From Washington, DC!
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These are economic reports about the Balkans.

Bulgaria Ranks Second in EU for Russian-Linked Companies Research by the international rating agency Moody's reveals that the Czech Republic, which accounts for just 2.4% of the EU's population, hosts over a quarter of the approximately 46,000 companies linked to Russia operating across the 27 EU member states. Bulgaria ranks second, with 9,500 Russian-connected companies, while Germany follows in third place with 4,200 such firms.

Housing Loan Contracts via Credit Intermediaries Reach 8,533 in Bulgaria In the first half of 2024, a total of 8,533 consumers secured housing or mortgage loans through credit intermediaries. Among these, 8,413 contracts were signed with banks, while 120 were arranged with financial institutions registered under Article 3a of the Law on Credit Institutions, as reported by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB). The total value of credit agreements made between banks and customers through these intermediaries exceeded 1.725 billion leva. Additionally, loans facilitated by financial institutions amounted to more than 3.245 million leva. As of mid-2024, there are 116 registered credit intermediaries operating under the Consumer Real Estate Loans Act, according to BNB data.

These are reports about the Russian navy in the Indian Ocean.

Russian Baltic Fleet's patrol ship ends visit to Dar es Salaam The ship's crew replenished water, fuel and food supplies and conducted technical examination of the ship MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. The Baltic Fleet's patrol ship Neustrashimy has ended a business visit to the port of Dar es Salaam, the fleet's press service has said. "The Baltic Fleet's patrol ship Neustrastrashimy has completed a scheduled business visit to the port of Dar es Salaam of the United Republic of Tanzania. This visit was an important stage within the framework of maintaining maritime security and strengthening international cooperation," the news release reads. The ship's crew replenished water, fuel and food supplies and conducted technical examination of the ship. There were protocol meetings of the ship's command with the Dar es Salaam authorities and officers of the Tanzanian Navy. The Neustrayshimy continues to perform its tasks in the Indian Ocean.

MOSCOW, September 20. /TASS/. A report on options for creating alternative payment platforms for settlements between BRICS member countries will be prepared for the summit of the association in Kazan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Sky News Arabia.

The Germans are commenting on the UN building in New York City.

BERLIN, September 22. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for reforming the United Nations Security Council as its composition no longer in keeping with the spirit of the times. "It has been formed under the standards of the old times, with many continents and countries, which should be in this Security Council either permanently or repeatedly, are not represented," he said on the sidelines of the UN Summit of the Future. At the same time, he said that he doesn’t understand Russia’s position on the Pact for the Future, which was adopted ahead of general discussion of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

This is me talking about Tanzania. 9-23-24

This is the second time he's gone to a labor union conference.

UK's Starmer under pressure over cuts, donations at Labour conference

This is me talking about Keir Starmer. 9-22-24

Wembley Stadium is a mysterious building.

Relive Dubois' epic win over Joshua at Wembley

Watch: Wembley turns green as Saudi Arabia national anthem played at Joshua vs Dubois Wembley became an enclave of Saudi Arabia on Saturday as their national anthem was sung under the colours of the Saudi flag

This is me talking about Wembley Stadium. 9-22-24

This is me talking about Roland Oliphant. 9-22-24

The Kh-55 (Russian: Х-55, also known as RKV-500; NATO reporting name: AS-15 "Kent") is a Soviet/Russian subsonic air-launched cruise missile, designed by MKB Raduga in the 1970s.

The Kalinin Machine-Building Plant (now JSC MZiK) was a major part of the Soviet war effort in World War II, producing 20,000 anti-aircraft guns.

MKB Raduga (Russian: МКБ Радуга, meaning Raduga Design Bureau (Russian: машиностроительное конструкторское бюро «Радуга»), where raduga literally means "rainbow") is a Russian aerospace company, concerned with the production of various missile-systems and related technologies.

Kharkiv is the administrative centre of Kharkiv Oblast and Kharkiv Raion.

The Russian Federation was reported to have deployed the derivative SS-CX-7/SS-CX-8 systems on 14 February 2017. The land launched version is called the Novator 9M729.

NPO Novator (Novator Design Bureau, OKB Novator, OKB Lyulyev; Russian: Опытное конструкторское бюро «Новатор» им. Люльева Л. В.) is a Russian company that designs long-range anti-aircraft missiles.
Industry: Defense
Founded: 1947
Headquarters: Yekaterinburg, Russia

This is me talking about Mongolia. 9-21-24

Sir Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves will not accept any further donations for clothing after a row over gifts, a Downing Street source has said.

The Israeli military stated that its air strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday eliminated Radwan Force chief Ibrahim Aquil as well as other commanders.

The Israeli military on Friday said its air strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut killed top Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil and other senior commanders of the movement's Radwan special forces.

This is me talking about Keir Starmer. 9-21-24

1) This isn’t ethics, it’s campaign finance. Maybe Keir thinks it’s campaign ethics.
2) I guess it was obvious to onlookers that weird gifts were being sent to 10 Downing Street. That comes up in Washington, if it’s obvious to pedestrians something is off. If it’s secretive, then it can’t be obvious to pedestrians that something is secretive. Can they move the secretive stuff to a rural area or something.

Downing Street has denied there was a “nest of vipers” behind the scenes in Sir Keir Starmer’s administration following reports of tensions involving senior officials. A No 10 spokeswoman defended Cabinet Secretary Simon Case following reports he was under pressure to quit early because of anger over leaks and hostile briefings about the Downing Street operation. The country’s top civil servant Mr Case “remains focused on delivering for the Prime Minister” and was working closely with both Sir Keir and the Cabinet. The Guardian reported that Mr Case had been privately accused of failing to clamp down on leaks about the donations of clothing to Sir Keir and his wife from Lord Alli and of reported rows between the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Sue Gray and other officials. Mr Case, who has suffered from poor health, is widely expected to leave his role as the country’s top civil servant around the end of 2024 or early 2025 after a turbulent time as Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Office has denied he was the source of any leaks or negative briefing. Asked if Sir Keir was satisfied Mr Case was not behind any leaks, the No 10 spokeswoman said: “Yes.” Put to her that Downing Street sounded like a “nest of vipers”, the spokeswoman said: “I don’t recognise that. “More generally, I wouldn’t usually get into those kinds of reports around staffing. “The Cabinet Secretary remains focused on delivering for the Prime Minister and the work of Government and working closely with the Prime Minister and Cabinet.” There have been a number of stories alleging difficult relations between Sir Keir’s closest aides Ms Gray and director of political strategy, Morgan McSweeney, and suggestions of difficulties between the chief of staff and special advisers. Over the weekend Sir Keir sought to play down the rumours about Ms Gray, the former Whitehall ethics chief who conducted the partygate investigation before being drafted in to his team before the election. “I’m not going to talk behind her back and I’m not going to talk about individual members of staff, whether it’s Sue Gray or any other member of staff,” he said. “All I can say about the stories is most of them are wildly wrong.” Mr Case became Cabinet Secretary while Boris Johnson was in power and his tenure included the partygate scandal as well as the premierships of Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. He stepped back from his role in October 2023 on health grounds but returned to work in January 2024.

Simon Case said he had "never seen a bunch of people less well-equipped to run a country", according to text messages shared with the Covid Inquiry. In an exchange of private messages sent before he became Cabinet Secretary in July 2020, Mr Case described Downing Street staff as "mad" and "poisonous". He told his precedessor Sir Mark Sedwill that many “top-drawer people” he had asked to replace No 10 official Tom Shinner “refused to come because of the toxic reputation of his operation”. Mr Case was appointed to the role in September 2020 by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The disclosure came hours after it was revealed that Mr Johnson had considered injecting himself with Covid-19 on TV to show it did not pose a threat. Lord Edward Udny-Lister became the latest top official to appear before Lady Hallett’s inquiry this week. In his written statement to the inquiry, Mr Johnson’s former chief of staff said that in the early pandemic the then-prime minister had offered to be injected with the disease live on television to “demonstrate to the public that it did not pose a threat”. “It was an unfortunate comment” at a time “when Covid was not seen as being the serious disease it subsequently became”, Lord Udny-Lister told the hearing.

These are reports about Poland and the Balkans.

Foreign Agents Registration Bill Defeated by Parliamentary Committee

Bulgaria will also provide energy support to Ukraine Bulgaria’s support for Ukraine in the context of the ongoing Russian aggression was the focus of a meeting between caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Kondov and Ukrainian Ambassador to Bulgaria Olesya Ilashchuk, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. "Our support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering, consistent and will continue for as long as it takes", Minister Kondov said.

Panic in Podgorica: The plane made an emergency landing; Bomb planted? The captain of "LOT" reported to the Podgorica police that there was a bomb in the plane of that company. The police are on the ground, as well as the police Anti-Sabotage Protection Group. It was officially announced from the Airport that an extraordinary inspection of the aircraft of the national Polish airline "LOT" began at Podgorica Airport shortly before 5 p.m.

WASHINGTON, September 19. /TASS/. The US Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions against Russian citizen Dmitry Nikulin, as well Timer Bank PJSC and Stroytreyd LLC from Russia and as International Settlement Bank LLC from South Ossetia, according to a written statement by the financial department.

BRUSSELS, September 19. /TASS/. The European Union may consider canceling visa-free regime with Georgia in case of further "backsliding on democracy" in the country, Politico reported, citing a spokesman for the European Commission.

These are descriptions of Uzbekistan.

Subsidized mortgage applications open with new income rules Applications for subsidized mortgage loans are now being accepted, with the second stage starting on September 23, the Ministry of Economy and Finance reports. Changes have been made to how citizens' income is considered for subsidy eligibility.

The Tax Committee has addressed issues with sending payment orders. Reports online indicate problems, which the Tax Committee attributes to some banks switching to new information systems without notifying them. The banks had been warned in advance.

The Legislative Chamber discussed and adopted the bill "On Identification, Registration, and Monitoring of Animals" in the first reading. This bill aims to identify and list various animal species. However, reports on social media suggest that donkey meat is now allowed for consumption in Uzbekistan and that it may be classified as an edible animal species due to WTO requirements.

MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. Uzbekistan may gain access to the high-precision signal of the Russian GLONASS satellite system.

Sometimes it’s illegal to use different buildings to campaign. Notice this description of the Deputy Prime Minister.

In February 2009, when Sir Keir was director of public prosecutions (DPP), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that no charges would be brought because there was “no realistic prospect of conviction”.

Sir Keir also repeatedly used an £18 million penthouse owned by the Labour donor while campaigning to enter No 10, as part of accommodation he donated with an estimated value of £20,000.

As well as paying some of her office costs, Lord Alli also gave Ms Rayner the “use of a flat as accommodation for five nights” in New York over the new year, at a cost of £1,250.

At 16, she gave birth to her first son, Ryan, with her 19-year-old boyfriend, Neil Batty. Recalling her experience of being a teenage mother on a council estate, she said that Ryan's birth "actually saved me from where I could have been, because I had a little person to look after." When Ryan's partner had a daughter in November 2017, Rayner became a grandmother at age 37, giving herself the nickname "Grangela."

She later studied part-time at Stockport College, learning British Sign Language, and gaining a National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) Level 2 in social care.

These are reports about 10 Downing Street. Sue Gray didn’t go to college at all. I think Keir is to blame for having a chief of staff with no college education. It’s demoralizing to the people. Also, his wife hires people to buy her clothes. It’s kind of not enough education in there.

“…Gray abandoned her plan of going to university and joined the Civil Service straight from school.”

When asked about Ms Gray’s decision to accept more pay than the PM, Mr Reynolds said: “I think it’s important people understand that the pay bands for any official, any adviser, are not set by politicians. There’s an official process that does that.

In the weeks since, fashion pundits have wondered whether Lady Starmer was using the services of a wardrobe adviser (as so many of her predecessors did), or going it alone dressing for the global stage. A clue to the answer has come in the recent revelations that Lord Alli, a Labour peer, had paid for clothing and alterations for Lady Starmer, as well as the services of an unnamed personal shopper.

This is about joining groups and recruiting. Ronen Bar went to Harvard.

Israel has arrested one of its own citizens on suspicion of involvement in an Iran-backed assassination plot targeting several high-ranking officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli security services said they had arrested the businessman, who was smuggled into Iran, where he allegedly attended two meetings to discuss killing Mr Netanyahu. Yoav Gallant, the defence minister, and Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet intelligence agency, were also discussed as targets. “The Israeli citizen entered Iran...smuggled through the border hidden inside a truck cabin,” an IDF statement read. “He met with additional Iranian intelligence agents and was asked by them to carry out activities for Iran on Israeli soil, including promoting assassination attacks.” The unnamed Israeli citizen, who had links to Turkey, allegedly demanded an advance payment of one million dollars before performing any action, the statement added. Israel claims Iran asked the citizen to carry out the assassinations as revenge for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader, on Iranian soil in July, which Tehran attributed to Tel Aviv. The citizen was arrested in August 2024, before a series of exploding pager device attacks which killed more than 30 people and injured thousands across Lebanon and parts of Syria on Tuesday and Wednesday.

These are reports about the Russian navy base in Syria.

Coup Attempt Foiled in Armenia: Recruits Trained in Russia to Overthrow Government Armenian authorities have thwarted a coup attempt, leading to the arrest of three individuals, while four others remain at large. The Armenian Investigative Committee confirmed that law enforcement agencies are actively searching for the additional suspects involved in the plot to seize power, as reported by Armenpress. Among those implicated, five are Armenian citizens, while two are former residents of Nagorno-Karabakh. The coup organizers reportedly recruited several Armenian nationals in 2024, offering them a monthly payment of 220,000 rubles to travel to Russia for military training. The recruits were told they would participate in a three-month course, after which they would return to join the army. Upon arriving in Rostov-on-Don, the recruits were subjected to polygraph tests by the plot leaders to check for connections with Armenian law enforcement. They were then sent to the Arbat military base for close combat training. It was only later that the recruits were informed of the true purpose of their training: to return to Armenia and execute a coup to overthrow the government. Some recruits chose to leave the group after learning about the plan. The coup was foiled through the efforts of Armenian law enforcement, who are continuing to investigate and identify other possible accomplices in the failed plot.

Bulgarian Firm Linked to Explosive Pagers Sold to Hezbollah A Bulgarian company has been linked to the sale of pagers that were used by Hezbollah and later exploded in Lebanon, according to a report by Hungarian publication Telex.hu. The devices, originally purchased from Taiwan, were allegedly sold to Hezbollah by Norta Global Ltd., a Sofia-based company owned by a Norwegian citizen. The transaction was facilitated by a Hungarian-registered firm, BAC Consulting Ltd., which acted as an intermediary. Telex's investigation revealed that Norta Global Ltd. was registered in April 2022 and claims to specialize in project management. However, documents show that BAC Consulting, whose managing director is Hungarian national Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, was responsible for signing the contract with Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese pager distributor. The pagers were imported from Taiwan to Bulgaria before being sold to Hezbollah. In an interview with NBC News, Barsony-Arcidiacono confirmed her company’s involvement but stated that BAC Consulting was merely an intermediary and did not manufacture the pagers. Gold Apollo, the Taiwanese company, however, insists that BAC Consulting was responsible for designing and producing the AR-924 pagers and had the rights to distribute them under an agreement allowing the use of the Gold Apollo trademark in certain regions. The explosion of the pagers has led to the deaths of 12 people and injuries to over 3,000 in Lebanon, with Hezbollah members being among the victims. Less than a day later, a second wave of explosions involving walkie-talkies killed 20 more people and injured over 450. Both incidents have drawn attention to the supply chain of these devices, raising concerns over their origins and distribution. Hungarian officials confirmed that the pagers never entered Hungarian territory and that BAC Consulting acted only as a commercial intermediary. A government spokesman also noted that the company has no physical presence in Hungary. Despite these clarifications, the involvement of Norta Global Ltd. and its connection to Hezbollah has sparked questions about the broader network behind the sale of these compromised devices.

Several thousand wounded, the number of dead is growing - a massacre, and "traces" lead to our neighbors The Taiwanese company Gold Apollo announced today that it has authorized the Budapest-based company to manufacture the pagers that exploded yesterday in Lebanon and Syria. "The AR-924 pagers used by the militants (Hezbollah) were manufactured by 'BAC Consulting KFT', based in Budapest. Under the cooperation agreement, we authorized BAC to use our trademark to sell the product in certain regions, but the design and manufacture of the product are exclusively their responsibility", stated in the statement of Gold Apollo, reports AP. President of Gold Apollo, Hsu Ching-kuang told reporters today that his company has had a licensing agreement with BAC for the past three years, but no evidence of the agreement was provided. Pagers used by hundreds of members of the Hezbollah militant group exploded almost simultaneously in Lebanon and Syria yesterday, killing at least 12 people, including an eight-year-old girl, and wounding more than 2,000. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for the attack. The explosions mostly occurred in areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence, particularly in the southern suburbs of Beirut and in the Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon, as well as in Damascus, said an official with the group, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Experts believe explosive material was placed in the pagers before they were shipped and used. The AR-924 pager contained a rechargeable lithium battery and could receive text messages of up to 100 characters. Its battery lasted up to 85 days. According to the AP, this was crucial in Lebanon, where blackouts are common in years of economic collapse. They also operate on a different wireless network than cell phones, which makes them more resilient in an emergency, the US agency writes.

Thirteen illegal migrants, transported in two vehicles. were detained after a police pursuit in Burgas, the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Burgas told BTA on Wednesday. The migrants self-identified as Syrians. The drivers of the vehicles, Georgian citizens, were also detained. The two vehicles disobeyed a stop sign at a checkpoint, and a chase followed. Police teams detained the migrants on Todor Aleksandrov Boulevard.

These are reports about Egypt. How the Egyptians speak Arabic. Maybe they could assist with Arabic translations.

The Egyptian company Antica World will today present an architectural project for the reconstruction of the TSUM - Central Universal Department Store in the centre of Sofia. The company will take over the transformation and management of one of the Bulgarian capital's iconic buildings, which will house three museums - an Egyptian Museum, a Bulgarian Museum and a Rose Oil Museum - as well as luxury shops, a business centre, a tourist centre and a five-star hotel with a spa. Promoting the country as a year-round health tourism destination is also part of the project. Two global architecture studios - GLV of France, which specialises in modern urban projects, and MADA of Egypt - are responsible for the architectural design.

NEW YORK, September 19. /TASS/. Israeli intelligence services sent messages in Arabic to Lebanese pagers before detonating the devices, aiming to encourage more people to bring them to their faces, The New York Times reported, citing Israeli intelligence sources. According to the report, the officers assumed that some pager owners believed the messages were from the supreme leadership of the Shiite Hezbollah movement. As a result, Lebanon was plunged into chaos, hospitals were overwhelmed, and both civilians and Hezbollah fighters were injured, the newspaper points out.

This reminds me of Italian cinema. Because Jimmy Hoffa would talk as if he was a child. He would ask for ice cream, for example. Maybe Vic Starmer talks like Jimmy Hoffa. Because she’s kind of too old to attend a Taylor Swift concert. Maybe Keir doesn’t have very high reading comprehension. Neither of them, maybe, speaks a foreign language. It’s as though Keir doesn’t want to read the UEFA rules or something.

Lady Starmer accepted two free tickets worth hundreds of pounds each to see Taylor Swift this summer. It had been known that she attended one of the singer’s concerts at Wembley Stadium with the Prime Minister on June 21. However, it has now been revealed that she attended another of the star’s gigs at the same venue on Aug 15, this time without Sir Keir. Also at the concert were several senior Labour figures, including Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, and Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary. Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, attended another Swift concert on Aug 20 after receiving four tickets and hospitality worth £3,400.

It emerged over the weekend that Uefa’s general secretary, Theo Theodoridis, had written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy warning its rules state there should be “no government interference in the running of football”, and that the “ultimate sanction” for breaching them would be “excluding” English teams from its competitions. Pressed over whether he was trying to persuade the governing body that Labour’s plan would not breach rules on government interference, Starmer replied: “I mean, I don’t think it does, I don’t think it’s a problem. But, of course, we’ll talk to them if they’ve got concerns. I think they’ve slightly reduced their concerns as time has gone on, but obviously I’ll discuss their concerns with them.”

In an interview with the Guardian, Mr McFadden said: “This is not somebody who thinks that somehow the rules don’t apply to them, or there’s one rule for him and another one for others, like predecessors that have occupied his post. “He is a person of enormous integrity, and that will be reflected in the way that he operates.”

These are army reports about the Kremlin.

Big attack on Russia: Everything is burning, detonations are echoing VIDEO Last night, Ukraine carried out a drone attack on a warehouse of missiles and ammunition in Russia's Tver region. Kyiv's post on the official account on the social network X (formerly Twitter) states that detonations are still echoing early this morning and that the fire has engulfed an area of five square kilometers. It is said that this is probably the biggest Ukrainian strike on Russian territory since the beginning of the war.

After Ukraine, next is... German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said today in Chisinau that Moldova could be "next in line" if Ukraine falls and that support for Ukraine guarantees its survival.

These are reports about the sanctions and the border police. Maybe Ukrainians cannot as they normally do visit Germany or Poland.

WASHINGTON, September 17. /TASS/. US lawmakers have sent letters to the administration of US President Joe Biden asking to impose sanctions on the import of Russian helium, Politico reported.

Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk was detained at the Krakow airport in Poland. The incident was confirmed by Zhan Beleniuk, the deputy chairman of Ukraine's parliamentary commission for youth and sports. Beleniuk posted a video showing Usyk being led away in handcuffs, although the reasons for his arrest remain unclear.

In the first half of 2024, Western allies, including Bulgaria, the European Union and the United States, purchased around 2 billion dollars worth of oil products from Turkey that were refined from Russian crude oil, according to a report by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) and the Center for Energy and Clean Air (CREA). This trade continues despite sanctions, due to a loophole allowing Russian oil to enter these markets after being refined in another country, such as Turkey.

These are reports about the economy in Central Asia.

Economists have lowered their expectations for China's full-year GDP growth following the release of disappointing economic data over the weekend, NBC reports. Eswar Prasad, a professor of international trade and economics at Cornell University, highlighted that Beijing's outlook for the second half of the year is now "flashing red, or pretty close to red." Prasad noted that both long-term issues, such as property prices, and short-term challenges, including weak domestic demand, private investment, and household consumption, have contributed to the bleak economic outlook. He added that recent data continues a negative trend observed over the past few months.

Home sales have dropped nearly 21% for the year. According to the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, 22,200 real estate transactions were registered in August, a 3.5% decrease from July's 23,000. Year-over-year, housing sales fell by 20.8%, indicating a decline in home-buying interest. In August 2024, Syrdarya saw the largest drop in real estate transactions by region, down 22.6%, followed by Khorezm (13.2%) and Tashkent (9.7%). On an annual basis, Navoi, Namangan, and Tashkent regions saw a decline of over 30% in sales. In August 2024, the rental market in Tashkent stabilized, with the average rent price for 1 sq.m. remaining at $8.3, the same as in July. Rental prices had previously dropped by 0.6% in July and 1.2% in June, showing that August brought stability after two months of decline.

These are reports about the pagers in Lebanon.

BEIRUT, September 18. /TASS/. About 400 people, injured in the mass detonation of communication devices in Lebanon, are in several medical condition, the Al Jadeed TV channel reported citing Health Minister Firass Abiad.

BEIRUT, September 18. /TASS/. Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency could plant small amounts of explosives into 5,000 pagers, produced in Taiwan and ordered by the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, Reuters reported citing numerous sources, including a high-ranking Lebanese security source.

Pagers detonated across Lebanon almost simultaneously on Tuesday. Hezbollah blamed the explosions on Israel as it vowed to retaliate against the Jewish state. Reuters said the pagers had been imported by Hezbollah months ago. Acting Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said at least eight people were killed and 2,800 others were wounded in the pager attack. Israel has not commented on the incident yet.

I think Vic Starmer needs a dental implant. Sometimes people from Europe don’t get their teeth fixed. Americans, as a rule, spend their money on getting their teeth fixed.

It seems like Keir gave Lord Alli a security pass to 10 Downing Street in exchange for gifts. Also, I guess Vic is going to return the outfit she just wore to the fashion show. I think you cannot return clothes after you wear them.

Starmer defiant over taking gifts from Lord Alli PM suggests he will continue to accept donations from peer and prominent party donor who was given pass to access Downing Street Sir Keir Starmer has defended accepting gifts from a millionaire Labour donor who was later given a pass to access No 10 Downing Street. The Prime Minister suggested he would continue to take gifts from Lord Alli, despite a row over some of his donations not being declared in line with parliamentary rules. The Labour peer has given Sir Keir tens of thousands of pounds to spend on suits and spectacles, and over the weekend it emerged that Lady Starmer, the Prime Minister’s wife, had also been given £5,000 worth of clothes and personal shopping. Asked on Monday whether he would continue to accept gifts from Lord Alli, Sir Keir said that “all Members of Parliament get gifts” and “the important thing is that they’re declared in accordance with the rules”. It can also be revealed that the Labour peer lent the Starmers his house at times during the election, as part of accommodation worth more than £20,000. On Monday, Lady Starmer attended Edeline Lee’s London Fashion Week show in an outfit lent to her by the designer. It came a day after it emerged that Sir Keir had initially failed to declare the £5,000 of donations covering the cost of his wife’s personal shopper, clothes and alterations. MPs are supposed to declare gifts and donations to the parliamentary authorities within 28 days of receiving them. They have to declare “any interest which someone might reasonably consider to influence their actions or words as an MP”, and the declarations are then published on the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Lady Starmer wears ‘borrowed’ outfit at London Fashion Week amid free clothes row PM’s wife pictured in ‘loaned’ clothes after recent criticism over donations from Labour peer Lord Alli Victoria Starmer has been pictured at a London Fashion Week show wearing a custom-made designer top and trousers amid a row over her receiving free clothes. Lady Starmer sat in the front row of the Edeline Lee runway, wearing an outfit in the same style as those in the show. Her appearance comes as Sir Keir Starmer is alleged to have broken parliamentary rules by failing to declare donations of clothing for his wife by Lord Alli. Lord Alli, a Labour peer, paid for a personal shopper in addition to designer garments and alterations for Lady Starmer. The peer is Sir Keir’s biggest personal donor and was at the heart of a cronyism row last month after it emerged he had a Downing Street security pass. No 10 said the outfit by Edeline Lee was a loan, and that declarations would be made as required. Sir Keir said it was “very important” to him that rules were followed and to have “transparency”, adding: “I’ve always said that. I said that before the election, I’ve reinforced it after the election. “And that’s why, shortly after the election, my team reached out for advice on what declaration should be made, so it’s in accordance with the rules. They then sought out for further advice more recently, as a result of which they made the relevant declarations. “But for me it’s really important that the rules are followed. That’s why I was very pleased my team reached out proactively – not once, but twice – because it is very important that we have transparency, very important that you and others can see the rules are being followed.” It is understood Lord Alli has also given Sir Keir £18,685 of work clothes and several pairs of glasses in the past year, as well as spending £20,000 on his accommodation during the general election campaign.

How the Kremlin is managing the army in Kursk region. Also, Russian internet rules.

The move comes shortly after the Biden administration accused RT of disseminating propaganda and disinformation to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Authorities highlighted how RT has been using media outlets targeting specific regions, such as Africa and France, to push its messaging in favor of the invasion. Meta's action appears to align with the growing concerns about Russian state media's role in shaping public opinion abroad

Ukrainian Forces Capture Vesoloye in Kursk Region Advance On Thursday, September 12, Ukrainian sappers succeeded in breaching Russian defenses near the village of Novi Put, located approximately 30 kilometers west of a recent advance in the Kursk region. Initially perceived as a minor attack, the operation rapidly escalated into a significant threat for Russian forces. Following the breakthrough, Ukrainian armored vehicles swiftly advanced towards the nearby town of Veseloe.

These are reports about Russians near the Mediterranean Sea.

BEIRUT, September 16. /TASS/. Syrian President Bashar Assad received Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu in Damascus, the Syrian Presidential Office said, adding that the sides discussed the perspectives of strengthening of the bilateral relations.

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. Moscow is grateful to Cairo for its balanced and constructive position on the Ukrainian crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdel Aaty.

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. Russia urges to appoint a new UN secretary-general's special representative for Libya as soon as possible, the post has been vacant for too long, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty.

These are reports about the Balkans and the Caucasus region.

CHISINAU, September 16. /TASS/. Moldova is determined to seek EU membership even without the unrecognized republic of Transnistria if the settlement process takes too long, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said.

BERLIN, September 16. /TASS/. Germany will deliver six Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery units to Ukraine, out of the 12 that were pledged, within the next two months, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

TBILISI, September 16. /TASS/. Reconciliation between Georgians and Abkhazians and Ossetians is impossible without apologizing and forgiving, Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream Democratic Georgia party, said.

It controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester river and the Moldova–Ukraine border, as well as some land on the other side of the river's bank. Its capital and largest city is Tiraspol.

The Bulgarian news is reporting on the White House. And how Keir and Biden didn’t come to an agreement on long-range missiles. I think it’s an image of mismanagement. Maybe they were supposed to come to an agreement, but they didn’t. It involves the army. Kind of it makes 10 Downing Street look dumb about the army.

Armed Robbers Steal 33,000 Leva from Casino in Sofia's Lyulin District Two individuals stole 33,000 leva from a casino located in the Lyulin 7 district of Sofia, confirmed the Ministry of the Interior. The robbery occurred shortly after 7:00 a.m. The suspects, who were armed and masked, sprayed the casino croupier with a substance during the heist. At the time of the incident, there was no security present in the casino. The perpetrators fled the scene and are currently being sought by authorities.

NATO Chief Says Long-Range Missile Use Against Russia Up to Individual Alliance Members NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that individual alliance members should decide whether Ukraine can use long-range missiles to target Russian territory. This issue has been under discussion since Ukraine requested permission to utilize Western missiles for strikes inside Russia. Stoltenberg welcomed the ongoing talks, though no resolution has been reached. Recent discussions between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden in Washington touched on the matter, but no formal decision was announced. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the West would be directly opposing Russia if these weapons are allowed to be used against Russian targets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine's plan for victory against Russia is nearly finalized and will soon be presented to its allies. Zelensky emphasized that the plan includes detailed steps and requirements to strengthen Ukraine's position, stating that nothing in the plan is impossible. He believes the proposed actions will benefit not only Ukraine but also all nations that support international law. While the full details of the plan have not been disclosed, Zelensky suggested that recent Ukrainian military actions in Russia's Kursk region are part of this broader strategy. The plan also focuses on Ukraine's role in the global security infrastructure and aims to exert diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia to bring the conflict to an end.

These are reports about the Balkans and the Black Sea. Maybe the ports in the Med and the Black Sea are misused.

BELGRADE, September 15. /TASS/. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin has said that by not raising the topic of Serbia’s purchase of Rafale fighter jets a meeting with him, Russian President Vladimir Putin showed respect to his country and once again proved that he is a friend to Serbia.

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's plan for ending the conflict is based on the assumption that the Western countries will approve strikes deep into Russian territory, Sergey Leshchenko, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian president's office, has said.

An explosion at a pasta factory in Hendek, Sakarya, Turkey, has resulted in 30 injuries and one fatality, according to local media reports. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon at the factory located on the "Anadolu Otoyolu" highway, near the Sakaria exit.

DONETSK, September 16. /TASS/. Armenia is against being used against Russia by some third forces, it is ready to be friends with all countries, but not at the expense of Russia, Andranik Tevanyan, the head of the Mother Armenia political bloc, stated during his visit to the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).

This is a report about Germany. How the Germans like to read about Russia.

BERLIN, September 16. /TASS/. An explosion occurred in the center of Cologne (German state of North Rhine-Westphalia), prompting the law enforcement agencies to block off the area of the incident, the local newspaper Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger reported.

Notice the assassin had a Russian weapon. That used to be something people did here, they would buy Kalashnikov weapons. It was illegal but they would have one. Maybe they’re not illegal anymore to own in Florida or something. Also, it wasn’t effective in this incident. The bureau is going down to Florida. That seems like a safe assignment for them.

WASHINGTON, September 16. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden has instructed the US Secret Service to provide all necessary resources to ensure Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s continued safety, the White House press service said.

A Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-47) with a telescopic sight, two backpacks with ceramic plates and an action camera were found where the suspect was hiding. - According to the newspaper, Routh tried to promote the idea of sending American veterans of the conflict in Afghanistan to Ukraine and also expressed a desire to fight on Kiev's side. According to the MSN News outlet, Routh was also involved in fundraising for Ukraine.

According to the FBI, its agents have arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, and are "investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination" of Trump. The US Secret Service confirmed that its agent had opened fire on an armed suspect near the former US president’s golf course.

Vic Starmer’s mom supposedly lived near this racetrack. I wonder how smart they are about horses. Maybe they just pretend to know about horses, but they really don’t. How much does Vic Starmer know about horses?

Sir Keir Starmer was spotted in the crowd at Doncaster Racecourse just hours after returning to the UK following talks with Joe Biden. The Prime Minister and his wife Lady Victoria Starmer were pictured smiling on the balcony at the Betfred St Leger meeting. His appearance at the South Yorkshire course came after he returned from Washington DC where he discussed the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East with the US president. Sir Keir said: “There aren’t many better days out than the races in the sunshine, so it’s a pleasure to be back in Doncaster for the historic St Leger this year. “My wife has a close connection with the racecourse so the thrill of the St Leger is no stranger to us. “Good luck to all those involved and to the thousands of racegoers enjoying their day out.” Lady Starmer is a big horse racing fan and her mother lived in Doncaster. Amid domestic political difficulties over the squeeze on winter fuel payments and with looming tough decisions in October’s budget, Sir Keir will hope that problems for a horse called Chancellor are not an omen. Chancellor was strongly fancied to win the Betfred Champagne Stakes but was forced to withdraw after prematurely bursting open his stall and suffering a cut to his mouth. Sir Keir and his wife went down into the paddock before the big race, the Betfred St Leger, to meet the participants of the world’s oldest Classic. He spent time talking to the eventual winning jockey, Sean Levey, and chatted with Sussex-based trainer David Menuisier who saw his horse, Sunway, finish fourth but eventually get promoted to third place by the stewards. Frenchman Mr Menuisier said: “I spoke to him before the race and I joked with him I didn’t have enough time to talk to him about Brexit. “I told him that whenever he comes down south we can have a chat. “It was a nice chat but it was as interesting as it could get before a really big race.”

Maybe Keir doesn’t know much about Russia. I think Vic doesn’t speak a foreign language.

But a decision on letting Kyiv use longer-range weapons wasn’t forthcoming. Speaking to reporters after the meeting wrapped, the Prime Minister said the sit-down hadn’t been “about a particular decision” and said the discussions would resume when the two meet again on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month, along with what he described as “a wider group of individuals.”

UK and US come to ‘strong position’ on Ukraine following Biden talks, says PM The UK and US have come to a ‘strong position’ on Ukraine following Biden talks, said PM Starmer.

If they were supposed to do something and they didn’t do it. Then that’s a matter of government. Sometimes, for example, the USSS rents golf carts when the president golfs.

No new pledge on Ukraine weapons as Starmer departs White House Sir Keir Starmer has now left the White House. Here's what we know about his talks with the Joe Biden: The leaders had "wide-ranging" discussions on Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, Starmer told reporters outside the West Wing However, he gave no indication if the UK and US would allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons inside Russia Earlier, the Russian president warned such a move would represent Nato's "direct participation" in the war - while Biden told the meeting that Putin will "not prevail" A White House readout said Biden and Starmer also expressed "deep concern" about Iran and North Korea’s "provision of lethal weapons" to Russia, and China’s support to Russia’s defence industrial base

This is a description of the White House. Notice how Keir kind of sat and listened to Biden say that to the journalist. Joe Biden went to the University of Delaware. His son has been convicted of weapons charges and tax crimes. It is a reminder that Biden himself isn’t an Ivy Leaguer. There used to be horror stories about the Obama White House. Because the air force would show up and ask for permission about the targeted killing program. Obama made gross comments around journalists. Obama once complained about Lil Wayne, the rapper from New Orleans.

If I had been there, I would have said something to Biden about the meeting. He can’t talk to people like that. Also, remember Keir was born in London but he’s lived most of his life in other parts of the country. I wish Keir would have said something to get the meeting back on track. Kind of, Keir isn’t a big city guy. He moved to the small towns from the big city.

Watch: Biden scolds British reporter for asking question, saying ‘you be quiet’ Responding to question about Russia, he snapped: “You be quiet, I’m going to speak, OK? You gotta be quiet, I’m going to make a statement” President Biden told a British reporter “you be quiet” after the journalist asked a question before a key meeting with Sir Keir Starmer. Mr Biden and the British Prime Minister both made statements to reporters at the start of the meeting. One Sky News reporter, James Matthews, tried to ask a question about what the President thought of Putin’s threat of war. Mr Biden snapped back: “You be quiet, I’m going to speak, OK? “You gotta be quiet, I’m going to make a statement.” Mr Biden and Sir Keir then made statements about the issues that would be discussed at the meeting: Ukraine and Gaza.

I think that this is stealing. But, it’s also weird. Because it’s a man buying women clothes. And here is this mention of Rupert Murdoch.

He also backed Shine Limited, Elisabeth Murdoch's media production company, which she later sold to 21st Century Fox (owned by her father Rupert Murdoch) for £211 million

Keir Starmer fails to declare gifts to wife from millionaire party donor in Parliament rule breach ir Keir Starmer failed to declare that a millionaire Labour donor bought clothes for his wife in a breach of parliamentary rules. Lord Alli, who is also a Labour peer, paid for a personal shopper in addition to designer garments and alterations for Lady Starmer. The peer is Sir Keir’s biggest personal donor and was at the heart of a cronyism row last month after it emerged he had a Downing Street security pass. The Prime Minister may now face an investigation into the breach, which was confirmed by a government source on Saturday. The revelations come just 10 weeks into Sir Keir’s tenure and have prompted fresh criticism of the Prime Minister, who had vowed to clean up politics during the general election and put it “back in the service” of working people. Expand article logo It is understood Lord Alli donated a number of high-end clothes to Lady Starmer, as well as her personal shopper. He has also given Sir Keir £18,685 of work clothes and several pairs of glasses in the past year, as well as spending £20,000 on his accommodation during the general election campaign. Downing Street is understood to have sought advice about the declarations it needed to make in relation to Lady Starmer as soon as Sir Keir took office.

The English Channel and the Taiwan Strait are both in the news. How they can be used by different navies.
This comes up about Chinese ports in Thailand, for example. But the Americans maybe have a port there.
It’s because Communism is illegal on the sea.
Communist trade is illegal. Communist ships are illegal wherever they are.
The Russians keep talking about international law. They should know that Communism is illegal anywhere.

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China accuses Germany of raising security risks with military ships in Taiwan strait China criticised Germany on Saturday for increasing security risks after two German naval vessels passed through the Taiwan Strait, a key waterway that Beijing claims as its territory. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius defended the move, stating that the ships were navigating international waters on the safest route, while Beijing responded by deploying forces to monitor the vessels. China on Saturday accused Berlin of heightening security risks in the Taiwan Strait, a day after two German military vessels sailed through the sensitive waters. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed on Friday that the frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg and the supply vessel Frankfurt am Main sailed through the strait. "The German side's behaviour increases security risks and sends incorrect signals," Chinese military spokesperson Li Xi said in a statement. US military ships as well as those operated by other countries have often sailed through the sensitive waterway. But the Baden-Wuerttemberg's voyage was the first time in more than two decades that Berlin's navy had done so, according to German media reports. Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province and claims jurisdiction over the body of water that separates the island from the Chinese mainland.

German security forces detained a suspected terrorist, who was allegedly planning to carry out an attack on soldiers using a machete in the state of Bavaria, prosecutors said Friday. A 27-year-old man from Syria with suspected terrorist leanings is accused of planning to kill soldiers with two machetes during their lunch break in the town of Hof, in north-eastern Bavaria.

Russia launched its largest navy drills of the post-Soviet era on Tuesday alongside Chinese warships, the latest sign of deepening military cooperation between the two global powers. The drills will continue until September 16 and will involve more than 400 warships, submarines and other maritime vessels. Russian and Chinese warships began joint drills in the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, part of a major naval exercise that will see Moscow sail through waters spanning the Northern Hemisphere and Pacific. Moscow and Beijing have deepened military and economic cooperation in recent years, as both countries seek to counterbalance what they see as a United States-led global order. President Vladimir Putin will make an address formally opening the Russian-led "Ocean-2024" exercise and will oversee them "from a situation centre in the Kremlin," his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The drills will involve more than 400 warships, submarines and support vessels and last until 16 September, according to the Russian defence ministry. China sent four warships and a supply vessel to the exercise, joining Russia's naval fleet in the Sea of Japan, it said. The wider drills will take place in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean, Caspian and Baltic Seas, and are set to become "one of the Russian army's main operational and combat training events of 2024," it added. Russia has a naval facility in the port city of Tartus on Syria's Mediterranean coast, but it was not immediately clear whether this would be involved in the drills. Also taking part are "more than 120 aircraft and helicopters ... about 7,000 units of weapons, military and special equipment, and more than 90,000 personnel," the ministry said. Russia said the exercises were aimed at testing the "readiness" of the navy's leadership, using weapons and expanding co-operation with "partner countries". The Japanese defence ministry said it had observed five Chinese naval ships entering the Sea of Japan heading in the direction of Russia over the weekend. It "confirmed that these vessels sailed north-eastwards through the Tsushima Strait towards the Sea of Japan from Saturday to Sunday". Japan's Self-Defence Forces "conducted vigilance monitoring and intelligence gathering" with a vessel and patrol plane, the ministry said, releasing photos of the ships. The Tsushima Strait lies between South Korea and Japan and connects the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan -- known as the East Sea to Koreans -- and is not within Japanese territorial waters. Rising tensions China's growing economic and military clout and its assertiveness in territorial disputes, most recently with the Philippines, has rattled the United States and its allies. Russia and China have also ramped up military cooperation in recent years, with both railing against "Western hegemony", particularly what they see as US domination of global affairs. On August 26, Japan scrambled fighter jets after what it called the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace.

Do you speak Russian? I speak Russian. It’s nice to meet you. Where are you from?
Вы говорите по-русски? Я говорю по-русски. Очень приятно. Откуда Вы?

And then notice this report about the Russians at the UN building.
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This one is about New York City. During the NATO conference there were Turks in Washington, DC. They are fun because they wear nice suits, and they stand around on the sidewalks. Also, I like the Turks in Washington, DC who work at the bakeries and farmers markets. They sell pickles and casserole dishes. Also, they are nice to me when I talk to them and buy stuff. Maybe they act like the Egyptians. Some of them speak Russian. They’ll talk to me about where they are from, and they are pleasant.

Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952, has its second largest army and is the host of the Allied Land Command headquarters.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to meet with top U.S. business leaders in New York this month, according to a report and a senior official, as Türkiye seeks to pitch its revamped economic strategy to attract investors. Erdoğan and a team of key officials will attend series of events aimed at engaging investors and corporate executives, the Financial Times reported on Friday. The meetings will coincide with the United Nations General Assembly in the final week of September.

The head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalın discussed the latest developments regarding cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Palestine with the leaders of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas’s political bureau in Ankara on Friday, sources said.

The Russian envoy to the United Nations told the Security Council that if NATO countries allow Ukraine to carry out strikes using long-range missiles in Russia, then it would mean a direct war with Moscow, while Germany insisted it would not give such weapons to Kyiv. "The facts are that NATO will be a direct party to hostilities against a nuclear power, I think you shouldn't forget about this and think about the consequences," Vassily Nebenzia told the 15-member council. But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz doubled down on Berlin's refusal to send long-range missiles to Ukraine, even as other Western powers discussed allowing Kyiv more freedom to use such weapons. "Germany has made a clear decision about what we will do and what we will not do. This decision will not change," Scholz said when asked about the issue at a press conference.

These are reports about a sea route. The Russians have Kaliningrad and Saint Petersburg as ports on the Baltic Sea. Murmansk is to the north. Kind of, Russia only has so many ports and so it’s predictable the routes their ships take. The British get confused about this. I guess because the British have so many ports. From Russia, either ships can go north from Murmansk. If they go through the Baltic Sea, they have to leave though certain ports. And then the base in Syria. Then Russia doesn’t start again until Vladivostok in the Far East.

Conceptually the British and how they have so many ports. It’s easy to predict the routes of Russian ships. Maybe Russia has less than ten total ports.

A Royal Navy warship was deployed to shadow a Russian submarine through the English Channel. HMS Iron Duke monitored Novorossiysk, a Kilo-class submarine, and Evgeny Churov, its supporting tug, as it passed through the Channel and the North Sea at the start of the month. The Portsmouth-based frigate also shadowed two other Russian vessels with the help of another ship, HMS Tyne. Alongside this, two RAF Typhoons scrambled to intercept two Russian Bear F aircraft on Wednesday.

BERLIN, September 13. /TASS/. German Air Force Eurofighter planes, involved in the NATO airspace patrol mission over the Baltic Sea, were scrambled because of Russian military planes, the German Air Force said on its X page. "Today, our rapid response forces were scrambled from the Laage Air Base [in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern federal state - TASSS] and from the Lielvarde airstrip in Latvia because of Russian planes flying without a flight plane and transponder signal," the air force claimed, adding that the German planes escorted Russian Air Force Tu-142 and Su-30 planes over the Baltic. Usually, Eurofighter planes get scrambled within several minutes to check for a potential threat and to eliminate it, if necessary. However, such mutual checks are mostly routine. Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry said that all flights of the Russian military aviation take place in strict compliance with international air law.

Reports about Serbia and Egypt.

Vučić will announce important decisions tomorrow at 6 p.m.; Option of declaring occupation of part of Serbia According to media reports, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will address the public on Friday at 6 p.m.

Russian Missile Hits Cargo Ship with Ukrainian Wheat Destined for Egypt in the Black Sea On September 12, a Russian missile struck a cargo ship carrying Ukrainian wheat destined for Egypt in the Black Sea, as reported by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Reports about Italy, Romania, and Finland.

MOSCOW, September 12. /TASS/. The Russian Interior Ministry put on a wanted-persons list several reporters from Italian, German and Ukrainian news media.

MOSCOW, September 13. /TASS/. Ukrainian pilots are being trained to fly F-16 fighter jets in Romania, and this would allow to increase the number of aircraft in service with the Ukrainian air force, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

HELSINKI, September 13. The territory of Finland has not been used and will not be used for attacks on Russia, the Finnish Defense Forces General Staff said.

This is me talking about President Vucic. 9-13-24

The mir payment system is in the news.

The bill, which suggests registering individuals and organizations as "foreign agents" if they receive over 1,000 leva (500 euros) from abroad annually, has prompted concerns about potential restrictions on civil rights.

For example, in August 2015, Ionov requested that Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel draft and publish a petition to the United Nations charging the United States with actively committing genocide against African people. In January 2016, Ionov provided a $12,000 guarantee letter to fund a four-city tour to promote the genocide petition that the APSP had published at his direction. Yeshitela and Hess oversaw the tour and reported information about the tour to Ionov.

In 2017, and again in 2019, Ionov attempted to influence local elections in St. Petersburg, Florida, on behalf of the FSB, although there is no evidence that he succeeded in doing so. For example, in July 2017, Ionov reached out to Nevel —who was a candidate for Mayor in St. Petersburg — to offer support, including “campaign finance.”

This is me talking about Keir Starmer. 9-12-24

I think Keir occasionally makes anti-women comments. These two are New Yorkers. Kind of, the Dutch in New York City. It's safe there for wealthy women.

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He was the second of the four children of Josephine and Rodney Starmer, a toolmaker.

Christopher Asher Wray was born in New York City. His father, Cecil A. Wray Jr., was a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Yale Law School who worked as a lawyer at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City.

Blinken was born on April 16, 1962, in Yonkers, New York, to Jewish parents. His mother was Judith (née Frehm) Blinken and his father was Donald M. Blinken, a co-founder of the private equity firm Warburg Pincus who later served as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary.

This is me talking about Dushanbe. 9-12-24

If the Russians are the side of right in Ukraine.

Two Bulgarians from the Bolhrad region have recently died while serving in Ukraine. According to the Bolhrad Regional Military Administration, Sergey Dachev, 39, from Bolhrad, passed away on September 6 in the Kharkiv region. He was serving as a soldier in Ukraine's State Border Service. The date for Dachev's funeral will be announced later, as per the Bolhrad administration's report. On September 10, Mihail Boev, born in 1975 and from Artsyz, also died after being hospitalized with severe injuries. Boev was mobilized in the Ukrainian army as a mechanic and tank operator in the 110th Operational Mechanized Brigade.

These are reports about Serbia. A new lithium mine is opening in Serbia.

The arrested Serbian youths were sentenced to house arrest Three of the four young Serbs who were arrested in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday in North Mitrovica were today brought before the judge of the Basic Court in North Mitrovica.

On situation on Kosovo and Metohija "At the same time, I informed President Herzog about what is happening in Kosovo and Metohija and spoke about the need to respect international public law and the UN Charter, and I would not continue to drag other people into what our relationship is with the situation in our country and region. We talked about it just as President Herzog introduced me to the situation in Israel and the Middle East, and I listened to him very carefully."

MOSCOW, September 12. /TASS/. Russia and Bolivia will build a facility to produce lithium carbonate, in accordance with an agreement signed by Rosatom’s Uranium One Group and Bolivia’s Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos, the Russian nuclear corporation said in a statement.

These are reports about Uzbekistan.

New law allows patent owners to seek compensation for IP violations

Uzbek government sets 50% land tax rate for new developments

Financial violations of almost 930 bln soums found in internal control structures

It used to be that the British army taught their soldiers maybe Dungan or Karakalpak.

DUSHANBE, September 11. /TASS/. Chief Mufti of Tajikistan Saidmukarram Abdulkodirzoda sustained a stab wound in an assassination attempt near the Dushanbe Central Mosque and the assailant was detained, the country’s Interior Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Tajik
The language of the Tajik ethnic group is more similar to modern-day Persian.

Dungan, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Koryo-mar, Kyrgyz, Mongolian, Russian, Tajik, Turkmen, Uyghur, Uzbek, and others

This is me talking about Finland. 9-11-24

What does this mean for the Royal Navy in the Persian Gulf?

HELSINKI, September 11. The Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced the suspension of the work of the Advisory Board with Russia on the operation of the Saimaa Canal.

MOSCOW, September 11. /TASS/. Several Arab leaders have confirmed their participation in the BRICS summit due to be held in Kazan in October, Russian Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters.

This is me talking more about 10 Downing Street. 9-10-24

These are army and political reports. The sanctions and laser technology. Viktor Orban. Kursk and Donetsk region.

NEW YORK, September 10. /TASS/. A US resident was arrested in Massachusetts on charges of conspiring to circumvent sanctions against Russia, according to an indictment. According to the charges, Sam Bhambhani worked with a Russian citizen who resold laser equipment to a subsidiary of the Russian government-owned company Rosatom from 2015 to 2021. He pleaded not guilty during a court hearing and was released on a personal recognizance bond.

BUDAPEST, September 9. /TASS/. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is preparing a new "impressive" event in September within the framework of the peace initiative to settle the conflict in Ukraine, the ATV TV channel reported.

The flag is raised; They launched a major attack On the eastern front in Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian attacks alternate, writes Forbes. Ukraine's 63rd Mechanized Brigade raised the Ukrainian flag on Friday or Saturday in New York City, 20 kilometers north of Avdiyivka in the Donetsk region. The flag is a sign that Ukrainian troops have returned to the center of this city, just a month after the Russians took control of it. This is not an isolated incident. Ukrainian troops are launching counterattacks on several sectors of the eastern front, interrupting the momentum of the Russian offensive in which the Russians made significant progress from the beginning at the end of last year after the capture of Avdiyivka, they moved on to Pokrovsk, in order to cut the supply lines there, which are crucial for Ukrainians. This does not mean that the Russians are no longer advancing anywhere. This weekend they occupied parts of Hrodivka, a settlement 12 kilometers east of Pokrovsk. However, scattered Ukrainian counterattacks complicate Russian planning and give Ukrainians new hope for the east after a difficult year. Last month, the Russians occupied New York due to a severe shortage of Ukrainian troops. The shortage is partly the result of a controversial decision by Ukrainian leaders to invade Russia's Kursk region. Powerful units from about eight Ukrainian brigades were sent to that attack. The invasion undermined efforts to stabilize the front in the east. "The number of units available for stabilization has been significantly reduced," explains the Ukrainian analytical group Front Intelligence Insight. However, despite sending additional troops to Kursk, the Ukrainian command managed to muster a small reserve force of about five brigades, partly using the National Guard, which is responsible to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, not the Ministry of Defense. Last year, the National Guard expanded and strengthened several of its brigades, merging them into the so-called "Offensive Guard" that includes the 12th Azov Brigade, as well as the Kara-Dag Brigade, which recently took up positions south of Pokrosvk and launched a counterattack.

This is me talking about 10 Downing Street. 9-10-24

Aleksandar Arsenijević is a Serbian nationalist leader. He's saying a Serbian man was mistreated by the Kosovar police. I think he walked up to their stand in the middle of the night. He just had a phone, but maybe he could have been dangerous. When he was arrested he pretended to have a seizure.

Aleksandar Arsenijević
Oko ponoći, policija je više od 10 minuta tukla tri mladića srpske nacionalnosti u blizini picerije Mrvica. Kada se čulo zapomaganje, iz kafane Biševac je izašao gospodin Lekić koji je sve to usnimio, a policija ga je zajedno sa drugim licima brutalno privela. Oni se trenutno nalaze u policijskoj stanici Severna Mitrovica. Potsetiću policiju da ne smeju da hapse i oduzimaju telefon gradjanima koji snimaju na javnoj površini. Hapšenje gospodina Lekića je usledilo sa ciljem brisanja snimaka sa telefona. Lično sam otišao do policijske stanice da insistiram na hitnom oslobadjanu gospodina Lekića i čuvanju podataka sa njegovog mobilnog telefona.

Horrible scenes in the north of KiM: The so-called Kosovo police brutally beat three Serbs VIDEO Three young men of Serbian nationality were arrested last night in Kosovo and Metohija. President of the Serbian Democracy, Aleksandar Arsenijević, who informed the public about the arrest, also announced that the police used force during the arrest of three Serbian young men. "The police beat the young men for 10 minutes," reported Arsenijević. The police confirmed the arrest of four people, but did not provide details. In the released video, one of the young men can be seen being arrested by a police officer, armed with a rifle.

This is me talking about Serbia. 9-9-24

The Serbians still have the road blocks up.

Eleven days of blockade of Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo and Metohija The so-called police Kosovo has been blocking the buildings of Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo and Metohija for the eleventh day.

Serbs with Kosovo and Metohija start with road blockades President of the Association of Citizens of the Kosovska Mitrovica District, Raša Rojević, announced that the multi-day blockade of crossings to Kosovo will begin today, writes Beta.

The mines will build car batteries.

Vučić in Ljubovija: I won't allow 100 percent of raw materials to be exported! Salaries in Loznica President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, talks to those who are in favor and against the lithium mine in Ljubovija. He says that he is already negotiating with many others, and preliminary agreements have not yet been made regarding the cathode factory. "It is the most important link between mines and batteries, we are already talking to Koreans, Japanese and many others. Much more powerful directors are coming to us. I talked to Macron, AC France is interested. It is one of the biggest battery factories in Europe. We would have more car manufacturers by now," he explained.

Kremlin: The situation is getting worse, it is difficult for the Serbs It is very difficult for Serbs in both Serbia and Republika Srpska, Moscow and Belgrade have the same view on attempts to trample on the foundations of the Dayton Agreement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The Germans are commenting.

German Chancellor Scholz Advocates for Russia’s Role in New Peace Talks with Ukraine

BERLIN, September 7. /TASS/. Germany’s Eurofighter jets have been redeployed to Finland, where they practiced taking off and landing in short distances as far as 180 kilometers from the Russian border, the Bild newspaper said.

Romania's Defense Ministry confirmed that a drone was tracked by radar entering and exiting its airspace, and two F-16 fighter jets were deployed to monitor the intrusion. In Latvia, President Edgars Rinkevics called for a unified NATO response, stressing the growing frequency of such incidents along NATO's eastern flank.

The Kremlin invited Vucic to the BRICS meeting.

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday that ten days ago he received an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to join the summit of the BRICS group of emerging economies, which is taking place from October 22 to 24 in the Russian city of Kazan, but said that he would be meeting important guests from abroad then, the Serbian edition of En1 television reported.

BELGRADE, September 8. /TASS/. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin will take part in a meeting of high representatives of the BRICS+ countries in charge of security issues, his press service said.

A report about Uzbek migrants.

Uzbeks working in various regions of Kazakhstan are advised to avoid using unreliable vehicles and drivers when returning home, according to the Foreign Labor Migration Agency. The agency highlighted that most reported car accidents involve defective vehicles or inexperienced drivers. Uzbek citizens in Kazakhstan are urged to follow safety rules, use reliable vehicles, and choose experienced drivers when traveling on highways.

This is me talking more about Dublin. 9-8-24

This is me talking about Dublin. 9-8-24

The Justice department maybe is behaving as though these Russian individuals are terrorists. Because they cause fear. Also, conceptually this trip to Dublin.

In an indictment unsealed today, a grand jury in Maryland charged six computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of the Russian Federation (Russia), with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy. Five of the defendants were officers in Unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The sixth individual was a civilian already under indictment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and is now also charged with wire fraud conspiracy. The indictment alleges that these GRU hackers and their co-conspirator engaged in a conspiracy to hack into, exfiltrate data from, leak information obtained from and destroy computer systems associated with the Ukrainian Government in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The defendants did so in order to sow concern among Ukrainian citizens regarding the safety of their government systems and personal data. The defendants’ targets included Ukrainian Government systems and data with no military or defense-related roles. Later targets included computer systems in countries around the world that were providing support to Ukraine, including the United States and 25 other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries.

DUBLIN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Britain and Ireland said on Saturday they were moving "from friction back to friendship" as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Dublin, part of his efforts to improve ties with the Republic of Ireland and the broader European Union.

This is me talking about the Texas Longhorns. 9-7-24

This is me talking about Keir Starmer. 9-7-24

Reports about Russian scientists and tech professionals.

Why Russia is accusing its own scientists of treason A prominent Russian scientist specialising in hypersonic technology has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of treason. His conviction is the latest in a series of arrests targeting researchers since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, in what experts are calling a politically motivated crackdown on scientists.

After Arrest In Paris, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Is Accused Of Having Plastic Surgery & Getting Hair Plugs On Social Media

Telegram CEO Durov announces new features to combat illicit content Russian-born Telegram boss Pavel Durov announced on Friday a range of new features for the social media app that aim to tackle illicit content, bots and scammers. Durov was released on bail last week after being placed under formal investigation by French authorities following his arrest as part of a probe related to illegal content carried on the platform.

Descriptions of the Turkish economy.

France to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine military aid France’s defence ministry on Friday announced that it will use a share of €1.4 billion euros in revenue from frozen Russian assets to finance the purchase of military equipment for Ukraine. EU member states agreed in May to use the interest generated by seized assets belonging to the Russian central bank to support Kyiv, a decision Russia has denounced as "illegal". Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.

Turkish security forces eliminate 35 PKK/YPG terrorists in Iraq, Syria

World Bank moves to secure Pacific Island finances with $68M boost

Turkish-made aircraft Hürjet performs at airshow in Egypt

This is me talking about Rex Warner. 9-6-24

This is me talking about Catholic University. 9-6-24

This is me talking about Serbia. 9-6-24

It's a false that the Serbians can afford to do what the Croatians can afford.

Serbia to Reintroduce Compulsory Military Service Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has confirmed the reintroduction of compulsory military service, according to the Belgrade publication "Vreme." The move will see men undergo 75 days of training, while participation will be voluntary for women. Back in August, Croatia announced that it will reinstate compulsory military service starting January 1, 2025, following a decision by Defense Minister Ivan Anušić in response to rising global tensions, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The two-month conscription period marks the end of Croatia’s volunteer-only system, which has been in place since 2008. Anušić highlighted the importance of this move in strengthening Croatia’s defense capabilities and noted that ongoing modernization efforts within the military, including equipment upgrades, remain on track as part of the country’s commitments to NATO, with no planned budget reductions.

Satire maybe about the Serbian police.

Major police operation Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dacic stated that the police arrested S. M. (49) and G. K. (46) due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that they had committed numerous criminal acts. It is suspected that, as members of a criminal group, for a long period of time, together with another, so far unknown person, they illegally transferred several persons, among whom were members of various organized criminal groups from the territory of the Republic of Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Turkey, across the Danube to the territory of the Republic of Croatia, for the amount of around 5,000 euros per member of an organized criminal group.

Tensions and unrest in the north of Kosovo; The police were looking for the former mayor The former president of the municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica Milan Radojević was summoned to the so-called Kosovo Police for questioning.

Reports about Russia and the Department of Justice.

MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. It’s hard to believe French President Emmanuel Macron’s claim that Telegram messenger CEO Pavel Durov’s case is not politically motivated, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

BRUSSELS, September 6. /TASS/. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has rejected diplomatic assistance from either Russia or the United Arab Emirates, Politico quoted a French official as saying.

Durov Calls Arrest 'Misguided' as France Charges Telegram Founder with Enabling Crime Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, in his first statement since his arrest in France, called it a "misguided approach" to hold him personally accountable for the spread of illicit content on the platform. Durov, who was arrested last week, faces charges related to enabling criminal activity on Telegram, including the spread of child sexual abuse material, fraud, and drug sales, according to French prosecutors.

WASHINGTON, September 5. /TASS/. The US Department of Justice said it charged political scientist Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia with violating American sanctions.

This is me talking about the Royal Navy. 9-5-24

Maybe the Kremlin is to blame for this crash. The Ukraine stuff but also forever Maxim Demin lived near the crash site.

A Royal Navy serviceperson has died in a helicopter crash in the Channel during a flying exercise. The incident involved a Merlin Mk4 helicopter that crashed while conducting night flying exercises with HMS Queen Elizabeth near Dorset. There were reportedly three crew members on board the helicopter at the time, two of which were rescued with the help of HM Coastguard and taken to hospital, according to the BBC.

Demin spent £5 million on a mansion in Sandbanks (Dorset), having bought a 50% interest in the nearby professional football club, AFC Bournemouth.

The ultimate sub-hunter There are two types of Merlin helicopter currently in use in the Royal Navy, the mark-2 (Mk2) and the mark-4 (Mk4). The Mk2 is principally an anti-submarine warfare helicopter although this versatile aircraft can also provide other roles, such as search and rescue, cargo transfers and maritime patrol.

This is me talking about Prince Harry. 9-5-24

This is me talking about Serbia. 9-5-24

This is an example of how Americans have great language schools. Because the Serbian language news is a little different than the TASS reports. It means that the people who work at the Kremlin maybe are questionable personalities. Maybe, for example, they are immigrants from Central Asia.

An excerpt from President Vucic's IG account.

Narednih nekoliko dana provešću u Podrinju. Smeštaj mi je izuzetan, ali nas čeka mnogo važnih zadataka i stvari koje moramo da uradimo za naš narod u ovom delu Srbije. Srbija ne sme da stane!

My translation:

The presidential staff has temporarily moved to a town called Podrinju, on the border with Bosnia. Lots of tasks and opportunities here relating to Serbian heritage and economic issues. Serbia is a great country!

The Serbian description of the news.

VIDEO President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, spoke today about the move of all offices to Podrinje. As he pointed out, it is not the first time that the office is outside of Belgrade.

Russian reports about Belgrade.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 4 /TASS/. Russia's centuries-long resilience allows Serbia to exist as well, and the Serbian and Russian peoples are destined to have a common future, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin stated during his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 4. /TASS/. Serbia will never allow fraternal relations between Belgrade and Moscow to deteriorate, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said during a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Rest assured that the Serbian people, led by President Vucic, will never allow our fraternal relations, relations of strategic partnership to deteriorate," he said.

These are other reports about foreign relations in Russia and the Balkans.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. The number of people seeking to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry to take part in the special military operation is growing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS.

The association ''Descendants of Refugees and Migrants from the Territory of the Republic of North Macedonia and Friends'' has sent an open letter to the Albanian community in North Macedonia and to the diplomatic missions accredited in North Macedonia and Bulgaria. The Albanian section of Radio Bulgaria also received the document.

TASS FACTBOX. On September 4, 2024, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has said that Turkey has applied for the full membership of BRICS. TASS FACTBOX editors have taken a look at what this ten-nation group is like today.

Germany failed to reply to any Russian inquiries on Nord Stream blasts, Russian MFA says

New incident: Minsk shot down two Russian drones The Belarusian Air Force today shot down two Russian drones near the Belarusian city of Gomel, Belarusian media reports.

This is me talking about the EPL. 9-4-24

This is me talking about the US Open. 9-4-24

Elon Musk is refusing to do something.

The United States has charged six senior Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, in connection with the group's deadly attack on Israel on October 7 of last year. The charges, announced by the US Justice Department on September 3, involve seven counts, including murders and kidnappings of numerous civilians, including American citizens. The indictment also accuses Iran and Hezbollah of providing financial support and weapons to Hamas.

Elon Musk's SpaceX satellite internet service, Starlink, has announced that it will comply with a recent order from Brazil's Supreme Court to block access to Musk's social media platform, "X", in the country. The company stated on X on September 3 that they are "doing everything possible to keep you connected" despite what they described as the "illegal treatment" of Starlink, including the freezing of their assets.

Musk on his refusal to activate Starlink above Crimea: it’s not a military system He said that he decided not to switch on Starlink above the Crimean Peninsula in 2022 NEW YORK, September 4. /TASS/. US entrepreneur Elon Musk said his Starlink satellite communication service is "a commercial system, not a military system," and reiterated that he chose not to activate in on Ukraine’s request to enable its attack on Crimea in 2022. "We also make it clear in our terms of use that Starlink is a commercial system, not a military system. Use of Starlink for communications, including military communications, is fine, just like the military uses the Internet in general, but if we deliberately engage in explicit acts of war, then we are making Starlink a military system and other countries have every right to shoot down our satellites," Musk wrote on the X social network. He said that he decided not to switch on Starlink above the Crimean Peninsula in 2022. "Starlink was barred from turning on satellite beams in Crimea at the time, because doing so would violate US sanctions against Russia! We received an unexpected request in the middle of the night to activate Starlink in Crimea in a matter of a few hours from the Ukraine government, but received no request or permission to override sanctions from the US government," he said. The US billionaire has repeatedly spoken in favor of resolving the Ukrainian conflict by diplomatic means, which drew criticism from the Kiev government.

Regional politics. The Mongolians didn't arrest Putin during his trip there.

Ukraine Endures New Wave of Russian Missile Strikes: Lviv Targeted

Over 52,000 Bulgarians Lack Up-to-Date Addresses and ID Cards

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed amendments to legal documents to align them with the updated Constitution, ensuring the protection of private property rights. Now, demolishing houses without a court order and prior compensation is prohibited.

GENICHESK, September 4. /TASS/. Russian units delivered a missile strike on a Ukrainian military training center with NATO instructors in Poltava, Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo told TASS.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 4. /TASS/. The arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) will not be able to limit Russian President Vladimir Putin's contacts with interested countries, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. The Ukrainian ground forces plan to reinforce personnel security measures at military facilities after the strike at the military educational center in Poltava.

BEIRUT, September 3. /TASS/. Attempts by Western countries to seize frozen Russian assets represent outright theft, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Economic reports about Eastern Europe.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 4. /TASS/. Difficulties around the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline project will be overcome and the project will be successfully launched, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). The Power of Siberia-2 is a gas pipeline project, designed to run through west Siberia to China. A number of media outlets reported in August that Mongolia has not included it into its national development project until 2028.

Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group, described the European automotive industry as facing a "very demanding and serious situation." He highlighted the tough economic environment and the rising competition, particularly from new entrants to the European market. Blume noted that Germany, as a manufacturing hub, is increasingly losing its competitive edge.

Maybe the passengers themselves are responsible for their own deaths.

The 51-year-old New Zealand captain is one of three crew members under investigation – alongside British sailor Matthew Griffiths, 22, and British engineer Tim Parker Eaton, 56 – into what caused the yacht to sink in only 16 minutes and whether they did enough to alert passengers and crew. With him were other crew members, including Mr Griffiths and Mr Parker Eaton, both of whom are under investigation with the captain for multiple manslaughter and causing a shipwreck.

This is me talking about Mike Lynch. 9-3-24

The allegation is that because of overcrowding Serbians want to move to the surrounding areas.

"Sir, you cannot have this roadblock here."

Hadrian's Wall is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian.

--

Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija: Roadblocks of administrative crossings Chairman of the Association of Citizens of the Kosovska Mitrovica District, Raša Rojević, announced today that from Friday, September 6, roadblocks of all administrative crossings in Kosovo and Metohija will be organized. Rojević told Beta agency that roadblocks will be organized by native associations of citizens from Kosovo and Metohija. "The blockade will begin on Friday and will last until the Kosovo police forces are withdrawn from the north of Kosovo and Metohija and until the usurped institutions are returned to the Serbs. We also demand that KFOR, in accordance with the mandate of Resolution 1244, take control of the north of Kosovo," Rojevic said. According to him, roadblocks will last until all the citizens' demands are met. "We do not expect help from the state, nor do we need it. Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija will not participate in the roadblocks so that they would not be harassed by the Kosovo police, but only citizens from the territory of central Serbia, Montenegro and Republika Srpska," Rojević said.

Hundreds of Serbs on their feet, chaos continues at the so-called Kosovo; They have a clear request A large number of Serbs gathered this morning in front of the Kosovska Mitrovica municipality building, which the Kosovo police raided on Friday and forcibly and illegally closed it. Several hundred Serbs gathered, asking to be allowed to work. They said that despite everything, they will stay at their hearths and that no one will drive them away. They were again welcome in front of the municipality by members of the so-called police of Kosovo, stretched yellow tape and blockade. Let us recall that on Friday afternoon, members of the special unit of the Kosovo Police broke into the buildings of the Provisional Authorities in four Serbian municipalities in the north - Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok, as well as several other institutions.

This is me talking about Keir Starmer. 9-3-24

Reports about Russian foreign policy in Germany and South America.

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. German politician Sahra Wagenknecht said election outcomes in Saxony and Thuringia show Germans are not willing to be dragged into a major war in Europe.

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. Results of Sunday’s elections to state legislatures in Saxony and Thuringia in East Germany demonstrate that people want changes in the political course, that they want peace rather than arms supplies to Ukraine, a German lawmaker told TASS.

CARACAS, September 3. /TASS/. The arrest of the Venezuelan president's plane by the US authorities is nothing but an act of piracy and an example of the 'rules-based order,' the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

How Russian women weirdly are into online dating.

Woman held captive in barn for four years and raped by man she met online Suspect described as ‘Poland’s Josef Fritzl’ alleged to have imprisoned, beaten and raped victim only metres away from neighbours A woman was held captive, tortured and raped in an old barn for four years by a male suspect who has been described as “Poland’s Josef Fritzl”. The victim, who has been identified only as Malgorzata and is now 30, met Mateusz J, a labourer, on a dating website in 2019 and went to visit him in his small village near Glogow, western Poland. She was then allegedly imprisoned in a disused barn for over four years, being regularly beaten, raped and later impregnated just four metres away from the suspect’s neighbours, myGlogow, a local news site, reported.

This is me talking about Poland. 9-2-24

This is from the Serbian president's IG page. Maybe they are applying to the EU, but they don't want to standardize their economy with EU regulations.

i izrazio nadu da ćemo nastaviti zajedničku borbu za napredak i ubrzanje evropskog puta Srbije, kao i da ćemo konkretizovati Evropski plan za ekonomski rast Zapadnog Balkana, na dobrobit svih građana regiona.

Also, the Romanians are doing the same thing.

Romania Struggles with Rising Debt, Eurozone Entry in Jeopardy

Reports about the Russians in Ukraine and the Balkans.

Russian Attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv Cause Fires, Injuries, and Infrastructure Damage

Bulgarian Military Contingent Departs for NATO Mission in Kosovo

Far-Right Gains Ground in East Germany, Poses Challenge to Scholz’s Coalition

Bulgarian military contingent to join NATO's KFOR in Kosovo Today, the Bulgarian military contingent will have a sent-off before it joins the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) as part of the Regional Command-West. The ceremony will take place in Asenovgrad with the participation of Bulgaria's Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov. The contingent includes servicemen from the Bulgarian Land Forces and from the Joint Forces Command's Mobile Communication and Information System. They will perform tasks related to supporting security in the area, patrolling and monitoring in the erea of responsibility. Bulgaria's participation in the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) began in 2000 with an engineer platoon. To date, over 1800 servicemen have participated in the Alliance's operation

Two Men Shot in Sofia Two men, a father and son, were shot in Sofia on Sunday evening, the Interior Ministry said. The shooting took place at a parking lot opposite St Anna Hospital at around 7 pm. On Monday the hospital said that both had been admitted to the Dimitar Stoyanov, commonly known as Mitko "The Russian," and his son were shot last night in a parking lot near the District Hospital, according to BNT. Stoyanov, who has a criminal record, sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen, while his 20-year-old son was shot in the jaw. Both were urgently transported to "St. Anna" Hospital, where they are currently in intensive care with life-threatening injuries. This incident marks the third assassination attempt on Stoyanov. Despite this, his girlfriend insists that he had no enemies and was not involved in any illegal activities. She described him as a pensioner due to illness and stated, "I don't know what he did before that. As far as I have information, no one saw anything," during an interview with Nova TV. The 50-year-old victim required emergency surgery due to the severity of his injuries. The search for the attackers is ongoing.

This is me talking about Serbia. 9-1-24

Jordan has let in three or more goals so far each game this season.

England star Jordan Pickford changed his name after dad's heartbreaking decision England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford could have been known by a different name had his father Lee not changed the family surname by deed poll when he was a schoolboy

This is me talking about Jordan Pickford. 9-1-24

In England young people spend too much money. They want the state to pay their parents pensions.

Starmer’s blueprint for a tax war on pensioners Instead of soaking the rich, as past Labour governments were wont to do, the Prime Minister has his sights set on the old

Two people have died after separate attacks at the Notting Hill Carnival, making this year’s event the deadliest in more than two decades.

This is me talking about Keir Starmer's tax plan. 9-1-24

There are Australians who play football in America. I'm wondering if Paddy Turner is like Jordan Pickford.

Jordan Pickford lets himself down – Everton player ratings in 3-2 loss v Bournemouth

Colorado State Athletics Paddy Turner Hometown: Ararat, VIC, Australia

This is me talking about Romania. 9-1-24

The Romanians are questionable NATO members. It seems like there is a secret nexus between Bucharest, Belgrade, and Moscow. Maybe the Romanians caused this Ukrainian pilot to crash.

Romania received the first five jets from the Netherlands to train Ukrainian pilots just months after the partner countries confirmed their participation in the mission last year. In mid-2023, Warsaw began Ukrainian F-16 training in Poland.

Ukrainian F-16 crashes, killing pilot, during Russian missile attack The demise of one of Ukraine’s star pilots as well as one of its prized few F-16 jets is a massive blow for Kyiv as it seeks to gain momentum against Russia.

This is me talking about Virginia. 8-31-24

Pavel is saying that social media allows for civil liberties. That's probably true. But, social media is sometimes censored and sometimes it is the opposite because of military spyware, etc. Social media in some countries is used for state propaganda.

He is, in essence, a criminal because of money crimes. He has to lie to sell stuff.

"To be fair… you now have Twitter or X and that is now becoming useful for freedom of speech. It's a great development and things are starting to change it seems. We love the fact that Elon bought Twitter. We thought it was a great development for a number of reasons."

Я думаю
I think
По моему
In my opinion

Мне кажется
To me

Вероятно
Probably

Конечно
Of course

Twitter или X
Twitter or X

Свобода слова
Freedom of speech.

This is me talking about Pavel Durov. 8-31-24

Macron himself saying that Pavel's arrest is unrelated to freedom of speech.

Je lis ici de fausses informations concernant la France suite à l’arrestation de Pavel Durov. La France est plus que tout attachée à la liberté d’expression et de communication, à l’innovation et à l’esprit d’entreprise. Elle le restera.Dans un État de droit, sur les réseaux sociaux comme dans la vie réelle, les libertés sont exercées dans un cadre établi par la loi pour protéger les citoyens et respecter leurs droits fondamentaux. C’est à la justice, en totale indépendance, qu’il revient de faire respecter la loi. L’arrestation du président de Telegram sur le territoire français a eu lieu dans le cadre d’une enquête judiciaire en cours. Ce n’est en rien une décision politique. Il revient aux juges de statuer.

Examples of how social media is sometimes vulnerable to military spyware.

A block on Elon Musk's X social network in Brazil started to take effect early Saturday after a Supreme Court judge ordered its suspension, according to AFP. Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes on Friday ordered the suspension of the platform following a months-long standoff with the tech billionaire over disinformation in South America's largest nation.

Nationwide blackout eases in Venezuela as Maduro govt blames opposition ‘sabotage’ Electric power began to return in Venezuela on Friday afternoon after a widespread outage in the capital Caracas and other parts of the country that the government of President Nicolas Maduro blamed on “sabotage” by the opposition without citing evidence. The country's communications minister said in a voice message on Telegram that all 24 of Venezuela’s states had been at least partially impacted, adding that the outage was a “desperate” attempt by Maduro’s opponents to violently oust him as president.

Thoughts that the Russians are active in weird Middle East army stuff.

A joint operation by American and Iraqi forces killed 15 members of the Islamic State group in western Iraq, with seven US troops injured during the operation, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday. The raid targeted Islamic State leaders and was carried out early Thursday morning, resulting "in the death of 15 ISIS operatives" with "no indication of civilian casualties," CENTCOM said on the social media platform X. It said the IS members were "armed with numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive 'suicide' belts," and that Iraqi forces were continuing "to further exploit the locations raided," only specifying that the operation occurred in western Iraq.

Germany deports Afghan nationals for first time since Taliban takeover Germany on Friday reversed a policy to stop returning migrants to Afghanistan due to human rights concerns after the Taliban took power in 2021. The first group of 28 Afghans who were “convicted offenders”, according to German authorities, boarded a Kabul-bound Friday as the Germany’s coalition government faces pressure to take a tougher stance on migration after a deadly knife attack in Solingen a week ago and ahead of regional elections in which the far-right AfD party is expected to make big gains.

The thought that the Russians want to move into Ukrainian apartment buildings.

A Russian strike on a residential complex in Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv killed at least five people and injured at least 47 others on Friday, authorities said. Ihor Terekhov, the city's mayor, said on Telegram one child was killed in the playground. Three people were killed in the 12-story apartment block that caught fire as a result of the strike, he said.

The Kremlin said Friday it was not worried that Mongolia could arrest President Vladimir Putin during his visit there next week, despite it being a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which has issued a warrant for the Russian leader. Putin will travel to Mongolia on Tuesday, in a first trip to an ICC member since The Hague-based court issued a warrant for his arrest over the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children in March 2023.

This is me talking about Eddie Howe. 8-30-24

These are Bulgarian reports.

Serbia to Acquire 12 French Rafale Jets for €2.7 Billion Serbia is purchasing 12 new Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal valued at 2.7 billion euros. The announcement was made during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Belgrade. These French jets will replace the Serbian Air Force's outdated fleet of Russian MiGs. Following a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Macron referred to the purchase as a "strategic shift" when asked about Serbia's close relations with Russia. Regarding the preliminary charges filed in France against Telegram chief Pavel Durov, Macron stated he was unaware of Durov's arrival in France before his unexpected arrest over the weekend and had not planned any meeting with him. "France is a nation that safeguards freedom of expression and values innovation and entrepreneurship. However, we also uphold the separation of powers, with our laws and the rule of law overseen by independent judges. As for me, I was completely unaware of Mr. Durov's arrival in France, which is entirely normal, as I am not informed about the movements of individuals from around the world, whether they hold French citizenship or not," Macron explained.

Dogan’s Properties Under Scrutiny: Security Dispute and Activist Presence in Sofia The Ministry of Internal Affairs has responded to two reports regarding potential threats to the security of Ahmed Dogan, the honorary chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS). The reports came from locations in the Boyana district of Sofia and from Rosenets Park, and were made by DPS activists via the 112 emergency number. Patrols were dispatched to the areas to ensure public safety and prevent any unlawful activities. An on-site inspection revealed that the situation was a civil-legal dispute unrelated to the Ministry's direct involvement. The findings from this inspection will be forwarded to the prosecutor's office. Supporters of Dogan continue to gather outside his residence in the Boyana district, aiming to prevent any removal of property. Timur Halilov, a representative of the DPS, has raised concerns about unidentified security personnel present in the building since yesterday afternoon. Police teams visited the Boyana residence last night, but the situation behind the fence remains unclear. Halilov criticized the ongoing situation as a form of "gross self-government," stating that the nature of the individuals involved and their motives are unknown. He claimed that the security company, allegedly involved, should not be removing long-term employees from the premises. Halilov emphasized that the DPS has not received formal documents regarding the ownership of the properties and that Dogan has been residing there for 20 years. The party chairman was not given prior notice to vacate the premises. He expressed the intention of the supporters to remain at the location indefinitely and noted that they have not had any direct communication with Dogan about the situation. The DPS has requested police permission to enter Dogan's residence to clarify the matter.

Bulgaria Aims to Become Member of EU Space Surveillance and Tracking System Bulgaria aims to become a member of the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking system and to be able to receive data from other countries that have such monitoring devices, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences' Space Research and Technology Institute (SRTI-BAS) Director Georgi Zhelev told BTA. He explained that the other countries have ground-based devices.

This is me talking about the Arlington cemetary. 8-30-24

This is a lunatic statement from Andrey Kelin.
Kind of the Serbians and French are meeting.
And then a Ukrainian woman is talking.

LONDON, August 30. /TASS/. The arrest of Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov in France constitutes a major blow to the freedom of speech and media, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin told RT in an interview. "I have heard about the accusations. They are very serious," the diplomat said in an English-language interview. "I hope that he has sufficient defense capabilities, because his position should be defended very seriously. At the same time, in general, we perfectly understand that it’s a big blow on the freedom of press, freedom of [information] traffic."

BELGRADE, August 29. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Serbia with a two-day visit in order to personally discuss areas of strategic cooperation between the two countries, including in the military-technical sector, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced.

BELGRADE, August 30. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron said the earlier decision to grant French citizenship to co-founder of the Telegram messenger Pavel Durov was justified. "We made this decision in 2018, and I think it is totally justified," he said at a joint news conference with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. "I think granting citizenship to outstanding businessmen, athletes and performers is a right thing to do." According to Macron, Durov "has made the effort to learn the French language."

MOSCOW, August 29. /TASS/. A US-made F-16 fighter jet, handed over to Ukraine earlier this year, was downed by a Ukrainian Patriot air defense system in a friendly fire incident, Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuglaya said.

"I'm here to have dinner with Macron."

Supposedly that's what Pavel said when he landed in Paris last Saturday.

Я здесь ужинать с Макроном.
That's how I would say that in Russian.
I am here. To have dinner. With Macron.

Я здесь для того, чтобы поужинать с Макроном.
That's what the translator said.

I am here....in order to.....have dinner....with Macron.
Я здесь..ужинать...с Макроном.

In Saint Petersburg I knew a Finn named Panu. He had red hair and he was into. His goal was to buy a car and drive the car in Saint Petersburg. That was his hobby or his goal. I guess like maybe in the army they have a dumb project they work on.
I just read that Panu means fire.
Maybe Pavel has dark hair but really he has red hair like Panu.
A dichotomy. His other self is doing this.
I guess his last name means joker or clown.

This is talking about Navalny. Of course he has died. But, the Russians always said that he was a European. Kind of both of them are too western. I think I look like a Mongolian. I am into Mongolian heritage. These guys are Germans, Poles, and Frenchmen.
They would be not smart about land and what people are thinking. It would be complaints about dumb land use.

On 16 April 2014 Durov publicly refused to hand over the personal data of Ukrainian protesters against pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych to Russia's Federal Security Service and to block Alexei Navalny's page on VK. Instead, he posted the relevant orders on his own VK page, saying that the requests were unlawful.

It wasn't until recently that I complained about Putin. My whole paper was reviewing polling data.
Because early on the people in earnest supported him.
Now we know more about the economy.
Because since 2000 they began to trade too much across the Chinese border.
The Putin era, now we know, is an era of Chinese trade.

I knew early on, to ignore Putin. Because that's what the people seemed to want. But these two, maybe they got caught up in arguments with the police or the duma. They both kind of attacked Putin and then they fled. Both Durov and Navalny.
Both of them have been arrested. How is any of that a job?

What do I mean to people or what ideas to I represent? Do I have a cohort or what groups am I a part of? I am politically independent. Generally I am a free thinking and I go where the path takes me. I consider as I go what are my interests.

Again, this isn't a job. It's kind of, these guys aren't American enough to survive by making a living.

This is me talking about Nikolai Durov. 8-29-24

DAVID-OLIVIER KAMINSKI
AVOCAT A LA COUR

​ "La justice est le pain du peuple, il est toujours affamé d'elle. "
Justice to the people, I will defend you

​ David-Olivier Kaminski

​ Spécialisé dans la défense pénale, le cabinet d'avocats Kaminski s'est forgé une compétence reconnue dans tous les champs d'activités de la défense pénale. Intervenant à tous les stades de la procédure ( Garde à vue, Enquête Préliminaire, Information Judiciaire, Tribunal Correctionnel et devant la Cour d'Assises ). Le cabinet prend aussi bien la défense de justiciables personnes physique que d'entreprises, personnes morales, ou des institutions ( Organisation non gouvernementale,association, ordre professionnel ).
I specialize in penal code law and I am an attorney in both paper litigation and trial law. Examples of the kinds of procedures I specialize in are preliminary hearings, general information for clients, tribunal issues, and torts. I represent companies and individuals in court. This is a French government setting.

Kaminski : "La culture et la pratique de le défense pénale est le respect des libertés fondamentales." Le cabinet Kaminski s'est doté d'une équipe à taille humaine. Notre structure propose à ses clients un accompagnement sur mesure dans le domaine du droit pénal: de la prévention du risque pénal en entreprises, la préparation à la garde à la garde à vue, le coaching lors de la phase de l'instruction et la stratégie de défense à l'audience ( avec des mises en situations pratiques et concrètes ).L'équipe resserrée constituée d'avocats spécialistes du contentieux pénal partage un sens de l'éthique, une exigence absolue dans la défense de ces clients, les accompagnants avec indépendance, transparence et disponibilité.
Kaminski: "The culture of my defense practice is a respect for justice fundamentals. My office considers the humane approach to the legal system. I respresent clients to the best of my ability under the laws. This means both my clients and their companies. Sometimes my clients' needs are complex and I aim to meet their expectations. My office is an ethical place and I am an independent thinker."

Qu'il s'agisse de dossiers à forts enjeux médiatiques ou de la justice pénale du quotidien,le cabinet déploie la même force et le même dévouement dans la défense de ces clients
The paperwork for my office is above scrutiny. It's a legal practice that addresses the needs of complex people in a complex economy.

This is me talking about Keir Starner. 8-29-24

Notice how the question in this poll isn't formal English.

Starmer’s approval rating at lowest on record amid cronyism scandal New poll suggests appointment of Labour Party loyalists to senior Civil Service roles is affecting public goodwill towards the PM A new poll shows almost two-thirds of voters think the Government is more interested in serving its own interests than those of ordinary people. According to the survey, carried out by More in Common this week, Sir Keir’s personal approval rating has plunged to a record low of minus 16 – a drop of 27 points from his post-election high of plus 11.

Pavel's brother is also wanted. Also, Pavel is being investigated in Switzerland for violence against his own children.

Additional case in Switzerland - Swiss authorities are investigating Durov in connection with ex-girlfriend Irina Bolgar's claims that the entrepreneur allegedly beat their child, Forbes reported. - According to its information, the lawsuit was filed in Geneva in March 2023. It alleges that Durov "physically abused" one of the couple’s three children. - She also filed a civil suit for custody of the children, accusing the Telegram founder of refusing to meet with the children in September 2022 and pay 150,000 euros monthly to maintain their comfortable lifestyle. - Bolgar's lawyer confirmed to Forbes that the woman and her three children participated in the proceedings. - He also reported the start of proceedings on another civil case in June 2024. The case concerns the payment of alimony. Durov's brother wanted - Nikolay Durov, Pavel Durov's brother, is also wanted in France, Politico reported, citing a court document. - According to it, arrest warrants for Pavel and Nikolay Durov were issued on March 25 on charges of being complicit in the possession, distribution or access to pornographic images of minors as part of an organized group. - The newspaper pointed out that the French authorities had issued a request, which went unanswered by Telegram, to identify one of the messenger users accused of distributing and producing child pornography. - The use of Telegram by criminal organizations was also cited as justification for the arrest warrants against the Durov brothers.

If convicted, Durov could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years. The charges against him include complicity in illegal gang transactions, laundering of crimes within an organized gang, and refusal to provide necessary information to authorities. These charges stem from the broader accusations related to the criminal use of Telegram and Durov’s failure to cooperate with law enforcement, as outlined by the French prosecutor.

TOKYO, August 29. /TASS/. Indonesia is weighing blocking the Telegram messenger and the live-streaming app Bigo Live due to allegations of spreading porn and promoting gambling on the Internet, Jakarta Globe quoted the Asian country’s Communications and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi as saying.

Reports about Italy and the Balkans.

Border Police Officers Detain Italian, Tunisian, Two Syrian Citizens in Sofia Border Police officers from the Border Police Sofia Regional Directorate detained an Italian, a Tunisian and two Syrians with humanitarian status, General Directorate Border Police said on Wednesday. The detainees were attempting to smuggle out 4 illegal migrants on a flight to Italy.

Thaci trial continues: Protected witness on early crimes behind closed doors Prosecutors of the special court in The Hague continued today, with the testimony of a protected witness behind closed doors, the presentation of evidence against former KLA leader Hashim Thaci and co-accused of war crimes in Kosovo and Albania, in 1998-1999.

This is me talking about Pavel Durov. 8-28-24

Telegram CEO Durov indicted in France, banned from leaving country
Russian-born billionaire is charged with complicity in distributing child sexual abuse images and aiding organized crime.

in·dict /inˈdīt/
Verb
past tense: indicted; past participle: indicted
formally accuse of or charge with a serious crime.
"his former manager was indicted for fraud"

What does it mean when someone is being indicted?
When a person is indicted, they are given formal notice that it is believed that they committed a crime. The indictment contains the basic information that informs the person of the charges against them.

This is me talking about James Kilner. 8-28-24

Army and police reports about the Balkans and Ukraine.

The Sofia District Prosecutor's Office is prosecuting a Tunisian citizen and two Syrians. The three helped minor foreign citizens to reside and cross illegally in Bulgaria, in the period from August 16 to 18 in Sofia. The three violators of the law were detained for up to 72 hours by decree of the prosecutor. A measure of remand "detention in custody" will be requested from the court.

At a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday, Zelensky stated that the Russian army continues to exert pressure in the Pokrovsk reion of the Donetsk region, "they are probably trying to repeat the experience of conquering Bakhmut". Zelensky suggested that Russian forces there could suffer as many as 60,000 casualties. "The Russians don't retreat there because they are shot at when they return. It's like in Bakhmut – they will lose 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers there, and you will see that soon," said the Ukrainian president.

LUGANSK, August 28. /TASS/. Russian forces entrapped and destroyed about 30 militants of Ukraine’s Azov nationalist battalion who planned an assault on Makeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS on Wednesday.

DONETSK, August 28. /TASS/. Russian troops have cut off two key supply routes for the Ukrainian forces in the Ugledar area, a security source told TASS.

BELGOROD, August 28. /TASS/. The Ukrainian army carried out a drone attack on the village of Novostroyevka-Pervaya in Russia’s borderline Belgorod Region, causing two homes to burn down, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

ROSTOV-ON-DON, August 28. /TASS/. A fuel depot in Russia’s southern Rostov Region caught fire after an overnight drone attack, Governor Vasily Golubev said.

ANKARA, August 27. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces failed to reach the goals they set when attacking the Kursk Region, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin said in an interview with Turkey’s TRT World.

This is me talking about Dmitri Peskov. 8-28-24

Notice the Russians and Serbians are changing the topic. Maybe child pornography isn't a crime that is prosecuted much in those places.

Why was Durov arrested? Durov was detained in France as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office. It said the suspected violations include complicity in selling child sexual abuse material and in drug trafficking, fraud, abetting organized crime transactions and refusing to share information or documents with investigators when required by law. As of Tuesday morning, he had not been charged. He can be held for questioning until Wednesday evening, at which point judges must either charge him or release him. What has been the response? In Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports of Durov’s arrest in France. “We still don’t know what exactly Durov is being accused of,” Peskov said Monday during his daily media conference call. “We haven’t heard any official statements on that matter.” “Let’s wait until the charges are announced — if they are announced,” Peskov said. Russian government officials have expressed outrage at Durov’s detention, with some calling it politically motivated and proof of the West’s double standard on freedom of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics: In 2018 Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

Vulin: The lists of those who are not welcome in Serbia were made by me as Minister of Police and Chief of BIA Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vulin, said that as Minister of Police and Director of BIA, according to law and conscience, he made lists of those who are not welcome in Serbia, adding that he regrets that he did not devote himself more to it.

The American media is reporting on Pavel Durov.

French authorities have arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov as part of a larger investigation related to charges of "complicity" in illegal transactions and possessing and distributing pornographic images of minors, the Paris prosecutor's office said Monday. That investigation began on July 8, focusing on a person who is still unnamed, the office said in a press release. It remains unclear if Durov will be charged. Police have the authority to hold him until Wednesday.

NEW YORK, August 28. /TASS/. French and UAE intelligence agencies carried out a joint operation in 2017 to hack Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s phone, the Wall Street Journal writes, citing sources. According to people familiar with the matter, the spy operation, code-named Purple Music, took place amid French security officials’ concerns that the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) was using Telegram to recruit operatives and plan attacks. The sources say that for years, Durov’s company "ignored subpoenas and court orders sent by law enforcement authorities, which piled up in a rarely checked company email address." Telegram, however, says that it complies with the European Union’s Digital Services Act. According to the paper, there is no indication that the hacking of Durov’s phone "played a role in his detention" in France on August 24.

This is me talking about Abu Dhabi. 8-27-24

1) The internet is saying the number twenty. In America that's the sentence for child pornography possession and distribution.
2) Them and US
- The them is that the news is saying this is Russian crime rackets and that they're networked with the army. Probably in both Ukraine and Yemen.
- The us is that for example the French have a navy base in Abu Dhabi and the Emiratis use French tanks and warplanes.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted
"…criminal activity on Telegram…
"…lives in Dubai, where Telegram is based…"

France and the UAE maintain a close military relationship, with the French operating a naval base in Abu Dhabi and Emirati forces using French-built Leclerc tanks and Rafale fighter jets, according to reports.

Durov, a Russian-born French-Emirati citizen, was arrested late Saturday night and is still being held as part of a probe into allegations relating to child pornography, drug trafficking and organized crime on the Telegram messaging platform, the Paris prosecutor's office said. Telegram is closing in on a billion global users and is a key communication tool for political dissidents, gangsters and criminals, and on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine.

This is me talking about Paris. 8-27-24

1) The Wagner group is supposedly leaving Ukraine.
2) A Russian drone flew into Polish airspace.
3) The Russian government is reporting about Pavel Durov and maybe he's guilty of crimes against children.

Reports about army stuff.

It's over: "Wagner" withdrew its army The Russian military group "Wagner" announced today that its members are no longer fighting in Ukraine and are now engaged only in Africa and Belarus. The statement said that the "Wagner" is not participating in a special military operation at this stage, Reuters reported, stating that it could not confirm that claim. The group emphasizes that it will announce if there is a change in the situation. On Sunday, Ukraine called on Belarus to withdraw forces it had deployed along the two countries' common border, saying they included Belarusian special forces and former members of the Wagner paramilitary group. In Africa, "Wagner" is involved, among other things, in supporting the military junta in Mali. The group was previously heavily involved in the war in Ukraine, and played a crucial role in the Russian capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in May 2023. The founder of "Wagner", Yevgeny Prigozhin, led a short-lived unsuccessful rebellion against the Russian military leadership in June 2023, and died in a plane crash on August 23, 2023, northwest of Moscow.

Meanwhile, reports emerged that an "object," possibly a drone, flew over Polish territory during the Russian attack on Ukraine. Polish authorities have launched a search operation after radar stations confirmed the presence of the object in their airspace. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged Ukraine’s allies to take concrete actions, including allowing long-range strikes on Russian territory and using air defense capabilities to shoot down missiles and drones near their borders, to help end Russian aggression more swiftly.

TEL AVIV, August 26. /TASS/. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar lives underground in the Gaza Strip and moves around crowded streets wearing women’s clothes in a bid to escape being targeted by the Israeli military, the Maariv newspaper reported. According to the newspaper, some ten days ago Israeli troops just missed capturing Sinwar in a tunnel in Gaza where he was hiding out. "His (Sinwar’s - TASS) coffee was still hot," the newspaper said, citing sources. Since then, "he has been trying to blend in with crowds" in a "women’s dress" so he is not spotted by Israeli drones, it said.

Reports about Pavel Durov.

- TF1 television reported earlier that law enforcement authorities believe the businessman is complicit in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud because of a lack of moderation efforts in Telegram, his refusal to cooperate with law enforcement agencies, and the option of sending cryptocurrency through the messaging app.

PARIS, August 26. /TASS/. The French law enforcement agencies question Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov under the investigation against an undisclosed person over suspicions of multiple cybercrimes, the Paris prosecutor’s office said in a statement. "This judicial investigation was opened against person unnamed," the statement says. "It is within this procedural framework in which Pavel Durov was questioned by the investigators." The list of criminal offences that the "unnamed person" is suspected of, includes: "complicity in web-mastering an online platform in order to enable an illegal transaction in organized group," complicity in possession of child pornography, complicity in "distributing, offering or making available" such pornographic materials, complicity in "acquiring, transporting, possessing, offering or selling narcotic substances" and complicity in "offering, selling or making available, without legitimate reason, equipment, tools, programs or data designed for or adapted to get access to and to damage the operation of an automated data processing system," as well as complicity in organized fraud. Other crimes listed include "Refusal to communicate, at the request of competent authorities, information or documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law," "criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offense punishable by 5 or more years of imprisonment," "laundering of the proceeds derived from organized group’s offences and crimes," "providing cryptology services aiming to ensure confidentiality without certified declaration," "providing a cryptology tool not solely ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration," "Importing a cryptology tool ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration."

DUBAI, August 27. /TASS/. Authorities of the United Arab Emirates are keeping an eye on detention of Telegram’s co-founder Pavel Durov in France, the Foreign Ministry of UAE said.

PARIS, August 27. /TASS/. French investigators released a bodyguard and an assistant of Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov detained in France, the AFP news agency said.

This is me talking about Pavel Durov. 8-26-24

In America people get twenty years for this. Possession of child porn.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested as part of an investigation into drug trafficking, child sexual abuse materials and fraudulent transactions on the popular messaging app, French prosecutors said Monday. French authorities later extended Durov's detention until Wednesday, a source close to the case told AFP. The investigation is over suspected complicity in various crimes including running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, child pornography, drug trafficking and fraud, as well as the refusal to communicate information to authorities, money laundering and providing cryptographic services to criminals, the statement said.

R. Kelly's Lawyer Attempting to Get Supreme Court to Throw Out Convictions for His 20-Year Prison Sentence R. Kelly’s attorney is requesting the United States Supreme Court throw out his convictions for possession of child porn and inducing minors to have sex.

Former College Park mayor sentenced to 30 years in prison in child sexual abuse materials case A former College Park mayor was sentenced to three decades in prison Monday for charges associated with possessing and distributing child sexual abuse images. Patrick Wojahn, 47, pleaded guilty on Aug. 2 to a total of 140 counts related to the material investigators said they found on his devices. The plea deal called for a sentence of 150 years with 120 years suspended, meaning he will serve 30 years in prison. Under Maryland law, he will be eligible for parole after serving 7 and 1/2 years of his sentence.

This is me talking about James Kilner. 8-26-24

James: Free speech
Dominic: Geneva convention
Chris: Ethnic disputes in Central Asia

This is me talking about Pavel Durov. 8-26-24

Reports about the Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner. Also, a Serbian politician died in a car crash. A report about Russian diamond mines.

Sinner: "I had no special treatment" VIDEO Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner emphasized once again that he was not treated differently in connection with the doping case than other tennis players would have been.

The assistant to the mayor of Knjaževac killed in a serious traffic accident Mišel Nikolić (52), assistant to the mayor of Knjaževac, died last night in a traffic accident near Knjaževac, the media reports.

WASHINGTON, August 23. /TASS/. The United States has authorized the import of certain Russian diamonds until September 1, 2025, according to the updated general license issued by the US Department of the Treasury.

Is Pavel responsible for the conduct of Telegram users?

MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS/. The Telegram messenger team has slammed attempts to hold the platform or its owner responsible for alleged "abuse of that platform" as absurd.

Chief executive officer of Telegram Pavel Durov was arrested at an airport on Saturday night outside Paris and placed in custody for alleged offences related to the messaging app, according to French media. The 39-year-old Russian-born billionaire was reportedly accused of failing to mitigate the misuse of his platform for criminal activities. France’s OFMIN, which is responsible for safeguarding minors from violence, issued an arrest warrant for Durov over accusations of organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, cyberbullying, and the promotion of terrorism on his platform, news agency AFP reported citing a source. The messaging app, which has about 800 million users, is popular in Russia as well as Ukraine.

Russian-born founder of Telegram Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris at Le Bourget airport shortly after landing on a private jet late on Saturday from Azerbaijan. Yulia Vavilova, believed to be his girlfriend, was also arrested with him, reports claimed. News agency AFP reported that loved ones haven’t been able to get in touch with her since the arrest of Pavel Durov. The same woman could also be the reason he was caught in the first place. Telegram, in a short statement, gave no details of the arrest but said the company abided by European Union laws and its moderation was "within industry standards and constantly improving." The company said, "Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all." Pavel Durov was arrested as part of a preliminary police investigation into allegedly allowing a wide range of crimes due to a lack of moderators on Telegram, reports claimed. Yulia Vavilova has been spotted with Pavel Durov on multiple occasions and was also on the private jet with him when they landed in Paris. She has also earlier posted Instagram stories from Pavel Durov's jet and posted several pictures of herself when they were together in Paris.

When Odysseus goes up the island to pray to the gods and ask for help, Eurylochus convinces the crew to drive off the best of the cattle of Helios and sacrifice them to the gods: "if he be somewhat wroth for his cattle with straight horns, and is fain to wreck our ship, and the other gods follow his desire, rather with one gulp at the wave would I cast my life away, than be slowly straitened to death in a desert isle." When he returns to the ship, Odysseus rebukes his companions for disobeying his orders. But it is too late; the cattle are dead and gone.

This is me talking about Harvey Barnes. 8-25-24

This is me talking about the Italian Coast guard. 8-25-24

Five passengers who died on the sunken superyacht Bayesian were found in one cabin where they had gathered in an apparent attempt to escape, Italian investigators revealed on Saturday. The five included Mike Lynch, the multimillionaire tech entrepreneur. The body of his daughter, Hannah, 18, was found alone in another cabin. The passengers appear to have sought refuge on the port (left) side of the boat, where the last air pockets remained as the vessel tipped over on its starboard side and started sinking. Specialist divers from the Italian coast guard and fire service found five bodies in the first cabin on the left and Hannah’s body in the third cabin on the left. Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra, a senior officer from the fire service, said that when the boat sank, it came to rest on its starboard (right) side. He explained: “The yacht tended to the right and obviously the bodies tried to go to the other side and take refuge in their cabins. We found five bodies in a cabin on the left and another one in the third cabin on the left. They were in the higher part of the shipwreck.”

This is me talking about Kursk. 8-25-24

This is maybe an example of bad hiring policies. Because Jordan Pickford is a religious fundamentalist.

Pickford began dating Megan Davison whilst at secondary school. In March 2020, they married. The couple have a son who was born in 2019 and a daughter born in September 2023.

Jason Sean Steele (born 18 August 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

This is me talking about Erik ten Hag. 8-24-24

There exists a modern fallacy about American history.
In England they start saying only their wife is their relative. They do it for property reasons.
But then where did the Americans come from?

This is me talking about Keir Starmer. 8-24-24

Cambridge Math and Stanford China departments aren't any good.
I went to Texas Russia school.

This is me talking about Francis Dearnley. 8-24-24

This is me talking about Stanford University. 8-24-24

The Stanford attorney didn't go to Stanford. I think he isn't a good attorney. Why won't Stanford just give them back the documents?

"If [the diaries] return to China they will be banned... China does not have a good record in permitting criticism of party leaders," Mark Litvack, one of Stanford's lawyers, told the BBC before the trial began.

US trial begins in battle for Mao secretary's diaries A trial has begun in California to decide whether Stanford University can keep the diaries of a top Chinese official, in a case that is being framed as a fight against Chinese government censorship. The diaries belong to the late Li Rui, a former secretary to Communist China's founder Mao Zedong. Following Li's death in 2019, his widow sued for the documents to be returned to Beijing, claiming they belong to her. Stanford rejects this. It says Li, who had been a critic of the Chinese government, donated his diaries to the university as he feared they would be destroyed by the Chinese Communist Party. His daughter, Li Nanyang, began donating his documents, including the diaries, to Stanford's Hoover Institution in 2014, when he was still alive. In a 2019 interview with BBC Chinese after his death, she said this fulfilled her father's wishes. That year Ms Zhang filed a lawsuit against Li Nanyang - her stepdaughter - in China.

This is me talking about 10 Downing Street. 8-23-24

Socialism - A theoretical view about equality and inclusivity.
Communism - A government financed socialist state.
Leninism - These things in Russia or they are Russia-like.
Marxism - These things closely tied to the writings of Karl Marx.

This is me talking about Hannah Lynch. 8-23-24

Americans like Ayn Rand and Sergei Prokofiev.

“By age 16, she’d read Joyce, Faulkner and Nabokov. Beyond that, she devoured the writings of Angela Carter, Joseph Conrad and John Donne. She loved literature, learning and life. She was so excited to start studying English at Oxford, a goal she had worked so hard towards.

This is me talking about 10 Downing Street. 8-22-24

Notice that in Uzbekistan sometimes people live without clocks. And then maybe they fly commercially to Manchester.

Three held after police attacked at Manchester Airport Three police officers have been injured in an attack at Manchester Airport, police have said. A female officer and two male colleagues were assaulted by a man after coming across a vehicle in an unauthorised space at about 07:15 BST. The officers had been on patrol and were inspecting the vehicle, which was not insured, when they were confronted. They deployed a Taser before a man and two women were arrested on suspicion of assault, Greater Manchester Police said. They were later released on bail. The force said: "Assaults on officers are unacceptable and we will not hesitate to take action should any criminal offences be found." The attack follows a widely publicised incident at the airport last month which was captured in a viral video that showed an officer kicking a man in the head. Three officers were also hurt in the incident. Two officers remain under investigation and four men have been released on bail.

Uzbekistan introduces national time scale A national time scale is being introduced in Uzbekistan. The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the decision to effectively organize the activities of the Time and Frequency Service in the country. How does this system work? The Time and Frequency Service, which provides accurate time to agencies and organizations is now part of the Institute of Metrology. This service will operate under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), with JSC "Uzbektelecom" as the private partner. Under the PPP terms: - State bodies and other organizations will receive the service on a fixed-time paid basis. - 90% of the funds received will go to the private partner.

Reports about the Russian counteroffensive in Kursk.

LUGANSK, August 23. /TASS/. The Ukrainian military command has begun to pull back its troops from near Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region after Russian forces breached the enemy’s defenses, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS on Friday.

WASHINGTON, August 23. /TASS/. Russian diplomats see no possibility to negotiate on anything with the current US administration, the country’s Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told reporters.

MOSCOW, August 23. /TASS/. Russia’s Battlegroup North destroyed a Ukrainian tank by a Lancet loitering munition in the borderline Kursk Region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

These are bad foreign policy examples.

WASHINGTON, August 23. /TASS/. Russia is ready to consider the possibility of engaging in contacts with the United States, but received no proposals so far, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov has told reporters.

Macron arrives in Serbia Aleksandar Vučić will host the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, who will pay an official visit to the Republic of Serbia on August 29 and 30, Office for Media Relations of the President of the Republic of Serbia announced today.

Orban introduces Golden visas: Strict conditions apply The Hungarian government approved The Golden Hungarian Visa program effective next year. The Chinese are already interested in real estate in the capital. Some new properties in Budapest are too expensive even for foreign buyers, so they are looking for more affordable options, noted Oran Ben-Ezra, an expert in Budapest real estate sales. Hungary will also benefit from the golden visa program. The Hungarian state and the Hungarian National Bank will benefit from the arrival of foreign investors which will boost the real estate market, Ben-Ezra said. However, Russians and Belarusians may enter the European Union through Hungary in July of this year. They can register in the country as guest workers with a national identity card and then enjoy free movement within the Schengen area.

This is me talking about Manchester United. 8-22-24

This is me talking about Francis Dearnley. 8-22-24

1) The Russians launched a counteroffensive in Kursk.
2) At the same time the Houthis are firing at the Royal Navy from Yemen. Is that the same force in Kursk and Yemen?
3) Reports about a lithium mine and factory in the Balkans. I guess they're used in batteries.
4) A report about migrant workers on the Black Sea.

The Russian counteroffensive in Kursk.

PARIS, August 21. /TASS/. The Russian Embassy in France said some foreign reporters crossed into Russia illegally recently and demanded that members of the French news media respect Russian law.

MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed a US-made Abrams tank of the Ukrainian army in the borderline Kursk Region, Deputy Head of the Russian Armed Forces’ Main Military-Political Department, Akhmat Special Forces Commander Major General Apty Alaudinov said on Thursday.

MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted losses on four Ukrainian army brigades in the Kharkov Region, Battlegroup North Spokesman Yaroslav Yakimkin told TASS on Thursday.

LUGANSK, August 22. /TASS/. Russian units have broken through the Ukrainian line of defense near Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region.

NEW YORK, August 22. /TASS/. In the past 24 hours, the US military destroyed a surface-to-air missile and a radar of Yemen’s rebel Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement.

Maybe these mines build car batteries.

China is building a lithium battery factory in Turkey The Chinese company Ganfeng Lithium has signed an agreement with the leading Turkish manufacturer of classic batteries to invest 500 million dollars in a joint lithium battery production.

"The people in Serbia decide on the lithium mine, America supports the government's position" The lithium mine is an opportunity for Serbia to deepen ties with the EU and position itself as a leader in an industry that will be important, said Jeffrey Payatt, US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources.

Standard: EU wants more lithium, first-rate deposits in Serbia The European Union is almost 100 percent dependent on the import of lithium, which is essential for the energy transition.

Mystery at Sunny Beach: Foreign Seasonal Workers Vanish At Bulgaria's "Sunny Beach" resort, foreign seasonal workers from Nepal and Sri Lanka have gone missing, according to BNT which received reports from local hoteliers. The police in Burgas have confirmed that four individuals—three from Nepal and one from Sri Lanka—are currently unaccounted for, although there is no evidence that they have left the country.

This is me talking about the British MFA. 8-21-24

Notice that they're saying the helicopter crashed because of overcrowding. Like the Mike Lynch boat.

DUBAI, August 22. /TASS/. The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces refuted Wednesday’s media report that named overloading as a possible reason behind the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and other high-ranking Iranian officials. "A report by the Fars news agency - saying that one of the reasons behind the helicopter crash was the presence of two extra passengers on board in breach of security protocols, which resulted in the helicopter’s lack of thrust and subsequent inability to climb to the required altitude - is false," the General Staff’s public relations department said in a statement. On May 19, a helicopter carrying Raisi and other Iranian officials crashed in northern Iran. All passengers and crew members were killed.

DUBAI, August 21. /TASS/. Iranian agencies wrapped up an investigation into the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash and determined that it was an accident, the Fars news agency reported, citing a source in one of the Iranian special services. "The security and intelligence services completed an in-depth investigation and there is full confidence that what happened was an accident," he said.

This is me talking about the Manchester United coaching staff. 8-21-24

This is me talking about dating apps in Russia. 8-21-24

1) The Italian coast guard has sent divers to swim inside the sunken Bayesian.
2) Reports about the ceasefire in Gaza.
3) Two lengthy reports about Russia and the Balkans. How some of this isn't moral. Dating apps and human trafficking. Kind of people don’t agree on right and wrong.

Divers have entered the sunken superyacht Bayesian after breaking a window as part of the search for survivors. Coast Guard and Firefighting Service resumed their search for the six missing passengers at 8am local time on Wednesday. The team broke through a three centimetre pane of glass on the side of the yacht yesterday and entered the hull, using special jacks produced by a locksmith in Porticello. Firefighter spokesman Luca Cari said divers had reached the lounge area of the yacht.

The ceasefire is again delayed.

WASHINGTON, August 21. /TASS/. A ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas is on the brink of collapsing but there is no immediate alternative agreement, Politico writes, citing US and Israeli officials.

DOHA, August 21. /TASS/. The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip between the Israeli side and the radical Palestinian movement Hamas contains a clause on the withdrawal of some units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from the enclave, the Jewish state agrees to this development of the situation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Doha.

How Russian couples meet online.

Russians in Kursk told not to use dating apps Internal affairs ministry says Ukraine using services to gather intelligence as incursion continues Russia has told residents in three regions neighbouring Ukraine not to use dating apps, to prevent Kyiv collecting intelligence. The country’s ministry of internal affairs also claimed that Ukraine was remotely accessing CCTV cameras for reconnaissance purposes during the assault. It came as Vladimir Putin flew to Chechnya on Tuesday and met its leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, on his first visit to the North Caucasus region since 2011. Ukrainian forces have seized about 480 square miles of territory in Russia’s southern Kursk region, since launching the surprise incursion more than two weeks ago. Kyiv’s top general said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had advanced as far as 22 miles, capturing 92 settlements. A further 270 square miles could soon fall under the control of Kyiv after the destruction of a third and final bridge over the River Seym, cutting off the southern part of the region, Russian sources said. More than 121,000 civilians have been evacuated from the frontier region since the offensive began on Aug 6. “The use of online dating services is strongly discouraged. The enemy is actively using them to gather information,” Russia’s interior ministry warned its remaining residents. Popular Western dating apps, such as Tinder and Bumble, left Russia in the wake of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. But this has not stopped tech-savvy Ukrainians from using other online services to draw operational secrets from unsuspecting Russian soldiers looking for love. Ukraine has continued to make marginal gains throughout Kursk, according to the latest battlefield update from the Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank that tracks the conflict. Unverified images shared on social media appeared to show the Russians preparing defences around the Kursk nuclear power plant, more than 60 miles north of the border with Ukraine. Battlefield footage showed a Ukrainian fighter jet striking a Russian underground command centre in the region, using French-supplied AASM Hammer guided bombs. Putin compared Kyiv’s ongoing invasion of Kursk to the Beslan siege, during a meeting with some of the parents who lost children in the 2004 school hostage crisis. Some 330 people died in the siege, carried out by Chechen militants. “Just as we fought the terrorists, today we have to fight those who are carrying out crimes in the Kursk region,” the Russian president said. Kyiv had hoped the fighting in Kursk would result in Russia pulling its forces out of eastern Ukraine to quash the incursion. But on Tuesday, Russia’s defence ministry claimed to have captured the Donetsk region town of Niu-York. The ministry described it as “one of the largest settlements of the Toretsk agglomeration” and a “strategically important logistics hub”. General Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, said he was “doing everything necessary” to protect Toretsk. Soldiers, cited in a report by the Financial Times, said they had been forced to ration artillery shells for the first time since a US aid package because resources were being diverted to Kursk. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian parliament passed legislation banning religious organisations with links to Russia, an effective embargo on the Russian Orthodox Church. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, said the law would promote his country’s “spiritual independence”. “The Russian Orthodox Church has nothing to do with faith — it is a tool of the special services,” Andriy Yermak, his chief of staff, added. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the church, has been a cheerleader of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which resulted in him being sanctioned by the UK Government.

Strange reports about human trafficking.

Multinational Trafficking Ring Dismantled in Bulgaria; Eight Arrested On August 19, a major police operation aimed at dismantling an international migrant trafficking ring operating along the so-called "Western Balkan route" was conducted in the Plovdiv region of Bulgaria, BNT reports. This route spans from Turkey through Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania, ultimately reaching Western Europe. The operation was spearheaded by the Main Directorate "Fighting Organized Crime" (GDBOP) and involved close coordination with the Main Directorate "Border Police" and the State Agency "National Security" (SANS). Oversight was provided by the District Prosecutor's Office in Plovdiv, and the action was supported by EUROPOL agents stationed in Bulgaria, as well as border police and anti-organized crime units from Romania and Moldova. The coordinated effort resulted in the neutralization of a substantial international criminal organization consisting of Syrian, Jordanian, Bulgarian, and Moldovan nationals. The Bulgarian member of the group primarily handled logistics, including providing vehicles, registering individuals with lower social status, and overseeing their transportation. Moldovan drivers, recruited through online platforms, transported illegal migrants through Romania into Bulgaria. Once in Bulgaria, the migrants were picked up and transported by Moldovan drivers. The criminal network utilized mobile applications for internal communication. During the operation, eight individuals were detained, with seven—including the leaders of the trafficking ring—facing charges. Authorities carried out 15 searches of residences and vehicles, leading to the seizure of six bank cards, 1.5 grams of cocaine, an illegal firearm with ammunition, numerous documents related to money transfers and vehicles, 16 electronic devices including phones, tablets, and laptops, four GPS trackers, and various identity documents. Since early April, the GDBOP's investigation has linked the group to 17 cases involving over 130 illegal migrants. More than 20 drivers have been arrested, predominantly Moldovan nationals, with some individuals from Syria and Serbia also involved. The vehicles used were mostly Bulgarian-registered, often with temporary transit numbers. The GDBOP investigation has received substantial support from EUROPOL and partner services from Romania and Moldova, as well as funding from the "Improving Cross-Border Cooperation in the Fight Against Organized Crime" project under the FFS 2021-2027.

So far, divers have only been able to inspect the bridge deck of the Bayesian, which Mr Cari said was full of electrical cables. No bodies have been found in that area. From the outside, the divers can see nothing inside the yacht, and no bodies have been located. Mr Cari said divers had entered the yacht’s salon via a ladder, trying to find the best way to advance work safely. “We located a glass window through which we could enter. But it is closed from the inside and three centimetres thick, so we have to be able to remove it so we can advance further inside,” he said. According to the local rescue centre in Sicily, emergency divers found the wreckage at a depth of 187ft, where “through the portholes they saw corpses”. Investigators will now try to work out why the Bayesian sank in severe weather when other ships in the vicinity remained afloat. The yacht had the world’s tallest aluminium mast, at almost 240ft.

Missing six feared trapped inside the boat The Italian coastguard has confirmed it believes Mike Lynch and five others still missing are trapped inside the yacht. Vincenzo Zagarola, a spokesman for the coastguard, said officials had drawn this conclusion because of the lack of results by rescue teams outside the vessel and the speed at which they believe the yacht sank. He said: “We think they are still inside the boat, that is our very hard idea. Our search and rescue activity by sea and air has gone on for around 36 hours. “Of course, we do not exclude that they are not inside the boat, but we know the boat sank quickly. We suppose that the six people missing may not have had time to get out of the boat.” Asked about the likelihood of them being alive, he replied: “Never say never, but reasonably the answer should be not.”

An alternative theory is that the weight of the mast led the Bayesian to capsize.

Local newspapers have described the weather as a tornado and a waterspout, which is a tornado above water. The pressure of high winds on the mast could have helped tip the boat over in rough seas, experts have suggested.

Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy commander and warship captain, said initial reports from survivors and witnesses suggested “that the weather was sufficiently violent to cause her to capsize at anchor”.

A captain of another boat anchored nearby said his vessel was hit by abnormally strong winds on Monday morning. Karsten Borner said the Sir Robert BP was battered by strong gusts in the early hours of the morning but he managed to stabilise the vessel while anchored by using the engine. He said as they were doing this, they noticed the Bayesian nearby and manoeuvred to avoid hitting it.

This is me talking more about Mike Lynch. 8-20-24

HP is a hardware company and they bought bad software.

Hewlett Packard is maybe America's best computer hardware company. And so Lynch kind of made a software product that wasn't exactly right for HP. And so HP sued but I guess maybe they decided it was a business something. It wasn't so bad it was criminal.

Michael Richard Lynch OBE DL FRS FREng is a British-Irish technology entrepreneur, known as the co-founder of Autonomy Corporation and the founder of Invoke Capital.

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch cleared of all fraud charges in Hewlett-Packard trial This article is more than 2 months old Lynch, who faced 15 counts of fraud over $11.1bn purchase of Autonomy by HP, says he’s ‘elated’ and ‘grateful to the jury’ The British tech tycoon Mike Lynch was found not guilty on Thursday on all 15 counts of fraud he faced over the $11.1bn purchase of his company Autonomy by Hewlett-Packard in 2011. Lynch’s trial began in March in San Francisco after a lengthy battle over his extradition from England to the US. He was first charged in 2018, accused of inflating sales, misleading regulators and duping his eventual buyer. HP wrote down the entire value of his company by billions of dollars soon after the deal closed, alleging it discovered major accounting improprieties. Lynch went on trial charged with 16 counts of wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy, but the securities fraud charge was dropped.

This is me talking about Mike Lynch. 8-20-24

The Georgians have coast line on the Black Sea.

Blinken Announces Israel's Acceptance of Ceasefire Proposal, Urges Hamas to Join

TBILISI, August 20. /TASS/. Georgia’s ruling party Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia will work to declare ex-Prime Minister Mikhail Saakashvili’s United National Movement unconstitutional if it wins the October 26 election and secures a parliamentary majority, the party said in a statement.

TBILISI, August 20. /TASS/. Georgia needs to prepare to restore its territorial integrity by introducing changes to the constitution, the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party said in a statement.

Russian Drones Heading towards Mykolaiv Region Russian drones have been heading towards Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram late Monday evening. The drones are flying from the Kherson region towards the Mykolaiv region, they added. An air raid alert sounded throughout the Mykolaiv region at 9:49 p.m., regional governor Vitalii Kim said. Some 5,000 Bulgarians live in Mykolaiv’s district, Ternovka. The earliest Bulgarian settlers near the city of Mykolaiv founded the settlement of Ternovka in 1802. In the early 21st century, Ternovka became a district of Mykolaiv.

Belarus Enhances Military Presence at Ukraine Border with New Troops and Equipment Belarus has bolstered its military presence along its border with Ukraine, deploying aircraft, air defense systems, and weapons. This follows President Aleksandr Lukashenko's recent announcement that he had sent nearly a third of Belarus's armed forces to the region. Major General Andrey Lukyanovich, Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense of Belarus, confirmed that the forces stationed at the border include aviation units, anti-aircraft missile troops, and radio engineering units.

A report about the Bulgarian border with Turkey.

Businessman Killed in Istanbul Shooting; Suspects Flee to Bulgaria On August 19, an Arab-Israeli businessman named Abdulkadir Anas was killed in Istanbul by unidentified attackers who have since fled to Bulgaria, BNT reports. The Istanbul police have initiated a large-scale investigation into the shooting, which also injured two other men. Turkish media reports indicate that the suspects, three individuals, crossed the Bulgarian border within two and a half hours of the shooting. The authorities believe the attack was motivated by a financial dispute. The crime is considered professional in nature, with a silenced gun used during the attack. This weapon was left at the scene, adding to the complexity of the investigation. The criminal act has been characterized as professional, with a silenced weapon left at the scene, writes BNR. The Turkish press has speculated about possible Israeli involvement due to the nationalities of the victims. However, the father of the deceased has denied any political connections, stating, "We have nothing to do with politics; we are Israeli Arabs of Palestinian origin." Turkey has long been a refuge for Hamas operatives, and in December, the head of Israel's Shin Bet security agency indicated that the organization was prepared to target Hamas wherever it might be, including in Turkey.

This is me talking about David Cameron. 8-20-24

The London politicians sometimes keep these rural area teams. And then the Russian embassies complain about the defense ministry. Now the prime minister is an Arsenal fan. And so it seems out there what the Russian embassy is saying.

Newly-elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is one of just a handful of politicians to hold the UK’s most powerful position who is a genuine, bona fide football fan. The Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras will now take over from Rishi Sunak at Number 10 (Downing Street, not attacking midfield) after the party’s landslide victory in the UK general election. Previous club loyalties have included Sunak for Southampton, David Cameron for Aston Villa (his uncle, William Dugdale, having previously been club chairman), Gordon Brown for Raith Rovers, and Tony Blair for Newcastle United. The new PM is a regular face at the Emirates Stadium, telling us: “There’s a group of seven or eight of us who meet in the pub, have a drink and some pre-match banter.

LONDON, August 20. /TASS/. UK Defense Secretary John Healey’s statements on the Ukrainian attack on the Kursk Region are deeply immoral and detached from reality, the Russian Embassy in London said. "We strongly condemn the statements made by UK Defense Secretary John Healey in the British press on August 18," the embassy said in a statement. "The top defense official clumsily tried to justify the Kiev regime's actions, including in the Kursk Region, and London's support for them against the background of increased global tensions with some considerations of Ukrainian self-defense and UK security," the diplomats pointed out.

This is me talking about 10 Downing Street. 8-19-24

Maybe Russian businessmen assisted to build the tunnels that Hamas uses.

TEL AVIV, August 19. /TASS/. Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit commander Hussein Ali Hussein was killed in an Israeli strike on southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

TEL AVIV, August 19. /TASS/. The Israel Defense Forces said it expanded operations near the cities of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah in Gaza’s southern and central parts, respectively.

BERLIN, August 19. /TASS/. A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said it can’t inform Russia about the investigation into the explosions at the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines as it is still ongoing.

BERLIN, August 19. /TASS/. Berlin exchanges information regarding explosions at Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines but not the one that may jeopardize the course of investigation, a spokesperson of the German foreign ministry told reporters.

This is me talking about Royal Lodge. 8-19-24

Mike Lynch, the ‘British Bill Gates’, missing in superyacht sinking British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is missing after the sinking of a superyacht off the coast of Sicily, The Telegraph understands. One person has died and six others, including four British nationals, are missing after the boat, called “Bayesian”, sank at around 5am in front of Porticello in the province of Palermo. Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, is among those rescued. Emergency services have been pictured carrying a bodybag to shore after local media reported a man’s body had been recovered from the shipwreck.

Michael Richard Lynch OBE DL FRS FREng is a British technology entrepreneur, known as the co-founder of Autonomy Corporation and the founder of Invoke Capital. Lynch additionally became a co-founder, alongside Invoke Capital, of cybersecurity company Darktrace.
Born: 1965 (age 59 years), Ilford, United Kingdom
Education: Bancroft's School, University of Cambridge, Christ's College Cambridge

King axes Duke of York’s security team Prince Andrew under increasing pressure to leave his Royal Lodge home The King has heaped further pressure on the Duke of York by axing his ten-strong private security team, it has emerged. It means that Prince Andrew will be forced to find millions of pounds to fund future security operations at Royal Lodge, his Windsor home, if he wants to avoid eviction. The security guards have been told their services will no longer be required from the autumn, according to reports. A source told the Sun on Sunday: “Everyone is speculating this means the Duke will have to leave the Royal Lodge because what other reason could there be to take his security away? “They are all working the final weeks of their contract till the end of October. It’s not thought anyone is being lined up to replace them. It isn’t a secret that the King wants him out.” The Telegraph revealed in January that the King was prepared to withdraw the private funding he ploughs into the security operation in what has become an increasingly bitter standoff over the future of Royal Lodge. However, at the time, the Duke did not believe his elder brother would be so unkind, it is understood. His determination to remain at the home, which he also shares with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, has proved an increasing bone of contention. Having been stripped of his patronages and duties as a working member of the Royal family, it is considered too vast a property for someone befitting his new status. Attempts to relocate him to the much smaller Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor property that until recently the Duke and Duchess of Sussex called home, have so far proved unsuccessful. The Duke is said to be determined to bequeath the lease on Royal Lodge to his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. But by insisting he pay for his own security, Buckingham Palace courtiers know they may force his hand. In May, one palace source warned: “As things stand, life at Royal Lodge is set to become increasingly cold and uncomfortable for the Duke.” Weeks later, a source said the move could either be accomplished “with grace and dignity or it can be forced upon him”. The latest salvo will all but force the beleaguered Duke out of the vast, 30-room property unless he can conjure up a small fortune. He has no discernible income and the house is in need of extensive repairs. The Duke’s lease gives him the right to live in the Grade II-listed property until 2078. But the contract includes a clause that he must maintain it to an appropriate standard. The terms of the 75-year lease agreement with the Crown Estate, which was signed in 2003 and expires in 2079, requires the Duke to repaint the house every five years and also to “repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and where necessary rebuild” the property. One source previously insisted that he would not be evicted “so long as he can fulfil his contractual obligations”. The disgraced Duke stepped down from royal duties in 2019 following a disastrous Newsnight interview in which he failed to express regret over his former friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein, the US financier and convicted sex offender. He later paid several million pounds to settle a civil case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, who claimed he had abused her, although he did not admit liability. The Duke has consistently denied all charges, but the King has remained adamant that he will not be permitted to reprise any of his public roles. Prince Andrew’s own finances have long remained opaque, seemingly structured around a string of secretive business dealings. The Duke’s office could not be contacted for comment. Buckingham Palace said it did not comment on security matters.

Set in Windsor Great Park, Royal Lodge is a grand estate with rambling gardens, currently housing Prince Andrew (the former Duke of York) and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Prince Andrew has garnered a lot of attention since his alleged affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein, which forced effective early retirement from official royal duties as Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of royal and military titles. With a huge reduction in his royal allowance and news that the King reportedly wants him to leave the property, we take a look at the history and significance of Prince Andrew's current residence.

The average score for the first week is about one to nothing. Why are these scores so low?

This is me talking about the EPL. 8-19-24

These are Bulgarian reports. Notice the description of Hamas. Also, the border between Minsk and Kiev.

A US official, after talks in Doha last week, noted that the Israeli team sent to Qatar appeared to have been given more authority, a nod to Netanyahu, who has faced criticism for not granting enough flexibility to his negotiators. Netanyahu, however, accused Hamas of refusing to close the deal, noting that the group did not even send a representative to the talks in Doha. He insisted that pressure should be directed at Hamas and its leader, Yahya Sinwar, rather than the Israeli government. The urgency surrounding a hostage deal and ceasefire has intensified following the killings of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah's military chief Fuad Shukr.

Belarus Fortifies Border Amid Claims of Ukrainian Aggression Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has again accused Ukraine of engaging in provocations using drones and announced the ongoing fortification of the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. He emphasized that the border is now heavily mined, describing it as being fortified "like never before."

These are Russian reports about Tel Aviv and Minsk.

TEL AVIV, August 19. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the current round of talks on the Gaza Strip is the "last chance" to return hostages and reach a ceasefire in the embattled enclave.

TEL AVIV, August 18. /TASS/. "We are holding very complex negotiations in which the other side is a murderous terrorist organization (Hamas - TASS) that is unbridled and obstinate," he said at a regular government meeting. "Up until now, Hamas has been completely obstinate. It did not even send a representative to the [latest round of] talks in Doha. Therefore, the pressure needs to directed at Hamas and [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar, not the Government of Israel."

TEL AVIV, August 18. /TASS/. Israel is ready to face any threat and is determined to defend itself, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Over 120,000 Ukrainian troops are deployed on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview for the News of the Week program on the Rossiya-1 TV channel.

Zelensky going to Belarus? Lukashenko is fuming! Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko called on Russia and Ukraine to end the war. "Russia and Ukraine should negotiate an end to their conflict to avoid the war spilling over into Belarus," Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally of Vladimir Putin, said in an interview on Russian state television.

This is me talking about remote work. 8-18-24

This is me talking about Aston Villa FC. 8-18-24

William supports a team that isn't in London.

Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England.

Prince Wiliam is buzzing over his soccer team’s latest victory! On May 14, the Prince of Wales, 41, congratulated his favorite soccer team Aston Villa on reaching the UEFA Champions League for the first time in a personal message on social media. "We are Champions League!" Prince William wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "A historic season and an amazing achievement. Thanks to Unai, the whole squad and everyone at @AVFCOfficial."

This is me talking about Dominic Nicholls. 8-18-24

Dominic is describing the rural areas in Kursk region. I think the emphasis should be that (1) Sudzha, Russia is less than an hour from Sadky, Ukraine.
(2) The Russians need to have an adult response because of pipeline security reasons.

This is me talking about the EPL. 8-17-24

This season so far there have been thirteen goals scored. Two of the thirteen goals have been scored by English players. A third of the league were born in England.
1) Maybe the Brazilian players pass the ball to each other, etc.
2) Maybe the Brazilian players make more money than the English players.

This is me talking about Los Angeles. 8-17-24

This is an example of how now the police are smarter than the criminals.

Four days later, Perry died. That day, October 28, Sangha allegedly sent a text message to Fleming urging him to “delete all our messages”. Shortly afterwards, she flaunted trips to Mexico and Japan on social media.

This is me talking about Arsenal FC. 8-17-24

The Emirates Stadium is a football stadium in Holloway, London, England. It has been the home stadium of Arsenal Football Club since its completion in 2006.

This is me talking about Kursk. 8-17-24

The French are saying that the Kremlin told the army in Kursk not to panic. That's not Latin, like Caesar. Carpe diem. Veni, vidi, vici.

The Latin phrase veni, vidi, vici translates to "I came, I saw, I conquered" in English. It's used to describe a victory that's quick and decisive.

Russian intelligence warning ignored Far from the epicentre of the fighting, the Kursk region was an easier target than any other on the 960-kilometre front in eastern and southern Ukraine. The surprise element, for Moscow, was heightened by the fact that Ukrainian authorities had been warning for several months about their shortage of soldiers and ammunition. Under the circumstances, Russian military command could not have imagined a Ukrainian attack on such a scale. “This operation also came as a surprise to the entire Ukrainian population. Nobody expected it,” said Tetyana Ogarkova, journalist and head of the international department at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. A few Russian officials though did have an inkling of a discreet Ukrainian buildup in the Sumy region across the border from Kursk. A report submitted to Russian military leadership about a month before the attack noted that, “forces had been detected and that intelligence indicated preparations for an attack,” Andrei Gurulyov, a prominent member of Russia’s Parliament and a former high-ranking army officer, said on national TV. “But from the top came the order not to panic, and that those above know better,” Gurulyov lamented. Russian general staff either did not believe, or did not want to believe the intelligence report.

This is me talking about Eddie Howe. 8-16-24

This is me talking about 10 Downing Street. 8-16-24

1) How Washington politicians, maybe they're desperate for money. Because the politicians are so hard hitting in their rhetoric. Also, Keir did send a clear message by standing next to the police during the riots.
2) The Parliament is reviewing the budget and so they're getting a good review.

I wrote at the time of Starmer’s victory speech that he sounded less like an exultant winner than an exhausted survivor speaking at the end of a Shakespearean tragedy, harrowed by what had gone before, the chaos that had been, and warning of the need for patience and reconciliation. His tone was sombre, deliberately unheroic. It was as if he had a sense not just of what had been but of what was to come, the struggles ahead. But so soon?

Starmer was compelled to use the full force of the Hobbesian state to quash anarchy and reimpose public order. He acted swiftly and decisively to contain agitators and neo-fascists who had been inflamed by misinformation circulating freely on Telegram, X/Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Signal.

Once the election was called, the Conservatives spent weeks challenging Sir Keir and Rachel Reeves to commit to not raising just about every tax in existence. But they didn’t ask about winter fuel payments – and now here we are.

GPs are demanding an 11 per cent funding rise in the hope of becoming the latest group of public sector workers to secure a cash boost from Sir Keir Starmer.

Labour MPs have always had a close relationship with the trade unions. It’s a relationship that is often misunderstood and misrepresented: there is nothing sinister or underhand about the umbilical chord that continues to link the party with the representatives of the workers; in fact, many would argue that it is vital to the Labour mission.

The first duty of the state is the defence of the realm. It is a maxim often invoked, yet little observed. Indeed, the new Government seems to regard its first duty to be increasing public sector pay.

This is me talking about Kursk. 8-16-24

It seems like the Russians should cease hostilities instead of evacuating people.

These are reports about the Balkans. Notice a Russian bank is being accused of misconduct.

Ukrainian Forces Push 35 km into Russia, Establish Military Command in Kursk Ukraine's military has made significant inroads into Russia's Kursk region, with Kyiv establishing a military command office in the occupied area. Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi informed President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video that Ukrainian forces have advanced 35 km into Russian territory since the offensive began last week. This operation, which has caught Moscow off guard, has allowed Ukraine to seize the initiative from Russian forces, who have been making gradual progress in eastern Ukraine throughout the year. During the incursion, Ukrainian forces reportedly took control of 82 settlements, encompassing an area of 1,150 square kilometers. Syrskyi announced that Major General Eduard Moskalev has been appointed as the head of military command in the Kyiv-controlled part of western Russia. He stated on his Telegram channel that the newly established command office aims to maintain order and address the needs of the local population in the Kursk region.

Parliamentary Hearing: Tsvetan Vasilev Reveals CCB's Massive Financing of Peevski's Media Empire Tsvetan Vasilev, the former owner of the Corporate Commercial Bank (CCB), claimed that the bank had financed Delyan Peevski's family with approximately 500 million leva until mid-2013. They also labeled Vasilev as the "fraudster of the century." Despite these objections, the committee proceeded with Vasilev's testimony. During the hearing, Vasilev responded to the attacks by accusing the Russian bank VTB of stealing "Vivacom" with Peevski's help. He denied any business dealings with Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, stating that his post-CCB interactions were with Pierre Louvrier. Vasilev also claimed that during a meeting with Russian Duma deputy Alexander Babakov, he was told that Russia had paid Bulgaria commissions of 100 million euros for the South Stream gas project.

Putin has a reason to rub his hands: The money is still coming Some 2.3 billion dollars and euros in cash have been sent to Russia since the United States and the European Union banned the export of their banknotes to the country in March 2022, following the start of the war in Ukraine.

Kurti has a new plan: "Push" tensions to the south of central Serbia The prime minister of the temporary institutions of Pristina, Albin Kurti, is trying to transfer the tensions that he constantly maintains in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, persecuting in all ways, to the south of central Serbia, writes Večernje Novosti.

The navy in the Middle East.

DOHA, August 16. /TASS/. Representatives of Egypt, Qatar and the United States are set to continue consultations in the Qatari capital of Doha on Friday with the goal of introducing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and securing the release of hostages, a spokesman for the Qatari foreign ministry said.

DOHA, August 16. /TASS/. The United States and the United Kingdom have delivered airstrikes on the Yemeni province of Al Hudaydah, controlled by the rebel Ansar Allah movement, the Houthi-controlled Al Masirah television reported.

WASHINGTON, August 16. /TASS/. Iran continues to weigh options of retaliating against Israel for the assassination of Hamas Politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, CBS reported, citing multiple sources.

Ukrainian Forces Deploy British Challenger 2 Tanks in Kursk Offensive Ukrainian forces have reportedly used British Challenger 2 tanks during their offensive in the Kursk region, according to sources cited by the BBC. The UK Ministry of Defense has declined to specify which London-supplied weapons were deployed by the Ukrainian military in this operation.

This is me talking about Minsk. 8-15-24

These are statements coming from the Belarussian president. Maybe he should step down.

MINSK, August 15. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he won’t use tactical nuclear weapons deployed in his country until the enemy crosses the border of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. He said that, when tactical nuclear weapons appeared in Belarus, he told his foreign opponents: "We are not going to use any weapons until you step on our state border. It's also the border of our Union State."

MINSK, August 15. /TASS/. High-ranking representatives of the US leadership want Russians and Ukrainians to die in the Ukrainian conflict, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said. "I can't cite these facts, they are absolutely closed, where they (the Westerners - TASS) openly say this - I mean, high-ranking people. Literally: ‘Let them beat each other to death - Ukrainians, Russians - let them all die’," the BelTA news agency quoted the Belarusian leader as saying in an interview for the Rossiya-1 TV channel. "This is what high-ranking officials are saying. Americans, I'm going to open up to you a little bit. Is this normal? They want us to destroy each other," he emphasized.

This is me talking about Kursk. 8-15-24

1) The Russians haven't officially 'announced' the invasion. As thought the Kremlin has a perspective like an art museum.
2) The Serbians, Lithuanians, and Bulgarians are reporting on the Russian army.
3) In Moscow the police sent a woman to arrest a man at a hotel and then they claimed she was assaulted.
4) Money lending scams in the Balkans.
5) The Russians give energy preference to Belarus and Central Asia.

These are Russian reports which don't clearly say what's going on.

UNITED NATIONS, August 14./TASS/. The use of US weapons by Ukraine in its cross-border attack on the Kursk Region will only escalate the situation, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky told journalists.

UNITED NATIONS, August 14. /TASS/. The Ukrainian authorities say a lot of information that should not be trusted, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky told reporters.

MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. The pace of the Russian forces' offensive in Donbass and other areas of the special military operation zone has not slowed down amid Kiev’s attack on the Kursk Region, a Ukrainian National Guard officer said.

These are Serbian and Lithuanian reports.

Thousands of Ukrainian troops crossed the Russian border in the early hours of August 6 into Russia's West Kursk region in what Putin said was a major provocation aimed at gaining a stronger role in possible future ceasefire talks. After humiliating Russia, Ukraine seized part of the Kursk region, and although Putin said the Russian army would push out Ukrainian troops, it has so far failed to do so in intense fighting.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurinas Kastchunas said on Tuesday that Russia was moving troops from the Kaliningrad region, its Baltic exclave, to the southern Kursk region, which has become the target of an unprecedented Ukrainian cross-border attack.

The Bulgarians are reporting on Russian troop movements.

This offensive has allowed the Ukrainian military to reclaim hundreds of square kilometers of territory from Russian control, boosting the morale and operational tempo of their forces. According to the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, 28 settlements in the region have come under Ukrainian control, and nearly 200,000 Russians have been evacuated. Ukrainian soldier "Tomas" and his comrade "Accord" recently returned from a cross-border mission. "It was cool," Tomas recounted the operation’s success with detached calm. As airstrikes intensify and fighting continues, tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border have been evacuated. The Ukrainian soldier mentioned that Russian civilians have generally been passive or negative toward the Ukrainian troops, who have avoided engaging with them directly. According to reports from Ukrainian troops, Russia has redeployed forces from several locations, including Kharkiv and Toretsk, but continues its offensive elsewhere. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed a "worthy response" to the Ukrainian advances, though the fear he intended to instill appears not to have reached the war-torn border areas.

This is an awkward police op in Moscow.

Law enforcement authorities in Moscow arrested a U.S. citizen for allegedly assaulting a police officer, state media reported Thursday, citing investigators. The American, later identified as Joseph Tater, was approached by police on Monday night after he tried to check into a hotel without a Russian migration card — a document issued to foreign citizens when they enter the country. “The suspect refused to provide identity documents, after which he used force against a law enforcement officer,” an Investigative Committee spokeswoman was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. Tater was said to have “hit a [police] employee on the forearm, pushed her,” according to an unnamed source quoted by Interfax. Police said the American was charged with assaulting an officer, a criminal offense that carries a sentence of up to five years in prison if found guilty.

A Bulgarian company borrowed money and didn't pay it back.

Bulgaria's Anti-Corruption Operation Targets High-Profile Businessman and Seizes Luxury Assets (PHOTOS) Yesterday, authorities from the Anti-Corruption Commission, along with prosecutors and police, conducted operations at properties and offices linked to businessman Rumen Gaitanski, known as "The Wolf," and former Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) director Stoyan Mavrodiev. This operation is part of an ongoing investigation into a nearly 150-million leva loan granted to Gaitanski's company by the BDB during Mavrodiev's tenure. The prosecutor's office is expected to provide more details soon. The loan, issued in 2019, was secured by a company that was dissolved just eight days after receiving the funds. The loan has not been repaid, and the money has moved through several companies, many directly connected to Gaitanski. Notably, 30 million leva of the loan were funneled to a bank where the Varna TPP had obligations—a facility with ties to the honorary chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) - Ahmed Dogan. However, years have passed since the funds were transferred, and sources suggest it's unlikely Ahmed Dogan is connected to the scheme. The Anti-Corruption Commission has been investigating the case for about a month, following a referral from the prosecutor's office in 2021. The former executive director of the BDB, Tsanko Arabadjiev, reported concerns about the loan soon after he joined the bank, noting that the collateral appeared insufficient relative to the loan amount. Although Arabadjiev was questioned as a witness, he said that the prosecutor's office terminated the investigation twice before it was eventually sent back for further investigation by the chief prosecutor.

The Russians give energy priority to Central Asia.

Russia Reinstates Gasoline Export Ban Amid Rising Domestic Prices The Russian government has reintroduced a ban on gasoline exports, effective from September 1 until the end of the year, in an effort to stabilize domestic prices following significant increases. This measure comes in response to rising fuel demand during the summer season and scheduled maintenance at oil refineries, some of which have also been damaged by Ukrainian drone strikes. Russia initially banned fuel exports from March 1 but lifted the restriction from May 20 until the end of July, citing "domestic market saturation" as the reason for the temporary reprieve. However, the new ban aims to curb further price hikes and ensure sufficient fuel supply within the country. The ban does not apply to supplies under intergovernmental agreements, including those with countries from the Eurasian Economic Union, such as Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. According to official data, Russia produced nearly 44 million tons of gasoline last year. The sharp rise in retail prices in autumn 2023 exacerbated the economic strain on the population, already burdened by the weakening ruble due to Western sanctions.

This is me talking about John Healy. 8-14-24

I wish Belgrade would be held responsible for how strange this statement is coming from Tehran.

President Masoud Pezeshkian told the prime minister a punitive response to "an aggressor is a right of nations and a solution for stopping crimes and aggression", Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

BELGRADE, August 14. /TASS/. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin and Russian Presidential Aide Nikolay Patrushev have expressed readiness to further improve the strategic partnership between the two countries after the talks held in Moscow, the Serbian government said in a statement.

This is me talking about Kursk. 8-14-24

The Russians are using gross terms to describe the army.

MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. Ukrainian forces are starting to dig in in the border areas of the Kursk Region in a bid to escape destruction, Apty Alaudinov, deputy chief of the Russian Armed Forces’ Main Military-Political Department and commander of the Akhmat special forces commando unit, told TASS.

LUGANSK, August 14. /TASS/. Russian forces knocked Ukrainian troops out of their positions in the west of the settlement of Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS on Wednesday.

Reports about the Middle East.

NEW YORK, August 14. /TASS/. A US air base in Syria came under attack, but no casualties were reported among US servicemen there, a US defense official has told TASS.

Abd al-Hadi emphasized that the current leadership of Hamas, officially led by Yahya Sinwar, does not trust that Benjamin Netanyahu's government is negotiating sincerely or is genuinely interested in reaching an agreement. Just a day before Hamas made its decision, both Iranian representatives and President Joe Biden indicated that the only way to prevent an anticipated Iranian attack would be to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.

Reports about the Russians in Poland and Belarus.

Bulgartransgaz is cooperating with the European Public Prosecutor's Office in its investigation of the company

BERLIN, August 14. /TASS/. The Polish authorities have been unwilling to cooperate with the investigation into the explosions that rocked the Nord Stream gas pipeline from day one, Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reports, citing an investigation carried out together with the ARD broadcaster and the Die Zeit paper.

Germany Issues European Arrest Warrant for Ukrainian in Nord Stream Pipeline Explosion Germany’s chief prosecutor, Jens Rommel, has issued a European arrest warrant for a Ukrainian citizen residing in Poland in connection with the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion. This development comes nearly two years after the incident, which saw the destruction of three out of four pipes on September 26, 2022. The German authorities believe that the individual in question was one of the divers responsible for planting the explosive device.

The Russians are responding. Maybe they are moving troops.

The ongoing conflict has displaced more than 120,000 civilians from Kursk, resulting in at least 12 deaths and 121 injuries, according to Smirnov in a meeting with President Putin. In response to the Ukrainian advance in the Kursk region, Russia is reportedly withdrawing some of its troops from Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal cited senior US officials indicating that the significance of this move is still being assessed, though the exact number of troops being redeployed remains unclear.

A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman clarified that the operation on Russian territory is intended to prevent the Kremlin from deploying additional troops to Donbas. Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that the attacks were designed to strengthen Kyiv's position ahead of potential negotiations. Washington remains in constant communication with Kyiv, although the White House has stated that the US is not involved in any aspect of planning or preparation. In his first significant comment, US President Joe Biden remarked that Ukraine's operation in Kursk presents a genuine challenge for Putin. Military experts assess that the Ukrainian invasion has altered the dynamics of the war, which Moscow initiated in February 2022.

This is me talking about Keir Starmer. 8-13-24

It seems like the Russians are a threat to Israel.

DUBAI, August 13. /TASS/. The Iranian Navy’s air defense exercise will be held near the port city of Astara in the southern areas of the Caspian Sea on Tuesday, the city's deputy mayor Hamid Mousavi has said.

UNITED NATIONS, August 13. /TASS/. Iran does not and will not participate in any talks between the Palestinian Hamas movement and Israel on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages being held in the enclave, the Iranian Permanent Mission to the UN said.

US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 12 times in past day

This is me talking more about Morgan McSweeney. 8-13-24

The people are already complaining that Morgan himself is an immigrant. Also, maybe he took money from the campaign donations.

Didn’t take long. “Relationship between Labour’s campaign chief Morgan McSweeney and chief of staff Sue Gray showing strain already”

Who is Morgan McSweeney? Why is an Irishman from Cork so involved in the UK political system? 'Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Rodney Starmer’s director of campaigns is the most influential backroom operator in the party. McSweeney, who is Irish and the founder of a group called Labour Together, is behind the team’s plan to win power – from gaining control of the party machinery and list of candidates, to making sure the centre has a tight grip on policy and message discipline. He helped run Starmer’s Labour leadership bid and served as chief of staff before moving to work more politically on the election.' Why is it not more widely publicised that he also personally hid £730,000 in donations to his Labour campaign group amid concern that some of the funds came from a Jewish donor who needed to be protected from anti-Semitism.

This is me talking about Morgan McSweeney. 8-13-24

1) Keir Starmer resembles Viktor Orban. They are both wanting a ceasefire.
2) The chief of staff at 10 Downing Street was born in Ireland and this week he's gotten into an argument with his woman coworker.
3) Belarus is in an awkward situation and now the Ukrainians are gesturing toward Bryansk Region which borders Belarus.

NOVO-OGARYOVO, August 12. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops intensify shelling attacks on civilians in Russia’s borderline Bryansk Region, regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz told Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link during a meeting on the situation on the Russian border. "The situation in the Bryansk Region today is relatively stable. It is just as it was a month ago. In terms of the number of shelling attacks we can say that it is essentially the same, that is, about 80-90 attacks per week. But I would like to note that recently we’ve been observing that they began to target civilians more and more," he said.

NOVO-OGARYOVO, August 12. /TASS/. The fate of about 2,000 people in 28 populated localities controlled by the enemy in the Kursk Region is unknown, acting regional Governor Alexey Smirnov told Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link.

MINSK, August 12. /TASS/. The situation along the border between Belarus and Ukraine is fully controlled, no preconditions for provocations can be seen, Belarusian State Border Committee Spokesman Anton Bychkovsky said.

BUDAPEST, August 12. /TASS/. Balazs Orban, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's political director, commented on the Ukrainian attack on the Kursk Region by saying that "the world must wake up." "Disturbing news recently: In the past few days, the Russia-Ukraine [conflict] has escalated. The world must wake up NOW! There is no point in celebrating the brutal acts of [conflict] by one side or the other," he wrote on X. "The Hungarian position has been clear and firm since day one: There is no solution of this conflict on the battlefield, only at the negotiating table!"

Keir Starmer speaks to Iranian president to warn against attack on Israel Sir Keir Starmer said he was deeply concerned by the situation in the region during a phone call with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian Sir Keir Starmer has joined Joe Biden and allied world leaders in a call for “Iran to stand down” amid ongoing tension in the Middle East. The prime minister also spoke to Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday night, warning him of a “serious risk of miscalculation”, Downing Street said.

Morgan James McSweeney (born April 1977)[1] is a British political aide who has served as the head of political strategy under Prime Minister Keir Starmer since July 2024.
Born Morgan James McSweeney
April 1977 (age 47)
Macroom, Republic of Ireland

This is a report about Kursk region.

Ukrainian Forces Seize 1,000 Square Kilometers in Deepest Incursion into Russian Territory Ukraine's forces have claimed control over 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. He announced that Ukraine's military continues to conduct an offensive operation in Russia's Kursk region, a week after it began. This marks Kyiv's deepest incursion into Russian territory since the full-scale war commenced in February 2022. The Ukrainian operation, which started on August 6 in Kursk, aims to secure northeastern Ukrainian lands, as stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky following a briefing from General Syrskyi. Zelensky emphasized that the operation is crucial for Ukraine's security, as these areas in Kursk have been used by Russian forces to launch attacks on the Sumy region. He pointed out that since June 1, nearly 2,100 shellings have targeted Sumy, making it essential to clear the border areas of Russian troops. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Ukrainian offensive as a "major provocation" and ordered his forces to expel the enemy from Russian territory. Putin argued that the Ukrainian invasion of Kursk is an attempt to divert Russia from its goals, but he assured that it would not succeed. He noted that the pace of Russian military operations had not only remained steady but had actually increased by 1.5 times. Along the entire front line, Russian troops are advancing, and there has been a rise in the number of people enlisting for military service. The Governor of Kursk Oblast, Alexei Smirnov, reported that Ukrainian forces have taken control of 28 settlements in the region. As a result, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from both sides of the border. Despite the ongoing fighting near Kursk, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that Russian troops had made significant advances in the Donbas. They reported being just 15 kilometers from the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a strategic location for the supply lines of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk region. President Zelensky also stated that the war is returning to Russian soil after Moscow's attempt to spread it to other countries. He insisted that Moscow should be compelled to make peace, even as the conflict escalates. Meanwhile, Putin suggested that Ukraine's actions in Kursk are aimed at halting Russia's advance in the Donbas and destabilizing Russia, though he remained confident that these efforts would fail.

Maybe these are Russian defense contractors.

Region's Largest Amount of Drugs Ever Seized at Port of Burgas, Worth BGN 70 Mln More than 430 kilograms of heroin were found Saturday in a trailer that arrived by a ferry at the port of Burgas from Batumi, Georgia, District Prosecutor Georgi Chinev told a briefing on Monday. According to him, this is the largest quantity of narcotics detected in the region since statistics on drug trafficking have been kept. The total amount of heroin found was 436 kilograms, distributed in 434 packages, estimated to be worth around BGN 70 million. The head of the Department for Combating Drug Trafficking at the Customs Agency, Stefan Bakalov, said that the smuggling attempt was carried out via the so-called "Caucasus route", which is one of the main routes for trafficking to Western Europe. The head of the Combating Drug Trafficking unit at the Burgas Customs Office, Ivan Sokolov, noted that the trailer arrived by ferry in Burgas at the end of July 2024 and was to be transported by tugboat to the Greek city of Alexandroupolis. The trailer was loaded with specialized machinery for laying cables. After passing them through an X-ray, it was found that they had cavities in which the drugs were hidden. "These are most likely bootleg machines to smuggle contraband," Sokolov said. A truck with a Kazakh driver was sent to transport the trailer. No one has been detained thus far, the prosecution service said. Actions in the investigation are pending and will focus on international legal exchanges, said prosecutor Andrey Chervenyakov, who is supervising the case.

Burgas port customs officials seize record amount of 436 kg of heroin Customs officials have discovered a record amount of 436 kg of heroin hidden in machines transported by sea to Burgas. This is the largest amount of heroin seized so far in Burgas. The heroin was found on August 9 during an inspection of a trailer that arrived by ship from the Georgian city of Batumi to one of the Burgas ports. According to documents, 4 cable-laying machines were transported in it with a destination from Kyrgyzstan to Greece via Bulgaria. The packets of the drug were found in cavities in the machines, which were welded and without direct access. The total value of the discovered heroin is about 35 million euros.

The Kremlin wants to do capture the flag rhetoric.

Attack on Kursk Region may be strategic misstep for Ukraine — media The Economist notes that many servicemen involved in the attacks on the Kursk Region were notified just a day before they were deployed to the border, indicating that the Kiev regime put the operation together last-minute

We should make our messages about energy security. The Chinese are saying that their ship fouled up a pipeline in the Baltic Sea.

HELSINKI, August 12. /TASS/. Finland together with Estonia will present the results of the investigation into the circumstances and causes of damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline no earlier than in autumn; cooperation with China continues, Risto Lohi, the senior investigator of Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, said. "Finnish and Estonian authorities are cooperating with Chinese authorities on this case. Materials have been exchanged and progress is seen in the investigation. The procedure of rendering legal assistance to the Chinese authorities is still ongoing," the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper quoted him as saying. The National Bureau of Investigation will not be commenting on stages of the investigation, the results of which will be announced jointly with the Estonian authorities no earlier than in the fall, the report said. Beijing has admitted that the Chinese-owned ship the Newnew Polar Bear damaged the Balticconnector Baltic Sea gas pipeline, saying it was an accident, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post said on Monday, referring to its sources. The sources said that after conducting an investigation, Beijing shared its findings with the Finnish and Estonian authorities.

The pipeline in the Kursk region is connected to Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, and Vienna.

The Soviet-era Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline brings gas from western Siberia via Sudzha in Russia's Kursk region. It then flows through Ukraine in the direction of Slovakia. In Slovakia, the gas pipeline is divided, one of the branches goes to the Czech Republic, the other to Austria. The main buyers of gas are Hungary, Slovakia and Austria. About 14.65 billion cubic meters (Bcm) of gas was supplied via Sudzha in 2023, or about half of Russian natural gas exports to Europe. EU gas consumption fell to 295 Bcm in 2023. Sudzha, just over the border from Ukraine, is the focus of intense battles between Ukrainian and Russian forces. It is unclear who controls the town. Gazprom's gas metering point Sudzha is located a few miles out of the town, closer to Russian-Ukraininan border. Russia's Gazprom said it would send 39.6 million cubic meters(mcm) of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Monday compared to 39.3 mcm on Sunday.

This is me talking more about Kursk. 8-12-24

At 10 Downing Street the prime minister wants quiet in the office. The Manchester crowd is complaining about the police. And then a report that the police killed someone.

--

Keir doesn't want to get security update alerts because he wants quiet.

No 10 disarray as power struggle erupts between Sue Gray and Starmer’s top adviser Prime Minister’s chief of staff accused of ‘thinking she runs the country’ as reports of infighting surface Downing Street is in disarray after a power struggle broke out between Sue Gray and Sir Keir Starmer’s top adviser. Ms Gray, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, and Morgan McSweeney, his most senior aide, are understood to be at loggerheads. Reports emerged over the weekend claiming that Ms Gray, the former civil servant, who investigated partygate, was being accused of preventing Sir Keir from receiving security updates by blocking access to him. A Whitehall source was reported to have said that she thinks “she runs the country” amid disquiet over her powerful role within the Government. The claims, reported by The Mail on Sunday, fuelled fears of a split between two of Sir Keir’s most senior officials. Downing Street dismissed the accusations against Ms Gray as “noises off from people who don’t know what they’re talking about”. It is understood that Mr McSweeney disputes all the claims made about him, and Number 10 insiders have dismissed the idea that the Prime Minister could be blocked from receiving important security information.

The Manchester business sector is complaining about the police.

London is “not safe” any more, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of Manchester United, has claimed. Sir Jim said Britain’s cities were not as safe as they used to be and revealed that he no longer wears a watch in the capital for fear of being mugged. Sir Jim said a rise in rates of robbery and shoplifting was part of a wider failure by authorities to provide basic public services, including ensuring that there is enough prison space to house criminals.

A report about a policeman shooting someone.

Armed police have shot a man in a quiet Surrey village leaving him in a critical condition. Officers were called to an area of Knaphill, near Woking, just after midnight on Sunday morning following reports of an altercation between two men, one of whom was “armed with a weapon in the street”, according to Surrey Police.

Keir isn't an Irish word. It's a sound they wrote down as letters. Because Herman Hesse said we all make the same sound.
Victoria goes by Vic.
Keir and Vic.
Her relatives are immigrants from Poland.
Keir is saying he doesn't work on Fridays.

10 Downing Street:
He has two undergraduate degrees. But, his subordinates are women with professional degrees but they're moms and then he's saying he doesn't work on Fridays.

This is me talking about Kursk. 8-12-24

There have been attacks coming from Kursk and the Crimea.

Ukraine Advances into Russia as Both Sides Trade Blame for Zaporizhzhia NPP Fire Active hostilities continue in Russia’s Kursk region, following a cross-border incursion by Ukrainian forces. Reports indicate that Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 30 kilometers into Russian territory, marking the deepest penetration by Kyiv since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky assured that there was no increase in radiation levels following the incident. In another development, the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa was struck by ballistic missiles launched from Crimea. Explosions were reported in the city, leading authorities to urge residents to seek shelter until the air raid alarm was lifted. The attack is believed to have been carried out using Iskander-M missiles. Zelensky, in his evening address, referenced the recent surge in cross-border strikes by Russia, stating that nearly 2,000 attacks had been launched from Russia's western Kursk region into Ukraine’s Sumy region this summer, which he argued warranted a “just” Ukrainian response. In response to the fire at the Zaporizhzhia plant, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered heightened security measures for strategic infrastructure, including in the Zaporizhzhia region.

These are German literature anecdotes of the Russians keeping up with the events.

Russia urges Israel to refrain from attacking civilian facilities in Gaza — diplomat Moscow reiterates its principled and consistent position on the need for strict compliance with international humanitarian law

BELGRADE, August 11. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic praised police tactics during the protest against lithium mining.

DUBAI, August 12. /TASS/. Detachments of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah have launched a rocket attack on the command post of the Israel Defense Forces in the Ga'aton border district in the north of the country, the Al Mayadeen TV channel reported.

The KFOR spokesman denied that the mission, in coordination with the Pristina Ministry of Infrastructure, participated in the technical inspection of the bridge on the Ibar in Kosovska Mitrovica.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian missile struck a residential building in the Russian city of Kursk, injuring 13 people, according to the acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov. Two of the injured are reported to be in serious condition, and all have been hospitalized, as confirmed by Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak.

Now the Ukrainians maybe can do buildups in other regions.

Ukrainian forces active on border with Russia’s Belgorod Region Krasnoyaruzhsky district residents will be moved to safer places, the governor said BELGOROD, August 12. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces are active on the border with the Belgorod Region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. "We have an alarming morning, there is enemy activity on the border of the Krasnoyaruzhsky district. I am sure that our servicemen will do everything to counter the emerging threat. But in order to protect the lives and health of our population, we are beginning to move people who live in this district to safer places," he said in a video statement on his Telegram channel.

I don't want the Russians to evacuate. They need to stay and defend their land. It's them that have been launching the attacks into Ukraine. Don't they want to vacation in the Crimea?

Russia’s Kursk Region governor says measures underway to stabilize situation According to Alexey Smirnov, additional forces and capabilities were arriving in the region KURSK, August 11. /TASS/. Kursk Region Interim Governor Alexey Smirnov met with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Andrey Bulyga and said the ministry is pressing on with measures to stabilize the situation amid Ukrainian attacks. "I met with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Andrey Bulyga. We discussed the current situation in the border areas, and the measures that are being taken to counter Ukrainian attempts to gain ground inside the Kursk Region," he wrote on Telegram. "Yes, the situation continues to be challenging. But at the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry and all uniformed agencies are taking a full range of measures to stabilize the situation in the region." Smirnov also said that additional forces and capabilities were arriving in the Kursk Region, and the military were doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of civilians. "Particular attention was paid to the participation of volunteer fighters in stabilizing the situation. The fighters help maintain the necessary security measures as part of the ongoing counterterrorist operation and move residents from border areas to temporary accommodation centers," he said. Ukrainian forces started a major attack on the Kursk Region on August 6. Missile attack alerts have been issued repeatedly in the region since then. According to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, more than 8,000 people have been evacuated from border areas over the past day due to Ukrainian attacks, and more than 6,000 people have been placed in temporary accommodation centers. Hospitals have admitted 69 people that were injured in Ukrainian shelling of the Kursk Region, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. Of them, 17 are in serious condition. According to the latest data from the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has lost up to 1,350 troops, 29 tanks and 23 armored personnel carriers since the start of hostilities in the Kursk Region.

I wish the Russians wouldn't attack the Ukrainians in Kursk.

IN BRIEF: Russia launches counterterrorism measures in Kursk Region According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, over 76,000 people have already been evacuated from border areas KURSK, August 10. /TASS/. The Russian military continues to eliminate Ukrainian armed formations in the Kursk Region where counterterrorism measures were launched yesterday. According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, over 76,000 people have already been evacuated from border areas, with more than 4,400 people being placed in temporary accommodations. TASS has gathered the key facts about the developments in the borderline Russian region. Ukrainian infiltration attempts - The Russian Armed Forces continue to repel a Ukrainian attempt to break into Russia. - Over the past day, Russia’s Battlegroup North and reserve troops have thwarted Ukrainian attempts to break through near Ivashkovskoye, Malaya Loknya and Olgovka in the Kursk Region. - Last night, Russian Su-30Sm and Su-35S fighters hit concentrations of Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the region’s border areas. - The operation to wipe out Ukrainian armed formations continues. - The National Guard of Russia has been dispatched to search for and wipe out groups of saboteurs in the counterterrorism zone. Ukrainian losses - The total losses of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kursk area have amounted to roughly 1,120 troops and 140 units of armored warfare, including 22 tanks, 20 armored personnel carriers, eight infantry fighting vehicles, 88 armored combat vehicles, as well as 13 motor vehicles, two Buk M1 self-propelled missile systems, a BN-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system and six field guns, the Russian Defense Ministry said. - In the past day alone, Ukrainian forces have sustained roughly 175 troops and 36 armored units in the Kursk area, namely 10 tanks, three armored personnel carriers, two infantry fighting vehicles, 21 armored fighting vehicles, a motor vehicle, three field artillery guns and a BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system. - Russian units used a rocket with a thermobaric warhead to deliver a strike on a stationing point of mercenaries on the southern outskirts of Sudzha, killing 15 Ukrainian militants. - As many as 15 Ukrainian command personnel were killed as a Russian crew manning the Iskander-M system hit the command outpost of Ukraine’s 22nd Mechanized Brigade. Assistance to residents of Kursk Region - More than 76,000 people have been evacuated from border areas in the Kursk Region, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said. - According to the ministry, more than 4,400 residents of the region’s border areas have been placed in some 60 temporary accommodations in eight Russian regions, including the Kursk Region itself. Latest developments - Air raid sirens have repeatedly rung in the region since the early hours on Saturday. - Russian air defenses downed a Ukrainian projectile in the skies over the region, acting governor Alexey Smirnov said. - Gazprom supplies gas for Europe through Ukraine in the volume of 39.6 mln cubic meters (mcm) per day via the Sudzha gas pumping station. - The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), after temporarily reducing the number of its staff on the NPP-2 construction site, is operating normally.

There is an issue of energy politics here. Gazprom operates, maybe, the energy hub. Maybe the Gazprom management people are involved in the decision making.

Gas supply by Gazprom for Europe through Ukraine totals 39.3 mcm via Sudzha The nomination for the Sokhranovka gas pumping station has been rejected MOSCOW, August 11. /TASS/. Gazprom supplies gas for Europe through Ukraine in the volume of 39.3 mln cubic meters (mcm) per day via the Sudzha gas pumping station in Russia’s Kursk Region, a Gazprom representative told reporters, adding that the request for pumping through Sokhranovka had been rejected by the Ukrainian side. "Gazprom supplies Russian gas for transit through Ukrainian territory in the volume confirmed by the Ukrainian side via the Sudzha gas pumping station - 39.3 mln cubic meters as of August 11. The nomination for the Sokhranovka gas pumping station has been rejected," he said. On Saturday, August 10, the pumping volume equaled 39.6 mln cubic meters, with the August average being over 42 mln cubic meters. Earlier it was reported on the website of the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) that nominations for transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukrainian territory on August 11 could be about 39.28 mln cubic meters. On Friday, Gazprom spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov said that the fighting that broke out near Sudzha in the Kursk region has already had an effect on the prices of natural and liquefied gas, which have risen sharply. On August 6, Ukrainian armed forces launched a massive attack on Russia’s Kursk region, where the Sudzha gas metering station (GMS) is located. The transit line through it remains the only route for Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine. Russian gas supplies have been going through Ukraine in reduced volumes since May 2022, when the Ukrainian GTS Operator announced the termination of transit to Europe through the Sokhranovka station due to force majeure: the company allegedly cannot control the Novopskov compressor station in the LPR. However, Gazprom saw no reason to change or stop the pumping schedule.

A journalist in Doha is calling British people fascists. It's because there are immigrants living for free in hotels.

For now the government has avoided discussing immigration, again for fear of suggesting any of the unrest was justified. But in time they are likely to remind voters that the prime minister believes many people do have legitimate concerns about legal and illegal migration. Gradually reducing the use of hotels to house migrants remains this government’s policy. But it was the last government’s policy too - with little success.

Anti-racists saved Britain, now it’s time for Keir Starmer to take action After this past week’s far-right riots, the British government has a duty to defend multiculturalism and reassure targeted minority communities.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a note of protest to the Embassy of Albania in Belgrade, in which it strongly condemns the unacceptable act of burning the national flag of Serbia in the central city square of Skenderbeg in Tirana.

This is me talking about Al Jazeera. 8-11-24

1) The Russians in Kursk reported a buildup but the reports were ignored.
2) The destination city was an energy hub.

Early last week Russian commanders in Kursk warned of an unusual build-up of Ukrainian forces on the border. Drones had begun to hammer at trench lines manned by inexperienced border guards. But Moscow paid little heed to the situation on this hitherto quiet section of the frontline in Ukraine’s north-east. Facing little resistance, Kyiv’s forces hauled up electronic warfare systems to the front and knocked out Russian communications. First-person view drones (FPV) also targeted and struck Russian surveillance drones used to provide a birds-eye view on the marshy fields below. Then, at 8am on Tuesday morning, came the thrust. Hundreds of Ukrainian troops, supported by a dozen tanks and more armoured vehicles steamed across the border.

Sumy Oblast (Ukrainian: Сумська область, romanized: Sumska oblast), also known as Sumshchyna (Сумщина), is an oblast (province) in northeast Ukraine. The oblast was created in its most recent form, from the merging of raions from Kharkiv Oblast, Chernihiv Oblast, and Poltava Oblast in 1939 by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.

Sudzha (Russian: Су́джа) is a town and the administrative center of Sudzhansky District in Kursk Oblast, Russia, located on the Sudzha and Olyoshnya Rivers 105 kilometers (65 mi) southwest of Kursk, the administrative center of the oblast. It has a population of 5,127 people. It is the natural gas exchange feeder where the Trans-Siberian pipeline meets the Brotherhood pipeline.

This is me talking about Sudzha, Russia. 8-11-24

Starmer’s popularity slumps after criticism of riots response New polling for The Telegraph shows PM’s approval ratings have plummeted in fortnight since far-Right unrest broke out

This is me talking about 10 Downing Street. 8-11-24

How many Ukrainian infantrymen crossed into Kursk last week?
Did they have tanks?
I think I still don't know for sure how many or that kind of stuff.

Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov (born 5 October 1976) is a Russian politician and current Head of the Chechen Republic. He was formerly affiliated with the Chechen independence movement, through his father who was the separatist-appointed mufti of Chechnya. He is a colonel general in the Russian military.
Alma mater Makhachkala Institute of Business and Law, Dagestan State Technical University, Dagestan State University

Richard John Hatton MBE (born 6 October 1978) is a British former professional boxer who competed between 1997 and 2012, and has since worked as a boxing promoter and trainer. During his boxing career he held multiple world championships in the light-welterweight division, and one at welterweight. In 2005 he was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine, the Boxing Writers Association of America, and ESPN.

This is me talking about Ramzan Kadyrov. 8-11-24

Keir Starmer is saying that social media isn't a law free zone. Immigrants sometimes intentionally don't make social media accounts because they don't want people to know what they're doing. I think Starmer's in-laws are immigrants.

This is me talking about Keir Starmer's approval rating. 8-10-24

The Labour leader, who has a 13-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son, said he and his wife Victoria “will fiercely protect their privacy” if he makes it to No.10.

Sir Keir Rodney Starmer
Born: September 2, 1962 (age 61 years), Southwark, London, United Kingdom

Born Victoria Alexander
1973 or 1974 (age 50–51)
London, England

Keir Starmer was born near the Tate Modern in 1962. He'll be 62 next month. He's got two kids who are in high school. Maybe he doesn't have many more years to work. Victoria is 51. How many more years will Victoria work? He waited until he was 50 years old or so to have kids. When he was little, his parents were blue collar workers. There were six of them in the house, the parents and the four kids.
About immigration and refugees.
Some of those people are criminals.
Maybe Keir is kind of alright if the immigrants and refugees kill off the people or something.

This is me talking about the British PM. 8-10-24

I thought that the Kremlin admitted they arrested Evan so they could get more of their people back from our prisons. That gets weird about prisoner swaps.

This is me talking about Moscow. 8-10-24

This is me talking about PM Starmer. 8-10-24

I think his approval rating will stay low and then people will realize he isn't good at his job.

Some opinion polls since the general election have attempted to determine the Prime Minister's popularity. Opinium had him at 38% favourability in mid-July, this has now dropped to 35%. YouGov saw his rating fall from 44% in early-July to 37% now. According to WeThink and Ipsos around four-in-ten approve of his premiership's early days. These are net positive numbers, broadly speaking. But they pale compared to previous premiers.

This is me talking about Victoria Starmer. 8-10-24

Anywhere, how can immigrants afford expensive real estate and how can they compete with the local workforce?

Camden Town is in a Gwen Stefani song.
Little kids in America sing the words Camden Town in the song.
I think that's where Victoria Starmer's relatives lived when they arrived in London from Poland.
They came to London from Poland in the early twentieth century.
It's funny about their tastes in real estate.

I speak Russian and some Polish.
Maybe Victoria doesn't speak either language.
Her parents maybe didn't prioritize foreign language study.
It's expensive to teach your kid a foreign language.
Maybe her relatives spent all of the money on a large house.
They're cutting corners are education.
Keir might live in or near those houses even.

To compare me to Victoria. I think she doesn't have much education and they live in an expensive house and you wonder about taxes and the kids, etc.

This is me talking more about Keir Starmer. 8-10-24

In Washington we're wondering about Keir Starmer and security. Maybe he's not that smart about security. Because there are so many complaints about the riots.

Sao Paulo might be historically an Italian port.

'No survivors' as plane carrying 61 crashes in Brazil's Sao Paulo state An airliner with 61 people on board crashed in a residential area of Sao Paulo state in Brazil on Friday. The mayor of Vinhedo, where the aircraft crashed, said that there were no survivors.

This is a report about a Russian base near the border with Ukraine.

Ukraine also said it had carried out a major air strike on a Russian military base in the Lipetsk region, around 280 kilometres (175 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border.

This is evidence that the Turkish media is biased against Israel.

Türkiye calls for international accountability for Gaza massacre

8 Palestinians die as Israeli strikes rain destruction across Gaza

Israel's assault sparks new firestorm in Gaza as Iran sees red

Türkiye address a chance for Abbas to define position on Gaza

This is a report about the Kursk region.

While Kyiv has not officially taken responsibility for the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that Russia needed to "feel" the consequences of its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia declared a state of emergency in the border region of Kursk Wednesday and evacuated thousands of residents, with President Vladimir Putin describing the attack as a “large-scale provocation”. Large-scale operation More than one thousand soldiers along with some thirty tanks and armoured vehicles from Ukraine's Sumy region north of Kharkiv are thought to have crossed the border into Russia’s Kursk region on Tuesday. Sluggish Russian response Moscow has come under fire for its slow response to the Ukrainian attack – not least because Russian forces had supposedly strengthened their defensive lines in the wake of earlier incursions in the Belgorod region last year. A prominent Kremlin-affiliated military blogger claimed that Russian forces repeatedly warned their high command about Ukrainian forces massing along the border with Kursk region, but that the Russian command failed to prepare for a potential invasion, the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest update. Communication problems within the Russian military may have been responsible for the sluggish response, Grant said, adding: "No one wants to tell bad new to the boss, so they are lying and eventually when the truth comes out, it's already quite late. I don't even believe Putin really knows what's going on." Kingston-Cox, however, suggested that Russian authorities may have been aware of Ukraine’s pending raid and used it to their advantage.

This is me talking more about the British PM. 8-9-24

Both Pat Tillman and Paul Klebnikov died in 2004.
Harry went over there in 2007.
Harry went to Eton and he joined the army.
Maybe Keir didn't register for the selective service.
Sometimes people who go to Oxford also join the army.
Vicki Beckham has four kids, Vicki Howe has three kids, and Vicki Starmer has two kids.
Some of these guys seem to live in avarice.

This is me talking about PM Starmer. 8-9-24

NATO air force gains. Also, a comment about the Russian banking sector given the events in Vienna this week.

IN BRIEF: What we know about overnight Ukrainian drone attack on Lipetsk Region A state of emergency was declared in the region as crews work to clear the area of unexploded objects

Russia to convene informal UN Security Council meeting on Kiev's crimes on August 13 Ukraine’s attack on the borderline Kursk Region is expected to be among the focal points at the meeting

MOSCOW, August 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that allows foreign banks to open branches in Russia but also provides for a number of restrictions on their activities. The document was published on the official portal of legal information. The goal is to create conditions for the development of a system of international settlements and attracting foreign investment, the explanatory note says. The work of branches of foreign banks will be aimed precisely at this. That is why they will not be able, like ordinary banks, to open deposits for individuals and companies, accounts in precious metals, engage in trust management of money and other property. Foreign banks will have the right to work in the securities market through a branch created in Russia. Each bank will be allowed to establish only one branch. The law also provides for setting requirements for the qualifications and business reputation of the banks’ officials.

This is their version of events.

"Is Serbia your enemy? NATO alliance is an embarrassment of epic proportions..." Today, NATO alliance doesn't offer the slightest guarantee of deterring existential danger that Greece faces from the east, on the contrary, it guarantees involvement in quarrels that do not concern it at all, said prominent Greek journalist Giorgos Harvalias.

KFOR: Not true The KFOR spokesman denied that the mission, in coordination with the Pristina Ministry of Infrastructure, participated in the technical inspection of the bridge on the Ibar in Kosovska Mitrovica.

No injuries as four Ukrainian drones hit high-rise building in Russia’s Shebekino Emergencies Ministry staff are currently working to extinguish the fire, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said

This is me talking about the Russian banking sector. 8-9-24

The Bulgarians are writing lengthy reports about NATO operations.

Kursk Region on the Brink: Ukrainian Offensive and Drone Strikes Deepen Russia’s Crisis The Ukrainian armed forces launched a significant military operation in the southwestern part of Russia’s Kursk region on August 6, marking the largest such offensive by Ukraine on internationally recognized Russian territory. This operation, which has already surpassed previous raids in the Belgorod region earlier in 2023 in both scale and impact, has resulted in a major breach of Russian defenses and poses a substantial threat to Russia's control over the region.

The Ukrainian troops, operating without official flags or symbols, managed to create a 10-kilometer gap along the border and advanced up to 35 kilometers inland, reaching the village of Anastasievka on the Sudzha-Lgov road by August 8. Over the first 24 hours, they captured at least 20 villages across the Korenevsky and Sudzhansky districts, and by August 8, had seemingly taken full control of Sudzha, a key transport and gas hub. The advance of Ukrainian forces continues to threaten important regional centers such as Rylsk and Lgov, with reports indicating that between 20% and 25% of the Kursk region's territory is at risk of falling under Ukrainian control. The Russian military has reported heavy casualties, with some Telegram channels comparing the losses to those seen in wars of the last century. While Russia claims to have inflicted significant losses on the Ukrainian side, including 600 casualties and the destruction of 82 units of equipment, these numbers are likely exaggerated as no substantial evidence has been provided to support these claims. The Ukrainian forces, utilizing advanced tactics and equipment, including electronic warfare systems and drones, have managed to destroy key border infrastructure and capture several hundred Russian soldiers. The sudden and large-scale operation in Kursk has garnered significant attention, though official reactions from Russia, Ukraine, and the international community have been surprisingly muted. Russian President Vladimir Putin held emergency meetings with his Security Council but refrained from making any direct threats. In contrast, European and American politicians expressed support for Ukraine’s right to defend itself, with some even suggesting that the use of foreign-supplied weapons on Russian territory is justified. The objectives of the Ukrainian operation appear to be multifaceted. Initially, it may have been intended as a test of Russian border defenses, similar to previous incursions in the Belgorod region. However, with the apparent collapse of Russian defenses in several areas, the Ukrainian forces seem poised to establish a foothold in the Kursk region, potentially using it as leverage in future negotiations or as a bargaining chip in exchange for Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia. The offensive has already created significant strategic challenges for Russia. With the Ukrainian forces now threatening large parts of the Kursk region, there is growing concern about the potential loss of 20% to 25% of the region's territory. Reports also suggest that Ukrainian forces may be preparing for further operations in neighboring regions, including Belgorod, which could further complicate Russia's military situation and impact the broader course of the conflict. Meanwhile, a massive drone attack has struck Russia's Lipetsk region, located about 200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The attack, which targeted the region’s power plant, caused significant damage and resulted in a temporary blackout. The regional governor, Igor Artamonov, announced the incident on "Telegram," urging residents to remain indoors until the situation is resolved. Although power has been restored to most of the affected homes, authorities have declared a state of emergency in Lipetsk and ordered the evacuation of four nearby villages, impacting 416 households. Meanwhile, in the Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border, another drone attack was reported. Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed that Russian air defenses successfully shot down 29 drones, which caused material damage but no casualties. Further south, in Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev reported that the city had been targeted by drones from both air and sea.

Bulgaria Expands Military Capabilities with Stryker Ammunition and German IRIS-T SLM System Bulgaria has approved significant defense acquisitions, including ammunition for Stryker combat vehicles and a German air defense system, following a parliamentary vote. The decision includes the ratification of contracts to enhance the country’s military capabilities. The contract for Stryker ammunition, valued at over million, has passed both readings in parliament. This ammunition will be delivered in batches over several years, with each batch subjected to rigorous testing before acceptance. The contract was approved with 125 votes in favor, 51 against, and no abstentions. In addition to the Stryker ammunition, Bulgaria will acquire the German IRIS-T SLM air defense system as part of the European Sky Shield initiative. The system's contract is valued at 182,114,311 euros, or 356,184,000 leva, excluding VAT. This purchase includes the option to buy up to five IRIS-T SLM systems. The contract, with payments spread over 52 months, will be financed by the national budget and compensations expected from weapons and equipment donations to Ukraine. The Defense Committee’s report outlines that the draft contract was received by the Ministry of Defense in response to a 2023 request. The Bulgarian Parliament's decision is based on the need to advance the Investment Expenditure Project (IPP) for acquiring basic combat equipment. The IPP involves three main contracts: for Stryker combat vehicles, artillery and small arms, and guided anti-tank missiles like the Javelin. The Stryker ammunition contract will see deliveries starting in the second quarter of 2025 and ending in the third quarter of 2028. The estimated value of this contract is 64,880,655 dollars, with payments scheduled in installments. During parliamentary debates, there was criticism from figures like Borislav Gutsanov and Ivelin Parvanov, who opposed the purchase. However, Defense Committee Chairman Hristo Gadjev emphasized the importance of maintaining a capable military and the need to proceed with the acquisition. Bogdan Bogdanov from We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB) assured that the new machines and ammunition are crucial for the initial testing of the combat equipment. The project for acquiring the IRIS-T SLM air defense system includes the possibility of purchasing up to five units and one long-range IRIS-T SLX system, with prices valid until 2032. The first stage of financing for this project will come from Bulgaria’s defense budget and compensatory funds from weapon donations.

Macedonian-Origin Radicalized Islamist Foiled in Plot Against Taylor Swift’s Vienna Concerts A planned attack targeting Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna was thwarted, leading to the cancellation of the events. The plot involved a 19-year-old Austrian of Macedonian descent and a 17-year-old with Turkish-Croatian roots. The two were arrested for conspiring a suicide bombing during one of the American singer’s performances. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer disclosed that the attackers intended to stage an attack comparable to previous high-profile incidents in Paris, Manchester, and Moscow. Taylor Swift’s concerts, part of her Eras Tour, were set to run in Vienna from today until Saturday, with over 190,000 tickets sold for the events. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that a major tragedy was averted. Authorities were alerted by a tip-off about a radicalized individual, leading to the arrest of the 19-year-old from Ternitz, Austria. This individual had been radicalized online, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in June, and had been preparing for the attack by changing his appearance, quitting his job, and amassing materials related to extremist groups. The Director General of the Public Security Office reported that the suspect had been focused on making explosives, with chemicals, explosive devices, and technical equipment found in his home. The individual confessed fully to the planned attack, aiming to cause maximum casualties at the concert. Assisting the 19-year-old was a 17-year-old of Turkish and Croatian heritage, who had recently been employed by a company providing services for the concert. The second suspect was also detained. The planned concerts had attracted fans from across Europe, who had invested significant time and money in attending the sold-out shows. Ticket holders will receive refunds within the next ten days.

What about Boston and Irish America?

The Bulgarian PM has a likeable first name because it is the woman's version of Igor. Maybe she talks funny or stands funny or something. The British are saying that Keir, I guess is an Irish name. I think that offends Irish Americans because we don't name our kids that.

Irish: A masculine name that is a variant of Kieran and comes from the Irish name Ciarán and the Old Irish word cíar‎, which means "dark" or "swarthy".

Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva Appointed as New Acting Prime Minister of Bulgaria.
Sir Keir Rodney Starmer KCB KC is a British politician and barrister who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

They want a ceasefire but maybe Hamas won't stop attacking. The Russian navy might be assisting Hamas. Maybe there are Russian navy people at the Shayrat military airfield.

Israeli jets strike military airfield in Syria Several powerful explosions went off at the airfield, followed by a fire, according to Al Hadath BEIRUT, August 8. /TASS/. Israeli Air Force jets struck the Shayrat military airfield in the Syrian province of Homs, Al Hadath television reported. Several powerful explosions went off at the airfield, followed by a fire, according to the report. The jets launched missiles at Hezbollah’s weapons and ammunition depots from Lebanese airspace, the report said. No casualties were reported. Syrian air defenses engaged the enemy. According to the Lebanon 24 news website, one of the anti-aircraft missiles fell in northern Lebanon.

Israel to send delegation for talks on Gaza on August 15 — Prime Minister’s Office The venue of talks to be determined later TEL AVIV, August 9. /TASS/. Israel will send a delegation to talks on Gaza on August 15, the Office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "At the suggestion of the US and intermediaries, Israel will send a delegation for talks on August 15, with the venue of them to be determined later, to agree upon details of implementing the framework agreement [on Gaza]," the office said. Leaders of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States called on Israel and the Hamas movement to resume talks on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on August 15 in Doha or Cairo, according to their joint statement made earlier.

Egypt, Qatar and the US urge Israel and Hamas to resume talks on Gaza Intermediaries informed about their readiness to present the final draft of the agreement on ceasefire in Gaza and liberation of Israeli hostages DUBAI, August 9. /TASS/. Leaders of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States called on Israel and the Hamas movement to resume talks on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on August 15 in Doha or Cairo. "We have called on both sides to resume urgent discussion on Thursday, August 15 in Doha or Cairo to close all remaining gaps and commence implementation of the deal without further delay, Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and President of the United States Joe Biden said in their joint statement released by Amir’s Office. Intermediaries informed about their readiness to present the final draft of the agreement on ceasefire in Gaza and liberation of Israeli hostages. "The three of us and our teams have worked tirelessly over many months to forge a framework agreement that is now on the table with only the details of implementation left to conclude," the leaders stressed. "As mediators, if necessary, we are prepared to present a final bridging proposal that resolves the remaining implementation issues in a manner that meets the expectations of all parties," they added.

This is me talking about the Shayrat military airfield in the Syrian province of Homs. 8-8-24

This is a sample job listing for a librarian. Notice there is a professional degree requirement. Elon Musk doesn't have a professional degree.

Senior Librarian
National Academy of Sciences
Washington, DC
Minimum Education/Training Requirements: Master's Degree in Library Science or related field, or equivalent knowledge.
Minimum Experience: Five years of related professional experience.
Physical Capabilities: Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.

Elon Musk went to Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he received bachelor’s degrees in physics and economics in 1997. He began graduate school in physics at Stanford University but left after several days to focus on being an entrepreneur.

This is me talking about Elon Musk. 8-8-24

It's possible we're seeing a noticeable decline of Chinese air force capability. Because supposedly we've been sending new sonar to the Pacific.

This is me talking about the Pacific. 8-8-24

Sofia Zoo Takes Crocky the Crocodile as Ownership Dispute Continues Specialists from the Sofia zoo have safely removed a crocodile discovered in the "Botunets" district. The reptile (named Crocky by its owner) had been inhabiting the area until experts were able to secure its transfer. On Tuesday, a man claiming to be the crocodile's owner refused to relinquish it to representatives from the Zoological Garden in Sofia and the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water. Yesterday, the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water was still in the process of verifying the reptile's documentation and checking for the presence of a microchip. The area around the crocodile was secured with a police presence. Viktor Mihailov, the man claiming ownership, resisted and removed the police tape, on Wednesday. When questioned by BNT about the crocodile's ownership, Mihailov responded, "It's my mother's." Before the removal, the crocodile was tied up and enclosed behind a wire and canvas fence, remaining in close proximity to an apartment block.

Intense Battles in Kursk: Ukrainian Forces Surround Sudzha and Down Russian Helicopter Russian military correspondents are reporting that Ukrainian forces have taken control of a strategic gas pipeline in the Kursk region. This pipeline, which passes through the city of Sudzha, is crucial for Russia’s gas supplies to Europe, according to UNIAN and Russian military sources. The pipeline through Sudzha is now the only remaining route out of the original five that Russia has used to transport gas to Europe. In addition to this development, reports suggest that Ukrainian forces have likely captured 11 settlements in the Kursk region. Some sources indicate that while Sudzha has not been captured, it is now surrounded. In the Kursk region, fighting continues, and a notable incident occurred when a Russian Mi-28 helicopter was downed by an FPV drone, which struck the rear fin of the helicopter. This event marks a potentially new tactic in modern warfare. The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported significant losses on the Ukrainian side due to the ongoing battles. The conflict is reported to be concentrated around several settlements, including Basovka, Zhuravka, Yunakovka, Belovodi, Kiyanitsa, Korchakovka, Nova Sich, Pavlovka, Gorodishte, and Sumy.

American planes took off; China raised planes Earlier today US, Australia, Canada, and the Philippines held joint air and naval military maneuvers in the disputed South China Sea. The response came immediately from China, which announced that it had carried out air and naval combat patrols in the same region. In a joint statement by the military officials of the four countries, it is stated that "the action will be carried out in a manner that is by international law and with respect for the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other countries." A Philippine military official said navy ships and fighter jets will conduct anti-submarine drills and combined maneuvers. China has long claimed much of the South China Sea, a major global trade sea route, and has said it will defend its territorial interests at all costs. Its claims overlap with those of smaller states, such as the Philippines and Vietnam, as they impede access to fishing grounds and oil and gas exploration in their internationally recognized economic zones. Hostilities in the disputed waters have particularly escalated between Chinese and Philippine coast guards and naval forces in the past year, raising fears that the clashes could escalate into a larger armed conflict involving the United States, a longtime ally of the Philippines.

This is me talking about Yahya Sinwar. 8-7-24

It's hard to believe Sinwar is a mastermind of anything.

Yahya Sinwar will be the new political leader of Hamas following the assassination of Ishmail Haniyeh in Tehran. Sinwar is the military leader of Hamas in Gaza and has been running the war against Israel from an underground bunker. Having spent over 20 years in Israeli jail, he speaks fluent Hebrew and was even saved by Israeli surgeons who removed his brain tumour in 2004.

This is me talking about the USSS. 8-7-24

This is the Iranian army advancing toward the Med.

DUBAI, August 7. /TASS/. The United States and the West supported the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, during their phone call.

This is the Iranian army advancing toward the Gulf of Aden.

DUBAI, August 7. /TASS/. The Houthis from Yemen's rebel Ansar Allah movement said that they have hit two US warships and a container vessel in the Red Sea. According to their statement, they conducted "a military operation against the American USS Cole destroyers in the Gulf of Aden with the use of several drones." Apart from that they hit another US destroyer, the USS Laboon with the use of ballistic missiles.

WASHINGTON, August 7. /TASS/. The United States is unable to stop Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Commander of the US Fifth Fleet Vice Admiral George Wikoff said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) (recognized as undesirable in Russia).

This is me talking about Elon Musk. 8-7-24

Musk is an example of a corrupt businessman. Because he works in management but he doesn't have a professional degree.

Born: Elon Reeve Musk
June 28, 1971 (age 53)
Education: University of Pennsylvania (BA, BS)

The name Welles is an English locational surname that originated from the village and mill of Well in Lincolnshire. The name's oldest public record is from around 1086 and it means "spring". Welles is a variant of the name Wells, which comes from the Old English word wille and the English word waella, which translates to "spring stream" or "springs".

This is me talking about Mexico. 8-7-24

During the Soviet Union, Russia had high literacy rates. In the modern age those have dropped. Can we on our own think what is Russia's overall literacy rate?

Reports about Russian immigrants in the developing world.

MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been sent an invitation to the inauguration ceremony of Mexico’s new President Claudia Sheinbaum on October 1, the Mexican Embassy in Moscow told Izvestia.

HARARE, August 7. /TASS/. Niger’s government has said that it is cutting diplomatic ties with Ukraine, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

PRETORIA, August 7. /TASS/. The Nigerian police have detained more than 90 people waving Russian flags during protest rallies underway since August 1, AFP reported citing police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

NEW DELHI, August 7. /TASS/. The Russian embassy in Dhaka dismissed plans to evacuate Russian nationals from Bangladesh.

Army stuff in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Top Russian, Jordanian diplomats call for restraint in Middle East

US increases presence in Middle East by deploying additional jets, warships "What I've been focused on is making sure that we're doing everything we can to put measures in place to protect our troops," US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said

BEIJING, August 7. /TASS/. Chinese forces have begun patrolling the waters near the disputed Huangyan (Scarborough Reef) islands in the South China Sea, the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army said.

An example of a security guard who was searched at the airport.

Huge airport scandal over Vjosa; He pointed the gun at his forehead The head of security for the President of the Assembly of North Macedonia, Afrim Gashi, pointed a gun at the forehead of a police officer who asked Vjosa Osmani to open her luggage at the airport in Skopje. The incident happened in front of witnesses - passengers and employees at the airport, and police patrols on duty also responded, Macedonian 24 Info reports. On her return from Paris, Osmani landed at the airport in Skopje, from where she was supposed to continue her journey to Pristina. In accordance with airport procedures, she was asked to open the suitcases. However, she refused and, according to the Macedonian media, brazenly and inappropriately addressed the security of the airport. After she refused to open the suitcases, she called the president of the Macedonian Parliament, Afrim Gashi, from whom she asked for help to pass without checking the luggage, writes Kosovo Online. Gashi agreed to help her and sent members of his security to the airport headed by the boss, Sabedin Sinani. Sinani and several other members of Gashi's security guard, in front of a dozen passengers, rudely and insultingly addressed the airport security and asked to let Osmani go through control, the media reported. However, after the employees refused to let Osmani go, Sinani took out a gun and pointed it at the forehead of a police officer at the airport, writes 24 info. Soon, several armed police units arrived in front of the airport's VIP entrance and pointed their weapons at Sinani. After a short drama, the incident ended, with no injuries. Skopje Airport: We are obliged to check all passengers The airport in Skopje announced regarding this incident that they have a legal obligation to perform a security check of all passengers, luggage and cargo on flights from Skopje International Airport and Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport, including passengers traveling through the VIP lounge. Although they did not mention Osmani by name in the response, the airport said that "the security department of TAV Macedonia, within its competences, carried out a standard security check of the mentioned passenger as well as his luggage at the checkpoint", reports Reporteri.net. Late last night, the MSP in Pristina also reacted, requesting official clarifications from the embassy of North Macedonia regarding the incident at the Skopje airport. Then, North Macedonian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that in this case the airport security services acted in accordance with their authority and that a standard check of her luggage was carried out at the checkpoint of the VIP lounge.

This is me talking about James Matthews. 8-6-24

Musk doesn't have a graduate degree. It would be dumb anything he says.

Elon Musk has declared that “civil war is inevitable” in Keir Starmer’s Britain. A government minister called his comments “pretty deplorable.”

This is me talking about Venice. 8-6-24

This is the flare.

Hezbollah hits Israeli air defense headquarters in Golan Heights Earlier, Hezbollah said that four field commanders had been killed in an Israeli attack on Mayfadun near Nabatiyeh and three more had been killed in a raid on the Adaysseh area

This is the message.

As for the elimination of Shukr, it said that this was a retaliation to the shelling attack on the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights that killed 12 people. Hezbollah, however, denies its involvement in the incident.

This is me talking about Jenna Bush. 8-6-24

The Russian diplomat is describing I guess sparring over the map.

WASHINGTON, August 5. /TASS/. The United States purposefully puts pressure on countries friendly to Russia by threatening them with secondary sanctions, Russian Ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov told TASS in an interview.

EU MEPs Push for Hungary's Exclusion from Schengen Over Visa Controversy

Mali Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Ukraine Over Wagner Mercenaries' Deaths Mali has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine in response to the Ukrainian government's involvement in targeting Wagner mercenaries. According to CNN, this decision follows the role of Ukrainian intelligence in the deaths of Wagner fighters.

US Personnel Injured in Rocket Attack on Iraq Base A suspected rocket attack on Monday resulted in injuries to several US personnel stationed at Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq, as reported by a Pentagon spokesperson.

Nine more refugees leave Rukban camp in Syria — Russian reconciliation center

MEXICO, August 6. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has vowed to stop using the WhatsApp messenger and switch to Telegram and WeChat.

The attacks in Yemen are probably the southern front of the conflict.

WASHINGTON, August 6. /TASS/. US intelligence expects a scenario involving two waves of attacks on Israel, the Axios portal, citing US officials.

NEW YORK, August 6. /TASS/. The US forces have destroyed five unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Houthis from the Yemen’s rebel Ansar Allah movement in one day, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

This is me talking about Jotam Confino. 8-5-24

This sounds like the good news.

The US has sent fighter jets and warships to the Middle East while Britain has said Royal Navy ships and RAF helicopters are on standby.

He's talking about lingering antisemitism. Maybe the TASS journalists are antisemitic.

Embassies Israelis, Jews and embassies abroad are considered a target as well. Israel has foiled a number of attacks in Europe and South America over the years and its embassies have been on high alert since Oct 7. In January, police removed a “dangerous object” from the embassy in Sweden, leading the Swedish prime minister to condemn “an attempted attack”.

TEL AVIV, August 6. /TASS/. The Israel Defense Forces said it killed Ali Jamal al-Din Jawad, commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit, in an air strike in southern Lebanon.

This is me talking about the Russian news service. 8-5-24

Maybe the Russians built these tunnels near Egypt. The Russian army maybe tunnels in foreign countries.

IDF uncovers Hamas-built drive-through tunnel on Gaza-Egypt border Pictures show combat vehicles can easily pass through the huge concrete-fortified underpass buried beneath the desert terrain Israel’s military has uncovered an unusually large Hamas tunnel close to the Gaza-Egypt border that appears to have been for vehicle passage. The IDF said its forces were working to dismantle the 9ft high tunnel along the Philadelphi Corridor, an Israeli codename for the strategic stretch of land seized in May 2024 that runs adjacent to the border. Photographs showed the huge concrete-fortified underpass less than 328ft from the border fence, with a combat vehicle easily passing through its high walls buried beneath the desert terrain. “At this stage, the troops are continuing with the investigation and neutralisation of the underground tunnel route, as well as other large-scale routes that were found,” the IDF said. “The IDF will thoroughly destroy all the underground infrastructure on the Philadelphi Corridor and will act with determination to prevent their formation in the future.” The force did not comment on whether the tunnel led to Egypt. However, elite units have for months been tasked with combing the landscape for smuggling routes and claiming to have demolished dozens. Since the beginning of Israel’s major offensive inside Gaza, locating and destroying Hamas’s vast warren of tunnels has been a central but elusive war aim. The network is believed to stretch for 310 miles with up to 5,700 shafts, a far higher estimate than Israel expected before Oct 7. As Israel bombarded the Strip relentlessly from above, thousands of Hamas militants buried themselves deep within the labyrinth below, dubbed Gaza’s metro. Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, is believed to still be alive “10 storeys underground”, Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, has said. Thwarting Hamas’s ability to use the tunnels has been the lynchpin in Israel’s effort to capture its top leaders and rescue the surviving hostages. But the sheer depth and scale of the iron and concrete tunnels have prevented this. They form an impossible landscape where guerilla fighting rules and booby traps, ambushes and dead ends await Israeli soldiers unaccustomed to such a dark and unfamiliar battlefield. Israeli officials now believe it could take years for its military to truly dismantle tunnels, a timeframe its military will not be allowed amid international pressure to end the nearly 10-month war, which has left more than 39,500 Palestinians dead, according to Gazan authorities. In July 2024, an IDF assessment revealed much of the tunnel network was in a “good functioning state” in many parts of Gaza, including Rafah, while tunnels in Khan Younis have already begun to be mended.

President Biden will meet with his national security team in the Situation Room Monday ahead of an anticipated Iranian attack against Israel. The meeting came a day after Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with his counterpart in Israel Sunday to reiterate U.S. support for the Jewish state as tensions escalate with Iran and its proxies, threatening a wider regional war after 10 months of fighting Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

This is me talking about the tunnels near Egypt. 8-5-24

Is the Kremlin committed that no country can be an American ally?

Orbán's new move angered everyone; "There will be appropriate consequences" European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson has warned Hungary that its decision to ease visa restrictions for Russians and Belarusians poses a potential security threat.

Blocking of Instagram in Turkiye Sparks Fears of e-Commerce Losses So far, Turkish authorities have not given a specific reason for blocking access to the social media platform, but on Wednesday, the Turkish Presidency's Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun harshly criticized the platform, saying it "does not allow people to post condolences" over the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, who was head of the Hamas Political Bureau.

MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. Issues of a soonest ceasefire in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and de-escalation of the situation in the region were the focus of a phone call between Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Badr Abdelatty of Egypt, the Russian foreign ministry said.

MOSCOW, August 3. /TASS/. The US video sharing platform YouTube has stopped playing high quality videos in almost all desktop browsers in Russia, a TASS correspondent has found out.

MOSCOW, August 2. /TASS/. Being "under the umbrella" of the United States, Israel feels impunity at the United Nations Security Council and that is an obstacle to the Gaza ceasefire, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said on the Soloviev Live television channel.

Maybe these reports about airstrikes aren't right.

TEL AVIV, August 5. /TASS/. Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck Hezbollah military facilities in southern Lebanon overnight, including a weapons storage facility, the army's press service said.

DUBAI, August 5. /TASS/. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has delivered a strike on residential areas in the northern and central parts of the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reported. According to it, Israeli fighter jets carried out air raids in central Gaza, hitting the Nuseirat refugee camp and the nearby city of Deir el-Balah. At this moment, no casualties have been reported.

TEL AVIV, August 5. /TASS/. The authorities of Israel consider launching a preemptive strike against Iran in case Tehran’s attack is imminent, the Times of Israel daily announced on Monday.

The State Department is doing a good job.

WASHINGTON, August 5. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken informed foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) that Iran and the Hezbollah movement could launch an offensive against Israel within the next 24 hours, US-based Axios news website reported citing its unnamed sources. According to a report from Axios: "Secretary of State Tony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 countries on Sunday that an attack by Iran and Hezbollah against Israel could start as early as Monday." "Blinken convened the conference call to coordinate with close US allies and try to generate last-minute diplomatic pressure on Iran and Hezbollah to minimize their retaliation as much as possible," the website stated. "He stressed that limiting the impact of their strikes is the best chance to prevent all-out war." "Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah have vowed to respond to the assassinations by Israel of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran." Axios reported citing its sources that "Blinken stressed that the United States believes Iran and Hezbollah will both retaliate." "Blinken said the US doesn't know the exact timing of the attacks but stressed it could start as early as the next 24-48 hours - meaning as early as Monday," according to the website.

This is me talking about Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. 8-5-24