The breakthrough drug reduced tumor size and growth by up to 80% in early testing, according to Veronika Skvortsova
Russia’s newly developed cancer vaccine has shown high effectiveness in preclinical trials and is ready for rollout, according to Veronika Skvortsova, head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency.
The breakthrough drug is awaiting approval from the Russian Health Ministry.
The vaccine showed excellent results in three years of preclinical trials, the official told Izvestia on Friday on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
“The [trials] have proven the safety of the vaccine, including its repeated use, as well as its high efficiency, which was associated with a reduction in tumor size and a slowdown in tumor growth,” Skvortsova said. She added that in some cancers, the effect reached 60-80%. “Studies have shown an increase in survival, which is also very important.”
“We submitted documents to the Ministry of Health to obtain permission for clinical use” at the end of summer, the official added.
The vaccine is ready for use, we are waiting for permission.
The initial launch is planned for colorectal cancer, with jabs for glioblastoma and melanoma to follow, she added.
According to its developer, the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, the drug is an mRNA-based vaccine that uses AI to train the patient’s immune system to attack cancer cells.
Institute head Alexander Gintsburg said earlier that the vaccine is subject to a unique regulatory framework due to its nature. “This is a fundamentally different process from the registration of standard drugs,” he noted last month.
The institute also developed Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine and is currently working on an HIV vaccine using the same mRNA technology.
23-year-old Irina Zarutskaya was allegedly killed by a homeless career criminal on a North Carolina train
A video released by the authorities in North Carolina shows the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian woman on a Charlotte train, with the attacker – identified as a homeless man with a long criminal record and mental health issues – stabbing her from behind without warning.
Surveillance footage, which was released by the Charlotte Area Transit System on Saturday and went viral on social media, shows the moments leading to the death of Irina Zarutskaya, 23, on August 22.
In the video, Zarutskaya, who had fled the fighting in Ukraine, is seen boarding the train and taking a seat. After several seconds, a man sitting directly behind her suddenly stands, draws a knife, and stabs her in the neck. No words are exchanged, and she appears not to respond before the assault begins.
The suspect, identified by police as Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is then seen walking through the carriage past other passengers – who were at the moment apparently unaware of the attack – with a knife in his hand and blood dripping on the floor as he exits the train.
Police said Zarutskaya collapsed in her seat and died at the scene. Brown was arrested shortly afterward and has been charged with first-degree murder. According to public records, the suspect was homeless and had been arrested multiple times since 2011. His past convictions include armed robbery, breaking and entering, felony larceny, motor vehicle theft, and misuse of the 911 system. He also served a prison sentence in a North Carolina jail and was released in September 2020.
Brown had reported experiencing mental health problems, including claims that a “man-made material” controlled his body. In July 2025, a judge ordered a forensic psychiatric evaluation, but it was never carried out.
23-year-old Irina Zarutskaya was allegedly killed by a homeless career criminal on a North Carolina train
A video released by the authorities in North Carolina shows the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian woman on a Charlotte train, with the attacker – identified as a homeless man with a long criminal record and mental health issues – stabbing her from behind without warning.
Surveillance footage, which was released by the Charlotte Area Transit System on Saturday and went viral on social media, shows the moments leading to the death of Irina Zarutskaya, 23, on August 22.
In the video, Zarutskaya, who had fled the fighting in Ukraine, is seen boarding the train and taking a seat. After several seconds, a man sitting directly behind her suddenly stands, draws a knife, and stabs her in the neck. No words are exchanged, and she appears not to respond before the assault begins.
The suspect, identified by police as Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is then seen walking through the carriage past other passengers – who were at the moment apparently unaware of the attack – with a knife in his hand and blood dripping on the floor as he exits the train.
Police said Zarutskaya collapsed in her seat and died at the scene. Brown was arrested shortly afterward and has been charged with first-degree murder. According to public records, the suspect was homeless and had been arrested multiple times since 2011. His past convictions include armed robbery, breaking and entering, felony larceny, motor vehicle theft, and misuse of the 911 system. He also served a prison sentence in a North Carolina jail and was released in September 2020.
Brown had reported experiencing mental health problems, including claims that a “man-made material” controlled his body. In July 2025, a judge ordered a forensic psychiatric evaluation, but it was never carried out.
The unilateral measures were associated with more than 560,000 excess deaths annually from 1971 to 2021, a recent study suggests
Western sanctions contributed to nearly 29 million excess deaths worldwide over five decades – a toll comparable to that of wars, according to a recent study.
The research, published last month in the Lancet Global Health, has gained attention around the world.
Examining age-specific mortality in 152 countries from 1971 to 2021, using statistics from the Global Sanctions Database, researchers compared mortality rates before and after sanctions, tracking long-term trends to estimate their toll in excess deaths. They focused on three sanctioning authorities: The UN, the US, and the EU (and its predecessor).
“We estimate that unilateral sanctions over this period caused 564,258 deaths per year, similar to the global mortality burden associated with armed conflict,” the authors noted, with a total of 28.8 million deaths across the 51-year span.
We found the strongest effects for unilateral, economic, and US sanctions, whereas we found no statistical evidence of an effect for UN sanctions.
Most excess deaths occurred among the most vulnerable – the very young and the elderly.
“Our findings reveal that unilateral and economic sanctions, particularly those imposed by the USA, lead to substantial increases in mortality, disproportionately affecting children younger than 5 years,” the study said, noting that the age group accounted for 51% of the total death toll.
The report found that the sanctions undermine economic and food security, often causing hunger and health problems among the poorest. Additionally, the dominance of the dollar and euro in global transactions allowed the US and EU to amplify the impact of their sanctions.
At last year’s BRICS summit, member nations called for “unlawful unilateral coercive measures” to be eliminated, warning of their disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable. Members have increasingly avoided the dollar “to shield themselves from US arbitrariness,” Moscow has said.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a fairer global governance system based on mutual respect and opposition to Western dominance. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal as especially relevant when “some countries still do not abandon their desire for dictatorship in international affairs.”
The unilateral measures were associated with more than 560,000 excess deaths annually from 1971 to 2021, a recent study suggests
Western sanctions contributed to nearly 29 million excess deaths worldwide over five decades – a toll comparable to that of wars, according to a recent study.
The research, published last month in the Lancet Global Health, has gained attention around the world.
Examining age-specific mortality in 152 countries from 1971 to 2021, using statistics from the Global Sanctions Database, researchers compared mortality rates before and after sanctions, tracking long-term trends to estimate their toll in excess deaths. They focused on three sanctioning authorities: The UN, the US, and the EU (and its predecessor).
“We estimate that unilateral sanctions over this period caused 564,258 deaths per year, similar to the global mortality burden associated with armed conflict,” the authors noted, with a total of 28.8 million deaths across the 51-year span.
We found the strongest effects for unilateral, economic, and US sanctions, whereas we found no statistical evidence of an effect for UN sanctions.
Most excess deaths occurred among the most vulnerable – the very young and the elderly.
“Our findings reveal that unilateral and economic sanctions, particularly those imposed by the USA, lead to substantial increases in mortality, disproportionately affecting children younger than 5 years,” the study said, noting that the age group accounted for 51% of the total death toll.
The report found that the sanctions undermine economic and food security, often causing hunger and health problems among the poorest. Additionally, the dominance of the dollar and euro in global transactions allowed the US and EU to amplify the impact of their sanctions.
At last year’s BRICS summit, member nations called for “unlawful unilateral coercive measures” to be eliminated, warning of their disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable. Members have increasingly avoided the dollar “to shield themselves from US arbitrariness,” Moscow has said.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a fairer global governance system based on mutual respect and opposition to Western dominance. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal as especially relevant when “some countries still do not abandon their desire for dictatorship in international affairs.”
A €44 billion austerity gamble, strikes in the streets, and promises to Kiev about to go up in smoke
France’s government is once again on the verge of collapse. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou faces near-certain defeat in a confidence vote over a disputed austerity plan, a showdown that threatens President Emmanuel Macron’s authority at home and casts doubt on Paris’ ability to deliver on its ambitious promises abroad – including security guarantees for Ukraine.
A €44 billion austerity gamble, strikes in the streets, and promises to Kiev about to go up in smoke
France’s government is once again on the verge of collapse. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou faces near-certain defeat in a confidence vote over a disputed austerity plan, a showdown that threatens President Emmanuel Macron’s authority at home and casts doubt on Paris’ ability to deliver on its ambitious promises abroad – including security guarantees for Ukraine.
The event revives a 400-year-old tradition that was discontinued after the 1917 Revolution
Thousands of Orthodox Christians took part in a large procession on Sunday celebrating the Council of Moscow Saints, a Russian Orthodox Church feast honoring the saints of Moscow. The event marks the revival of a tradition that was discontinued after the Russian Revolution in 1917.
The march was led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, and joined by clergy from the Moscow diocese, monastic communities, and lay believers. Organizers estimated that about 40,000 people took part.
Participants came from across Russia and also the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Serbia, Italy, and other countries. The march began at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in central Moscow and proceeded to the Novodevichy Convent 6km away.
Videos shared online showed clergy and worshippers carrying colorful banners depicting saints, with crowds chanting the traditional “Christ is risen” and choirs responding “Truly He is risen.”
Many sang church hymns as Muscovites lined the streets to watch the procession.
Speaking ahead of the event, the Patriarch said the march underscored Moscow’s role as a capital of Orthodoxy and expressed hope it would restore an ancient tradition.
“Moscow is a truly Orthodox capital of our homeland,” he told reporters after the service. “On the one hand, it is a city open to our brothers from other religions, recognizing their contribution to our common history, but at the same time it is a city that will never renounce its Christian heritage.”
The procession honors the historic transfer of the Smolensk Icon of the Holy Mother of God from the Kremlin’s Annunciation Cathedral to the Novodevichy Convent, which was founded by Grand Duke Vasily III after the capture of Smolensk in 1525. An annual march was established in memory of the icon transfer and continued for nearly four centuries until the Russian Revolution.
Anna Kontula has said she worked as an escort from age 16 before switching to politics
Finnish MP Anna Kontula has revealed that she was a sex worker for years before entering politics. In an interview with the new outlet Helsingin Sanomat (HS) published on Saturday, Kontula said she is not ashamed of the experience, adding that it helped shape her political career.
Kontula, 48, is serving her fourth term in the Finnish Parliament. While she has long campaigned for sex workers’ rights, she had never spoken publicly about her own experience.
Kontula told HS she began escorting at 16 while living in a student dorm, and said the choice came from both financial hardship and curiosity. “If I wanted to somehow make ends meet… it was a pretty rational solution,” she explained.
She worked in the industry on and off for nearly two decades and became an outspoken advocate. In 2002, she co-founded the sex workers’ union SALLI and published articles challenging public perceptions of the industry. When Finland passed a 2006 law partly restricting the purchase of sex, she saw it as a partial victory, noting it included protections for trafficking victims.
Kontula has served in parliament since 2011, continuing to campaign for sex workers’ rights. When asked why she decided to speak out now, she told HS: “Talking about the topic now can bring benefits to social debate [on sex work] and its direction.” She has announced she will not seek reelection and is training to become a social worker, including providing safe-sex education.
Kontula’s coming out has already drawn criticism. In an opinion piece published in HS on Sunday, legal psychologist Pia Puolakka called it “worrying” that the MP described sex work as “just work among others,” and argued that “normalizing sex work does not make society freer or fairer.”
“The task of a civilized state is to guarantee conditions in which no one has to sell their intimacy,” Puolakka wrote.
Prostitution is legal in Finland with some exceptions. Although Kontula was a minor when she began sex work, Finnish law did not prohibit it at the time. However, the 2006 legislation partially criminalized the purchase of sex, making it illegal to buy from minors, trafficking victims, or those involved in procurement.
Anna Kontula has said she worked as an escort from age 16 before switching to politics
Finnish MP Anna Kontula has revealed that she was a sex worker for years before entering politics. In an interview with the new outlet Helsingin Sanomat (HS) published on Saturday, Kontula said she is not ashamed of the experience, adding that it helped shape her political career.
Kontula, 48, is serving her fourth term in the Finnish Parliament. While she has long campaigned for sex workers’ rights, she had never spoken publicly about her own experience.
Kontula told HS she began escorting at 16 while living in a student dorm, and said the choice came from both financial hardship and curiosity. “If I wanted to somehow make ends meet… it was a pretty rational solution,” she explained.
She worked in the industry on and off for nearly two decades and became an outspoken advocate. In 2002, she co-founded the sex workers’ union SALLI and published articles challenging public perceptions of the industry. When Finland passed a 2006 law partly restricting the purchase of sex, she saw it as a partial victory, noting it included protections for trafficking victims.
Kontula has served in parliament since 2011, continuing to campaign for sex workers’ rights. When asked why she decided to speak out now, she told HS: “Talking about the topic now can bring benefits to social debate [on sex work] and its direction.” She has announced she will not seek reelection and is training to become a social worker, including providing safe-sex education.
Kontula’s coming out has already drawn criticism. In an opinion piece published in HS on Sunday, legal psychologist Pia Puolakka called it “worrying” that the MP described sex work as “just work among others,” and argued that “normalizing sex work does not make society freer or fairer.”
“The task of a civilized state is to guarantee conditions in which no one has to sell their intimacy,” Puolakka wrote.
Prostitution is legal in Finland with some exceptions. Although Kontula was a minor when she began sex work, Finnish law did not prohibit it at the time. However, the 2006 legislation partially criminalized the purchase of sex, making it illegal to buy from minors, trafficking victims, or those involved in procurement.
