Prologue Journal – Page 38614 – Understanding current events through the lenses of the past and future.

Hong Kong, mainland China’s Urumqi to launch first direct flight route from next week in bid to connect businesses with Xinjiang region

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. New round-trip flight, operated by Urumqi Air, will run once every Wednesday from May 3, shortly after Labour Day break. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3218398/hong-kong-mainland-chinas-urumqi-launch-first-direct-flight-route-next-week-bid-connect-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed

Fire destroys over 130 homes in Russia’s Urals region of Sverdlovsk

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. Earlier, it was reported that fires had been contained to 9,000 square meters in Sosva and to 2,700 square meters in Tayozhny https://tass.com/emergencies/1609721

Ukraine live briefing: Rockets destroy Ukrainian museum; Russia blames West for grain deadlock

Washington Post Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of attacking a residential neighborhood and museum in Kupiansk, killing two and wounding at least 10. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/04/26/russia-ukraine-war-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_world

German Consumer Mood to Improve Further as Energy Prices Drop

Wall Street Journal Gfk’s forward-looking consumer-sentiment for Germany forecast confidence to tick up to minus 25.7 in May from a revised minus 29.3 in April, the strongest level since May 2022, and better than consensus forecasts. https://www.wsj.com/articles/german-consumer-sentiment-set-to-improve-in-may-on-better-income-expectations-7e00bfe3

Russian attack on local history museum in Kupiansk: death toll rises to 2, another 4 hospitalised

Pravda Ukraine A Russian missile attack on the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast on 25 April killed two women and injured ten people, four of whom have been hospitalised. Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: “According to the updated information, two women aged 54 and 57 have…

Telia Posts Profit Miss, Cautions on Costs

Wall Street Journal Telia reported a first-quarter net profit of $59 million and warned that inflation is likely to hurt its cost targets, but still confirmed its full-year guidance. https://www.wsj.com/articles/telia-co-backs-guidance-but-cautions-on-costs-900edecf

Three Russian aircraft intercepted over Baltic Sea – German air force

Jerusalem Post https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-741295

Russian Foreign Minister complains about “dead end” with Grain Initiative

Pravda Ukraine Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that the situation with the Black Sea Grain Initiative has reached a dead end, and he blames the West, in particular the US, for this. Source: Lavrov at a briefing after visiting New York to participate in UN events, cited by Russian media outlets. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/04/26/7399443/

Israel Independence Day: IAF jets fly over country for its 75th birthday

Jerusalem Post The Israel Independence Day flyover will run between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and will pass over dozens of cities across the country. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-741294

Orange Says Outlook on Track

Wall Street Journal Orange confirmed its outlook for the year as revenue and earnings for the first quarter matched expectations, and said it expected to benefit in coming quarters from price increases introduced in early 2023. https://www.wsj.com/articles/orange-confirms-2023-outlook-after-rise-in-1q-revenue-de8d223f