I went to the Red Light district in Amsterdam once. I've also been to a similar area in Paris. Conceptually East Coast and European weird.

I think that Rosslyn building and the Govini software. I think people aren't allowed to tell Govini anything. Are intelligence officers and defense officials allowed to say stuff about their jobs to the Govini software developers? It reminds me of a Dutch weird nightclub.

This is me talking about the Chinese army. 3-12-24

Financial tools, military hardware, food stuffs, and cell phone tech tools. These are modern weapons or whatever the PLA uses against us. During the Cold War it was similar weapons.

Foreign Policy Why the U.S.-China 'Cold War' Framing Is So Dangerous Jun 7, 2023 — Many Americans remember then-President Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate, exhorting his Soviet counterpart, Mikhail Gorbachev

Brookings Should the US pursue a new Cold War with China? Sep 1, 2023 — Some have characterized the intensifying U.S.-China competition as “a new Cold War.” Is this an accurate framing for the relationship?

The Taiwan Straits Crises: 1954–55 and 1958

China experiments with modernisation: the Shenzhen special economic zone D. R. Phillips and A. G. O. Yeh Vol. 68, No. 4 (October 1983), pp. 289-300 (12 pages) Published By: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.

China’s stock valuations are ‘way too low,’ strategist says — here’s why

China Stocks Begin Witnessing Bull Markets in a Gamut of Sectors

China, Russia and Iran hold 5-day military exercise near Gulf of Oman as Red Sea attacks rise Maritime Security Belt – 2024 is second time China has conducted joint drills in Indian Ocean following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and start of Gaza war China has not officially condemned Houthi attacks but has reportedly urged Tehran to rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea

China canceled another batch of US wheat export shipments, adding to an already record number of cancellations that have weighed on Chicago futures. The US Department of Agriculture in a Monday statement said private exporters exited purchases of 264,000 metric tons of US soft red winter wheat to China. It was the third straight session with such an announcement, bringing the cancellation total to 504,000 tons, the most in USDA data going back to 1999.

Top intel agency says China used TikTok to influence U.S. elections

These are examples of different world views. Notice the Russian diplomat in London speaks French. Maybe Moscow is France and Washington is London.

Uzbekistan Introduces Military-Patriotic Classes in All Schools

LONDON, March 12. /TASS/. The Russian Embassy to the UK expects British law enforcement agencies to provide maximum security measures during voting in the Russian presidential election next Sunday, Russian Ambassador to London Andrey Kelin told TASS.

Kelin Andrei Vladimirovich On 21 November 2019 the newly appointed Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UK, Andrei Kelin, arrived in London. On 22 November, His Excellency has submitted the copy of his credentials to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and officially assumed his duties. Professional: Born on 15 May 1957. In 1979 graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University). Speaks English, Dutch and French.

Intelligence agencies: US faces "increasingly fragile world order" America is facing an "increasingly fragile world order", tense competition between great powers, transnational challenges and regional conflicts.

This is me talking about Uzbek history. 3-12-24

Reports about Bratislava and small countries in eastern Europe. Maybe weird air force stuff in those countries.

BUDAPEST, March 11. /TASS/. Slovakia will never send a single soldier to Ukraine, visiting speaker of Slovakia’s parliament Peter Pellegrini said after a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

CHISINAU, March 11. /TASS/. Moldova, a neutral state under its constitution, is being flooded with weapons amid the conflict in Ukraine to drag it into an armed provocation, Moldova’s former Deputy Foreign Minister Valeriu Ostalep said, commenting on plans to open a French defense mission in Chisinau.

These are stories about the Ukraine conflict. It seems like the Kremlin is having setbacks:

Reports have emerged indicating that the "Freedom of Russia Legion," a Russian volunteer group fighting alongside Ukraine, has initiated an attack into Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions, which share borders with Ukraine. Intense fighting has erupted along the border as the Legion, along with other volunteer battalions such as the Siberian Battalion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, presses forward.

Two oil depots in Russia are ablaze following drone attacks attributed to Ukrainian forces, as confirmed by authorities.

MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Warsaw has no plans to send troops to Ukraine, even to train Ukrainian service members, Stanislaw Wziatek, undersecretary of state at the Polish Defense Ministry, said.

BERLIN, March 11. /TASS/. Members of the Bundestag (German Parliament) Committee on supervision of intelligence agencies explained the leak of the conversation of high-ranking German officers discussing an attack on the Crimean Bridge by a "Russian operation," according to the Committee’s communique, published after the special meeting.

MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Russian air defenses have downed a Tochka U rocket and eight RM-70 Vampire MLRS missiles over the Belgorod Region, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Despite disturbing sentiments among Armenia's elites, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) hopes for the political sobriety of the country's leadership, while Yerevan still remains an ally to the organization, CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov told TASS.

Govini is a substandard software company that works within the defense apparatus.

This is me talking about Govini. 3-11-24

1) The Congress wants transparency in the defense budget. It's as though Govini doesn't want that.
2) The problem is that the defense department acts like weirdos and they become swamp and tunnel.
3) Software isn't going to fix that.
4) Also, are people allowed to tell Govini stuff?
5) Georgia Tech has questionable academic standards. Maybe they drink and lie about research findings.
6) Govini is a part of the GaTech complex in Arlington. They're far from any academic campus. They're probably even worse about drinking and lieing.
7) Hopkins has a similar setup but it's at the think tanks.

This is me talking about Arlington, VA. 3-11-24

This is me talking about the Lithuanian license plate law. 3-11-24

1) Border issues. Driving in foreign countries.
2) You wonder about drinking in the Russian navy base during Ramadan.

The first draft law seeks to increase the capacity of the Border Police by adding 1,264 staff members dedicated to safeguarding refugee centers and enhancing border security. According to Borisov and Peevski, these additional personnel are crucial to ensuring the effective operation of all structural units responsible for border control.

The catalyst for the protest stemmed from a series of recent incidents, described by Nikolov as "purely criminal," occurring in Sofia. One altercation involved Bulgarian nationals and individuals with a migrant background in a dispute over a girl on Vitosha Boulevard. Although victims were identified, no official complaint was filed. Another incident, characterized as a theft, unfolded between individuals of Syrian origin and Bulgarians, resulting in the detainment of four individuals.

VILNIUS, March 11. /TASS/. A ban on using cars with Russian license plates came into effect in Lithuania on midnight (10:00 p.m. GMT - TASS). Diplomats’ cars and automobiles transiting the Kaliningrad Region, Russia’s exclave on the Baltic Sea, were made an exception though. All the other such cars were to leave the Baltic republic, otherwise the ban required their owners to have them reregistered in Lithuania. According to Lithuania’s Customs Department, as of March 10, there remained around 50 cars with Russian license plates in the country. These cars would be seized unless they departed from the country, with their owners facing fines of 200 to 6,000 euros, the authority said. Cars transiting the Kaliningrad Region are allowed to stay on Lithuanian soil for no more than 24 hours.

Another European country enters the war? "This is important for the whole world" The Netherlands will send a frigate to the Red Sea to take part in international efforts to protect ships from airstrikes by Yemen's Houthi militants.

BERLIN, March 10. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for declaring a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during the Holy Muslim month of Ramadan, which will last this year from March 10 to April 9.

MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/. A Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) commission probing foreign interference in Russia’s internal affairs considers the call of the United States and other NATO countries to avoid travel to Russia as an attempt to hinder international election observation, Vasily Piskarev, chair of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, said.

MOSCOW, March 9. /TASS/. The US-led international coalition's aircraft violated Syria’s airspace four times in the area of al-Tanf over the past day, Vadim Kulit, the deputy chief of the Russian center for the reconciliation of conflicting parties has said.

MOSCOW, March 9. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed an order to open a Russian consulate-general in the city of Male (the Republic of Maldives), as follows from a post uploaded to the official portal of legal information.
(March 11, 2024)

This is me talking about software companies in Arlington. 3-10-24

This is me talking about how Russia is in a quagmire. 3-10-24

Are the Russians in a quagmire? Is quagmire a Dutch word?
If it is a Dutch word that seems worse.

Quagmire noun quag·​mire ˈkwag-ˌmī(-ə)r How to pronounce quagmire (audio) ˈkwäg- How to pronounce quagmire Plural quagmires Synonyms of quagmirenext 1 : soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot 2 : a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position : PREDICAMENT

This is me talking about Anthony Joshua. 3-9-24

This is me talking about the defense posture. 3-9-24

1) Defense computer stuff as it relates to China and trade. (Does that stuff work?)
2) Ken McCallum and the Treasury Department and the financial tools.
3) Election observers.
4) American cultural hegemony.

Life in jail for treason under new HK security law With a legislature dominated by the pro-Beijing camp, the bill is expected to be passed in weeks.

Ex-Google engineer charged with stealing AI secrets Linwei Ding, a Chinese national, is also accused of secretly working for competitors in China.

US issues sanctions on companies over Wagner Group links The United States unveiled sanctions Friday on two companies over their roles supporting Russian mercenaries the Wagner Group, noting that Moscow has tried to use affiliated businesses to secure revenues and further its interests in Africa. “The United States remains focused on disrupting the networks that enable Russia’s illicit and destabilizing activities in Africa,” said US Treasury Under Secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson. In a statement, the Treasury said those targeted “sought monetary gain from illicit natural resource extraction.”

After a month of uncertainty which sparked outcry at home and abroad, the country’s top constitutional body on Thursday agreed with the presidency for the vote to take place on March 24, before the end of Sall’s mandate. African Union Commission chairman, Moussa Faki Mahamat, saluted “the peaceful resolution of the institutional crisis in Senegal”. He said the decision to hold an election before Sall leaves office on April 2 “reflects the deep-rootedness and resilience of democracy in Senegal, of which Africa has always been proud”. The statement said the African Union would deploy an observation mission.

'AI plus' Chinese Premier Li Qiang put the country’s "AI plus" initiative on the map. He made it the cornerstone of the "work report" published by the NPC on Tuesday. Here again, "the contours of this concept are very vague", says Lanteigne. The main idea is to support artificial intelligence in all sectors of the economy. But how, when, and where to begin? "We'll have to wait for the details, but the ambition is clear: to make AI a driving force in the economy and boost artificial intelligence research", he says. China is far from the only country betting on AI: since the advent of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence has become the hot topic for everyone. But it’s the "plus" that is meant to distinguish China’s engagement.
(March 9, 2024)

This is me talking about Xinjiang Province. 3-8-24

Xinjiang province has a Turkic and Chinese ethnic group called the Uyghurs.
- Russian trade with China.
- Do the Russians somehow facilitate bad Chinese trade?
- Because of Central Asia.
- AI and factories and police radios.
Ken McCallum is touring the bureau field offices.
- Linguistic evidence about Russian defense stuff.

These are Russian language spellings and sounds:

Uyghurs
Yйгуров

This is a very isolated and controversial region:

The AI industry has been a topic of great concern at the ongoing "two sessions" in China. On AI-related security, NPC deputy Min Weidong said that the existing governance framework and control measures for AI still need to be improved. Min suggested that laws and ethical codes be formulated to clarify the limits and obligations of AI and AI algorithms in terms of use and application, so as to better protect the safety and interests of the public. Strengthening international cooperation and standardization is necessary to develop a set of ethical norms and a governance framework that has global consensus, he added. Zhou Hongyi, chairman of Chinese internet security firm Qihoo 360, said he is concerned about how to balance the AI and digital security.

EU closer to banning forced labour products linked to Uighurs and others

A bipartisan group of US legislators is pushing the State Department to escalate its travel advisory to Xinjiang to the highest risk level due to "ongoing crimes against humanity and genocide" and the Chinese government's promotion of tourism in the region.

'Sinicisation' of Islam 'inevitable', says top Chinese official in Xinjiang The top Communist Party official in Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province said "Sinicisation of Islam was inevitable". Ma Xingrui's remarks come six months after Xi Jingping asked officials to promote "Sinicisation of Islam" during a visit to Xinjiang.

How the bureau and the British work together:

Ways of strengthening cooperation between Morocco and the United Kingdom in counterterrorism and cross-border crimes were at the center of talks held in London by Abdellatif Hammouchi, Director-General of national police & domestic intelligence agency with several top British security chiefs. During his two-day working visit, which started Tuesday, Hammouchi met with Ken McCallum, Head of Domestic Intelligence Service (MI5) and other counterterrorism officers. Talks focused on issues of common interest and on regional and international security challenges, said a press release issued Thursday by the Moroccan National Police Directorate. At Scotland Yard HQ, Hammouchi conferred with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and with Counter-Terrorism Police Chief Sir Matt Jukes, who is also Met Police Assistant Commissioner. During the London trip, Hammouchi and his accompanying delegation visited several British security facilities, including the Met Police Command & Control Center. This visit took place within the framework of cooperation and coordination set between the two countries’ security and intelligence services to counter common threats.
(March 8, 2024)

Marko Djuric from Belgrade. This is his restaurant. Is he here?
Марко Джурич из Белграда. Это его ресторан. Он здесь?

Given the events in the Black Sea, what's going on in Belgrade and Moscow? They are regrouping because I think the Russian navy is losing the conflict.

This is a gross statement coming from the Kremlin:

LONDON, March 8. /TASS/. The UK Foreign Office will begin the procedure for approving the candidacy of ex-commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny as Ukraine's ambassador to London, a source in the UK Foreign Office told TASS.

MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/. Russia cares little about Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to appoint former Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny the country’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS. "No. We don’t care," he said answering a corresponding question.

Maybe the drones are causing air pollution:

Sofia's Air Pollution Crisis: High Nitrous Oxide Levels Detected Recent research conducted by the ecological association "For the Earth" has shed light on concerning levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in Sofia, primarily attributed to traffic emissions. The study, conducted across various locations in the capital, has uncovered stark disparities between the association's findings and those of official monitoring stations managed by the Executive Agency "Environment."

Odesa Hit in Another Drone Attack Odesa was hit in another drone attack. The alert sounded at 10.30 pm local time.. Regional authorities said that drones were on a trajectory to Zatoka, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi region. At about 11.30 pm there were Telegram reports that a group of drones were nearing Odesa. At around 11.15 loud explosions were heard in Odesa. Drones fly from the Black Sea to Odesa, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, and Chornomorsk.

Other news about military issues:

CHISINAU, March 7. /TASS/. Moscow is interested in friendly relations with Chisinau, while Moldovan President Maia Sandu wants to break them off and drag the country into a war, Head of Gagauzia Evghenia Gutul said.

Vučić: Magnificent news for Serbia President Aleksandar Vučić announced that Serbia will chair the Global Partnership for Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) for the next three years.

LONDON, March 8. /TASS/. The UK Ministry of Defense plans to allocate an additional 125 mln pounds ($160 mln) for the purchase of drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

GENEVA, March 7. /TASS/. The upper house of Swiss parliament has voted 21-19 with three abstentions to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. According to the parliament press service, the decision was initiated by all parliamentary groups with the exception of the country’s largest political force, the right-wing conservative People’s Party which is part of the coalition government.

GENEVA, March 8. /TASS/. The Russian Embassy is studying the decision of the Council of States, the small chamber of the Swiss parliament, which called on the government on March 7 to consider confiscating Russian assets frozen in the country and transferring them to Ukraine, Russian Ambassador to Switzerland Sergey Garmonin said in an interview with TASS. He emphasized that, in any event, such confiscation would be considered illegal.
(March 8, 2024)

1) The software companies in Arlington seem to be specifically oriented toward Beijing.
2) There is a relationship between healthy economic indicators and effective army technology.
3) We have a diversity right now in funding for defense.

This is me talking about software companies in Arlington. 3-7-24

This is me talking more about the Black Sea. 3-7-24

1) The Russians started firing drones at Odessa. It seems like not a mature response. Also, notice this Moldovan document about weaponry balance theory.
2) Do the Russians tell each other they have historical claims to lands outside of Russia? Supposedly this 1421 book is completely fiction.

MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Ukrainian media outlets have published a video excerpt from President Vladimir Zelensky’s press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Odessa after reports about a powerful explosion in the city during their visit.

MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Russian forces have delivered a high-precision missile strike on a warehouse in a port district of Odessa that was used by Ukraine to prepare attacks by sea drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

German Experts Confirm High Nitrogen Dioxide Pollution in Sofia

EPP President: We want to see Bulgaria and Romania in Schengen as soon as possible

Refugee employment platform in operation in Bulgaria

CHISINAU, March 6. /TASS/. The Moldovan government will send a draft resolution on the suspension of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE Treaty) to parliament for approval. The CFE Treaty was signed in 1990 and adapted in 1997. The NATO countries have not ratified the adapted version of the document, continuing to adhere to the 1990 provisions, which sets caps on conventional weapons based on the balance of force that had existed between the alliance and the long-disbanded Warsaw Treaty Organization.

"1421: The Year China Discovered America" Gavin Menzies

BEIJING, March 7. /TASS/. China will defend its rights and take measures to respond to false flag operations in the South China Sea, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a news conference on the sidelines of the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress of China. For several decades Beijing has been at odds with some countries over the territorial affiliation of certain islands in the South China Sea, where significant offshore hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered. First and foremost, this concerns the archipelagos of Xisha (Paracel Islands), Nansha (Spratlys) and Huangyan (Scarborough Reef). Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines are involved in these disputes. In recent years, the rifts have been eased somewhat through multilateral efforts, including China-ASEAN engagement.

WASHINGTON, March 7. /TASS/. The True Confidence bulk tanker that was attacked by the Houthis from the Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah was not a US ship, the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told a regular briefing for journalists on Wednesday.

LONDON, March 7. /TASS/. The United Kingdom is involved in the conflict in Ukraine, perhaps more than any other NATO member state, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin told TASS. "There are UK servicemen in Ukraine. The presence of special forces there, instructors who, for example, train Ukrainian military medics, has been officially confirmed. We know that these instructors also train special forces and a number of other units. It is also very clear that the launching of long-range Storm Shadow missiles necessarily requires the participation of specialists, and only the British can play this role, because this is a very sophisticated technology, and it is impossible to imagine that the Ukrainian military can operate it. Or they will have to undergo very long special training, which is unrealistic," the ambassador said. "Therefore, we can clearly say that the UK is deeply involved in the Ukrainian conflict, perhaps even more than the rest of the NATO member states," Kelin pointed out.

MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Russia and Nigeria intend to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector and agriculture, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following negotiations with Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar.

BERLIN, March 6. /TASS/. The German economy was in recession at the end of 2023, whereas the Russian economy, despite sanctions, grew strongly, with Russian GDP exceeding German GDP in terms of purchasing power parity, Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechaev told TASS.
(March 7, 2024)

These are different reports about Russian defense positions.

WASHINGTON, March 6. /TASS/. The US Department of Defense registers a serious increase in the number of Russian vessels going through the Bering Strait, which the Pentagon believes is connected with sanctions against Moscow, US Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier told a conference.

DUBAI, March 6. /TASS/. The Yemeni Houthi rebels attacked two US destroyers in the Red Sea, Houthi Military Spokesman Yahya Saree said.

MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. The US-led coalition’s aircraft violated Syria’s airspace ten times during the past day, Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Tuesday.

It's strange the Russians are telling the British and the Americans they cannot be where they are. The British in the Black Sea and the Americans in Syria. Notice this description of agricultural exports.

The 2021 Black Sea incident was a diplomatic incident between Russia and the United Kingdom involving the British destroyer HMS Defender while it transited…

Jan 2, 2024 — Turkey said on Tuesday it would not allow two minehunter ships donated to Ukraine by Britain to transit its waters en route to the Black Sea….

An alert was issued in Odesa at 10:33 p.m. on Tuesday. Local authorities are urging residents of the Ukrainian Black Sea city and region to hide in bomb shelters. According to information from local channels on Telegram, drones are flying from the Black Sea waters in the direction of Odesa. The Bulgarian community in the Odesa region is the third largest and numbers more than 150,000 people according to the official 2001 census in Ukraine. About 50-60 thousand Bulgarians live in Odessa. The largest compact Bulgarian population is concentrated in the Bolgrad, Izmail and Belgoroddniestrovsky regions.

Ukraine is willing to accept limitations on its trade with the EU as a means to resolve a contentious political disagreement with Poland, according to the Ukrainian trade minister, reported by the Financial Times. Taras Kachka stated to the Financial Times that Kyiv supports implementing new restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural imports. However, Ukraine is also urging the EU to prohibit Russian grain imports, which continue to enter the bloc via Belarus and the Baltics.

This is me talking about the Black Sea. 3-6-24

This is me talking about Russian linguistics. 3-5-24

1) Are the Russians to blame for an increase in Chinese defense spending, and these attacks off the Yemeni coast? It speaks to a misuse of Russian navy ships.
2) Examples of British and American arms cooperation.

This is me talking about the Russian navy in the Black Sea. 3-5-24

Reports about problems in Russia:

MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. Western ambassadors to Moscow have been staging "performances" as part of their agenda of interfering in Russia’s internal affairs, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on a broadcast of the Soloviev Live TV show.

LONDON, March 4. /TASS/. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency has reported a new attack on a ship off the Yemeni coast.

BEIJING, March 5. /TASS/. The difficult situation in the international arena justifies China’s continuously growing defense spending, Qian Feng, expert of the National Strategic Institute of Tsinghua University and senior researcher at the Taihe Institute, told TASS.

British and American defense cooperation examples:

Bulgarian Armored Personnel Carriers Bound for Ukraine Depart After Lengthy Delay After more than three months of deliberation and logistical challenges, the Bulgarian parliament's decision to donate armored vehicles to Ukraine is finally seeing fruition as the equipment is loaded onto a train bound for Kyiv. This development comes amidst growing impatience and calls for accountability over the delayed transfer of the armored vehicles. Photos published by "Sega" from the railway station in Novi Iskar depict the process of transferring the armored vehicles from trucks to wagons, marking a significant step forward in the donation process. The delay in the transfer has sparked criticism, with demands for the resignation of Defense Minister Todor Tagarev from parties such as GERB and DPS.

Countering Migrant Smuggling Networks Requires Enhanced Cooperation between Countries, Interior Minister Says Speaking at a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council here on Tuesday, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov said that preparations for implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum, strengthening of national asylum and return systems, the timely launch of the Entry/Exit system and the full operationalization of Frontex are priorities for Bulgaria.

WASHINGTON, March 5. /TASS/. The US authorities have detained a civilian employee of the US Air Force on charges of revealing classified data on Russia and Ukraine on an online dating platform, the US Department of Justice said in a press release.

Notice this was at night at it was at the Russian de facto base in the Black Sea:

Crimea in flames; Fierce attack on Russians, "Sergei Kotov" sunk, Su-24 downed VIDEO Ukrainian Military Intelligence Agency (GUR) carried out an attack on Russian Black Sea Fleet. Russian Navy ship "Sergei Kotov", worth USD 65 million, destroyed As reported by Kyiv Independent, fierce attacks on Crimea, where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed, were carried out during the night, and that report was accompanied by information about several explosions that reverberated on that occupied peninsula. According to Ukrainian media reports, due to the heavy attacks, all lighting on the Crimean Bridge was turned off, which was immediately closed. "Segei Kotov", a Russian military patrol ship worth about 65 million dollars, was reportedly hit by several Ukrainian drones. The operation to attack Crimea was carried out, GUR said, in cooperation with the Ukrainian naval forces and the Ministry of Technology. The fact that Crimea was the scene of fierce conflicts last night is also shown by the data shared by the Russian Ministry of Defense, which stated that Russian air defense systems shot down as many as 38 enemy drones. For now, the Russian side claims that it shot down the Ukrainian Su-24, as well as that the Ukrainian army, tried to launch an attack on Crimea, which Putin annexed back in 2014. According to specialized telegram channels, 6 Su-24 bombers and three MiG-29 fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine participated in the Ukrainian attack. In the first wave, ADM-160 MALD decoy missiles were launched in order to distract the air defense system, after which Storm shadow/SCALP-AG cruise missiles were launched. As reported by the Russian Telegram channel Novosti, the attack was coordinated by a NATO reconnaissance plane. The American RQ-4 "Global Hawk" drone was operating over the Black Sea, and the Boeing P-8A "Poseidon" type AWACS aircraft was circling near the eastern coast of Romania. According to military correspondents, a Ukrainian Su-24 bomber was shot down while repelling an attempted missile attack on Crimea.

Another One: Ukrainian Naval Drones Sink Russian Warship in Crimea! The party has started in Crimea as explosions rocked the region overnight, targeting the military ship "Sergey Kotov," resulting in its sinking, according to reports from Unian. The fate of the crew remains uncertain as authorities continue to assess the situation in the aftermath of the attack. The assault, believed to be orchestrated by sea drones, adds to the continued trend of Russian warships' destruction. Eyewitnesses in occupied Kerch reported hearing powerful explosions, with the reverberations echoing across different parts of the city. Reports suggest that the blasts occurred around 11:30 p.m., followed by the abrupt blockage of traffic on the Crimean bridge just five minutes later. Russian authorities are yet to release an official statement regarding the incident, leaving many questions unanswered. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office wasted no time in condemning the presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukrainian Crimea, asserting that it symbolizes occupation. This recent attack follows a similar incident in February, where Ukrainian armed forces claimed responsibility for sinking a Russian amphibious assault ship near Crimea using naval drones. The recurrence of such confrontations underscores the volatile nature of the region and the ongoing struggle for control.

Russian Forces Halted Near Avdiivka For Now Ukrainian forces have managed to halt the advance of Russian troops near the eastern town of Avdiivka. However, reports indicate that Moscow's forces are regrouping in another area south of the city, signaling potential further escalation in the region. According to statements from Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy, cited by Reuters, the capture of Avdiivka by Russia last month provided Moscow with a strategic buffer zone in the Donetsk region, extending approximately 20 kilometers to the east. This capture prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to assert that Moscow's forces would continue their advance. Despite Ukrainian forces managing to halt the Russian advance near Avdiivka, recent reports from the Russian Defense Ministry claim that new villages near the area have been captured by their forces. Lykhoviy acknowledged that Russian troops have gained partial control over two additional villages, but emphasized that their advancement has been effectively stopped. Lykhoviy further revealed that Russian forces are concentrating their efforts further south, particularly around the village of Novomykhaylovka. It is reported that reinforcements are being transferred from distant regions of Russia to bolster the Russian presence in this area. Despite this, Lykhoviy asserted that Ukrainian defenses remain steadfast, with Ukrainian troops successfully repelling numerous attacks. Recent observations suggest an increase in military activity in the region, with 30 reported attacks occurring in the vicinity on a single Sunday, compared to 20 near Avdiivka. However, Lykhoviy maintained that despite intensified efforts from the Russian side, Ukrainian defenses remain resilient, preventing any significant progress by the opposing forces.
(March 5, 2024)

1) The extent to which eastern bloc types fly to Mexico.
2) For years now the Russians have been complaining about chemical munitions in Syria. Now it's in Ukraine. It's an image of Russian guys sitting in their Latakia navy base complaining about stuff.

Today, 74 Uzbeks who entered the USA illegally were sent back to Uzbekistan. They arrived at Tashkent International Airport, where UzReport TV's creative team welcomed them. Most of these individuals crossed into the USA via Mexico, while some traveled through other countries, facing numerous challenges along the way.

MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. The chemical warfare agent found during the prevention of a terrorist attack in the Zaporozhye Region has turned out to be close to BZ (NATO code), the chief of Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological protection forces Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov said on the TV channel Rossiya-24. Some components used in its manufacture were seized, too, he added.

This is me talking about the German audio recording. 3-4-24

This might be a hoax because it's an audio recording. Also, maybe it's a satire about the Kremlin and Cold War nostalgia. You wonder about the Chinese border, etc.

Germany has launched an investigation into the leak of a confidential conversation among senior military officials discussing weapons for Ukraine, revealed in an audio recording released by Russian media. The leaked conference call has raised concerns about possible espionage activities in Germany and prompted calls for clarification from Russia. According to Reuters, the incident has prompted Germany's defense ministry to initiate an investigation, with the country's counterintelligence service looking into the matter. While the authenticity of the recording remains unconfirmed, German officials have pledged to take all necessary measures to address the situation. The audio recording, first broadcast by Russian journalist and RT state television editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, has sparked widespread interest. Although Reuters listened to the 38-minute recording, independent verification of its authenticity has not been achieved. In the conversation, participants discuss the potential supply of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, a proposition that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has publicly opposed. Other topics include the training of Ukrainian soldiers and potential military strategies. Despite inquiries from Reuters, the Russian embassy in Berlin has not responded to requests for comment on the allegations of espionage. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has addressed the issue, claiming that the leaked recording reveals "devious plans of the Bundeswehr," referring to the German armed forces. German lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter expressed his belief in the authenticity of the reports, highlighting Russia's use of espionage and sabotage as part of hybrid warfare strategies. He suggested that more leaked information could be used to influence decision-making processes and manipulate individuals.

Germany spills British military secrets to Russia The head of the Luftwaffe told air force officers and a general who dialled in from his hotel room how British and French officials were delivering Storm Shadows to Ukrainian soldiers. He also said British troops were “on the ground”, a highly sensitive detail that has already caused division and infighting among Nato allies.

The extent to which the Kremlin wants to network with Central Asia and China. Do they want a bipolar world order? I'm alright with Pax Romana.

This is me talking about the bipolar world order. 3-3-24

Are there Russian defensive positions in the Arabian Peninsula?
What about what Grant Shapps is saying about the Houthis and the Yemenis?
Aren't they firing at the Royal Navy?
Maybe Russia v England happens on the hockey ice.
The Canadians play hockey.
Last week the Slovak defenseman got injured up in Montreal.

To compare Ukraine to the invasion of Czechoslovakia.
That might have been a defeat for the Red Army.
Because didn't they have to retreat?

It came with three things then as now.
1) To do these invasions they rally people around bad ideologies.
2) A drop in consumer life for example maybe they'll close down the gyms.
3) Weird people working at the Kremlin.

This is me talking about Martin Fehervary. 3-2-24

This is me talking about a Russian army phrase. 3-2-24

The French are saying now is Post-Soviet Ukraine. What does that mean for us? That Soviet guys are still working in government. 1) Reports about factories in Burma, and 2) obesity statistics maybe because of food stuffs trading.

More than 1 billion people worldwide are suffering from obesity, WHO study finds More than one billion people around the world are now suffering from obesity with the number having more than quadrupled since 1990, according to a study released by the Lancet medical journal.

China repatriates hundreds of scam factory workers from Myanmar 18 hours ago BBC News, Bangkok

Abjice in Latin is throw away. The French are saying a Russian army phrase. Maybe some of those guys over there are kind of crude. Cвоих не бросаем. Weird phrase that sounds like brothers.

This is me talking about 'Another Ukraine'. 3-2-24

Viktor Medvedchuk fits this description. He's 70 years old and he was born in Siberia. Notice the method his think tank uses. Maybe we have advice or comments for the South African election team.

Every day, new phrases hammer home messages from Another Ukraine, a Russian-language portal launched in the summer of 2023: “Russia is Ukraine’s only salvation,” “They wanted NATO and are ready to die for Western interests.” The news is uniformly negative. The project is officially led by Viktor Medvedchuk, a leading figure pushing pro-Kremlin interests in post-Soviet Ukraine, but it is orchestrated behind the scenes by Ilya Gambashidze’s Social Design Agency, a Russian IT company closely linked to the Kremlin whose digital disinformation campaigns are now targeting international opinion. The eventual recapture of the man branded a “traitor” in Ukraine caused a sensation: dressed in camouflage clothing, disheveled and weak, Medvedchuk's release from jail was eventually granted in September 2022 when he was included in a prisoner exchange. Kyiv saw the release of 215 soldiers, including 108 from the Azov regiment captured in Mariupol, while 55 Russians were also freed. The transaction was unbalanced, but as they say in Russia, “Svoïkh nie brossaïem”: We don’t abandon our own. Another Ukraine is the latest outlet for Medvedchuk’s ambitions. Officially, it is a public organisation located in central Moscow, a few metres from the ministry of foreign affairs. It specialises in targeted information, which it uses to try “to interact with Ukrainians with pro-Russia convictions, inside Ukraine and beyond its borders”, according to Savchuk. Another Ukraine's team is composed of journalists and commentators from the 112 Ukraine channel, banned in 2021 by the authorities in Kyiv, as well as disgraced political figures and “political technologists” – a Russian term for those engaged in political manipulation. Almost all are accused in Ukraine of separatism or treason. The nature of the project remains nebulous: Another Ukraine defines itself as a “movement” with Medvedchuk as “chairman of the council”. “It seems to me that they, themselves, do not know exactly what its true purpose is,” Savchuk noted. On the Another Ukraine website, the oligarch regularly publishes posts on Ukrainian domestic politics, the conduct of the war, and the need for an entente with Russia. However, “Medvedchuk is just the public face of this project,” said Anton Shekhovtsov, director of the Centre for Democratic Integrity in Austria. Shekhovtsov said its communications strategy was entrusted to the Social Design Agency led by Gambashidze, one of the key figures of Russian disinformation campaigns targeting an international audience. Testing storylines Another Ukraine aims to appeal to that part of the Ukrainian population favourable to Russia and establish a connection with it, according to Shekhovtsov. One method involves taking the pulse of this population and measuring its reaction to various narratives. The project uses the image of the Bohdan Khmelnytsky (1595-1657) monument in central Kyiv, a symbolic choice given the dual legacy of the Cossack leader: While some consider him a symbol of the Ukrainian state, Another Ukraine lauds him for seeking protection from Moscow.

This is me talking about South Kensington. 3-1-24

Both of these are probably not true. That's not a nice neighborhood. Also, how does Admiral Kulit know the warplanes aren't authorized?
It seems like the Kremlin wants a simple foreign policy. Maybe if the group provides them with itemized lists of complaints.

1) Huge fire in London: More than 100 people evacuated, some injured PHOTO/VIDEO Eleven people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a building in the luxury London neighborhood of South Kensington, in south-west London.

2) MOSCOW, February 29. /TASS/. Aircraft belonging to the US-led antiterrorism coalition made six unauthorized incursions into Syria’s airspace over the al-Tanf area in the past 24 hours, Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, said. "Six violations by the coalition’s pair of Typhoon fighter jets, pair of F-16 fighter jets and pair of A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft were recorded in the al-Tanf area over the past 24 hours," Kulit said during a briefing. Two shelling attacks by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia) against the Syrian government forces’ positions were recorded in the Idlib province in the past day.

Are there legitimate complaints here? The French talking about Moldova. Ukrainian immigrants. I wish they would have buried the plane victims near the plane crash. Does Russia want it to be Kremlin vs the world? Maybe some of these German complaints are legitimate.

Amid tensions in Moldova, French diplomacy has raised concerns over what it perceives as Moscow's involvement in "attempts to destabilize" the country. Pro-Russian separatists from Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova, have reportedly sought assistance from Moscow, prompting speculation about Russia's role in the unfolding situation, AFP reported. A spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry highlighted Moldova's vulnerability to aggressive destabilization tactics, which are believed to be orchestrated by Moscow.

Amidst the war between Russia and Ukraine, a glimmer of potential cooperation emerges as Russia announces its readiness to hand over the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers who perished in a tragic plane crash. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova made the announcement today, as reported by RIA and Reuters.

Bulgaria has extended the term of temporary protection for individuals from Ukraine. Decision No. 54, issued by the Council of Ministers on January 25, 2024, prolongs the period during which Ukrainian citizens can find employment opportunities in the country with relative ease.

WASHINGTON, February 29. /TASS/. If Ukraine falls, Russia and NATO could come into a direct military conflict, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the House Armed Services Committee. He said Russian leadership "won’t stop there" if Ukraine is defeated. "Quite frankly, if Ukraine falls, I really believe that NATO will be in a fight with Russia," Austin said in a hearing dedicated to his hospitalization in January.

BERLIN, February 29. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ruled out the dispatch of German military and NATO troops to Ukraine. "We will not allow an escalation of war, that is a war between Russia and NATO," Scholz said as he met with local residents in Dresden. "As I have just said again, and made clear from the very beginning: there will be no German military or NATO soldiers on Ukrainian soil, because otherwise it would entail such a danger," he emphasized.

BERLIN, March 1. /TASS/. Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reiterated that he objects to providing Ukraine with the Taurus long-range cruise missiles, since if the missiles are not programed properly, they could hit targets in Moscow. "[The Taurus missiles] have a range of 500 kilometers, and if used incorrectly, they can hit a designated target somewhere in Moscow," Scholz told members of the public in Dresden. The meeting was broadcast on the German government’s website.
(March 1, 2024)

This is me talking about Martin Fehervary. 2-29-24

Locally, Capitol One the bank seems to be successful. And notice the Treasury Department and the Pentagon are working together. Maybe Fehervary doesn't have what it takes to cut it in the NHL.

In February 2024, the US Treasury sanctioned Russia's National Payment Card System (NSPK), which operates the Mir payment system.

U.S. military officials said Thursday that they suspect Russian hackers infiltrated an unclassified Pentagon e-mail system used by employees of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the latest in a series of state-sponsored attacks on sensitive U.S. government computer networks.

Pentagon officials were hanging on to every word as Matthew Knight, OpenAI’s head of security, explained how the latest version of ChatGPT had succeeded in deciphering cryptic conversations within a Russian hacking group, a task that human analysts had found challenging.

Feb 21, 2024 — Capital One's recently announced $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover Financial is a bid to protect itself against a rising tide of fintech…

Fehervary Listed As Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury; How Capitals Fill The Void

This is me talking about Belgrade. 2-29-24

1) Complaints about Russia and Chinese trade.
2) The areas near Russia, how they contribute to Chinese trade.
3) Russian foreign policy examples.
4) Reports from Belgrade and Sofia.

SYDNEY, February 29. /TASS/. New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced a new package of anti-Russian sanctions. According to the document posted on the website of the country’s government, the sanctions will cover prices on Russian oil and exports of some commodity to Russia and Belarus via third countries. The package also includes restrictions against Russian individuals and companies.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has joined the debate over the possibility of sending ground troops to Ukraine, stating that Western leaders should not dismiss the option. Kallas' comments come in the wake of French President Emmanuel Macron's recent controversial suggestion, which sparked widespread discussion among allied governments.

MOSCOW, February 29. /TASS/. The US-led coalition’s aircraft violated Syria’s airspace six times during the past day, Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Wednesday. "Aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorist coalition led by the United States continues to create dangerous situation that may cause air accident or incidents and escalate the situation in Syria’s airspace," he said. "A pair of the coalition’s F-16 fighter jets and two pairs of A-10 Thunderbolt attack bombers violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area, across which international air routes run, six times during the day."

Russian peacekeepers were deployed to the zone of combat operations in Transnistria in late July of 1992 under an agreement on peaceful settlement of the armed conflict in Moldova’s Transnistrian region. The move helped stop the confrontation between the Moldovan police and Transnistrian militias. Currently, peace in the region is being maintained by Russian, Moldovan, and Transnistrian peacekeepers, and a team of Ukrainian military observers. Apart from that, the Russian military is tasked to ensure the security of depots in Cobasna that hold more than 20,000 tons of munitions that were put in storage there after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from European countries. A weapons and munitions withdrawal and disposal campaign started in 2001, but in 2004 the Transnistrian authorities cut it short following a deterioration in relations with Moldova.

YEREVAN, February 28. /TASS/. Yerevan never expected the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to intervene in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict as it was expecting the organization to come up with its political stance regarding the conflict, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Wednesday.

BELGRADE, February 28. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who will take part in the Ukraine-Southeastern Europe summit in Tirana, Albania, will demand that the participants exclude those clauses from the final document that explicitly state the need to further counter Russia, the Vecernje Novosti newspaper reported. Specifically, according to the newspaper, the Serbian president will insist on striking a paragraph containing anti-Russian sanctions from the final document, as well as the section of the draft declaration stating that Russia exerts a negative influence on the countries of the region.

HAVANA, February 29. /TASS/. Secretary of the Russian Security Council Niikolay Patrushev on Wednesday met with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to discuss issues of cooperation between the two countries’ law enforcement agencies and economy ministries, the press service of the Russian Security Council said.

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Chad is not undergoing a coup, but government forces will block entrances to some important buildings, Chadian Ambassador to Russia Adam Bechir told TASS.

Vučić met with Zelensky: I thanked him for respecting territorial integrity of Serbia

Another Bulgarian national has been apprehended in the United Kingdom on allegations of espionage for Russia. The court in London has determined that 38-year-old Tihomir Ivanchev will remain in custody indefinitely, joining five other compatriots who have been detained for espionage-related offenses for over a year. Ivanchev, a former competitive swimmer in Bulgaria approximately 15 years ago, transitioned to running his own business in the UK, specializing in repair and painting services. Despite his athletic background, Ivanchev's activities have taken a stark turn, leading to his involvement in espionage accusations. Of particular interest to investigators is Ivanchev's connection to another detainee, Vanya Gaberova, with whom he shared a close friendship. Notably, Ivanchev's company headquarters were in close proximity to Gaberova's hair salon, and the two were reportedly registered at the same address for a period of time. Authorities have revealed that Ivanchev was tasked with surveillance activities involving individuals in Austria and Montenegro. However, the exact extent of his involvement in the espionage network remains unclear. The Crown Prosecution Service in the UK has affirmed its commitment to identifying and prosecuting all individuals linked to the spy ring. The espionage operation, led by 46-year-old Orlin Rusev, reportedly received directives from Jan Marsalek, a figure notorious for his involvement in one of Germany's largest financial fraud cases. While Ivanchev's role within the network is yet to be fully elucidated, his arrest underscores the ongoing threat posed by foreign espionage activities on UK soil. As investigations continue, authorities are intensifying efforts to dismantle the spy network and ensure national security against external threats.
(February 29, 2024)

This is me talking about election indicators. 2-28-24

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. More than 3.1 mln Russian citizens have filed applications to vote online in next month’s presidential election, according to Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairperson Ella Pamfilova.

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Russia's Central Election Commission will make public the results of the March 17 presidential election no later than March 28, the commission's deputy chairman Nikolay Bulayev has said.

The election is March 15-17.
The results will be announced within ten days.
Three days to vote and ten days to count.
Who is eligible to vote?
Voter registration rates.
Voter turnout.
Will voter turnout in Russia be high or low this year?
Online or paper ballots.
What if the ballots indicate one candidate and the Kremlin announces another?

This is me talking about Cape Town. 2-28-24

1) A report about the Tashkent stock exchange.
2) I guess the Russian navy is firing drones from their ships in the Black Sea.
3) Are the Russians misusing their ports in the Baltic Sea?
4) The Ukrainians are commenting on Russian domestic policy.

The stock market in Uzbekistan experienced a decline last week. Out of the 28 highly liquid shares at the Republican Stock Exchange "Toshkent," 19 of them saw a decrease in price.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Faces Calls for Resignation Amid Controversy Over Military Aid to Ukraine The leaders of GERB Boyko Borissov and DPS Delyan Peevski demanded the replacement of the Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev. The reason - is the delay in delivery of the armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.

Drones Strike Odesa from Black Sea, Ukrainian Troops Withdraw from Villages Odesa, a key Ukrainian city, came under attack late last night as drones launched strikes from the Black Sea. Reports from international agencies detailed the ominous sound of explosions echoing across different parts of the city. At 21:25 local time, air raid sirens pierced the night, prompting city and regional authorities to urgently advise residents of Odesa and surrounding areas to seek shelter until the air threat was deemed clear.

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on social media threats by Lithuanian Ambassador to Sweden Linas Linkevicius to "neutralize Kaliningrad," asserted that the region will always remain an integral part of Russia.

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Statements by Lithuanian Ambassador to Sweden Linas Linkevicius about the "neutralization" of Russia’s westernmost Kaliningrad Region, while clearly aimed at boosting the Kiev regime, appear to be nothing but a farce, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik radio.

PARIS, February 27. /TASS/. French Air Force jets escorted a Russian Il-20 plane near the Estonian border, the General Staff of the French Armed Forces said.

VILNIUS, February 27. /TASS/. NATO could send training missions to Ukraine, rather than troops, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. The Ukrainian Presidential Committee on Intelligence expects that an attempt to overthrow the Zelensky government could be made this spring.
(February 28, 2024)

Given this...does that seem feasible.

This is me talking more about the Russian elections in March. 2-27-24

This is me talking about the Russian elections in March. 2-27-24

1) The paradox. If Russia will have legitimate elections given their foreign policy. The BRICS lineup. Energy exports to Central Asia. Uzbek tech anecdotes. Criminals and defense people in the Middle East.
2) An argument for a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Russian foreign policy:

During the visit of the Samarkand region delegation to Philadelphia, a meeting was held with the management of EPAM Systems, led by the Uzbekistan Ambassador to the USA. They discussed cooperation prospects and proposed establishing a company office in the region for teaching industry knowledge and exporting IT services.

Turkish Citizen Charged for Undeclared Currency worth Nearly BGN 300,000 at Kapitan Andreevo Border Checkpoint Undeclared currency worth BGN 299,241 was discovered by customs officials at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, the press center of the customs in Svilengrad reported. The prosecution service in Svilengrad charged M.M. (45 years old), a Turkish citizen, in a fast-track proceeding for failure to fulfill his obligation to declare in writing the transfer of the funds, the prosecution press centre said. On February 23, a truck with Turkish registration, driven by M.M., arrived at the exit point. The truck was traveling from the Netherlands to Iraq via Bulgaria and Turkiye. During a thorough customs inspection of the vehicle , customs officers discovered the undeclared cash in the refrigeration unit of the semi-trailer. The fast-track investigation is still ongoing, added the prosecution service. Customs statistics show that last year at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, foreign currency worth nearly BGN 27 million was confiscated. Euros, dollars and British pounds were most common.

To address increased domestic demand and facilitate refinery maintenance, Russia has announced a six-month ban on gasoline exports starting from March 1, as reported by Reuters. The ban, first reported by RBC and confirmed by a spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, aims to alleviate rising prices and shortages in the domestic market. Similar bans were imposed in September and November of the previous year to mitigate these challenges. During the ban, exports will be prohibited to all countries except for Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. Notably, member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), including Mongolia and Uzbekistan, will be exempt from the restriction. Additionally, the ban will not apply to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway republics in Georgia supported by the Kremlin.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Twenty-five countries are currently on the waitlist to join BRICS, with new members expected to be ushered into the association at the summit in Kazan, South Africa’s Ambassador to Russia Mzuvukile Geoff Maqetuka told TASS.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. The South African authorities won’t be able to ensure the security of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the republic due to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the head of Russia’s state, South African Ambassador to Russia Mzuvukile Jeff Maqetuka told TASS.

An argument for a ceasefire in Ukraine:

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Russian artillery strikes hit Ukrainian intelligence agents in Kherson, a member of the pro-Russian underground in the city told TASS.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has foiled a planned terrorist attack in the Zaporozhye Region that Ukrainian intelligence agencies were preparing to carry out using a chemical warfare agent, the FSB said in a statement.
(February 27, 2024)

This is me talking about the Russian news service. 2-26-24

1) Like William said. There should be a ceasefire in Tel Aviv, Kiev, and Kosovo. Because these are prolonged conflicts. They aren't popular. Here are examples of bad defense spending and bad government. Also, there might be a fallacy that the Kremlin can maintain government standards during wartime.
2) Is the TASS news service allowed to tell people that?
3) A report about Russians entering into the United States from Mexico.

Examples of bad defense spending and bad government:

Turkish Military Personnel, Equipment to Use Republican Roads En Route to Kosovo Turkish military personnel and equipment will use Bulgaria's republican road infrastructure between February 27 and 28 en route to Kosovo to take part in NATO's KFOR mission. The vehicles will be escorted by Military Police teams, the Defence Ministry reported Friday. The contingent is part of the rotation in the zone of the operation.

Russian Soldiers Execute Ukrainian Prisoners Near Bakhmut Reports have surfaced indicating that Russian soldiers executed seven Ukrainian prisoners of war near Bakhmut, according to statements from Ukrainian authorities cited by DPA. The incident, labeled as a war crime by Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets, occurred on Saturday in the vicinity of Bakhmut, a town in the eastern part of the Donbas region.

Exodus: Surge in Russian Asylum Seekers Floods South Korea The influx of Russian asylum seekers into South Korea has skyrocketed, with authorities reporting an unprecedented surge in applications last year, according to CNN. The Korean Immigration Service revealed a staggering fivefold increase in Russian nationals seeking asylum in South Korea in 2023, totaling 5,750 applicants, a stark rise from the 1,038 applicants recorded in 2022. Similar stories have been reported elsewhere; data from United States border authorities showed the number of Russian citizens they encountered surged after Moscow imposed the military draft in September 2022. From October 2022 to February 2023, nearly 22,000 Russians tried to enter the US through the country's southern border, according to data from US Customs and Border Protection.

Foreign Minister Gabriel Received in Audience by King Abdullah II of Jordan

NEW YORK, February 26. /TASS/. The Yemen-based Houthi rebels from the Ansar Allah movement attempted to attack a US chemical and oil product tanker in the Gulf of Aden twice in one day.

DUBAI, February 26. /TASS/. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has opened fire on civilians waiting in line for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip killing ten people, Palestine’s WAFA news agency said.

NEW YORK, February 26. /TASS/. Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power will visit Israel, the West Bank and Jordan this week, CNN said, citing sources.

MINSK, February 26. /TASS/. Elections to the lower house of the Belarusian parliament have concluded, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Igor Karpenko said.

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Head of the internationally-recognized Yemeni government Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak will arrive in Moscow to hold meetings with Russian officials, Yemen’s embassy in Russia told TASS on Monday.

BEIJING, February 26. /TASS/. US sanctions against Russia and its trading partners threaten the security of global supply chains, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said.

MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Two Ukrainian air-launched missiles were shot down by Russian air defense systems over the Black Sea, the Russian defense ministry said.

MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Russia’s response to the potential seizure of its frozen assets by the West will be proportionate and tough, a senior Russian lawmaker said.

Is the TASS news service allowed to tell people this:

WASHINGTON, February 26. /TASS/. Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns has presented to representatives of Egypt, Israel and Qatar Washington's new "bridging" proposal for a deal on the release of the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip, The Washington Post reported, citing Israeli sources.

NEW YORK, February 25. /TASS/. US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns secretly visited Ukraine last Thursday, The New York Times (NYT) said.

US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace four times in past day Apart from that, according to Vadim Kulit, one violation linked with the flights by the US-led coalition unmanned aerial vehicles was reported in Syria in the past 24 hours MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. The US-led coalition’s aircraft violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area four times during the past day, Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Sunday. "Aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorist coalition led by the United States continues to create dangerous situation that may cause air accident or incidents and escalate the situation in Syria’s airspace," he said. "Two pairs of A-10 Thunderbolt attack bombers violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area, across which international air routes run, four times during the day." Apart from that, according to Kulit, one violation of the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019 linked with the flights by the US-led coalition unmanned aerial vehicles was reported in Syria in the past 24 hours. He also said that during the day, nine shelling attacks on positions of government forces were reported in the Idlid de-escalation zone from positions of the Jabhat al-Nusra (outlawed in Russia), including five in the Idlib governorate, three in the Aleppo governorate, and one in the Latakia governorate.
(February 26, 2024)

This is me talking about 'The Trial' (1925) by Franz Kafka. 2-25-24

The podcast is at its best when David does the introduction, Dominic talks first, and they're at their office in London.

1) It's either been ten years or one or two years.
2) William is asking for a ceasefire in the Levant.
3) Sergei Shoigu seems to be weird about the Chinese border.
4) Strange reports about Russian agricultural exports.

This is me talking about a ceasefire in Ukraine. 2-25-24

This is me talking about General Sir Patrick Sanders. 2-25-24

1) The army graduate school in Kansas. They read this book. The first point the book makes is that Americans are really smart about weather stuff. If it's hot do this. If it's cold do this. It's a commentary about the British and if they say stuff that's intended for the American audience.
2) I kind of want a ceasefire now in Ukraine.

His staff appointments have been in operational and strategic roles. He has been a member of the Directing Staff at the Joint Staff College, Pol/Mil adviser for the Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq in 2003-4, Colonel Army Strategy, Chief of Defence Staff’s Liaison Officer to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) in the MOD.

The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers.

The American Way of War: A History of United States Military Strategy and Policy Book by Russell Weigley
(February 25, 2024)

1) The defense posture and if we're pivoting east. These are different examples of Asia stuff moving west.
2) A report about right wingerism in France.
3) I guess the Russians have a payment system called Mir and they send money to defense people living in other countries.

Turkish military rapidly enhancing deterrence capabilities: Altun

UAE removed from international money laundering watch list

Azerbaijan discovers new mass grave in Khojaly

Intelligence chief affirms Türkiye ‘not playground’ of foreign spies

Turkish intel captures PKK member trying to flee into Europe

The Financial Action Task Force, also known by its French name, Groupe d'action financière, is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering and to maintain certain interest.

US slaps sweeping new sanctions on Russia for Ukraine war anniversary, Navalny’s death The US on Friday issued sweeping sanctions on Russia to mark the second anniversary of the Ukraine invasion, targeting more than 500 people and entities, including Russian officials linked to the death in custody of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The sanctions, described as the largest single tranche since the start of the Ukraine war, also seek to impose a cost for the death last week in a Siberian prison of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critic, Alexei Navalny, with measures taken against three Russian officials. The sanctions targeted Russia's Mir payment system, Russian financial institutions and its military industrial base, evaders of previous sanctions, future energy production and other areas. The latest US action seeks to hold Russia to account over the war and the death of Navalny, US President Joe Biden said in a statement, as Washington looks to continue to support Ukraine even as it faces acute shortages of ammunition and US military aid has been delayed for months in Congress. It’s critical that Congress steps up to join our allies around the world in giving Ukraine the means to defend itself and its freedom against Putin’s barbarous assault," she said. Targeting Russia's Mir payment system The US Treasury slapped sanctions on Russia's state-owned National Payment Card System, the operator of the Mir payment system. Mir payments cards have become more important since its US rivals suspended operations in Russia after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, and their payment cards which were issued in the country stopped working abroad. "The Government of Russia's proliferation of Mir has permitted Russia to build out a financial infrastructure that enables Russian efforts to evade sanctions and reconstitute severed connections to the international financial system," the Treasury statement said.

Azerbaijan’s February 7 presidential election, which handed President Ilham Aliyev an unsurprising and unopposed victory with 92% of the vote and a fifth term in office, provided the backdrop for the latest illustration of deteriorating Franco-Azerbaijani relations. For the first time in at least a decade, there were no French elected representatives or independent observers on the team of international observers monitoring the vote. As Aliyev tightens his grip on power and the country’s electoral system, there were fewer West European nationals on the international monitoring team. When contacted by FRANCE 24 and Forbidden Stories, Azerbaijani authorities did not respond to the reasons for the absence of French observers. The election observer issue is part of a wider context of escalating bilateral tensions. The month of December was marked by a particularly sharp deterioration: a Frenchman was arrested in Baku and accused of espionage, Azerbaijan then expelled two French diplomats, Paris promptly responded, declaring two Azerbaijani embassy officials persona non grata. The diplomatic tit-for-tat was accompanied by acerbic statements from both sides. For French nationals in Azerbaijan, the message was clear. France, like other European countries, has long been the target of what has come to be called "caviar diplomacy". It’s a term employed by experts and journalists for over a decade to describe oil-rich Azerbaijan’s particularly lavish and distinctive lobbying strategy, which includes costly official trips for foreign politicians and influencers, and providing expensive gifts and funds for projects such as the renovation of churches. The payback, documented in several news reports, includes soft-power wins for Azerbaijan by securing its influence in Europe’s political and media worlds. In the past, France held a special place for Baku’s political elites. France is a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, which also includes the US and Russia.

France blames Russia’s FSB for anti-Semitic Star of David graffiti campaign France believes that Russia's security service FSB was behind a campaign in which Star of David graffiti were daubed on buildings in and around Paris last autumn, a French source said Friday. French prosecutors reported in November that 60 such stars had been found in the capital and surrounding suburbs weeks into the war between Israel and Hamas, with the graffiti being interpreted as a threat to Jews. A Moldovan couple was arrested in the case and their alleged handler, a pro-Russian Moldovan businessman, was identified, according to the source who has knowledge of the investigation and who declined to be named. Moldova was a Soviet republic before its independence in 1991. France's international security service DGSI believes the operation was run by the FSB's fifth division that undertakes international operations, the source said, quoting from a secret internal note that was first revealed by the Le Monde newspaper.
(February 24, 2024)

This is required reading there.
This is significantly required reading there.
My Grant Shapps joke of the day.

This first paragraph is from the DOJ website. It seems like a nonsensical and unlikely version of events. The attorney went to Hofstra Law in Long Island. I wonder if Hunter Biden will be convicted of tax evasion. Maybe the US Attorney in California isn't that great.

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Kristina Puzyreva pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for her role in a multimillion-dollar scheme to send components used in unnamed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and guided missile systems and other weapons to sanctioned entities in Russia. The components shipped in violation of export control and sanctions laws were later found in Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine. At sentencing, Puzyreva faces up to twenty years in prison. Prosecution against the other defendants remains pending.

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to nine federal tax charges in the Central District of California in January after federal prosecutors alleged he engaged in a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in federal taxes and charged the president's son with failure to file and pay taxes, tax evasion…

This is me talking about Hunter Biden. 2-23-24

The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a conventional surface-to-surface artillery weapon system capable of striking targets well beyond the range of existing Army cannons, rockets and other missiles. ATACMS missiles are fired from the HIMARS and MLRS M270 platforms.

The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a rocket system developed for the US Army in the late 1990s. It's a light launcher that's mounted on an M1140 truck frame.

1) Another report from Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit. Maybe the Russians aren't able to identify American weapons. Also, can they read German army books and identify German weapons? For example, 'Truppenfuhrung'. Maybe the Russians don't speak German enough.
2) Russian foreign policy in South America. Maybe because of the conflict in Ukraine, the Kremlin should focus on regional foreign policy.

Israeli jet attacks residential building in Damascus, killing three — Russian military Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit, Deputy Chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria said that an F-16 fighter jet of the Israeli Air Force attacked a residential building in the Kafar Sousah neighborhood of Damascus with a guided air bomb from the direction of the Golan Heights, without entering Syria’s airspace MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. An Israeli fighter jet attacked a residential building in the Syrian capital of Damascus with a guided air bomb, killing three people, Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit, Deputy Chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, said. "On February 21, an F-16 fighter jet of the Israeli Air Force attacked a residential building in the Kafar Sousah neighborhood of Damascus with a guided air bomb from the direction of the Golan Heights, without entering Syria’s airspace. The attack killed three people, including a woman, and damaged civilian infrastructure," he said. Kulit added that the situation in the Rukban refugee camp located in the US-occupied Al-Tanf area remained deplorable. "The Syrian authorities, acting in coordination with the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties, have evacuated a woman with three children from the camp," the rear admiral added.

Houthis Ban Entry of American, British, and Israeli Ships from Red and Arabian Seas In a significant move, the Houthi rebels in Yemen have declared a ban on American, British, and Israeli ships from entering the Red and Arabian Seas, as well as the Gulf of Aden.

DUBAI, February 23. /TASS/. The Houthis of Yemen's Ansar Allah rebel movement use "underwater weapons" to carry out their operations against civilian ships and warships in the Red and Arabian Seas, the leader of the movement, Abdel Malek al-Houthi, said.

BUENOS AIRES, February 23. /TASS/. Four Colombian mercenaries died near the town of Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People's Republic following a missile bombardment of the positions of the Ukrainian armed forces, the Colombian newspaper Vanguardia reported.

WASHINGTON, February 23. /TASS/. Washington will impose sanctions on over 500 targets in Russia on Friday, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told Reuters.

WASHINGTON, February 23. /TASS/. The United States does not impose any bans on allies supplying any weapons to Ukraine, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said commenting on the possibility of the American allies supplying medium-range weapons to Kiev.

WASHINGTON, February 23. /TASS/. The US Department of Defense allows for the possibility to supply extended-range ATACMS missiles to Kiev, but only after the US Congress allocates funds to support Ukraine, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said at a regular briefing for reporters.

NEW YORK, February 22. /TASS/. The British ship that was attacked by the Houthi rebels on February 22 received minor damage, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

"Another Ukrainian HIMARS/GMLRS attack on Russians gathered at a training ground, this time in Kherson," wrote Jimmy Rushton, a Kyiv-based foreign policy and security analyst. "A significant number of victims is clearly visible," he added.

WASHINGTON, February 22. /TASS/. The United States does not rule out the possibility of providing Kiev with long-range ATACMS missiles, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said.

Lavrov conveys warm greetings from Putin to President of Brazil

Lavrov arrives in Brasilia

RIO DE JANEIRO, February 22. /TASS/. Russia’s BRICS presidency will promote the association’s closer ties with the Group of Twenty, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
(February 23, 2024)

This is me talking about the Russian navy base in Latakia. 2-23-24

This is me talking about the Russia-China border. 2-22-24

1) If Russia has a healthy economy. It seems like they trade too much with their neighbors in Central Asia and East Asia. Some of them are bad actors.
2) Notice this description of the Uzbek and Serbian economies.
3) Also, questionable defense contracts in Ukraine. Criminals in Bulgaria.

BRUSSELS, February 21. /TASS/. The Russian economy remains resilient despite twelve packages of EU sanctions, the Brussels-based Euractiv recognized in the article on the thirteenth package of such sanctions tentatively approved by representatives of EU member-countries.

KAZAN, February 21. /TASS/. Economic ties between Russia and Uzbekistan are developing very intensively and countries have good prospects for further interaction, President Vladimir Putin said.

Uzbekistan and South Korea to Boost AI Cooperation Against Crime

Uzbekistan's Population Density Rises

Italian Company Partners with Uzbekistan for Children's Clothing Production

Construction works begin: Soon, we'll get faster to the favorite destination of Serbs Construction of the highway from Timişoara to Belgrade is underway.

KAZAN, February 21. /TASS/. Western countries are trying to persuade Republika Srpska to introduce sanctions against Russia on a daily basis, President Milorad Dodik of Republika Srpska (one of the two constituent entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina) said at a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

MINSK, February 21. /TASS/. Western countries are tightening the visa regime and closing borders as part of a hybrid war unleashed against Minsk and Moscow, Belarusian Security Council State Secretary Alexander Volfovich said.

PRAGUE, February 21. /TASS/. After February 24, 2022, the Czech Republic introduced about 200 relaxations to the sanctions imposed against Russia, Ceska televize 24 reported citing the head of the financial and analytical department of the Czech Republic, Jiri Gilmar.

PARIS, February 21. /TASS/. Anna Novikova, the head of the French group called SOS Donbass, which calls for the support of victims of the conflict in Donbass, told TASS that police questioned her following a complaint from a Ukrainian activist. "The main accusation is fraud: that we are using the SOS Donbass association as a humanitarian group to cover up aid to the Russian military, that we are financed by Russia, that we are collecting money here to send it to associations in Donbass that help the Russian Armed Forces," she said. The police also promised to send a list of documents that will need to be submitted to prove that the group is engaged in humanitarian activities. Earlier, the bank holding the association's account froze it. Novikova said she is scheduled to talk to the bank’s staff in the near future. SOS Donbass has regularly organized events in solidarity with the residents of Donbass and against sending weapons to Ukraine since 2022. The group also assembled two humanitarian cargoes with the support of volunteers from several European countries, and delivered them by truck to the DPR and LPR. The first humanitarian convoy reached Donbass in May 2023. The second convoy, carrying 18 tons of humanitarian cargo, including wheelchairs, hospital beds, space heaters and foodstuffs, came to Donetsk in November.

Major Migrant Trafficking Operation Dismantled in Bulgaria In a significant crackdown on organized crime, Bulgarian Border Police have detained ten individuals involved in migrant trafficking during a targeted operation in the Burgas area. Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, Director of the General Directorate Border Police, disclosed the details of the operation to bTV on Wednesday, revealing that more arrests may follow. The operation is being conducted under the supervision of the District Prosecution Office of Burgas. Zlatanov described the apprehended group as a highly active organized crime syndicate with a clear hierarchy, including leaders, assistants, and executors. This marks the third trafficking group dismantled by Border Police in the past four months, with two others disrupted by the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime. Despite a notable reduction in migrant pressure, Zlatanov emphasized that the issue persists, citing a 50% increase in attempted border crossings during the summer compared to the previous year. Last summer saw unprecedented levels of activity, with up to 1,500 daily attempts recorded, making it the toughest period in a decade.
(February 22, 2024)

This is me talking about the Royal Navy. 2-21-24

1) Talking about the states of the navies. The USN seems to be doing the best. The Royal Navy is being inventoried. The Russian navy is having a hard time. They've lost two ships in the Black Sea and now these reports about the base in Latakia.
2) Can the navy successes in the Gulf of Aden transfer to similar successes in the Med and the Baltic Sea?
3) The Treasury Department and Russian cybercrimes.

MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. The aircraft of the US-led international anti-terrorism coalition violated Syria’s airspace in the Al-Tanf area twice in the past day, Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit, Deputy Chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, said. "One violation of the December 9, 2019, deconfliction protocols was recorded in the past day, which involved a drone flight not agreed on with Russia. Two violations by the coalition’s F-16 fighter jets were registered in the Al-Tanf area," he specified.

BEIRUT, February 21. /TASS/. The Israel Defense Forces launched a missile strike on Damascus, Syria’s Al Ikhbaria TV channel reported. According to the channel, the Israeli army hit the Kafar Souseh neighborhood in the southwest of the capital. The Sham FM radio reported that a residential building was damaged in the Israeli strike. According to preliminary information, there are casualties.

SUKHUM, February 21. /TASS/. Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania thinks that the presence of NATO ships in the Black Sea leads to escalated tensions and complicates Ukraine’s fate.

US Destroys Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher in Yemen Amid Escalating Tensions In response to escalating tensions in the Red Sea, the US Central Command has taken decisive action in Yemen, destroying a surface-to-air missile launcher in Houthi-controlled areas. The operation, which occurred around 5 pm on February 19, aimed to ensure the safety of commercial and coalition ships navigating the region. According to a statement from the US Central Command, despite the destruction of the launcher, one additional anti-ship ballistic missile was launched at 6:40 pm, fortunately without impacting any vessels. The command further reported that a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck the M/V Navis Fortuna, causing minor damage but no injuries. Meanwhile, USS Laboon (DDG 58) successfully intercepted an anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) headed in its direction.

The test firing of a Trident missile from a Royal Navy submarine has failed, for the second time in a row. The UK Ministry of Defense on Tuesday confirmed the incident, which took place at the end of January, saying there had been a mistake involving the Vanguard submarine, but they said no further details were being shared for security reasons. However, ministry officials emphasized that those missiles still represent the foundation of Britain's defense and that they are still "safe and effective," reports Sky News. The source of that British TV network emphasized that the error had to do with the fact that it was a test launch, and that it would have been successful if it had been carried out with a nuclear warhead. The British "Sun" reported that both the Defense Secretary Grant Shapps and the head of the Navy were on board HMS Vanguard when she fired the unarmed test missile off the East coast of America in January.

Belarus President Lukashenko Calls for Armed Patrols Inside the Country Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has urged law enforcement agencies to deploy armed patrols on the streets of the country's cities to bolster public safety, according to Reuters reports.

Albania Gripped by Anti-Government Unrest: Clashes and Arrests Rock Tirana Tensions escalated in Albania as anti-government protests erupted into clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in the capital city of Tirana.

MINSK, February 20. /TASS/. Ivan Tertel, chairman of the State Security Committee of Belarus, has accused the West of continuing to work toward creating conditions for an unconstitutional change of power in the country. The official also said the West is paying increased attention to "the use of the so-called fifth column operating in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine in the form of separate organizations of fugitives (the opposition - TASS), which have essentially turned into centers of subversive activities against Belarus.".

United States adds two Russian citizens to sanctions list for cybercrimes Inclusion on the sanctions list entails the freezing of assets in the United States and the prohibition of American citizens and companies from doing business with those involved WASHINGTON, February 20. /TASS/. The US Treasury Department has added two Russian citizens - Ivan Kondratyev and Artur Sungatov - to the sanctions list for cybercrimes, according to a statement of the financial department. Inclusion on the sanctions list entails the freezing of assets in the United States and the prohibition of American citizens and companies from doing business with those involved. As the US authorities note, Kondratyev and Sungatov are allegedly "affiliates of the Russia-based ransomware group LockBit." According to the document, the US Treasury took action against the group together with the US Department of Justice and the FBI. As the US Treasury says, LockBit ransomware attacks "have targeted critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and financial institutions" of the US, its allies and partners. Earlier Bloomberg reported that the UK National crime agency, the FBI and a number of other law enforcement agencies conducted a joint operation during which they blocked the LockBit portal. As an FBI spokesman told Bloomberg, the operation, which involved 11 countries, also blocked 11,000 domain names used by the group to distribute malware. According to the US Department of Justice, more than 1,400 cyberattacks were carried out with the participation of LockBit in the US and around the world. The hackers demanded a total of more than $100 million from their victims and received at least tens of millions of dollars in Bitcoin.
(February 21, 2024)

This is me talking about Russian trade. 2-20-24

The Russians have such conservative values that they can trade with Pyongyang, Tehran, and Beijing without minding it. Notice this example of Tashkent. The wife stuff.

These are the complaints:

HONG KONG, February 20. /TASS/. Taiwan has reported the approach of 24 Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and eight People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships in the region adjacent to the island, Taiwan’s defense department said.

UK agency reports new attack by unidentified men on ship off Yemeni coast UKMTO has received a report of an incident 60 nautical miles north of Djibouti LONDON, February 19. /TASS/. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency has reported a new attack on a ship off the Yemeni coast. "UKMTO has received a report of an incident 60 nautical miles north of Djibouti. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO," the agency said. The report about the incident, which happened at 6:20 p.m. GMT and was classified by the UKMTO as an attack. Came from the ship’s captain. No additional details have been given.

Border Crisis: Bulgaria Faces 50% Surge in Illegal Migrant Attempts Bulgaria's Border Police Directorate General has revealed a significant surge in migrant attempts to cross the country's borders during the summer of 2023 compared to the previous year. Head of the Border Police Directorate General, Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, presented a comprehensive report-analysis of the Directorate's activities in 2023 during a recent event attended by diplomatic representatives, legislators, and Ministry of Interior officials. Zlatanov described 2023 as an "extremely difficult, but also extremely satisfying year" for the Border Police. He highlighted that 2022 marked a particularly challenging period, with twice as many incidents of illegal migration compared to the worst year in the past decade, which was in 2015. Notably, data from the summer months of 2023 showed a staggering 50% increase in migrants attempting to cross the border illegally compared to the previous year. Zlatanov emphasized that the Border Police had to deter an average of 1,500 attempts to cross the border per day. The report revealed that while there was a substantial decrease in detained illegal migrants within the country in 2023, the migration pressure along the Bulgarian-Turkish border continued to rise. In 2015, there were 90,315 attempted crossings, increasing to 164,536 in 2022, and further escalating to 180,512 in 2023. Highlighting the severity of the situation, Zlatanov disclosed that from January 1 to February 15, 2023, there were 8,519 attempts to illegally cross the Bulgarian-Turkish border, compared to 3,023 during the same period in the previous year. Moreover, the number of migrants detained within the country during this period increased significantly from 189 in 2024 to 640 in 2023. Among the challenges faced by the Border Police, Zlatanov pointed out the high percentage of job vacancies, with over 700 positions unfilled. However, he noted that efforts to address this issue were underway, with increased interest observed in competitions for jobs within the Border Police.

EU Investigates TikTok: Formal Proceedings Begin The European Commission has taken a significant step in its scrutiny of social media giant TikTok, initiating formal proceedings to investigate potential breaches of the Digital Services Act. This move marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing efforts to regulate online platforms, particularly concerning the protection of minors and advertising transparency. The investigation will focus on several key areas, including the safeguarding of minors, transparency in advertising practices, access to data for researchers, and the platform's efforts to mitigate the risks associated with addictive design and harmful content. These concerns have been at the forefront of discussions surrounding social media regulation, with policymakers increasingly scrutinizing the impact of digital platforms on society, especially on vulnerable demographics. The decision to launch formal proceedings follows a preliminary investigation, which included an analysis of a risk assessment report submitted by TikTok in September 2023. Additionally, the Commission has examined the platform's responses to official requests for information, indicating a thorough and comprehensive approach to assessing potential violations of EU regulations. The outcome of the investigation could have far-reaching implications for TikTok and other social media companies operating within the European Union. Depending on the findings, the Commission may impose sanctions or require the platform to implement specific measures to address any identified shortcomings in compliance with the Digital Services Act. TikTok, known for its popularity among younger users, has faced increasing scrutiny over its content moderation practices and data handling procedures. The formal proceedings initiated by the European Commission underscore the growing importance of regulatory oversight in the digital sphere, highlighting the need to ensure the protection of users, particularly minors, in online environments.

Turkish Police Detains 23 People Wanted by Interpol, Including Bulgarian Citizens A total of 23 people wanted by Interpol, including Bulgarian citizens, were detained during police operations in six districts of Turkiye. The detainees were wanted for murder, terrorist crimes, fraud, money laundering, abuse, participation in criminal organizations, drugs and smuggling, Turkish media said. The detainees were issiued a red and green Interpol notice and were citizens of 12 countries - Bulgaria, Germany, Belgium, South Korea, Iraq, Iran, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Turkmenistan and Jordan, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, quoted by TRT Haber. The operation, carried out under the code name Cell-43, was carried out simultaneously in six districts of the country - Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Izmir and Van. It was implemented together with teams of the Turkish General Directorate of Security and the Interpol Bureau in Turkiye after a long investigation of the suspects.

These are descriptions of Russian regional trade:

DUBAI, February 20. /TASS/. Amir Saeid Iravani, ambassador and permanent representative of the Islamic Republic to the United Nations, has sent a letter to the head of the UN Security Council, refuting accusations by the US that Tehran is purportedly involved in weapon supplies to the Yemen-based Houthi rebels from the Ansar Allah movement.

TOKYO, February 20. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin presented a Russian-made car to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, KCNA reported. The make and model of the car is not disclosed. During his visit to Russia in September, the North Korean leader examined the Aurus luxury car.

ADDIS ABABA, February 20. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to support Addis Ababa in the process of integration into the BRICS system, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Yevgeny Terekhin told TASS.

Here are descriptions of evangelical values:

TASHKENT, February 19. /TASS/. Presidents of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has accepted Russia’s delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov to discuss maintaining of growth of the two countries’ mutual trade, the press service of the Uzbek president said in a statement.

In 2022, Uzbekistan led the CIS in terms of the highest number of marriages and the lowest number of divorces. According to the CIS Interstate Statistics Committee, Uzbekistan recorded 8.4 marriages per 1,000 people and only 1.4 divorces.
(February 20, 2024)

It's strange that this TASS report is so critical of the Royal Air Force.

This is me talking about Russian air force reports. 2-19-24

This is me talking about Russian bank transfers. 2-19-24

The FSB. In Russia also. And Ukraine. The men operate radios. They don't walk around. Maybe that isn't true.
ФСБ. В России также. И Украина. Мужчины работают на радио. Они не ходят. Возможно, это неправда.

Russian security forces thwart Ukrainian terror attack by British kamikaze drone in DPR After its controlled landing, bomb technicians defused the drone’s warhead and destroyed it on the spot, the FSB said DONETSK, February 19. /TASS/. Russian security forces intercepted a British kamikaze drone launched by the Ukrainian military to attack civilian infrastructure in the south of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the press office of the regional branch of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) reported on Monday. "The FSB branch for the DPR jointly with units of the military commandant’s office and the Russian National Guard intercepted a British Banshee Jet 80 kamikaze drone in the republic’s Novoazovsky district," the press office said in a statement. The British drone carried 7 kg of explosives. After its controlled landing, bomb technicians defused the drone’s warhead and destroyed it on the spot, it said. After deciphering the drone’s flight assignment, the FSB found that the UAV targeted a large civilian infrastructure facility in Mariupol. The unmanned aerial vehicle was intended to fly a circle over the Novoazovsky district and strike the facility from the Taganrog Bay, the press office specified. The Banshee Jet 80 is a jet-powered drone produced by the British company QinetiQ and used by the UK Navy as an aerial target. According to the data posted on the company’s website, the drone can operate at a distance of over 100 km and accelerate to 720 km/h. In 2021, a Banshee drone was launched for the first time from the aircraft carrier Prince of Wales. The UK Navy reported that the drone could hardly be detected by a radar and thus it fit well for training a missile attack repulsion.

1) Russian complaints about the Royal Air Force. Also British reports about the Houthis.
2) Maybe the Russians want to bypass British banking laws about foreign money transfers.
3) Notice how the CCP wants global connectivity.

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Moscow is addressing the removal of problems with banking transactions together with the Turkish authorities, Russian Ambassador to Turkey Alexey Yerkhov said in an interview aired by the Rossiya-24 TV news channel. The problem with bank transfers between Russia and Turkey, which "occurred late last year as a result of tightening of anti-Russia sanctions by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)," still exists and is "very serious," the diplomat said. "On our part we are working with the Turkish authorities to prevent those measures from doing harm to fair participants of foreign economic activities, both Russian the Turkish. The work is underway," he said.

British Navy reports attack on a ship off the coast of Yemen The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations has received a report of an incident 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha LONDON, February 19. /TASS/. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported a new attack on a ship off the coast of Yemen. "UKMTO has received a report of an incident 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO," the statement says. It is not reported what vessel has been attacked. With the conflict in the Gaza Strip escalating, the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement announced that it would conduct strikes on Israeli territory and block pro-Israeli vessels from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until Tel Aviv ceases its military operation in the Palestinian enclave. The Houthis have attacked dozens of civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November of last year. In response to Ansar Allah’s actions, US officials announced the formation of an international coalition and the preparation of Operation Prosperity Guardian to ensure freedom of navigation and protection of ships in the Red Sea. Following this, US forces launched strikes against Houthi targets in a number of Yemeni cities, including Sanaa and Hodeidah. British Air Force aircraft took part in the raids several times.

Statement of 2020 contains no point on Russia’s control over communications in Armenia Point Nine contains no information about Russia’s ability to control anything on our territory, other points were "broken and thrown away by Azerbaijan and Russia as they fully failed to meet their obligations," Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said YEREVAN, February 18. /TASS/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that the statement of November 9, 2020, contains no point about Russia’s ability to control transport communications running through Armenia. "Point Nine of the trilateral statement contains no information about Russia’s ability to control anything on our territory. Other points of this document were virtually broken and thrown away by Azerbaijan and Russia as they fully failed to meet their obligations," Pashinyan said at a meeting with representatives of the Armenian diaspora in Germany.

China Offers Security Support to Hungary Amidst Strategic Realignments China has extended its support to Hungary on public security matters, marking a significant development in their long-standing strategic partnership. The offer comes at a crucial juncture as NATO seeks to bolster its influence in Europe, adding a new dimension to Hungary's foreign relations beyond traditional trade and investment ties. Reuters reported on the commitments made during a rare meeting between Chinese officials and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. As both nations commemorate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year, China's Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong emphasized a broader scope for collaboration. During his visit to Budapest, Wang highlighted areas of mutual interest such as counter-terrorism and tackling transnational crime. He expressed hope for these efforts to reinforce bilateral relations, echoing President Xi Jinping's vision under the Belt and Road Initiative aimed at fostering global connectivity through trade and infrastructure investments. The meeting saw the signing of agreements on law enforcement and security cooperation between Wang and Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pinter. However, specific details of these accords were not disclosed by Chinese state media outlet Xinhua. China's proactive security assistance to Hungary comes against the backdrop of the latter's strategic realignments over the past decade, notably reducing dependence on Western nations. Hungary's unique stance, including its refusal to ratify Sweden's NATO membership bid, underscores its evolving foreign policy dynamics. Notably, China's gesture underscores its diplomatic gains within the European Union, particularly as the bloc navigates its relationship with the world's second-largest economy amidst various challenges. Despite differences on issues like human rights and trade imbalances, Hungary's alignment with China diverges from EU consensus, drawing attention to its welcoming stance towards Chinese investments, including critical sectors like telecommunications and automotive manufacturing. Hungary's embrace of Huawei Technologies and the upcoming construction of the first European factory by Chinese automaker BYD exemplify its growing economic ties with China. These developments occur despite warnings from the European Commission regarding security risks associated with such investments.
(February 19, 2024)

This is me talking about 'Dead Souls' by Nikolai Gogol. 2-18-24

1) Is $120b euro a lot of money?
2) How networked Russia is with its neighbors. Do they rely on cheap weapons imports?

The Estonian government worked out if all NATO countries contribute an amount of GDP over four years, then the Russian army can be beaten.
A quarter of one percent of GDP. $120b euro each year for four years.
The Russian economy.
The Russian ability to build weapons.
Estonia, Finland, and Hungary speak about the same language. There are large banks in Budapest. I guess the suggestion is that Tallinn does economic strategy research in coordination with the banks in Hungary. And that they're fascists.

This is me talking about the Russian economy. 2-18-24

Estonia has a parliament.
Many Estonians in the 1930s and 1940s were a part of the Wehrmacht.
Today do they trade with China a lot using their ports?
Are they culpable for working conditions in the far east?
Why does it offend them about these Red Army monuments?

Is the Estonian parliament directly responsible for these wage complaints?

North Koreans working in China 'exploited like slaves' Last month, reports emerged that North Koreans working in China had rioted, after finding out they would not be paid, and that their wages had instead been put towards building weapons for Pyongyang. Instances of North Koreans protesting are virtually unheard of, as the state exercises near total control over its citizens, and public dissent can result in execution. The reported riots, though unconfirmed, have sparked concern for the wellbeing of the tens of thousands of North Koreans working overseas, earning money for the cash-starved regime. The BBC has spoken to a former North Korean worker in China who claimed those working in some poorly performing companies had their wages withheld.

This is me talking about the Estonian parliament. 2-17-24

That's me. A long time ago Vladimir Putin in a speech united Russian-speakers around the world. That included me.

The Kremlin puts Baltic leaders on ‘wanted’ list for challenging its worldview The Kremlin placed Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and other Baltic officials on a list of wanted criminals on Monday in a move aimed at preserving Russia’s view of its glorious past from present-day challenges. The Kremlin said Kallas was put on the list for her efforts to remove WWII-era monuments to Soviet soldiers, moves seen by Moscow as unlawful and “an insult to history”. Russia has a track record of putting foreign officials on wanted lists, but this latest move makes Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas the first foreign head of government to be sought by Russian police. Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop and Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys are also on the list, along with dozens of other Baltic and Polish politicians. Kallas and Peterkop made the list because of their efforts to remove monuments to Soviet soldiers who served in World War II, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed. The opposite." The threats of prosecution are largely symbolic, since they have little chance of leading to an arrest. But they are representative of Moscow’s continuing battle with the former Soviet countries of Eastern Europe over the historical narrative. Above all, Vaissié explains, Moscow “aims to reaffirm the existence of a ‘Russian world’ (a concept born after the collapse of the Soviet Union to encompass the entire Russian-speaking diaspora outside Russia) and of a Russia at the centre of an empire and overseeing the lives of its citizens”.

This is me talking about the Baltic Sea. 2-16-24

The Baltic States are Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. German economic stuff in those countries. Trade with China.

BRUSSELS, February 15. /TASS/. A further increase in military spending of NATO’s European members will be in the focus of the scheduled meeting of the alliance’s defense ministers in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

VILNIUS, February 14. /TASS/. The Estonian Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Charge d’Affaires Lenar Salimullin over the declaration of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as wanted, the ministry said in a statement.

VILNIUS, February 14. /TASS/. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday protested to Russia over the declaration of Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys and other politicians as wanted, the ministry’s press service reported. Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told reporters that people wanted by Russia in connection with the removal of Soviet monuments from public spaces should responsibly assess the risks of traveling abroad.

This is me talking about Nikolai Patrushev. 2-16-24

Notice he visits New Delhi and then we hear all of this anti-American rhetoric.

New Delhi: National security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval assured his Russian counterpart Nikolay Patrushev of India’s support for Russia in multilateral venues during a meeting at Moscow on February 22 this year, leaked classified US intelligence assessments show, according to a Washington Post report. (April 30, 2023)

Russian top security official urges extra CSTO, SCO measures at border with Afghanistan "It is obvious that this problem can be resolved comprehensively by collective efforts," Nikolay Patrushev noted BISHKEK, February 16. /TASS/. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) need to work out extra border security measures to counter threats from Afghanistan to neighboring countries, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said on Friday. The unstable situation in Afghanistan is related to the activity of international terrorists supported by the West, Patrushev said at a meeting of security council secretaries on the Afghan problem in Bishkek. "Considering all the mentioned threats from the Afghan direction, it is necessary to take measures in advance to counter the export of instability to our countries. It is obvious that this problem can be resolved comprehensively by collective efforts, primarily, within the CSTO and the SCO," he stressed. The Russian top security official highlighted specific steps that "require special attention." In the first place, this relates "to elaborating extra measures in the sphere of border security, exchanging information on the activity of terrorist organizations and their supporters and cooperating for the purpose of exposing and shutting down sources and channels of terrorism financing and also drug trafficking," Patrushev pointed out. "I am certain that the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united and independent state meets the interests of regional security. By virtue of its geographical position, that country is at the intersection of key trade routes linking European and Asian states. In this context, it is important to pay attention to developing the transit potential of Afghanistan," the Russian top security official said.

This is me talking about the USS Maine. 2-15-24

1) Another report about Damascus. Maybe the Russian navy base in Latakia could assist the Bulgarians to repatriate these Syrians.
2) The extent to which the Russians both develop military technology and export weapons. To the far east, Africa, and South America.
3) Reports about the economy in Uzbekistan.

Bulgaria Reports More Migrants Returned than Accepted Since Year's Start Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov revealed that Bulgaria has exceeded its acceptance quota under the Dublin Agreement, returning more migrants to their countries of origin than it has received since the beginning of the year. Denkov's statement, made during a Facebook Q&A session, comes in response to recent developments involving the return of refugees from Afghanistan and Syria to Bulgaria via a charter flight from Vienna. The revelation sheds light on Bulgaria's ongoing efforts to manage migrant flows, with Denkov citing regular returns of migrants to the country. Despite fluctuations in numbers from year to year, Denkov noted that the current rate of returns aligns with previous patterns, emphasizing that Bulgaria has historically repatriated a comparable number of migrants to those it accepts. Last year, Bulgaria witnessed the return of 113 individuals from Austria alone, indicating a consistent trend in repatriation efforts. Denkov's remarks underscore the nation's commitment to upholding migration policies while maintaining bilateral agreements with partner countries. The recent "controversy" involving the return of 18 refugees from Austria highlights the complexities of managing migrant populations and the collaborative nature of international efforts to address migration challenges.

TOKYO, February 15. /TASS/. South Korea is blatantly violating North Korea’s sovereignty by deploying warships to the Northern Limit Line that Seoul considers to be the de-facto maritime border between the two countries, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said.

LONDON, February 15. /TASS/. The United States has informed Congress and its European allies on new intelligence data about Russian nuclear capabilities that could pose a threat globally, Reuters quoted an unidentified source as saying. The source confirmed a relevant report by The New York Times.

NEW YORK, February 15. /TASS/. The US authorities claim that Russia may be planning to deploy nuclear weapons in space, and the purported unknown ‘national security threat’ may be linked to that, the ABC broadcaster said, citing sources.

CHISINAU, February 15. /TASS/. The head of the Interpol office in Moldova, Viorel Tentiu, said Russia had turned down the country’s request for opposition figurehead Ilan Sor. "Today I got a letter from Russian colleagues, confirming Sor’s presence in Russia. But Moscow refuses to extradite him to Moldova," Tentiu said the country’s TV-8 channel. In his words, Moscow said that Interpol should not interfere into "political, military, religious or ethnic affairs.".

HAVANA, February 14. /TASS/. The Ecuadorian Armed Forces along with the Colombian Navy detained a submarine that was trafficking drugs, the Ecuadorian agency reported on its X page.

UNITED NATIONS, February 14. /TASS/. The United Nations Security Council has never empowered any country to use force against Yemen, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Zhang Jun said at a meeting of its Security Council.

Poland hosts inter-parliamentary negotiations with Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan Airways Express to launch direct flights from Fergana to Sochi

A new border crossing point to be opened between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
(February 15, 2024)

This is me talking about the Russian navy. 2-14-24

1) A report about Israel's northern command.
2) Another Russian ship sank in the Black Sea. The Russian navy base in Latakia is probably at fault. They might be managing trade with the far east. Also, notice our army base in Syria is being fired at.
3) Reports about the Baltic Sea.
4) Reports about the economy in Tashkent.

Rocket Attack from Lebanon Hits Israeli Army Headquarters Rockets launched from Lebanon struck the headquarters of the Israeli army's Northern Command, resulting in casualties and injuries. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, describing it as a barrage of "multiple launches" that targeted areas in the north, including a base near the border with Lebanon in Safed. According to a statement from a hospital in Safed, eight people were injured in the attack, with one individual reported to be in critical condition. The incident has sent shockwaves through the region, highlighting the precariousness of the situation along the border between Lebanon and Israel.

Ukraine announced that it had sunk another large Russian ship in the Black Sea In the Black Sea, the Russian large landing ship "Caesar Kunikov" was attacked. This was confirmed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported sources of "Ukrainska Pravda" and public media "Suspilne" in the GUR military intelligence. The information initially appeared on Ukrainian and Russian channels on Telegram. The "Крымский ветер" channel published a video showing a vessel burning in the sea. Another clip shows helicopters flying low over the water. "The armed forces of Ukraine together with units of the GUR MO (military intelligence) destroyed the large amphibious ship ‘Caesar Kunikov’", the army's announcement said. It is specified that at the time of the attack it was in the territorial waters of Ukraine near Alupka.

BEIRUT, February 13. /TASS/. A military base near the al-Omar oil field in Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria, which is under the control of the US military, has come under attack, the Al Mayadeen TV channel said. According to its information, several missiles were fired at the base. Explosions could be heard from the area where the base is located. No details or information about the aftermath of the attack were given.

VILNIUS, February 14. /TASS/. Latvia’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Russian Charge d'Affaires Oleg Zykov over Moscow’s move to declare a number of Latvian ministers wanted, according to a statement. On Tuesday, the Russian Interior Ministry declared Latvian Justice Minister Inese Libina-Engere, Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens and Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze wanted on criminal charges. In addition, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop and Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys were also declared wanted. A law enforcement official told TASS that they were wanted in a criminal case concerning the destruction of and damage to monuments to Soviet soldiers.

SEOUL, February 14. /TASS/. North Korea launched several cruise missiles from its eastern coast, Yonhap reported citing South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. Russia is working for the expansion of its diplomatic presence in Africa, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the State Duma.

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law that calls for the confiscation of property as punishment for disseminating fake news about Russia’s armed forces as well as committing crimes detrimental to national security.

Foreign tech giants lead tax contributions in Uzbekistan In 2023, Uzbekistan saw an increase in tax contributions from foreign tech companies, with a total of nearly 70 billion UZS paid. According to "Uzbekistan24", the top earners were Meta, Google, and Apple, together making up 60 billion soums of the total amount.

Products to become cheaper in Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a government meeting on the development of agriculture
(February 14, 2024)

Can the New Yorkers consider the realities of law enforcement in other parts of the country?
If they're only guilty of international intrigue, that really isn't a law.
It's tougher than that out west.

This is me talking about the DOJ. 2-13-24

"Federalism is a system of government that divides power between a central government and regional governments. The central government is responsible for broader governance, while the regional governments govern local issues."

The parable of John Marzulli.
Kind of about the United States.
Hollywood is the film industry.
Wall Street is the banking sector.
There are film industries and banks in other parts of the country.
Chicago and the Midwest are agricultural hubs.
That's how the land is organized.
The story of John Marzulli is about federalism.
I'm alright if Washington is the government.
Also, if Washington calls New York.
It's the government calling the banks.

This is me talking about Vadim Kulit. 2-13-24

1) Two reports that are questionable. First, a Russian army chief talking about the history of Syrian airspace. Second, a US Attorney talking about international intrigue. Remember a few years ago the bureau used an undercover and they caught a Maryland couple. They were also guilty of international intrigue. Due process and the defense efforts.
2) A report about the Polish tech sector.

Matt 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they presented to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and such as were possessed by devils, and lunatics, and those that had the palsy, and he cured them Luke 2:2 This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. Acts 15:23 Writing by their hands: The apostles and ancients, brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioch and in Syria and Cilicia, greeting.

Three Syrian soldiers wounded in terrorists’ drone attack in Latakia Vadim Kulit also said that during the past day, six shelling attacks on the positions of government forces from the positions of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group were reported in the Idlib de-escalation zone MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/. Three Syrian soldiers were wounded in drone attack staged by terrorists on the positions of government forces in the Latakia government, Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Monday. "In the Latakia governorate, an unmanned aerial vehicle launched by terrorists from the area near the settlement of Shambar Fawkani dropped two grenades on the positions of Syrian government forces near the settlement of Akch Baer, wounding three Syrian soldiers," he said. He also said that during the past day, six shelling attacks on the positions of government forces from the positions of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (outlawed in Russia) were reported in the Idlib de-escalation zone. Apart from that, in his words, aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorist coalition led by the United States continues to create dangerous situation that may cause air accident or incidents and escalate the situation in Syria’s airspace. "A pair of the coalition’s F-16 fighter jets violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area, across which international air routes run, two times during the day.".

Russian national pleads guilty in US court to military export control violations Kristina Puzyreva faces up to twenty years in prison NEW YORK, February 12. /TASS/. Russian-Canadian national Kristina Puzyreva pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in a scheme to send components used in unnamed aerial vehicles, guided missile systems and other weapons to sanctioned entities in Russia, the US Department of Justice said. According to the agency, "the components shipped in violation of export control and sanctions laws were later found in Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine." Puzyreva faces up to twenty years in prison. In late October, charges in the case were also brought against Russian-Canadian national Nikolay Goltsev and Russian-Tajik national Salimdzhon Nasriddinov.

Brooklyn Resident and Two Russian-Canadian Nationals Charged with Massive Sanctions Evasion and Export Control Scheme Millions of Dollars in Semiconductors, Integrated Circuits and other Dual-Use Electronic Components Unlawfully Exported to Russia through Brooklyn Front Companies A criminal complaint was unsealed yesterday in Brooklyn charging Nikolay Goltsev, Salimdzhon Nasriddinov and Kristina Puzyreva, with conspiracy and other charges related to a global procurement scheme on behalf of sanctioned Russian entities, including companies affiliated with the Russian military. Some of the electronic components and integrated circuits shipped by the defendants have been found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine. Nasriddinov, a Brooklyn resident and dual citizen of Russia and Tajikistan, was arrested this morning in Brooklyn. Goltsev and Puzyreva were arrested at a hotel in Manhattan this morning during a trip to New York to visit Nasriddinov. Tuesday, October 31, 2023 John Marzulli U.S. Attorney's Office

IT Recruitment in Poland - Successful Recruitment Solutions There is a worldwide shortage of quality professionals. Every industry struggles with best talents shortage. The problem also applies to the IT industry, which is growing rapidly and has a huge impact on the development of other industries. The time to find high-class specialists and tech talents has increased a lot recently, and as you know, time costs money. That's why many companies decide not to search on their own, but entrust finding IT talent to recruiters in different countries and parts of the globe. IT Recruitment Poland is also offered by Sowelo, a recruitment agency in Krakow. Sounds like an ideal solution for your company if you are urgently in need of an IT specialist! Time for a few words about headhunters from Sowelo. The recruitment agency is based in Poland, in Cracow. It has been providing recruitment services since 2007. Sowelo's team is made up of experienced talent hunters with many successful recruitment projects in Poland and abroad. The agency's offerings include IT Recruitment Poland, Executive Search, Employer Branding, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), IT Contracting, Recruitment Process Assessment and Talent Market Mapping. What is more, Sowelo specializes in recruitment in various areas, just to name a few like Robotic Process Automation, Software, Internet, Storage, Infrastructure, Networks, Security, Mobile and Consulting Services. If you are looking for talents with the right qualifications, feel free to contact Sowelo. The agency guarantees to deliver to your company the best candidates with the right professional qualifications.
(February 13, 2024)

This is me talking about the Russian government. 2-12-24

1) A report about how a Saudi doesn't want to go back to Saudi Arabia. What about the Washington Capitals? Do they not want to go back to Prague and Bratislava?
2) The Kremlin complaining about the west. Also, Syrian airspace.
3) Reports complaining about the Kremlin. For example, did the Russians build this new North Korean missile? Central African Republic reports, etc.

Bulgaria Faces Backlash for Deportation Order Against Saudi Dissident Reports emerge from Sofia indicating that Bulgaria intends to deport a Saudi dissident who sought asylum but was rejected, sparking concerns for his safety upon return to the Gulf kingdom. The news, reported by AFP, sheds light on the plight of Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi, who fears persecution in Saudi Arabia if deported. Al-Khalidi, speaking from his cell in Sofia, revealed that he received the deportation order on February 7, even before his asylum case reached a conclusion. This move has raised alarms among human rights advocates, with Mary Lawlor, the UN's special rapporteur on human rights defenders, deeming his imminent deportation "extremely disturbing" and underscoring Saudi Arabia's reputation as a "dangerous place." The journey of Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi dates back to 2011 when he participated in demonstrations in eastern Saudi Arabia, predominantly inhabited by the Shiite minority. Fleeing to Turkey in 2013, he eventually found himself in Bulgaria in 2021, seeking refuge within the European Union after his passport expired. Despite his asylum plea, Bulgarian authorities in 2022 ruled that Al-Khalidi failed to sufficiently prove the risk of prosecution in his homeland. Now, amidst ongoing legal proceedings to appeal this decision, he faces the looming threat of deportation, exacerbating concerns for his safety. This move is not an isolated incident but rather part of a broader trend of tightening measures against dissent in Saudi Arabia since the ascension of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017. Al-Khalidi's fears are further compounded by the recent extradition of another Saudi dissident from Morocco, where he had sought temporary asylum. Expressing his apprehensions, Al-Khalidi emphasized the dire consequences awaiting him in Saudi Arabia, including imprisonment, unfair trials, torture, or even execution. "I resorted to the EU, where people have value, and I'm at a dead end, like I'm in Saudi Arabia," lamented the 30-year-old father of two. Despite inquiries, the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security (SANS) remained silent on the matter, leaving Al-Khalidi's fate hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, human rights organizations are racing against time to appeal the deportation order before the Monday deadline, prepared to escalate the case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. As the situation unfolds, concerns mount over Bulgaria's compliance with international human rights obligations and the safety of Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi in the face of potential deportation to Saudi Arabia.

President Says Solving Martin Bozhanov's Case Will Determine Bulgaria's Development as Democratic, Rule of Law State President Rumen Radev told journalists on Sunday in Bansko that solving the case of Martin "the Notary" Bozhanov will determine Bulgaria's development as a democratic and rule-of-law state. All the talk about constitutional reform and the rule of law clashes with the reality in which Bozhanov could have been a broker between the mafia and the judiciary only with political protection, the head of State said. Radev stressed that he will insist on the investigation of Bozhanov's case, as many similar cases from the past had been left unresolved and forgotten. Asked whether the case proves the existence of a parallel judiciary, the President said that there were two options - "either the network in which the mafia had entangled us be broken or this network could strangle the state." In his words, a "determined operation is needed to detoxify institutions entangled in criminal addictions." He said this was a real test not only for the judiciary but also for the government and the National Assembly. They now have a big chance to put Bulgaria on a new path, but if they fail to do so it means that they either cannot or do not want to deal with the mafia, Radev added. He said that he would use all the tools at the disposal of the presidential institution to insist that the case be investigated to the end.

TOKYO, February 12. /TASS/. The DPRK National Defense Academy has developed a new 240 mm guided projectile for multiple rocket launchers, the Korean Central News Agency has said.

WASHINGTON, February 12. /TASS/. White House Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby will be promoted to a new position of Assistant to the President of the United States, Associated Press reported citing sources in the administration.

WASHINGTON, February 12. /TASS/. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized with suspected bladder problems, according to a statement released by Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder.

YEREVAN, February 11. /TASS/. Armenia is not turning its back on Russia and is not rejecting security cooperation with it, it is simply diversifying relations with partners, Armenian Prime Minster Nikol Pashinyan said.

MOSCOW, February 11. /TASS/. The US-led coalition’s aircraft violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area three times during the past day, Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Sunday. "Aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorist coalition led by the United States continues to create dangerous situation that may cause air accident or incidents and escalate the situation in Syria’s airspace," he said. "Two pairs of the coalition’s A-10 Thunderbolt attack bombers and an MQ-1 multi-role unmanned aerial vehicle violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area, across which international air routes run, three times during the day." Apart from that, according to Kulit, one violation of the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019 linked with the flights by the US-led coalition unmanned aerial vehicles was reported in Syria in the past 24 hours. He also said that units of the Russian military police conducted patrols in the Aleppo and Raqqa governorates. Six shelling attacks on the positions of Syrian government forces by terrorist groups were reported in the Idlib de-escalation zone during the day. Three Syrian soldiers were wounded.

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/. Russia intends to expand the list of countries whose citizens will be able to obtain Russian electronic visas, Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Consular Department Alexey Klimov said in an interview with TASS.

MOSCOW, February 11. /TASS/. President of the Central African Republic (CAR) Faustin-Archange Touadera has left for Moscow to take part in the Forum of Supporters for the Fight against Modern Neo-Colonialist Practices, the Russian embassy in Bangui said.

MOSCOW, February 11. /TASS/. Russia finds it important to attain the goals of its special military operation, preferably through a peaceful resolution, but as long as that is being rejected, the special military operation is ongoing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin TV show on Rossiya-1 television.
(February 12, 2024)

I wouldn't have said it like that. Neither would Dominic. I guess last year's counteroffensive was a failure for Kiev. It seems like this France24 report isn't well written.

This is me talking about Oleksandr Syrsky. 2-11-24

Five challenges facing Ukraine's new army chief Oleksandr Syrsky Ukraine's new army head Oleksandr Syrsky, who was appointed in Kyiv's largest military shake-up since Russia invaded, is taking the helm at a precarious moment in the war. After nearly two years of fighting, these are the five most pressing challenges the 58-year-old commander, who was born in Russia, is facing.
1) Foreign aid
Ukraine's allies, particularly Washington and Brussels, are struggling to keep up aid packages that have so far allowed Kyiv to hold out against Russia. The EU this month unblocked 50 billion euros in aid, but US senators have only managed to clear a first hurdle to a potential future package after months of political deadlock. The uncertainty over Ukraine's resources come as Russia turns it economy to a war footing, ramping up production and recruitment.
2) Mobilisation
Ukraine's military and political leadership are at odds over how to replenish the army's ranks, following two years of costly fighting that Washington believes has killed around 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Syrsky's predecessor had urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to add 500,000 servicemen to the army, but the Ukrainian leader rejected the unpopular appeal and advocated a more efficient rotations systems. Mobilisation legislation is working its way through parliament while exhausted and depleted Ukrainian units appealing for rotations off the front are meanwhile struggling to hold back waves of Russian forces.
3) Defence lines
Ukraine's failed counteroffensive last summer crashed into nearly impenetrable Russian defensive lines, which Kyiv now wants to replicate across the front to frustrate slow by steady Russian advances. Entrenching is a difficult task given the front line stretches some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) and Ukrainian forces are facing oncoming assaults in eastern hotspots like Avdiivka and Kupiansk.
4) Ukraine's airspace
Zelensky has made it a priority for Ukraine this year to gain control of its airspace as it faces down waves of Russian drone and missile attacks. Yet even after the West bolstered Ukraine's air defence systems, securing ammunition for those weapons remains an issue. Syrsky also faces the dilemma of whether to utilise the systems for defence or in an offensive ways to target Moscow's airforce on Russian territory or over the Black Sea. Ukraine, which is also expecting to take deliveries of F-16 fighter jets this year, says controlling the airspace over the country is key to making advances on the front.
5) Shoes to fill
The outgoing army chief, Valery Zaluzhny, was one of the most respected and trusted public figures in Ukraine with recent polling showing he had won the trust more than 90 percent of Ukrainians.
(February 11, 2024)

This is me talking about American language schools. 2-10-24

This is me talking about the Super Bowl. 2-10-24

This is me talking about Pakistan. 2-10-24

1) How networked the Pakistani ISI is with the Kremlin, Ankara, etc.
2) Reports about Turkish space technology. I guess the Pakistani ISI has access to advanced technology.
3) Elections and security stuff. You wonder about the Kremlin and these reports about elections in Senegal and Islamabad.

Ax-3 crew with 1st Turkish astronaut returns to Earth

Turkish drone magnate Baykar begins to build plant in Ukraine

Libya hasn't fallen off Türkiye's agenda

At least five people were killed and dozens more injured Friday after the destruction of a mosque and a religious school triggered clashes in northern India's Uttarakhand. Authorities in the northern state of Uttarakhand had bulldozed the mosque and Islamic school Thursday, claiming they had been built without permission. The demolition was the latest in targeting Islamic structures.

The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is Pakistan's main intelligence agency. It is responsible for collecting, processing, and analyzing information from around the world that is relevant to Pakistan's national security. The ISI is also involved in conducting covert operations and supporting the country's national security efforts.

Four suspects detained for allegedly spying for Mossad in Türkiye have confessed to their connections with the Israeli intelligence agency, according to documents from the Turkish prosecution. In raids in Istanbul and the west coast city of Izmir earlier this month, Türkiye’s counterterrorism police and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) captured seven people allegedly collecting biographical information, doing reconnaissance, photo and video documentation, live tracking and installing tracking devices through private detectives in Türkiye.

The ‘generals’ elections’ that turned against Pakistan’s military Pakistan’s 2024 general elections were dubbed the “most rigged” in the country’s history, with the popular Imran Khan barred from running and the military seen as backing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. That was before results showed Khan-backed independent candidates leading the race. The stage appears to be set for a turbulent period after an irate electorate reacted to the military’s perceived meddling in politics – again. Voters in the 2024 Pakistani general elections manoeuvred sheaves of ballot papers offering a profusion of symbols including tables, chairs, apples, airplanes, calculators and kitchen appliances. But there was no cricket bat on the ballot. With former cricket star and prime minister Imran Khan behind bars, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was banned from using its signature icon in a country where symbols are important tools for the electorate because of high illiteracy rates. This forced PTI-backed candidates to run as independents, each using different symbols that stretched ballot papers and the national imagination. The country’s real power-wielder, however, was not on the ballot paper, and Pakistanis were never given a symbol or say on the issue. With the imprisoned Khan facing nearly 200 legal charges ranging from corruption to leaking state secrets, experts predict the popular former cricketer-politician is likely to remain behind bars for several years. A businessman and former chief minister of Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous and prosperous province, Sharif has a record of pursuing economic growth and development. During his previous stints as prime minister, the billionaire politician sought closer trade ties with India, Pakistan’s giant neighbour and arch-foe. Sharif’s return to Pakistan was widely viewed as a sign that the military was seeking a safe pair of hands to handle the country’s crippling economic crisis.

Pakistan coalition talks loom after strong results for allies of jailed ex-PM Khan Pakistan faces days of political horse-trading after the final few election results released early Saturday showed no clear majority, but a strong performance by independent candidates loyal to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) defied a months-long crackdown that crippled campaigning and forced their candidates to run as independents with a combined showing in Thursday's election that still challenged their chief rivals. But after long delays in results that prompted further allegations that the military establishment had engaged in vote-rigging, the army-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) declared victory as the party with the largest number of seats. However, to form a government, the party founded by three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will be forced to cut deals with rivals and independents. "Everyone knows how many seats Khan's independent candidates have won," he said. "They don't have a symbol, or a captain, or a flag, or banners, but still we have won on the field." Election day was also marred by violence, mostly in the border regions neighbouring Afghanistan, with 61 attacks nationwide, the interior ministry said Friday. At least 16 people were killed -- including 10 security force members -- and 54 wounded.

Senegal protesters clash with security forces over presidential election delay Senegalese security forces on Friday used tear gas to disperse people attempting to gather in the capital after being urged to mobilise against a last-minute delay of presidential elections.
(February 10, 2024)

This is me talking about President Vucic and monetary policy. 2-9-24

"In the city, in Kosovo or Pristina. Belgrade. There is a monetary policy and a language. There are discussions about this in the parliament. They are using the euro right now in Kosovo which seems really foreign. I guess the Kosovars can't print their own currency."
Translation by Donna Welles.

Vučić said that the continuation of the dialogue is possible, if the Community of Serbian Municipalities is formed, for which our people have been waiting for 11 years.

The lek is the currency of Albania. Historically, it was subdivided into 100 qintars.

1) In Kosovo they could use dinar, lek, or euro. It seems like they can't print their own money. Maybe it's an argument that Kosovo should be a part of Serbia.
2) Reports about construction criminals in Tashkent.
3) Russia and China ties.
4) The Russian navy base in Syria and these reports coming from CENTCOM.

Tashkent takes measures against illegal buildings In Tashkent, a significant operation to dismantle illegal buildings and constructions has commenced. The city authorities are urging residents who own household or commercial structures to review their documents to ensure compliance with urban planning regulations.

Kosovo Says Serbian Dinar 'Not Banned' But Only Euros Legal

While the court acknowledged that there was a high degree of reasonable suspicion that Karakolev had collaborated with Russian state and intelligence services, there is currently no evidence suggesting that he received payment for providing information. However, the court deemed house arrest with electronic monitoring necessary to prevent Karakolev from committing further crimes. The investigation into the espionage allegations has prompted scrutiny from various control bodies, including the Ministry of the Interior and the SANS. Following Karakolev's arrest, the head of Internal Security at the Ministry of the Interior was removed from their position, although the ministry denies any connection to the espionage investigation. The court's decision to place Karakolev under house arrest can be appealed, as the investigation continues to unfold.

Regarding negotiations with Egypt, Georgieva stated that the IMF and Egypt are in the final stages of discussions for an additional loan program aimed at alleviating pressure resulting from the conflict in Gaza. Egypt currently has an active agreement with the IMF amounting to billion.

The Italian contingent of NATO’s Multinational Battlegroup in Bulgaria was rotated in a solemn ceremony at the Novo Selo training area, the press centre of the Defence Ministry reported on Thursday. The previous commander of the battlegroup, Colonel Michelangelo Genchi, handed over command to Colonel Mariano Scandurra.

NEW YORK, February 9. /TASS/. The US forces struck unmanned surface vessels and anti-ship cruise missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the US Defense Department’s Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Thursday. "On February 8, between the hours of 5 a.m. - 9 p.m. [Sanaa time] (2 a.m. - 6 a.m. GMT - TASS), US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted seven self-defense strikes against four Houthi unmanned surface vessels (USV) and seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea," CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X.

MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Ukrainian border guards have detained an exceptionally large group of draft dodgers trying to flee to Hungary, the Ukrainian State Border Service said. "Border guards stopped two minivans not far from the border. The minivans were carrying 38 men, a record number of border violators," the service said on Facebook (prohibited in Russia due to its ownership by Meta, which has been designated as extremist). "There were men from 11 regions of Ukraine. The organizers of the illegal trip expected to get $4,500 to $8,500 from their clients," the border guards added.

One Syrian serviceman killed, two wounded by militants in Latakia Seven attacks on Syrian pro-government forces were registered in the Idlib de-escalation zone in the past 24 hours MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. One Syrian serviceman was killed and two injured in seven attacks on positions of Syria’s pro-government forces in the Idlib de-escalation zone, the deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian Defense Ministry) said on Thursday. "In the province of Latakia, one Syrian serviceman was killed by a terrorist sniper, firing from the Klaba district at positions of pro-government forces near the settlement of Beit-Lukman. Two servicemen of the Syrian armed forces were injured as a result of mortar fire from Tuffahia area, targeting positions of pro-government forces near the settlement of Kermel," Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said. Overall, seven attacks on Syrian pro-government forces were registered in the Idlib de-escalation zone in the past 24 hours. They were carried out by members of Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic Party of Turkestan (terrorist groups, both outlawed in Russia). Three occurred in the Latakia Governorate and four - in the Idlib Governorate. Also, the Russian reconciliation center registered two violations of the December 9, 2019 deconfliction protocols. The incidents were related to flights that were not coordinated with the Russian side. The violations were committed by a pair of A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft of the US-led international coalition.

BEIJING, February 8. /TASS/. Beijing is ready to work jointly with Moscow toward boosting international multilateral cooperation, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "China actively supports Russia’s work as the BRICS chair in 2024 and is ready to deepen international multilateral cooperation with Russia," CCTV quoted Xi as saying.

BEIJING, February 8. /TASS/. China and Russia should maintain stability of production and sales chains by joint efforts, President of China Xi Jinping said in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

BEIJING, February 9. /TASS/. Last year’s global turbulence has not affected the development of Russian-Chinese relations, Russian Ambassador to Beijing Igor Morgulov said in a video message on the eve of Chinese New Year.

BEIJING, February 9. /TASS/. The intense communication between the leaders of Russia and China reflects the highest level of relations and strategic partnership between the two countries, Russian Ambassador to Beijing Igor Morgulov said.

MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Some of the lands Ukraine received after the creation of the Soviet Union had no historical connection with it whatsoever, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Tucker Carlson published on the US journalist’s website. "In 1922, when the USSR was being established, the Bolsheviks started building the USSR and established the Soviet Ukraine, which had never existed before," the head of state noted. According to him, Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet state, "for some unknown reasons, transferred to that newly established Soviet Republic of Ukraine some of the lands, together with people living there, even though those lands had never been called Ukraine." "Those lands included the Black Sea region, which was received under Catherine the Great and which had no historical connection with Ukraine whatsoever," Putin emphasized.

MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. The decision to use the dollar as a tool of political struggle was one of the biggest strategic mistakes the US has even made, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Tucker Carlson published on the US journalist’s website.

MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu handed down instructions to ensure unhindered supplies to troops in the special military operation zone during a visit to the headquarters of the Joint Group of Forces, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
(February 9, 2024)

At 21:00 sharp at the request of Serbia, Vučić speaks at the Security Council session An extraordinary session of United Nations Security Council on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, at the request of Serbia, will be held today at 9 p.m. CET. Serbia will be represented at the session by President Aleksandar Vučić. On Monday, Serbia submitted a request to the mission of Guyana, which presides over the UN Security Council, to convene an extraordinary session due to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, in which, among other things, it is pointed out that the current situation is in sharp contrast to the UN Charter and UNSC Resolution 1244 and which is of such a nature that it requires the holding of a special session of the Security Council. In the request, which Tanjug had access to, it is stated that it is in accordance with Article 35 of the Charter of the United Nations and Article 3 of the Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council (S/96/Rev.7). The document also states that this territory, in accordance with the UN Charter, other rules of international law and UN Security Council Resolution (1244), is part of the Republic of Serbia, on which the international administration of the United Nations was established, the culmination is underway within a long-term and well-planned and systematic actions of the so-called leadership of the Kosovo Albanians, by which the Serbs are deliberately subjected to unbearable living conditions. "It is about the illegal decision of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina to cancel the circulation of the Serbian currency Dinar in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, which represents the continuation of measures of brutal physical and institutional violence against Serbs by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina, with an essential goal of complete ethnic cleansing and the disappearance of the Serbian population from that area - which is currently ongoing", the document states. It is emphasized that the destructiveness of the aforementioned long-term measures of repression, the leadership of the so-called Kosovo Albanians, within which the illegal abolition of the Serbian currency Dinar represents the most comprehensive procedure in deliberately subjecting Serbs to unbearable living conditions, is impressively illustrated by the fact that more than 14 percent of Serbs have already left the territory of Kosovo and Metohija in the past year alone. "Given that this process drastically intensified after the announcement of the mentioned illegal measure of abolishing the Serbian Dinar, the Republic of Serbia initiates the holding of an extraordinary session of the UN Security Council in order to urgently take measures that would prevent the occurrence of irreparable harm to the survival of the Serbian people in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija," the request states. It is clarified that leadership of the Kosovo Albanians, with the mentioned measure of abolishing the circulation of the Serbian Dinar, completely deprived Serbs and other members of non-Albanian communities of their regular monthly salaries, pensions, social assistance and other personal incomes, as well as that in the implementation of that measure, it had already carried out violent raids and shut down Serbian institutions, municipalities and dispensaries in the area of Gora, Pec, Istok, Klina and Pristina, as well as the illegal confiscation of money that was intended for the payment of social assistance and pensions to Serbs in those, mostly returnee, areas of the mentioned municipalities. It also immediately and essentially prevented the work of 922 private economic entities owned by Serbs, as well as any functioning of all social, health, educational, cultural and all other institutions that provide Serbs with public services in that area. "This latest measure, the implementation of which is ongoing, came as a natural continuation of the unpunished, multi-year, violent and deliberate subjection of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to unbearable living conditions by the so-called leadership of the Kosovo Albanians headed by Albin Kurti. Since February 2021, in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, they have been continuously carried out physical and institutional violence against Serbs, incited threats and actions aimed at creating a strong sense of insecurity and existential threat to the Serbian population, especially in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, provoked a violent response to their acts and abused all levers of public institutions in order to encourage and realize the emigration of the Serbian population from that area", the request reads. As stated, only in the period from November 2022, armed formations of Kosovo Albanians (whose very existence is contrary to Resolution 1244 (1999) used disproportionate and illegal force against the Serbian population 98 times (of which 83 times in the area of northern Kosovo). It is added that using the mechanisms of temporary institutions that were formed contrary to Resolution 1244 (1999) of the UN Security Council, heavily armed formations of Kosovo Albanians have carried out 38 incursions into the north of Kosovo and Metohija since November 2022 alone, where recently they have been continuously carrying out armed presence, as well as using that presence to carry out arbitrary arrests of prominent Serbian individuals and all other known forms of physical and institutional violence against the Serbian population. "Among other things, they carry out acts of mass intimidation of the Serbian population through: 1) preventing the freedom of movement of Serbs through unreasonable stops, humiliating treatment, beatings and even injuring civilians at illegally established armed checkpoints and all other points in the entire north of Kosovo, 2) unreasonable opening fires and the almost constant presence of armored fighting vehicles in normally peaceful urban Serbian environments 3) illegal expropriation of land privately owned by Serbs, which they then use to build illegal Albanian police bases 4) making decisions on the confiscation of buildings owned by Serbian institutions, which are the owners of those buildings 5) violent seizure of the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church and violation of the special protection zone around the objects of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and centuries-old Serbian Orthodox churches are appropriated and renamed Albanian, 6) plowing and destruction of Serbian cemeteries, 7) introduction of an eight-month illegal embargo on Serbian goods and confiscation of legal goods owned by Serbian traders," the request states.

This is me talking about Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. 2-8-24

1) These Russian and Serbian guys have all of these wedge issues. Kosovo and Ukraine. Maybe China is the front burner right now.
Holistically, some of these Russian diplomats speak French and Chinese. And then they want to talk about Kosovo and Kiev constantly. They don't want China to be our front burner.
1) Reports about cooperation in the energy and military sectors.
2) The Uzbek economy.

On September 19, 2019, the President signed Executive Order No. 460 appointing Andrey Rudenko as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Andrey Rudenko was born in Moscow in 1962. 1985: Graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (now MGIMO University). Foreign languages: English and Chinese.

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, FEB 7 - Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic announced today that President Aleksandar Vucic will represent Serbia at the UN Security Council session on the Kosovo situation, which is scheduled for tomorrow in New York.

MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. The United States, which is already militarily present in the Asia Pacific region, is now seeking to "drag" its NATO partners to that region, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told TASS.

VIENNA, February 7. /TASS/. Sweden's decision to stop its investigation into the Nord Stream explosions implicitly testifies to Russia's non-involvement in organizing the sabotage, Secretary General of the opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) Christian Hafenecker has said.

Bulgarian government delegation meets with US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm

MOSCOW, February 7. /TASS/. The explosion near Izhevsk, seen on video footage that spread on social media and Telegram channels, was caused by a planned rocket engine test, the Zavyalovsky District united dispatch service told TASS.

Uzbek Soum Currency Update: Dollar Down, Euro Up, Ruble Steady

Uzbekistan-Belarus Forum Boosts Trade and Investment Ties

Uzbekistan Hosts Talks on Trans-Afghan Railway Construction

Head of National System 112 Directorate: Terrorist Attack Alerts Submitted on 112 Emergency Number Up 206.5% in 2023

Authorities Seize Documents, Computers During Search at Private Club Linked to Martin Bozhanov The prosecution service conducted searches at the private club "SS" in Sofia associated with Martin "the Notary" Bozhanov. Various documents and computers were seized for analysis, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov told reporters on Wednesday evening. The searched were authorized by the Sofia City Court, he specified. "While I was director of the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime, work was carried out in relation to these people. Everything we have collected as data has been handed over to the prosecutor's office," Stoyanov added. The club became known after Bozhanov's murder in Sofia on January 31. The prosecuting magistracy Wednesday said that since 2023 it has been working on pre-trial proceedings for an organised crime group of which Bozhanov was a part, set up to pressure magistrates, for property fraud and money laundering. Work on the case began after the prosecution service in late 2022 received a file from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, opened following a signal mentioning the existence of such a club. Bozhanov was shot dead in a gated complex in a Sofia suburb on the evening of January 31. According to media reports, he was a large-scale fixer of people's problems with the judiciary. He has been implicated in building a network of connections with prosecutors and judges whom he allegedly bribed, threatened, blackmailed or otherwise pressured to treat his "clients" favourably. On Tuesday, acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov ordered ex officio checks of the 25 case files and pre-trial proceedings in which Bozhanov has been an accused, complainant, witness or a party in another capacity since 2004. On Wednesday, Parliament set up an ad hoc committee of inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding the activity of the group around Bozhanov.

Police Enter Private Club Linked to Murdered Martin Bozhanov The prosecution service entered the private club "SS" in the capital's "Geo Milev" district, associated with Martin Bozhanov, a BTA reporter saw on Wednesday. Police were on the scene. The club became known after Bozhanov’s murder. The prosecutor's office said on Tuesday that since 2023 it has been working on pre-trial proceedings for an organized criminal group, with which Bozhanov was involved, set up to pressure magistrates, for property fraud and money laundering. Work on the case began after the prosecutor's office in late 2022 received a file from the state directorate for combating organized crime, initiated by an alert which mentioned the existence of such a club. Earlier in the day Parliament decided that an ad-hoc committee will be assembled to verify all the facts and circumstances related to the activities of the group around Martin Bozhanov.
(February 8, 2024)

This is me talking about Grant Shapps. 2-6-24