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Putin's Russia
Russian civil servants forced to switch to the state app

Russian government employees will soon be required by law to use the new state app Max in their work, Forbes reports. The new law is expected to come into effect this fall.

According to sources for the independent Telegram channel Faridaily, it is not something that civil servants are particularly keen on. Many are said to be buying separate SIM cards or mobile phones to install Max on because it is seen as a surveillance app.

- Everyone thinks that installing Max is the same as talking directly to the (security service) FSB, says one of the sources.

The Russian state is gradually introducing more extensive restrictions and bans on popular messaging apps such as Telegram and Whatsapp in order to force Russians to switch to Max.

The app, like the Chinese WeChat, is intended as an all-in-one app with functions such as chat, payments, digital identification and access to public services.

Elon Musk's X
Jury: Elon Musk guilty – misled investors

A federal jury in San Francisco finds Elon Musk guilty of misleading investors in connection with the purchase of Twitter, later renamed X, in 2022. Bloomberg reports.

Musk tried to withdraw from the purchase by publicly criticizing the platform and writing that it had too many bot accounts, which drove down the company's stock. In the end, he was forced to cough up the equivalent of over 400 billion kronor and implement it.

The world's richest man, who has previously won several similar court cases, may now have to pay a fine of billions. The exact amount will be determined by the court at a later date.

The future of the Democrats
Frustration in the Democrats – dissatisfaction with Chuck Schumer

Some Democrats in Congress want to poke Chuck Schumer as minority leader in the Senate, reports the Wall Street Journal.

According to the information, Senator Chris Murphy said this during a dinner with left-wing activists in mid-February. When asked directly, Murphy, a 52-year-old left-wing Democrat who is described as a rising star in the party, said that some Democrats have sketched out how many critical votes they can gather to replace him.

Murphy told the WSJ that he does not remember the details of the dinner, that Schumer has internal support and that he himself stands behind him.

But the newspaper has started working on the information and interviewed about 50 Democrats. Many describe widespread dissatisfaction with Schumer's leadership style. Within the party's left wing, there is a feeling that he often rewards more moderate politicians over those who arouse commitment in the ranks.

Schumer himself claims that he has great support "because people feel that I have done a very good job".

Political situation in Cuba
US embassy in Cuba wants to import fuel: “Shameless”

The US embassy in Havana has asked the Cuban government to import American diesel fuel for its generators, reports the Washington Post.

The government promptly denied the request, which they call “shameless” considering that the fuel crisis in Cuba is due to the US oil blockade.

The embassy says they will soon have to reduce their staff to save on fuel during the frequent power outages on the island.

Cuba has not been able to import any oil for three months since the Trump administration imposed a blockade on Venezuela, on whose oil Cuba depends.