools and organisations” in Afghanistan are being promoted as avenues of hope, but many of them exist only on paper or cater exclusively to the privileged, according to Jill Suzanne Kornetsky, an American social entrepreneur who has lived in Afghanistan since 2015.

“The same old elites are up to their same old tricks and it’s siphoning money out of the country the same way it always did,” Kornetsky told StratNewsGlobal. She said many of these elites act as each other’s recommenders and references to validate their initiatives.

Several of the so-called “secret schools” are in fact “one of the most expensive private schools in town,” Kornetsky said, noting that they are inaccessible to Afghanistan’s poor and rural population, which makes up the majority of the country. She added that such ventures divert attention and resources from initiatives that genuinely help rural communities.

In rural Afghanistan, Kornetsky said, secrecy is a myth. “If one person knows something, the entire village knows, the most indiscreet culture I have ever lived in, and they know what is going on.”

She explained that many home schools exist in rural areas, often organised in all-girl groups in private homes. “They are not some covert operation,” she said, adding that these schools avoid Taliban interference by keeping a low profile.

Kornetsky cited organisations such as the Lamia Afghan Foundation and a network of volunteer-run home schools, including those taught by foreign volunteers, as examples of initiatives that genuinely provide education to rural children. These efforts, she said, have successfully advanced girls’ education.

“They quietly but not secretly operated,” Kornetsky said, stressing that in addition to the Taliban, “many conservative elements in Afghan society do not appreciate it when such things are made a public spectacle.”

Criticising initiatives she described as performative, she said: “Much back patting, many conferences, and the rest is just a game.”

(This article was written by Tisya Sharma, she is an intern at StratNewsGlobal)

Home Iran’s Potent Political Weapon: The Death Penalty

Iran’s Potent Political Weapon: The Death Penalty

The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on 21 August reported that at least ten prisoners in Iran face imminent risk of execution, with nearly 70 others at high risk. Among them are women and at least 66 political prisoners who have received death sentences in political and security cases.

According to CHRI, this development follows the execution of more than 800 people by Iranian authorities in 2025.

The group noted that prisoners including Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani were “secretly executed” in previous cases without prior notification to their families or lawyers. The same method, CHRI warned, could be applied to prisoners currently facing the death penalty. The executions have reportedly taken place without due process, including denial of counsel and instances of torture.

“These executions in Iran are nothing less than state-sanctioned murders based on fabricated charges, coerced confessions, and secret proceedings. They constitute grave and irreversible human rights violations, and the absence of sustained international pressure has allowed the Islamic Republic to continue these killings with impunity,” said Hadi Ghaemi, CHRI’s executive director.

CHRI highlighted that Iranian courts impose death sentences using vague political charges such as “spreading corruption on earth,” a charge frequently used in political cases despite its incompatibility with international law.

International organisations including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Amnesty International have issued warnings in response to the executions.

“The Islamic Republic has learned it can hand out death sentences at will, and hang its alleged critics without so much as a whisper of protest amongst the community of nations, let alone any real consequences for these unlawful killings,” said Ghaemi. He called for a stronger international response to what he described as “due process by a judiciary that has been weaponized to silence dissent.”

(This article was written by Tisya Sharma, she is an intern at StratNewsGlobal)