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Europe
Germany
July 13, 2024 The U.S. and Germany have reportedly thwarted a Russian plot to kill Papperger, the CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, which has been producing shells and tanks for Ukraine, 'according to five U.S. and Western officials who spoke anonymously to CNN'. (Source: theweek *)
* The Week, a weekly news magazine, based in New York City, United States; London, United Kingdom
Belarus
(Saturday), 13/07/2024 For years, Belarus' second-largest trading partner after Russia was the European Union (EU). Sanctions against Belarus have caused the nation's economy to shrink. The EU market and access to ports is closed to them. The economy has had to adapt to this new reality. The country must resort to using Russian and Chinese infrastructure, and pursuing trade with the third world. At first, state officials turned toward Russia but now they are looking for other markets. Belarus was seeking to replace its European market with Asian partners, especially in China. About 70% of Belarusian trade is with to Russia, and about 10% goes to China. Belarus has relied on Chinese machinery, cars and consumer goods while Belarus exports potassium fertilizer - formerly this was sent mostly to Western countries - and food products to China. Earlier this month Belarus joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Eurasian political, economic and defense organization led by Russia and China. Belarus had ties with China and India even before joining the SCO. The country has become the 10th member of the SCO, which originally consisted of the founders China and Russia, as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Since the organization's founding, India, Pakistan and Iran have also joined it. At first, the SCO was intended to address border disputes between the first members. Being an SCO member could increase Belarus‘ chances of joining BRICS. Currently comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, the BRICS group wants to be seen as a challenger to the West's G7 bloc. SCO member states regularly take part in joint anti-terrorism exercises. Belarus and China first cooperated on military exercises in 2018 in China's northeastern Jinan. On Monday, July 8, Belarus and China began a joint anti-terrorism military drill. Dubbed Eagle Assault 2024, the 11-day exercise will see troops practice night landings, overcome water obstacles and undetake urban combat drills. This is all happening within Moscow's sphere of influence. The countries are working together in Belarus' southwestern Brest, just 2.8 kilometers from the Polish border and 28 kilometers from Ukraine. These kinds of drills lead to tensions with neighboring countries. Previously, from 2016 to 2020, Minsk had maintained a dialogue with NATO and even invited observers to its maneuvers. (Source: dw *)
* Deutsche Welle, the German public, state-owned international broadcaster, headquartered in Bonn
Russia
(Saturday), 07/13/2024 The White House announced Wednesday during the NATO summit that it would station long-range weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, in Germany on a regular basis starting in 2026 as a deterrent. The Kremlin warned that the deployment of US missiles in Germany could make European capitals targets for Russian missiles in a repeat of Cold War-style confrontation, Kremlin spokesman warns. Peskov spoke of the "paradox' in which 'Europe is a target for our missiles, our country is a target for US missiles in Europe.' "We have enough capacity to contain these missiles, but the potential victims are the capitals of these countries,' he said, suggesting that such a confrontation could undermine Europe as a whole. Peskov noted that during the Cold War, American missiles were aimed at Russia, while Russian missiles were aimed at Europe, making the continent's countries the main victims of any potential conflict. (Source: dw *)
* Deutsche Welle, the German public, state-owned international broadcaster. Headquarters in Bonn, Germany
Ukraine
July 13, 2024 12:01 am ET ’A recent poll by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found that 58% supported further mobilization compared with 35% against’. A wartime law bans men aged between 18 and 60 from leaving Ukraine. Still, tens of thousands have fled the country illegally and many are lying low to avoid conscription. On the main road leading to the western Transcarpathia region, a sign at a checkpoint exhorts men not to leave. “We are strong,' it reads. Once a tourist destination, the mountainous region’s borders with four countries -, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - have made it a hub for illegal crossings. At least 44,000 Ukrainians have left the country illegally since Russia invaded, according to data provided by border authorities in Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. That doesn’t include men who crossed the border officially using documents exempting them from military service issued in exchange for bribes. Number of Ukrainian citizens who have crossed into select neighboring countries illegally, 2021–24: Moldova 29,728; Romania 13,861; Slovakia 1,642. More than two dozen men have drowned in the River Tysa since Russia invaded, many of them fugitives from a military draft. The number of men fleeing Ukraine illegally has increased in recent months, with some of the more desperate attempts ridiculed on social media. 41 men were trying to escape in the back of a grain truck last month. Many of the men who initially mobilized to repel Russia’s invasion are dead, missing or wounded - and the rest are worn out from more than two years of brutal combat. The delay in mustering fresh troops has increased the strain on soldiers serving with no prospect of demobilization other than through injury or death. Military contracts became indefinite when martial law was introduced in the early days of the war. Recruitment numbers have improved since Zelensky signed a law lowering the age of conscription to 25, to replenish threadbare ranks. But the conscription campaign inflamed tensions in society. Across the country, men are hiding from draft officers, who have been filmed snatching potential conscripts off the street. Plainclothes officers are posted at train stations and monitor hotels for fugitive men. Many Ukrainians head for the mountains, undeterred by warnings about wildcats and bears. Rescue services sometimes receive calls from men who have lost their way in the rugged terrain. Smugglers now cater to booming demand from men trying to flee the country, charging from $4,000 to $15,000 for their services. It is more lucrative than their traditional trade in counterfeit and contraband cigarettes, of which Ukraine is a top source for Europe. Many of the smugglers are locals with knowledge of the area. Some accompany their clients to the border or send children to guide them. Others provide directions remotely. One smuggler recently detained by the police was equipped with a bug detector he used to ensure clients weren’t informants recording his activities. Men caught trying to cross the border illegally face a fine of up to $360 and 15 days in prison, though it isn’t a criminal offense. The bigger risk is of being fast-tracked to the front line. Ukraine's border with Romania is patrolled by border guards who catch dozens of men daily. As winter thawed, the Tysa swelled and the current grew stronger. In late April, rescuers recovered the bodies of two men beached on an islet in the river. Soon afterward, a fisherman spotted the body of another man in the water. Two more were pulled out the same day - one of them just 20 years old. In mid-May, Romanian border guards found the corpse of another man floating in the river. He appeared to have been dead in the water for some time and wasn’t carrying any documents. It was the 30th body recovered from the river since Russia’s invasion. As Ukraine tightened conscription, 25-year-old Minikhinov decided to flee across the river to Romania with the aid of a smuggler he paid $4,000. A day after he vanished, about 25 miles downriver from Velykiy Bychkiv, rescuers recovered his body in mid-February. An autopsy found Minikhinov’s heart had failed. The family waited nearly a week before going to the police. His mom blames the government for Minikhinov’s death: “They’re destroying our kids,” she said. (Source: wsj *)
* The Wall Street Journal, an American newspaper. Headquarters New York City, U.S.
Asia
China
2024-07-13 16:37 - 39 At a symposium held today, members of the Committee of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) slammed the signing into law of the so-called "Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act" as full of 'extremely erroneous views and provocative remarks", adding that it was blatant interference in China's internal affairs under the guise of "ethnicity," "religion" and "human rights". China's top political advisory body, the CPPCC National Committee today expressed strong indignation at and firm opposition to the United States on its signing into law of act. The act 'grossly interferes in China's internal affairs and severely undermines China's interests", sending a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces seeking "Tibet independence," the statement of China's National People's Congress (NPC) said, Xinhua * informs. (Source: english.news)
* Xinhua News Agency, the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China
North Korea
13.07.2024 North Korea today denounced a NATO summit declaration that condemned its weapons exports to Russia, calling it "illegal' and warned of strong "strategic counteraction,' after a NATO summit in Washington concluded where leaders of the 32-member alliance and four Indo-Pacific partners - South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand - discussed concerns about growing military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. The spokesperson said the declaration incites a new Cold War and military confrontation and the situation requires a new strategy to counter US attempts to expand its military alliances. (Source: anadoluagency *)
* Anadolu Agency, a state-run news agency headquartered in Ankara, Turkey.
North America
United States
Sat, 13 Jul, 2024 - 23:36 Trump has been rushed off the stage at a rally in Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd. His motorcade has left the venue. His condition was not immediately known. Leaving Mass in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, President Biden responded 'no', when asked if he had been briefed about the incident. (Source: irishexaminer */ Associated Press reporter)
* Irish Examiner, an Irish national daily newspaper, headquartered in Cork, Republic of Ireland.
July 13, 2024 3:26 PM PT Former President Trump was the target of an apparent assassination attempt Saturday at a Pennsylvania rally, days before he was to accept the Republican nomination for a third time. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday. As Trump was talking, a popping sound was heard, and the former president put his right hand up to his right ear, as people in the stands behind him appeared to be shocked. As the first pop rang out, Trump said, “Oh,” and grabbed his ear as two more pops could be heard and he crouched down. More shots are heard then. Someone could be heard saying near the microphone at Trump’s lectern, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as agents tackled the former president. They piled atop him to shield him with their bodies, as is their training protocol, as other agents took up positions on stage to search for the threat. Screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. A woman is heard screaming louder than the rest. Afterward, voices were heard saying “shooter’s down” several times, before someone asks “Are we good to move?” and “Are we clear?” Then, someone ordered, “Let’s move.” Trump got to his feet moments later and could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his face. There appeared to be blood on his face. He then pumped his fist in the air and appeared to mouth the word “Fight” twice to his crowd of supporters, prompting loud cheers and then chants of “USA. USA. USA.” The barrage of gunfire set off panic, and the bloodied Trump, who said he was shot in the ear, was surrounded by Secret Service and hurried to his SUV as he pumped his fist in a show of defiance. It took two minutes from the moment of the first shot for Trump to be placed in a waiting SUV. His motorcade left the venue moments later. Trump’s campaign said the presumptive GOP nominee was doing “fine” after the shooting, which he said pierced the upper part of his right ear. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,” he wrote on his social media site. In the memo obtained Trump’s senior campaign advisers said staff in Washington and West Palm Beach, Florida, should stay away from the office as they assess those locations. The memo also says they’re enhancing the armed security presence on-site. The memo also tells staff not to comment publicly on the apparent assassination attempt against Trump and that dangerous rhetoric on social media won’t be tolerated. The officials said the shooter was engaged by members of the Secret Service counterassault team. The heavily armed tactical team travels everywhere with the president and major party nominees and is meant to confront any active threats while other agents focus on safeguarding and evacuating the person at the center of protection. The roof where the person lay was less than 150 meters from where Trump was speaking. Biden was briefed on the incident and spoke to Trump several hours later, the White House said. He received an updated briefing from Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, and White House homeland security adviser Sherwood-Randall. Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro, a Democrat, said in a statement on X that he had been briefed on the situation and Pennsylvania state police were on hand at the rally site. “I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin,” Trump said in his Sunday morning social media post. /photo/ (Source: latimes *)
* Los Angeles Times, a regional American daily newspaper. Headquarters El Segundo, California
July 12, 2024 Today, President Biden have signed into law S. 138, the “Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act”. He shares the Congress’s bipartisan commitment to advancing the human rights of Tibetans and supporting efforts to preserve their distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage. The Administration will continue to call on the People’s Republic of China to resume direct dialogue, without preconditions, with the Dalai Lama, or his representatives, to seek a settlement that resolves differences and leads to a negotiated agreement on Tibet. The Act does not change longstanding bipartisan United States policy to recognize the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas of China as part of the People’s Republic of China, White House informs. Reported to Senate at 05/07/2024, the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act bill addresses issues relating to Tibet, including by establishing a statutory definition of Tibet that includes areas in Chinese provinces outside the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). "For the purposes of U.S. policies and activities relating to Tibet, this bill defines Tibet to include the TAR and the Tibetan areas of the Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces. (Generally, when China's government refers to Tibet, it means only the TAR, but it recognizes the areas included in this bill's definition as Tibetan. China's government formally established the TAR in 1965.) Furthermore, the duties of the Office of the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues shall include working with relevant bureaus in the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to ensure that U.S. government statements and documents counter, as appropriate, disinformation about Tibet by China's government and the Chinese Communist Party, including disinformation about Tibet's history and institutions," congress.gov tells. (Sources: whitehouse *; congress **)
* The White House, the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States, located in Washington, D.C.
** The United States Congress, the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States in Washington, D.C.
13/07/2024 13:00 When told Hunter she was pregnant, Ms Roberts, who has been described as the Markle of the Bidens claims he promised to support her, but he shortly stopped returning her phone calls and cut her out of his company’s insurance. She met Hunter in late 2016 when she and a friend were invited to an after party at his Rosemont Seneca office in the Swedish Embassy. The First Son was smoking crack in a pair of boxers covered in parrots. The pair embarked on a yearlong entanglement during which Ms Roberts claims they both professed their love to one another, although she says now he may not have meant it. He fiercely denied he was Navy’s father until he was forced to take a 2019 paternity test. It showed he was an even closer DNA match to Navy, this little blue-eyed girl with soft blonde curls from rural Arkansas than her mother. Child support was set at $20,000-a-month in 2020. They reached a settlement last year to reduce the fees to $5,000-a-month on the condition Hunter start building a relationship with his daughter. While the Bidens frequently talk about the importance of family, Ms Roberts has been devastated by how they have excluded their own flesh and blood. "Let me meet my grandpa": Joe’s secret grandchild makes heartfelt plea. Navy chose a headshot of the smiling US president to keep in a birdhouse in her bedroom. The book Out of the Shadows: My Life Inside the Wild World of Hunter by Ms Roberts will be released on Aug 20. The US president continued to insist he only had six grandchildren. Last year he finally acknowledged his seventh grandchild, but he has stopped short of communicating with her. Ms Roberts armoury includes two shotguns behind the headboard, a rifle behind the door, a glock in each nightstand and a third under the mattress - Navy is the only first grandchild without secret service protection. Jill dedicated her children’s book Joey to all her grandchildren – naming each one apart from Navy. Christmas stockings hung in the White House for each grandchild – and even the dog – but not Navy. /photo/ (Source: msn * / The Telegraph **)
* MSN (Microsoft Network), an American web portal;
** The Daily Telegraph, a British daily newspaper. Headquarters London, England, United Kingdom
Sat, 13 Jul 2024 9:00:56 WAT Meta said yesterday it was lifting restrictions on US presidential candidate Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, ending measures put in place after his supporters violently stormed the US Capitol in 2021. Trump’s accounts were suspended indefinitely a day after January 6, 2021, and it was determined he had praised people engaged in violence on social media. His accounts were reinstated in February 2023 but with a threat of penalties for future breaches – an additional restriction that Meta lifted yesterday. Trump was also banned from Twitter and YouTube. While those restrictions were later lifted last year, Trump now mainly communicates on his own social media platform, Truth Social. (Source: dailytrust *)
* Daily Trust, newspaper, headquarters Abuja, Nigeria
July 13, 2024 11:54 IST Tech mogul Musk has donated a "sizeable" amount to America PAC working for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign against US President Biden. In April, Musk posted on X that Biden "barely knows what's going on' and is just "a tragic front" for a far left political machine. Meanwhile, the Tesla CEO defended Trump, calling him a victim of media bias. When he bought Twitter in 2022, one of his first major moves was to restore Trump's X account. In February, Musk posted on X, slamming Biden's immigration policies. "Biden’s strategy is very simple: 1. Get as many illegals in the country as possible. 2. Legalize them to create a permanent majority – a one-party state. That is why they are encouraging so much illegal immigration. Simple, yet effective.' In 2022, the SpaceX CEO said he was a centrist and a "reluctant Democrat' who voted for Biden hesitantly in 2020. Since then, Musk did not donate money to any of the national campaigns until now to the America PAC. He has also supported right-wing politicians across the globe like Brazil's Bolsonaro and Argentina's Milei. (Source: theweek *)
* The Week, an Indian news magazine based in Kochi, India
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