banks of any flavor cannot be trusted for a dime; same with news outlets in print TV or Internet
They try to shape public opinion to the wishes of the higher payer
Information for public consumption in any shape or form is paid for to satisfy the needs or intentions of the payer.

The only thing I believe are real photographs not altered by photoshop if you can prove it.
It is about time to know that.

No, but many do speak English. It is also a University city as many "Decembrists" were exiled there 105 years ago. I have many contacts across Russia, many at former military/FSB Colonels. Most are speak or are fluent in German or English.
German is my mother tongue.

Regarding Irkutsk you sense right away their intellectual level comparable to Saratov.
The also have a military complex there for very advanced fighter aircraft Sukhoi 57 ( en.wikipedia.org )

Is that LONDON / REUTERS picture taken in London or a city elsewhere?

createstreets on Twitter: "Cleaning off the age of coal.... t.co; / Twitter

so where is the coal these days?

This used to be almost black with soot too. I saw the transformation over the years visiting family.

theguardian.com Canada heatwave: dozens dead as searing plus-40C temperatures grip west Police say a spate of sudden fatalities in normally temperate Vancouver is being caused by the unprecedentedly hot weather