K-Pop group Blackpink headlined Coachella, becoming the first Asian act to do so. They honored Korean heritage by appearing in traditional hanboks, custom-designed by OUWR and Kumdanje, before changing into Dolce and Gabbana outfits, a moment celebrated by fans globally.
Major European banks, including Deutsche Bank, UniCredit, and Commerzbank, are suing German industrial group Linde for hundreds of millions of euros. The dispute arises from Linde's withdrawal from a €10 billion Russian gas project due to EU sanctions, which led to Russian courts seizing bank assets.
Russian skier Varvara Voronchikhina secured her second gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Paralympics in the women's standing slalom, having previously won super-G. This marks the first Paralympics where Russian athletes compete under their national flag after a successful CAS appeal against prior bans.
A Russian overnight attack on Kyiv killed one person and wounded 16, sparking fires across five districts and damaging residential and industrial sites. Ukraine intercepted 108 drones and 18 of 41 missiles, including 25 ballistic missiles, amid ongoing air defense challenges.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President's special envoy and RDIF CEO, stated that the EU's economic crisis is rooted in anti-Russian sanctions and uncontrolled immigration, claiming sanctions have cost EU countries over €3 trillion.
The EU imported a record 9.89 million tons of Russian LNG from the Yamal project in the first half of 2026, an 18% increase year-on-year, ahead of a planned ban from January 2027. France, Belgium, and Spain were the largest buyers, as Europe absorbed most of Yamal's output while shipments to Asia dropped.
US aims to deter Russia and China, while global tensions rise with various geopolitical events across Ukraine, Iran, North Korea, and more.
Russia conducted extensive missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, killing at least eight and injuring dozens in cities like Kharkiv, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy. Ukraine retaliated by hitting Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea and oil depots in Stavropol.
Chinese table tennis stars Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha experienced their second mixed doubles defeat this month at the National Championships in Changsha, losing to Yuan Licen and Wang Yidi. This loss, following a runner-up finish at the WTT US Grand Smash, has sparked concern among fans ahead of the Asian Games.
This article highlights five iconic sports moves named after legendary Russian athletes: Pavel Datsyuk (ice hockey), Svetlana Khorkina (artistic gymnastics), Natalia Bestemianova (figure skating), Aleksandr Karelin (wrestling), and Alina Kabaeva (rhythmic gymnastics), detailing their origins and impact.
San Francisco faces drone surveillance and AI app issues, while Meta's NameTag system draws scrutiny. Russia's FSB is sanctioned for a Polish cyberattack, and a DHS data breach was twice dismissed. AI music startup Suno's scraping methods are exposed, and a Russian hacker with alleged Kaspersky ties faces charges.
Russian para-athletes Varvara Voronchikhina and Aleksey Bugaev won bronze medals in downhill standing events at the Milano Paralympics, marking Russia's first Winter Paralympic medals since 2014. This follows the lifting of a long-standing ban on Russian athletes after Moscow won an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
FIDE approved the Chess Federation of Russia's request to leave the European Chess Union and join the Asian Chess Federation, pending ACF's decision at its February 28 General Assembly in Abu Dhabi. Russian players can switch federations without incurring fees.
Russian authorities have intensified their crackdown on dissent, detaining blogger Ilya Remeslo for allegedly spreading false information against the military and convicting politician Boris Nadezhdin for "extremist symbols," effectively barring him from parliamentary elections.
Alexander Ovechkin broke the NHL all-time goal record on April 6, 2025, scoring his 895th goal. This achievement is seen as a potential 'bridge' for US-Russia relations, a catalyst for Russia's return to international hockey, and a spark for a 'Hockey Boom' in Russia, with plans for an academy and his return to HC Dynamo Moscow.
Russians are increasingly using cash, with 1.56tn roubles added to circulation this year, driven by mobile internet shutdowns disrupting card payments and businesses seeking to avoid higher taxes amidst economic slowdown and war funding pressures.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach criticized Ukraine's calls to boycott the Paris 2024 Games if Russian athletes participate. Bach emphasized the Olympics' role in unifying, not escalating confrontation, and cited UN Human Rights Council concerns about banning athletes based on nationality.
The EU is projected to enter the heating season with its lowest gas reserves in 15 years (76% full by October), driven by a shift away from Russian gas, reliance on expensive US LNG, and global supply disruptions, potentially leading to increased energy costs.
India will continue its cooperation with Russia despite the US Senate's consideration of a bill imposing secondary sanctions on Russia's trading partners, according to Arvind Kumar, Professor at Nalanda University.
Hong Kong's 6-strong triathlon squad, preparing for the Asian Games in Japan, is advised to perform aggressively from the start in the Edmonton World Triathlon Cup, crucial for maintaining the sport's Tier A status in Hong Kong.
EU foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss sanctions against Russia, with no agreement yet on the 21st package. Meanwhile, the 'Coalition of the Willing' convened in Paris to reaffirm support for Ukraine, focusing on military aid and defense cooperation. Drone strikes near Moscow reportedly killed at least three people.
A Russian serviceman claims Ukrainian forces have largely stopped using artillery for counter-battery fire in the Krasny Liman direction, relying primarily on drones instead. "Things have calmed down," said the crew member of a Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun.
Viktor Medvedchuk claims Germany is the main industrial base supporting Ukraine's defense industry and is behind terrorist strikes on Russian civilian targets. He cites agreements on joint defense production and the involvement of German companies like Quantum Systems GmbH, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Mercedes-Benz Daimler Truck, and Rheinmetall.
Iran's national football team will continue with head coach Amir Ghalenoei until the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. The decision follows an unbeaten but ultimately unsuccessful FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign where Iran exited at the group stage. Ghalenoei's contract extension was confirmed by the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
