Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed on Thursday the government to prepare for turning supplies of energy resources to the East amid the West's plan to stop buying them.

Speaking at a meeting with the government in Moscow, Putin said the government should be prepared for the refusal by the European countries from the deliveries of the Russian hydrocarbons, including gas.

He noted that Russia's energy sector is already suffering from the Western sanctions, the logistics was broken and became more expensive, and the banks of "unfriendly countries" are delaying payments for the Russian supplies.

Putin added that Russia has already been taking some steps to transit payments for the energy resources to national currencies to leave the payments in dollars and euros, and he instructed the government to prepare the Russian foreign exchange market for such a transition so that it is possible to exchange freely and in the required volume any foreign currency for Russian rubles.

"In general, we intend to radically increase the share of settlements in national currencies in the foreign trade system.

"I repeat: the rejection of unreliable, compromised currencies and jurisdictions is a strategic task from the point of view of the financial and economic security of our country, important for maintaining and increasing the volume of foreign trade, establishing stable ties with predictable partners who are true to their word and value their business reputation, understand the consequences of their decisions," he said.

Putin warned that the Western intention to replace Russian suppliers on the energy market will affect the global economy, in the first turn -- the initiators of such a project.

Putin said he is surprised that the European partners admit that they cannot do without Russian energy resources, including gas, but continue talks about an embargo on the Russian supplies, which leads to the growth of prices.

He noted that only the US can direct some volumes of hydrocarbons to Europe, but the price will be much more expensive and affect the level of life of the European citizens and the competitiveness of the European economy.

He also said that by pursuing the goal of anti-Russian sanctions, the West gave up its "green agenda," the intention to stop using resources with the so-called "high carbon trace."

"Initially, serious experts and analysts warned, and publicly, said that an accelerated 'green transition' in practice would be impossible to implement without high costs. That's how it turned out in practice.

"And now there is a wonderful reason to cover up miscalculations and 'blame' everything in this case on Russia – miscalculations, incompetence not only in the energy sector, but also in many other areas."

Putin said it is necessary to keep in mind such an unstable line and to diversify export, to proceed from the understanding that the supply of energy resources in the western direction will be reduced.

"Therefore, it is important to consolidate the trend of recent years – to reorient our exports step by step to the fast-growing markets of the South and East. To do this, in the near future it is necessary to identify the key necessity of infrastructure facilities and begin their construction," he added./agencies

Entrepreneur and business magnate Elon Musk announced Thursday that he has proposed to buy Twitter for $54.20 per share, which amounts to around $43 billion.

The decision comes after Musk, the founder of electric carmaker Tesla and space exploration company SpaceX, announced on April 4 that he bought a 9.2% share in Twitter, becoming the social media platform’s biggest investor.

"I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy," Musk wrote in a security filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

"However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company," he added.

Musk noted that his offer is final, and said that if it is not accepted, he would need to reconsider his position as a shareholder.

"Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it," he added.

The stock price of Twitter was up 3.1% to $45.85 per share at 0640EDT (1040GMT) before the market opening at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday./agencies

Police in the US state of Michigan released four videos Wednesday of a police shooting earlier this month that left a Black man dead.

The videos, released by the Grand Rapids Police Department, show an officer fatally shooting Patrick Lyoya, 26, in the back of the head during a traffic stop in Grand Rapids on April 4.

"It’s an absolute tragedy. It’s heartbreaking. It’s been a difficult time internally for the police department," Grand Rapids police Chief Eric Winstrom said at a press conference.

According to one video, Lyoya was on the ground and facing away from the officer, who later pulled the trigger.

The shooting came after a two-minute struggle between the two men. The police officer, whose identity has yet to be released, reportedly stopped Lyoya because his license plate did not match his vehicle.

Lyoya, the father of two young daughters, arrived in the US from Congo as a refugee with his family, fleeing violence.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the Michigan State Police will conduct a transparent, independent investigation of the shooting.

"Justice is foundational to safety, and without justice, we are all less safe," she said in a statement.

“We DEMAND that the officer who killed Patrick not only be terminated for his excessive and fatal force, but be arrested and prosecuted for his violent, reckless, and unjustified killing of this Black man during a misdemeanor traffic stop!” Ben Crump, a lawyer for the family, said on Twitter.

The incident prompted protests in the city./aa

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that nearly 18,000 people have been evacuated from "danger zones" in Ukraine. 

At least 17,852 people, including 2,986 children, were taken to Russia in the last 24 hours and to date 783,631, including 147,091 children, have been evacuated, Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev, director of the Russian National Center for Defense Management, said in a statement.

A total of 137,199 people were rescued, including 915 in the last 24 hours, through a humanitarian aid corridor in the eastern direction from Mariupol.

Mizintsev reiterated that Russia provides humanitarian corridors every day to evacuate civilians from Kharkiv and Mariupol./aa

The man suspected of opening fire in a crowded New York City subway car has been taken into custody and charged with a terror-related offense, officials announced on Wednesday. 

"My fellow New Yorkers, we got him," City Mayor Eric Adams said in a press briefing. "We want to protect the people of this city, and apprehend those who believe they can bring terror to everyday New Yorkers."

New York Police Department (NYPD) officers took Frank James, 62, into custody without incident early Wednesday afternoon after a tip-off led them to Manhattan's East Village. He is being held in an NYPD facility.

Breon Peace, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said James is being charged with one count of committing a terrorist or other violent attack on a mass transportation system. James faces up to life in prison if convicted.

James was first identified as a person of interest in the wake of Tuesday's attack in Brooklyn. But authorities upgraded his status to suspect on Wednesday.

Authorities said the suspect donned a gas mask before taking two gas canisters out of a bag and opening them, filling a subway car with smoke before opening fire.

In all, officials said 33 shots were fired during the pandemonium that ensued as the train pulled into the 36th Street station in Sunset Park. Twenty-three people were injured from gunshots, smoke inhalation or injuries sustained while attempting to flee.

Police recovered a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, extended magazines and a hatchet from the crime scene.

Gasoline and a bag of consumer-grade fireworks were also found./aa