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The independent presidential candidate has endorsed Republican Donald Trump over the latter’s stance on the crisis Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused US President Joe Biden of disrupting peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in 2022, because Washington “wanted the war.” Kennedy made the statement on Friday during a speech in Arizona, where he announced the suspension of his third-party campaign for the White House in the swing state and endorsed Republican Donald Trump. According to Kennedy, Washington had deliberately drawn Moscow into the Ukraine war with the objective of regime change in Russia. “President Biden sent [then-UK Prime Minister] Boris Johnson to Ukraine to force President [Vladimir] Zelensky to tear up a peace agreement that he and the Russians had already signed, and the Russians were already withdrawing troops,” said the son of the 1960s-era Democratic US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. Moscow has previously blamed London for blocking the Ukraine peace deal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in April that Kiev abandoned a proposed peace treaty with Russia, approved by negotiators in Istanbul, in 2022 under British pressure. Boris Johnson visited Kiev in April of that year, and reportedly told Zelensky to “just fight,” prompting the latter to pull out of the discussions. The former prime minister has since denied derailing the peace talks. Kennedy also accused the US government of staging a coup against the democratically-elected government of Ukraine in 2014 and rejecting the Minsk Agreements, a series of peace protocols negotiated between Ukraine, Russia and the European nations in 2019, pushing Kiev into a conflict with Moscow. “The Biden White House repeatedly spurned Russia’s offers to settle this war peacefully,” Kennedy claimed. The US has sought to exhaust the Russian Army and degrade its capacity to fight, he added, arguing that the objectives of the US government “had nothing to do” with protecting Ukraine’s sovereignty. Kennedy has described Ukraine as a “victim of the West” and “a proxy in a geopolitical struggle initiated by the ambitions of the US neocons for American global hegemony.” He went on to explain that Trump’s promise to reopen negotiations with Russia and end the war as soon as he takes office were among the reasons for him to endorse the former president’s campaign. Kennedy made clear that he wasn’t formally ending his bid for the White House and called on his supporters to continue to back him in other states where their votes are unlikely to sway the outcome.

The bloc is “in the game” but “not a party to the war,” Josep Borrell has said The European Union is directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which will determine its geopolitical future, the bloc’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell has stated. Borrell spoke on a panel about EU enlargement during the ‘Quo Vadis Europa?’ seminar in Santander, Spain. The annual event has been hosted by the Menendez y Pelayo International University (UIMP) since 2013. “What is happening in Ukraine will determine the geopolitical future of Europe,” Borrell said at one point during Friday’s discussion. “We must think about Ukraine when we become participants in the game. We are part of this game. We are not a party to the war, but we are part of the conflict, and how this conflict is resolved will affect peace and our security,” he added. The former Spanish foreign minister has served as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy since December 2019. 🇺🇦🇷🇺🇪🇺 “What's going to happen to Ukraine, will also determine our geopolitical future. We have to think about Ukraine putting ourselves in the game. We're part of the game, not part of the war, but part of the conflict”- BorrellHigh stakes for these idiots — Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) Borrell has previously the Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region, called it “a severe blow to Russian President [Vladimir] Putin’s narrative,” and urged the West to lift all restrictions on Kiev’s use of weapons, as this would “help advance peace efforts.” Russia has repeatedly accused the US and its allies of open involvement in the conflict, but the collective West has always insisted that providing Ukraine with over $100 billion in money, weapons, ammunition, and equipment – while seizing Russian assets and imposing sweeping economic sanctions – did not actually make it a party to the hostilities. Borrell has a history of articulating the claim that the EU has been using Ukraine as a proxy against Russia. , he told the World Economic Forum meeting in Saudi Arabia that “Europeans will not go to die for the Donbass,” but are committed to funding Ukrainians indefinitely. In March, that US and EU involvement is “not a matter of supporting Ukraine because we love Ukrainian people,” but in the interest of the US “as a global player, someone who has to be perceived as a reliable partner, a security provider to the allies.” Putin has described the Western position as cynical, accusing the US and its allies of wanting to fight Russia “to the last Ukrainian.”

Hungary has reportedly urged Kiev to endorse a new plan that would allow restoring flow of crude via Ukrainian territory Hungary has called on Ukraine to support a proposed solution for the resumption of halted Russian oil flow to the EU country, Politico reported on Thursday. Kiev stopped the transit of crude supplied by Russian energy giant Lukoil via the Druzhba pipeline in June, citing sanctions on the company. This action has directly impacted landlocked Hungary and Slovakia, depriving them of oil previously exported by Lukoil. According to the outlet, Budapest proposes to simply rebrand Lukoil’s products so that the crude shipped via Ukraine could be officially sold to Hungarian energy giant MOL before it crosses the border. The plan was reportedly suggested by Gergely Gulyas, who heads the office of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The swap would enable the oil to bypass Kiev’s new sanctions, he asserted. “As soon as we can sign the contracts with the Ukrainian side, they will enter into force,” Gulyas was quoted as saying. The arrangement would reportedly involve paying an additional $1.50 per barrel to secure transit outside of previous agreements. In June, Ukraine blocked the pipeline transit to Central Europe of Russian crude sold by Lukoil. Kiev imposed sanctions on Lukoil in 2018, having banned the company from divesting its business in the country, as well as prohibiting trade operations and participation in the privatization or leasing of state property. Lukoil still sent crude via the southern arm of the Druzhba pipeline as the EU sanctions did not target these flows. The EU prohibited transport of Russian crude oil by sea in December 2022 as part of far-reaching sanctions on Moscow. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have been granted exemptions by Brussels as they source alternative supplies. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has previously claimed that the European Commission may be behind the suspension of the Russian oil supplies through Ukraine. The move could be directly aimed at Budapest and Bratislava, he suggested. Slovakia and Hungary are the only EU members that have declined to support the bloc’s policy of supplying Kiev with military aid amid the conflict with Russia. Both have repeatedly advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. By blocking oil deliveries Kiev appears to be “blackmailing” Budapest and Bratislava because of their consistent demands for a ceasefire and peace, Gulyas said last month. Responding to a question from Politico, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko declined to commit to supporting Budapest’s new plan but said Kiev would “see whether we would get some requests for negotiation from the Hungarians.”

The son of Russian Defense Minister Belousov was among those blacklisted. The US government has imposed sanctions on nearly 400 individuals and companies in Russia and globally, including the son and wife of Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov. The Departments of State and Treasury announced the measures on Friday, ahead of Ukraine's independence day, as a signal of continued Washington support for Kyiv in its conflict with Moscow. The sanctions also targeted entities and individuals in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. In line with its usual practice of sanctioning family members of Russian officials, the US has blacklisted Pavel Belousov and his wife Yevgenya, along with a consulting company they own. Belousov's father Andrey assumed the position of Russian defense minister in May. “Companies, financial institutions, and governments around the world need to ensure they are not supporting Russia’s military-industrial supply chains,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo stated. According to the Treasury, there are “almost a dozen distinct networks” comprising over 100 individuals and entities across 16 jurisdictions, including China, Switzerland, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates. Notably, 18 Hong Kong-based companies have been accused of ties to the Russian military industry. Treasury and State also cautioned financial institutions in other countries to “be cautious about any dealings with overseas branches or subsidiaries of Russian financial institutions,” including those that haven't yet been sanctioned. Friday's designations mean any property or interests in property belonging to the listed individuals, directly or indirectly, have been blocked and must be reported to the government. Any transactions between US citizens – or foreign nationals within the US – are prohibited. Washington and its allies have imposed over 22,000 sanctions on Russia since 2014, when Moscow responded to the US-backed coup in Kyiv by welcoming Crimea's reunification. Russia has denounced the blacklist as illegitimate and retaliated with travel bans for Western officials and activists.

The Republican presidential nominee has claimed that Washington’s stocks have been “emptied of all of our ammunition” to arm Kiev Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has alleged that the US military is facing an ammunition shortage due to the Biden administration’s extensive support for Ukraine and other nations. He has pledged to prioritize rebuilding the American military if elected, emphasizing a "historic investment." Trump, during a phone call with Ukraine's President Zelensky last month, reiterated his commitment to a swift resolution to the conflict if he wins the November election. He previously stated in June his intention to halt the billions of dollars in aid being sent to Ukraine. Addressing supporters and his vice presidential pick, Senator J.D. Vance, in Asheboro, North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump expressed concern about vulnerabilities in the US military, stating: “They released a report talking about all of the vulnerable areas… we’re weak here, we’re weak there.” “That’s like saying: ‘We have no ammunition,’” he added. “You know why. We gave it all up to Ukraine and various other places. We gave them everything.” Trump asserted that billions of dollars in weaponry and ammunition have been donated free of charge. A 312-page assessment published in late July by experts on the US congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy warned that the US military “lacks both the capabilities and the capacity required to be confident it can deter and prevail in combat.” The report highlighted a hypothetical conflict with China, predicting that China would likely receive economic and possibly military assistance from Russia, Iran, or North Korea. This, according to military experts, would significantly reduce the chances of US victory. “Unclassified public wargames suggest that, in a conflict with China, the United States would largely exhaust its munitions inventories in as few as three to four weeks, with some important munitions (e.g. anti-ship missiles) lasting only a few days,” the document concluded. The commission attributed the current situation to significant inadequacies within the American defense industry, emphasizing the need for substantial investment to rectify the issues.

The vice president said she will remain committed to NATO as she formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination US Vice President Kamala Harris has declared that she will ensure the US military remains the most potent force in the world if she wins the presidency in the November elections. Harris made this pledge during a speech delivered after formally accepting her party's presidential nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois on Thursday. She reminded the audience that, as vice president, she had already been actively involved in addressing national security threats, engaging in diplomatic negotiations with foreign leaders, strengthening US alliances, and interacting with US troops stationed abroad. “As commander-in-chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world,” said Harris, who succeeded US President Joe Biden as her party’s presidential candidate in July. She criticized Donald Trump, accusing him of having “threatened to abandon NATO.” The vice president made it clear that, unlike her Republican rival, she would remain committed to the US-led military alliance, vowing that “as president, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies.” She also promised to “stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself.” Harris insisted that “the people of Israel must never again face the horror that the terrorist organization Hamas caused on October 7.” Around 1,200 people were killed and some 250 others taken hostage in the incursion into Israel by the Palestinian armed group. Israeli airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, which were launched in response to the attack, have already led to over 40,000 people being killed and more than 93,000 wounded, according to the Palestinian health authorities. The vice president also said she would fulfill the “sacred obligation” to take care of US troops and their families if she is elected to the White House. “I will always honor, and never disparage, their service and their sacrifice,” she stated. Biden, who addressed the DNC on Monday, also attacked Trump over his stance on NATO. “When Trump left office, Europe in NATO was in tatters – not a joke,” the president said. During his time in the White House between 2016 and 2020, Trump accused European countries who failed to meet the 2% military spending target of being freeloaders, trying to take advantage of Washington. Earlier this year, the Republican candidate recalled how he had told NATO leaders that the US would not defend “delinquent” bloc members. Politico reported in July, citing Trump-aligned national security experts, that if he becomes president again he is “unlikely” to quit NATO outright, but could overhaul the bloc to make its European members take on more responsibility.

Donald Trump “encouraged” Russia’s actions against Ukraine, the Democratic presidential nominee has claimed US Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged that Washington will “stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies,” should she win the presidential election in November. During her speech on day four of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Thursday, the party’s presidential nominee tied the continuation of incumbent President Joe Biden’s Ukraine policy to her intention to “strengthen, not abdicate our global leadership.” Harris touted her record of helping Biden in rallying Western nations to funnel arms and money to Kiev so that it could fight Russia. Ukraine’s ambition to join NATO is one of the key causes of the ongoing crisis, according to Moscow, which considers the prospect a threat to its national security. Harris, who last month replaced Biden as her party’s pick in the presidential race, claimed that the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, had “encouraged” Moscow by supposedly saying that “Russia could ‘do whatever the hell they want’ five days before” the hostilities broke out in February 2022. The misquote appears to come from Trump’s speech at a campaign rally in South Carolina in February of this year, when he revealed an exchange he’d had while president with the head of a European NATO member. The official wondered whether the US would defend their country in the event of a Russian attack, even though its government was not meeting the NATO target for defense spending. Trump said he had threatened to abandon “delinquent” members of the US-led bloc in such a scenario. On Wednesday, Trump claimed during a campaign event in North Carolina that Harris had met with Russian President Vladimir Putin three days before the Ukraine crisis started. “Do you think she did a good job? She met with Putin to tell him ‘Don’t do it’, and three days later he attacked,” he stated. Harris did travel to Europe in February 2022 to meet Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky – a fact that she highlighted in her speech at the DNC. There is no evidence that she and Putin ever met. The US government claims that Moscow supports Trump against Harris via “influence operations” online. Senior Russian officials have argued that neither candidate would meaningfully change Washington’s antagonistic policy towards Moscow. Russia “doesn’t interfere in any [US] internal affairs,” Moscow’s ambassador to the country, Anatoly Antonov, stressed on Thursday. The US has so far failed to provide any evidence of meddling in its elections, he noted.

US Democrats have been accused of “silencing” pro-Palestinian speech at the DNC The campaigning group Muslim Women for Harris has withdrawn its support of US Vice President Kamala Harris following reports that Democrats would not give a platform to pro-Palestine speakers at a convention in Chicago. Pro-Palestinian activists and allied groups have been demanding that Harris commits to cutting military aid to Israel and a stronger push for a ceasefire in Gaza. They had planned to voice their position at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which wraps up on Thursday. “We cannot in good conscience continue Muslim Women for Harris-Walz, in light of this new information from the Uncommitted movement, that VP Harris’ team declined their request to have a Palestinian American speaker take the stage at the DNC,” the group wrote in a statement on Instagram “We pray that the DNC and VP Harris team makes the right decision before this convention is over. For the sake of each of us.” Earlier on Thursday, Abbas Alawieh, one of the leaders of the Uncommitted National Movement, said Democrats had refused to allow Palestinian Americans to speak at the DNC. “We think that’s unacceptable. We think that this is the party where we shouldn’t be silencing people’s voices,” he said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter). We are waiting for a phone call from Vice President Harris and the DNC to allow a single Palestinian American speaker to address delegates from the convention stage. — Uncommitted National Movement 🌺 (@uncommittedmvmt) Speaking to Al Jazeera, Alawieh argued that “the Palestinian speaker situation is a mistake on the party’s end.” He and other activists have started a sit-in outside the convention venue in protest to the decision. According to the Washington Post, Democratic leadership was concerned that a pro-Palestinian speech would “threaten the unity” displayed at the convention. No specific reason was given for the denial, however, the Post said. During her DNC speech on Thursday night, Harris said that the White House was “working around the clock” to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas and to reach a “ceasefire deal.” At the same time, she reaffirmed that she “will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself.” Harris became the Democratic candidate after President Joe Biden quit the race last month. She will face Republican nominee Donald Trump on Election Day in November.

Nick Paton Walsh had traveled to the Russian city of Sudzha with Ukrainian troops Russian authorities have accused CNN chief international security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh of illegally crossing the state border. Walsh had been reporting from the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha. Similar charges were previously brought against two journalists with the Italian broadcaster RAI as well as two Ukrainian reporters. Ukrainian forces seized control of Sudzha, a town with a pre-conflict population of 5,000, during their incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region, which began on August 6. While many residents have fled the area, some civilians remain. Walsh was among the Western reporters who arrived in Sudzha at the invitation of the Ukrainian government. They traveled in an armored convoy with Ukrainian soldiers, filmed damaged buildings in the town center, and spoke to remaining civilians, some of whom were taking refuge in a shelter. According to CNN’s Anderson Cooper, the Ukrainian military “accompanied” Walsh and had reviewed the videos his crew filmed prior to their release “for operational security reasons.” The Ukrainians “had no editorial control” over CNN’s reporting, however, he added. CNN rejected Moscow’s accusations, insisting that the channel “has delivered factual, impartial reporting covering both the Ukrainian and Russian perspectives on the war.” It said that Walsh had acted “in accordance with the rights afforded to journalists under the Geneva Convention and international law.” Moscow has accused the Western reporters of providing “propaganda” on behalf of Ukraine. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova argued this week that foreign journalists embedded with the Ukrainian troops were staying silent on “Kiev’s crimes against civilians” and “manipulating public opinion.” According to Russian officials, at least 31 civilians were killed during Ukraine’s attack on the Kursk Region and 143 were wounded. Since 2022, the EU has banned several Russian news organizations, including RT, citing “systematic information manipulation” in connection to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Moscow has responded by banning dozens of Western news outlets.

A wanted sex offender in Arizona allegedly made the threat on social media Authorities in the United States are searching for a man who made threats on social media about killing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who survived an assassination attempt last month. Trump was in Arizona on Thursday, planning to visit the US-Mexico border and highlight his policy opposing illegal immigration. Shortly before he was scheduled to speak, the Cochise County sheriff’s office sent out an alert. Ronald Lee Syvrud “is being sought as an investigative lead for threats to kill a presidential candidate,” Sheriff Mark Dannels said in a Facebook post. The 66-year-old Syvrud’s last known address was in Benson, about 65km from Montezuma Pass, where Trump’s event was scheduled to be held. He was described as having outstanding warrants in Wisconsin for driving under the influence and failure to appear in court, as well as in Arizona for a hit-and-run and “failing to register as a sex offender.” The Wisconsin Department of Corrections lists Syvrud on their sex offender registry for “second-degree sexual assault of a child,” according to Fox News. When reporters asked Trump about the manhunt, he said no one had told him about it. “No, I have not heard that but I am not that surprised and the reason is because I want to do things that are very bad for the bad guys,” said the former president. While it might be dangerous to be at the border, he added, “I have a job to do.” Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13 when a gunman opened fire from a roof of a nearby building, clipping his ear and killing an audience member. Two more people were seriously wounded before a Secret Service counter-sniper killed the shooter. The Secret Service director eventually resigned because of the incident and the agency implemented tougher security protocols for Trump, including bulletproof glass barriers at his outdoor rallies.

The Supreme Court in Caracas has ruled in favor of President Nicolas Maduro Venezuela's Supreme Court has ruled that President Nicolas Maduro won last month's presidential election. Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the US-backed opposition candidate, claimed to have won 67% of the vote and accused Maduro of rigging the election. However, the Caracas authorities stated that Maduro won 52% of the vote and certified his victory. On Thursday, the court stated that it “indisputably certified election materials and validates the results of the July 28, 2024 presidential election issued by the National Electoral Council (CNE),” according to presiding judge Caryslia Rodriguez. “Your ruling will only make the crisis worse,” Gonzalez said in a social media post, accusing the court of bias and seeking to usurp “the will of the people.” While China, Russia, and Venezuela’s regional allies congratulated Maduro on his victory, the G7 countries led by the US have refused to recognize the election results, expressing “serious concerns” about the integrity of the electoral process. Brazil and Colombia have even called for new elections, which the US supported – but the Venezuelan opposition declined, claiming they had won the vote outright. Caracas has opened a against Gonzalez and other opposition leaders for inciting “insurrection” with their false claims of electoral victory and calls for street unrest. According to the government, 25 people have been killed and 192 injured in election-related riots, while more than 2,400 people have been arrested. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the US had drafted a list of 60 Venezuelan officials and their family members that could be blacklisted over the election. The list contains members of the CNE and the Supreme Court, according to two people familiar with the matter who wished to remain anonymous. Caracas has accused Washington of planning yet another coup in Venezuela. The US likewise refused to recognize the 2018 election and recognized lawmaker Juan Guaido as “interim president,” going so far as to confiscate Venezuelan gold and other assets for his benefit. The Venezuelan opposition voted to dissolve his “interim government” in December 2022, after which Guaido faded into obscurity.

Former US President Donald Trump has refuted claims made in a new biography of the late Queen Elizabeth II that she found him "very rude." Former US President Donald Trump has maintained that he was in Queen Elizabeth II's good books, despite claims to the contrary in a new biography about the late monarch. In an interview with the Daily Mail on Wednesday, the Republican firebrand dismissed Craig Brown, the author of 'A Voyage Around the Queen,' as a "sleazebag" who is "looking for some publicity for a book that probably is phony." Trump met the late monarch twice during his term in office. The first time was in 2018 when she received him and his wife informally for tea. The following year, the then-US head of state was greeted with a full state banquet. Observers at the time claimed that Trump had violated royal protocol on several occasions. The Daily Mail quoted the 78-year-old as insisting that the Queen "said it to friends of mine that ‘President Trump was my favorite president.’” The former president went on to describe his relationship with the late British monarch as "great" and "unbelievable." "She liked me and I liked her," he claimed, recounting how they had "spent hours together at a state dinner." According to Trump, the author of the biography had intentionally smeared him with "totally false" allegations in a bid to promote his work. The book suggests that Queen Elizabeth II found Trump "very rude," and told another guest that she had "particularly disliked" the way he looked over her shoulder, as if in search of someone more interesting. ‘A Voyage Around the Queen’ also describes how the monarch supposedly believed Trump "must have some sort of arrangement" with his wife Melania, "or else why would she have remained married to him?" In July 2018, Trump, along with the first lady, had tea with Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle toward the end of his UK trip. He later described the monarch as a "fantastic woman… smart and sharp [with] so much energy." However, observers were quick to point out several instances in which Trump had apparently broken etiquette. First, he failed to greet the Queen properly, omitting to bow. Melania, too, failed to perform the customary "small curtsy." While not strictly obligatory, these are considered good manners and implicitly expected of officials visiting the royal family. Later during the meeting, Trump walked ahead of the Queen and turned his back to her while inspecting the royal guard – both gestures were viewed as impolite.

Russians could face deportation from Latvia following extraordinary amendments to legislation Moscow has denounced the recent tightening of residency permit application procedures for Russian citizens in Latvia, calling it “lawlessness” and threatening a harsh response. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that the new rules violate international legal norms. Riga enacted immigration amendments in June, expanding a language test requirement to include Russian citizens who were previously exempt. Russian applicants for residency in the Baltic country are reportedly required to disclose their views on the Ukraine conflict. “The discriminatory requirements of Latvia’s migration laws are openly Russophobic in nature. They flagrantly violate fundamental international legal norms,” Zakharova stated on her Telegram channel on Thursday. Reportedly, three Russian citizens have been deported from Latvia in recent days due to their inability to provide proof of language proficiency needed for permanent residence permits. Six more Russians are said to have received deportation orders. Approximately 1,500 Russian citizens have voluntarily left the country after their residency permits expired. Moscow “will continue to take tough measures, including asymmetric measures, in response to the lawlessness going on in Latvia,” Zakharova warned. Zakharova claimed that the economic steps Russia has taken so far have had a “tangible impact” on the Baltic state’s budget revenues. In March, Moscow imposed sanctions against over 300 individuals from the three Baltic nations, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, and cautioned Russians against traveling to these countries. Goods transit through Latvian ports is reported to have decreased by 27% in 2023 due to EU sanctions against Russia. In May, Zakharova hinted that Moscow might retaliate against the Baltic states’ anti-Russia policies by further restricting goods transit through their ports. Latvian authorities have been gradually chipping away at the rights of Russian speakers for years. Following the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Riga introduced several severe policies targeting Russian nationals and embarked on a campaign to drastically limit the use of the Russian language in all aspects of life. Moscow has condemned Latvia’s policies, describing them as “extremely” Russophobic, but has thus far declined to sever diplomatic ties with the Baltic nation, arguing that doing so would leave thousands of Russian citizens in distress and without consular support.

Switzerland's largest political party, the Swiss People's Party (SVP), has condemned the government's decision to join EU military initiatives, arguing that the move will undermine the nation's long-held neutrality. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the SVP stated that it “firmly opposes” Switzerland's participation in the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) military pact. The party claimed that the Swiss Federal Council, by signing up to the framework, is “abandoning our country’s neutrality and sovereignty” while “putting the security of the Swiss population at risk through gross negligence.” The SVP further accused Defense Minister Viola Amherd and the entire cabinet of employing a “salami tactic” in their “insidious rapprochement with both the EU and NATO.” Switzerland adopted military neutrality in 1815. The country's constitution prohibits the shipment of weapons to war zones from or through Swiss territory, as well as the provision of mercenary troops to countries engaged in armed conflicts. A poll conducted by the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich, a research university, revealed in March that approximately 91% of Swiss citizens believe the country should maintain its neutrality. Despite the government's efforts to portray military cooperation with the EU as purely technical, the SVP asserted that participation in PESCO initiatives would inevitably require Switzerland to align its foreign and security policy objectives with those of the bloc. The party also argued that Swiss interests do not always align with those of the EU, citing the bloc's expansionist tendencies, particularly regarding Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. Consequently, the SVP insisted that the issue of PESCO participation should be put to a vote in parliament. In a separate statement on Wednesday, the Swiss central government disclosed that Bern would join the ‘Military Mobility’ and ‘Cyber Ranges Federation’ projects under the PESCO umbrella. “This strengthens Switzerland’s national defense capabilities” while being “in conformity with Switzerland’s neutrality obligations,” the Federal Council claimed. According to the statement, the Swiss army will collaborate with 25 EU members on facilitating the cross-border transfer of military hardware across the continent as part of the ‘Military Mobility’ project. Meanwhile, the ‘Cyber Ranges’ initiative provides access to a simulated cyber-environment, where experts can receive realistic training in repelling cyberattacks. Despite not being a member of the EU or NATO, Switzerland has joined the West's sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine conflict. Commenting in April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Switzerland “has turned from neutral to openly hostile.”

Elon Musk, the billionaire tech entrepreneur, conducted a “super unscientific” poll on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), where former US President Donald Trump decisively defeated his Democratic challenger, Kamala Harris, for the upcoming November election. Vice President Harris accepted her party's official nomination in August after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race. She subsequently chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Musk ran his own, smaller election on X on Tuesday. “Since a lot of people have asked, here goes a super unscientific poll,” the billionaire posted on his account. According to the results as of Wednesday, out of 5.8 million votes, nearly three-quarters would choose Trump in November, while over a quarter would vote for Harris. Earlier this month, the Republican nominee told Reuters that he would consider Musk for a role in his administration, when asked if he would appoint Musk to an advisory or cabinet position. “If he would do it, I certainly would. He’s a brilliant guy,” he said. Musk responded later on X, writing that he is “willing to serve.” Last week, Elon Musk interviewed former US President Donald Trump on Spaces. They engaged in what Musk described as an “unscripted” dialogue with “no limits”; the interview has amassed over 275 million views to date. Trump referred to Harris as “third rate,” “incompetent” and a “left lunatic” during the conversation. The Harris campaign issued a strong response to Trump's two-hour Musk interview, condemning the Republican candidate's “extremism and dangerous agenda.” She also criticized “self-obsessed rich guys who cannot run a livestream in the year 2024” as the talk was plagued by technical issues. According to Musk, the stream was targeted by a large-scale DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack, leading to technical difficulties. According to a set of polling averages published by The New York Times, as of Wednesday, Harris holds a two-percent lead over Trump in two swing states: Wisconsin and Michigan. Meanwhile, Trump leads by four percent in Georgia, with both candidates roughly tied in Arizona and Pennsylvania, according to the newspaper's poll aggregation data.

China has refuted US claims that it poses a “nuclear threat.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has dismissed Washington’s concerns about China’s nuclear arsenal as unfounded. Her statement follows a report in The New York Times on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden had quietly updated the Nuclear Employment Guidance, targeting China more directly. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mao expressed Beijing’s “grave concern” over the report. “The US has labeled China a ‘nuclear threat’ and used this as a pretext to avoid its nuclear disarmament obligations,” she said. Mao emphasized that China’s nuclear arsenal is “significantly smaller than that of the US,” reiterating Beijing’s “no first use” policy and commitment to maintaining its nuclear capabilities at the “minimum level required for national security.” She declared that China has “no intention to engage in any nuclear arms race” with other countries. “The US is the primary source of nuclear threats and strategic risks in the world,” the spokeswoman asserted. The Pentagon has projected that China will double its operational nuclear warhead stockpile to over 1,000 by 2030. Currently, the US has an estimated 5,550 warheads, while Russia possesses 6,255, according to figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The White House has downplayed China’s concerns, with spokesman Sean Savett characterizing the nuclear strategy update as a routine procedure that was “not a response to any specific entity, country, or threat.” However, US officials have repeatedly labeled Beijing as “a challenge” to global peace and accused it of economic and military coercion in the Indo-Pacific region. Beijing, in turn, has blamed the US for the escalating tensions, urging Washington to abandon its “Cold-War mentality.”

Berlin was not informed about Kiev’s offensive beforehand, the German chancellor has stated. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters that the Ukrainian government did not consult with Germany before launching its incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region. Several thousand Ukrainian troops crossed the Russian border earlier this month, in a move that Moscow has labeled “an act of terrorism.” Russia has responded with intense air and artillery strikes against the invaders. “Ukraine prepared its military operation in Kursk Region very secretly and without any feedback, which is certainly due to the situation,” Scholz said at a press conference in Moldova. Scholz declined to say whether Germany has allowed Ukraine to use its donated weapons in the cross-border incursion, stating only that Berlin was “closely monitoring” the situation. “This is a very limited operation in terms of space and probably also time,” Scholz added. “But at this point in time, we should not comment on it further. We can certainly evaluate everything when enough time has passed.” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told reporters that Kiev concealed the preparations for its Kursk offensive because its Western backers might have tried to stop it as crossing Russia’s “red lines.” He argued that the incursion has proven that such lines do not actually exist and urged the US and its allies to provide more money and weapons to Kiev. Russia has demanded the US envoy to explain the alleged role of American contractors in the Ukrainian incursion, as well as an American journalist, whom Moscow accused of providing “propaganda coverage” for Kiev. On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said that the US, Britain and Poland had helped to train the Ukrainian units involved in the ongoing operation. Scholz also addressed German media reports over the weekend that Berlin would stop funding Kiev, vowing to continue backing Ukraine’s war effort. “We will support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary. And we will be Ukraine’s biggest national supporter in Europe. Only the US does more as a major world power,” he said.

The US secretary of state has stated that Washington would not accept a long-term occupation of the Palestinian enclave. Israel has agreed to withdraw its troops from parts of Gaza as part of ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian group Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday, following the latest round of negotiations in Qatar. Speaking to reporters in Doha, Blinken was asked to comment on earlier reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had convinced Washington to allow Israel to keep its forces in the Philadelphi Corridor between Egypt and Gaza. While he did not share any specific details about the ongoing talks, which are being mediated by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, the secretary of state said that “the United States does not accept any long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel,” and that the current agreement being discussed is “very clear on the schedule and the locations of (Israel Defense Forces) withdrawals from Gaza, and Israel has agreed to that.” Blinken added that the latest proposal is “probably the best, possibly the last opportunity” to reach a ceasefire deal in the ten-month conflict, and said that Washington will do “everything possible to get it across the finish line.” His comments come after it was reported earlier this week that Netanyahu had told the families of fallen Israeli soldiers that West Jerusalem will under no circumstances leave the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt, and the Netzarim Corridor which runs between the northern and southern parts of the Palestinian enclave. He reportedly argued that these areas must be controlled to prevent weapons from being smuggled into the enclave. The prime minister has refused to budge on the issue, according to Kan public broadcaster, despite demands from Israeli negotiators who have warned Netanyahu that his position is dooming the chances of reaching a deal. Blinken also urged both Israel and Hamas to have “maximum flexibility” in order to reach a ceasefire agreement. In light of Netanyahu’s insistence on remaining in the two corridors, Hamas issued a statement on Sunday rejecting the latest terms of the hostage-ceasefire deal discussed last week, specifically blaming the Israeli prime minister for placing new obstacles in the talks. Hostilities broke out after the militant group Hamas launched a surprise incursion into southern Israel from Gaza on October 7 last year, resulting in the deaths of around 1,100 people, while 200 others were taken hostage. The massive Israeli military response has claimed more than 40,000 lives, while over 92,000 people have been wounded, according to Palestinian health officials.

The Washington Post has admitted that concerns about the US president's health were valid. The Washington Post editorial board believes that President Joe Biden should not have sought re-election, and that his staff is to blame for concealing his declining health until it became impossible to do so. In a Tuesday editorial, the Post praised Biden's “profoundly selfless decision” to withdraw from the race and allow Kamala Harris to take his place as the Democratic nominee. “In retrospect, Mr Biden should not have sought reelection. The June 27 debate was worse than just a bad night, as the president maintained afterward. The 81-year-old had shown signs of slipping for a long time, but his inner circle worked to conceal his decline,” the Post editors wrote. They argue that the US would have been better off if Biden had withdrawn after the Democrats' “surprisingly good showing” in the 2022 midterms. They claim that if he had stayed in the race, “a diminished Mr Biden, at the head of a dispirited party, would likely have lost in November.” The Post believes that Biden “deserves recognition” for relinquishing power and giving a new generation of leaders a chance, “albeit via internal party machinations rather than the ballot box.” The Post noted that Biden may have left the race, but he remains president until January. They claim that the Democrats' platform still “promises a second Biden term,” mentioning him 287 times in their 92-page platform, while Harris is only mentioned 32 times. Biden, the oldest person ever to be inaugurated as US president, faced accusations of senility and dementia during the 2020 campaign. His physical and cognitive decline while in office was dismissed by the White House staff and most of the mainstream media as remnants of a childhood stutter. Even after the June 27 debate, Biden's supporters continued to assert that he was “sharp as a tack.” Biden himself vowed that only God could make him quit. However, in mid-July, he was flown from Las Vegas to his Delaware home after contracting Covid-19. At the end of that week, a letter was posted on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account announcing his withdrawal from the presidential race. In a subsequent post, the same account announced Harris as Biden's replacement. Insider sources claim that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, was responsible for this turn of events. “They staged a coup against the president of the United States,” former president and current Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, told Fox News in early August. “It’s like you’re in a fight with somebody, and you’re really winning, and they take him out and they put somebody else in,” he continued. “Nobody ever heard of this before. This is a coup.”

Tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer are among six missing after their ship sank near Sicily Newly released CCTV footage shows the final moments of the Bayesian luxury yacht before it sank off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, on Monday. The yacht was engulfed in a sudden storm. Six passengers, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his friend, Morgan Stanley chairman and investment banker Jonathan Bloomer, remain missing. Divers are continuing to search the wreckage. The 56-meter superyacht was anchored about half a mile off the coast when it sank in the early hours of Monday morning. It was reportedly carrying 22 people – 12 crew members and ten passengers. 15 people have been rescued so far, including Lynch's wife, who owns the ship. One person, the ship's chef Recaldo Thomas, has been confirmed dead. On Wednesday, Italian media reported finding two additional bodies inside the ship, but their identities have yet to be confirmed. The Italian Coastguard believes that all missing persons could still be inside the boat, as they wouldn't have had much time to escape. The vessel is said to have sunk quickly. In the CCTV footage released on Tuesday, the iconic aluminum mast of the ship, which stood at a record 72 meters, can be seen in the distance before disappearing completely into the sea within minutes. The incident has reportedly left industry experts “at a loss,” according to The Independent, as the luxury yacht was presumed to have top-class fittings and safety features, which should have prevented the tragedy. Matthew Schanck, a maritime rescue expert, told the outlet that if the tragedy was indeed caused by extreme weather and what appears to be a waterspout, it could be classified as a ‘black swan event’ – a rare and unpredictable situation that is often considered unavoidable. Rescuers have continued their efforts to enter the yacht, which is said to be lying nearly intact on the seafloor, to search for the missing persons. However, their attempts have been hampered by the “very confined” spaces, according to fire department spokesman Luca Cari. Given that divers are limited to 12-minute underwater shifts and debris is preventing access to the ship's cabins, rescuers have also deployed remotely controlled underwater vehicles to aid in the search.