-Short Attention Span Theater- |
Atlanta got its MLB All-Star Game back. But controversial laws 'haven't changed' |
2025-07-15 |
[USAtoday] The 2021 All-Star Game was yanked after Georgia passed controversial voting laws. Why did MLB give it back? ATLANTA — The style=color:maroon;>All-Star Game is back on in Georgia. But the conditions that caused its removal in 2021 have not changed. In fact, voting rights experts say, conditions have only worsened for potentially disenfranchised voters. The eyes of the baseball world will be on Truist Park in suburban Cobb County July 15, when Major League Baseball’s 95th All-Star Game is played, four years after the league moved the game in the wake of Georgia passing the Election Integrity Act. State Bill 202 rolled back voting by mail and other absentee ballot options and prohibited distribution of food and water to those standing in line to vote — actions that historically would have greatest impact on Black voters. "I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft," commissioner Rob Manfred said then. "Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box." Manfred’s action came three days after President Joe Biden said he’d support moving the game out of Atlanta. Given MLB’s actions to remove the term "diversity" from a careers page earlier this year in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order against such efforts, a charitable interpretation would suggest Manfred, as he’s stated, is most concerned with complying with federal law and the whims of the current chief executive. Yet the game was returned to Atlanta in November 2023, two years after the Braves — who’d go on to win the 2021 World Series — and Georgia politicians blistered MLB’s decision, with Gov. Brian Kemp declaring that "cancel culture and woke political activists are coming for every aspect of your life, sports included." Kemp struck a tone of appeasement when the game was returned, noting in a statement that "Georgia’s voting laws haven’t changed, but it’s good to see the MLB’s misguided understanding of them has." In returning the game to Georgia, Manfred leaned into the host team’s chops, if you will, while striking an apolitical tone. "I've said it before, we wanted to bring an All-Star Game back to Atlanta," Manfred said at the owners’ meetings in Arlington, Texas. "I made a decision in 2021 to move the event and I understand, believe me, that people had then and probably still have different views as to the merits of that decision. "What's most important is that the Atlanta Braves are a great organization. Truist Park and The Battery are gems in terms of the facilities, and Atlanta and Georgia have been great markets for us for a very, very long time. Atlanta deserves an All-Star Game, and we're really looking forward to being there in 2025." Related: All-Star Game 08/24/2023 Thought Indicting Trump Was The Only Way The DOJ Interferes In Elections? Think Again All-Star Game 09/27/2022 White House says it wants Atlanta Braves name change… on same day Biden hosts team All-Star Game 09/01/2022 Report: 20 MLB Teams ‘Promote or Fund' Groups that Perform Child Sex Change Operations |
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Africa Subsaharan |
Nigeria jails 44 people for involvement in Boko Haram terrorism |
2025-07-15 |
[TRT.GLOBAL] Nigeria has style='border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:gray;' title='jailed'>placed in durance vile style='color:black;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;font-family:courier,"Courier New","Courier 10 Pitch",serif;background:#FFFB99'> Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw! 44 people with terms of up to 30 years for funding terrorist activities, a style='border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:gray;' title='spokesman'>front man for a counterterrorism agency said on Saturday. The convicted were among 54 suspects arraigned in four specially-constituted civilian courts set up at a military base in the town of Kainji in central Niger state, Abu Michael, a style='border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:gray;' title='spokesman'>front man for Nigeria's counterterrorism centre said in a statement. The trial of the remaining 10 cases was adjourned to a later date, he said. On Wednesday, Nigeria resumed trials of the suspects seven years after it suspended prosecution of over 1,000 people suspected of ties with the style='border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:gray;' title='Boko Haram'>Boko Haram style='color:black;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;font-family:courier,"Courier New","Courier 10 Pitch",serif;background:#FFFB99'> ![]() terrorist group, which has been unleashing violence since 2009. "The verdicts delivered from the trials resulted in prison sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years, all to be served with hard labour," Michael said. "With the latest convictions, Nigeria has now secured a total of 785 cases involving terrorism financing and other terrorism-related offences," said the statement. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
The Climax Ahead? 'New' Offensive of the Russian Army |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. The Kremlin is allegedly planning a new offensive within the next two months, Western media write. What they say about this in Ukraine – read in the story. Western publications have begun writing about a new offensive by the Russian army. The Kremlin is allegedly preparing a large-scale attack before the end of summer. This information appeared against the backdrop of increased enemy offensives in the Donetsk region and attempts to break through to the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. ![]() At the same time, the Center for Countering Disinformation warns that such headlines in the media are Russian propaganda; why this is so, read the story. What journalists write and who they refer to Yesterday, the German newspaper BILD published an article stating that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is ignoring calls for peace by intensifying shelling of cities in all regions of Ukraine. Moreover, the Kremlin is preparing a new offensive before the end of the summer. As journalists write, Putin allegedly takes advantage of the fact that in the fourth year of the war, interest in Ukraine in the world has diminished, so Ukrainians are subjected to constant shelling, day and night. The publication also reports, citing one of the propaganda Telegram channels, that the commander-in-chief of the Russian army personally reported to Putin on readiness for a new phase of the war. He allegedly also presented a plan for an offensive "in the second half of the summer." According to BILD, the offensive will allegedly spread not only to the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, but also beyond their borders. At the same time, Moscow is already seeking support for possible further waves of attacks. Thus, the article cites the words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who "highly appreciated the heroic support of North Korean soldiers" during his visit to North Korea. In particular, in order to free Russian troops from border service, it is planned to transfer their functions to the North Korean military. We are talking about 30 thousand soldiers, whose training was agreed upon by the Kim Jong-un regime. Sources from Ukraine confirm in a comment to the publication: Putin is not interested in real negotiations, otherwise the conditions would be different. Today, the American publication Axios continued this topic\. The media outlet, citing unnamed sources familiar with the conversation between Putin and US President Donald Trump, said the Russian dictator told the head of the White House that he intends to intensify military operations in eastern Ukraine over the next 60 days. As stated in the article, during their conversation on July 3, Putin stated that Moscow intends to continue offensive operations until it secures full control over the administrative borders of the occupied Ukrainian regions. "He wants to take everything," Trump reportedly told French President Emmanuel Macron afterward. Warning from the CPD The head of the National Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, initially criticized BILD for its information about Russia's new offensive. "'The Kremlin is planning a new offensive' - it is always hard to find more senseless material than in BILD. There is a complete lack of understanding of either the front or the events. They read telegrams, often Russian ones, and write articles that are quoted here. By the way, they say they received this information from the 'Russian General Staff'. Well, you get the idea," he wrote. Later, Kovalenko added that Putin still plans to introduce new reserves to continue the meat assaults in the East. However, this should not be perceived as a new offensive. According to him, Russian propaganda will try to present the continuation of the summer campaign as a new stage of the military operation. "Because Putin set the task of capturing Ukrainian cities in the East back in 2024, but the Defense Forces thwarted these plans. All that Russia has done since then is introduce more and more new reserves. They have not come up with anything new now either. Changing the intensity of one offensive that has been going on for more than a year," Kovalenko explained. Evaluation of the Russian summer campaign The President of Ukraine also stated the day before that the Russian army had significantly lagged behind its command’s expectations regarding the summer offensive. During a meeting with the military command, Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the situation in key defense areas: Pokrovsk, Novopavlovsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv and Sumy. "We see the enemy's intentions and attempts to develop offensive actions, and it is important that each such attempt is choked thanks to the resilience of our units and active defense. The Russian army has significantly lagged behind the expectations of its command for this summer," the president wrote. Zelensky also announced new strikes against the enemy, which will be "focused on destroying the occupier and transferring the war to Russian territory." |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Ukrainian General Staff announces active fighting in three directions |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. Most Russian attacks are concentrated in the Pokrovsk direction. There, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have already repelled more than 20 assaults in the areas of 14 settlements. As of 16:00 on Monday, 88 Russian assaults have already taken place on the front. The enemy is most active in the Limansky, Pokrovsky and Novopavlovsky directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on July 14. ![]() Thus, in the Severo-Slobodskoy and Kursk directions the enemy carried out 10 offensive actions. Three combat clashes are ongoing. In the Yuzhno-Slobodskoy direction, three Russian attacks took place near Vovchansk and Kamyanka. In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy attacked five times in the areas of Kindrashivka, Stepova Novoselovka, Zagrizovoye and in the direction of Novaya Kruglyakovka, Petropavlovka. In the Liman direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces units repelled 10 attacks near Grekovka, Novomikhaylovka, Karpovka, Novy Mir, Kolodyazev, Torskoye and in the directions of Novosergeevka, Shandrigolovoe. Four more attacks are ongoing. In the Seversky direction, six enemy attacks were repelled in the direction of Grigoryevka, Ivano-Daryevka, Verkhnekamyansky and Vyemka. There were four enemy assaults in the Kramatorsk direction. The enemy attacked in the direction of Stupochki, Predtechnoye and Belaya Gora. In the Toretsk direction, Russian occupiers carried out three assaults in the areas of Toretsk, Rusiny Yar and Dilievka. One attack has already been repelled, two clashes are ongoing. In the Pokrovsk direction, the Russians have already carried out 26 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Novoekonomichnoe, Mirnoe, Rodinskoe, Fedorovka, Razine, Lisivka, Zvirove, Udachnoe, Novopavlovka, Aleksiyevka and in the direction of Pokrovsk, Rodinskoe, Novopavlovka, Mirnograd. Our soldiers have already repelled 24 attacks, two more clashes are still ongoing. In the Novopavlovsk direction, the invaders launched an offensive 12 times near the settlements of Novokhatskoye, Zaporozhye, Komar, Mirnoye, Puddubnoye, Voskresenka, Volnoye Pole, Shevchenko, Zelenoe Pole and Temirovka. Nine attacks were stopped. The remaining battles continue. In the Orekhov direction, the invading units once advanced towards Kamyansky. Four assaults were repelled in the Dnieper direction. Let us recall that in the course of 24 hours on July 13, Russia lost more than 1,100 soldiers killed and wounded. The total number of Russian losses is approaching 1.1 million people. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Current information on the situation on the front line on July 14 (updated) |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. 21:07 Russian Armed Forces are advancing near Fedorovka, Novotoretskoye and Rodinskoye, –MAP. ![]() 20:42 Russian Armed Forces are advancing near Yablonovka and Aleksandro-Kalinovo, –MAP. 19:43 The Crimean paratroopers' Kornet ATGM crew continues to destroy equipment personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Sumy region. 18:33 Calculation of the UAV "Supercam S350" of the "Dnepr" group of forces corrected artillery strike on enemy UAV control point in Kherson region. UAV operators of the Vostok group of forces destroyed Ukrainian militants near the settlement of Malinovka in the Zaporizhia region. FPV drone crews of the special forces unit of the Center group of forces destroyed Ukrainian Armed Forces equipment on the approaches to the settlement of Krasnoarmeysk in the Donetsk People's Republic. 17:30 Around 16:00 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed one Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle of the airplane type over the territory of the Kursk region. 17:03 Mirnograd direction. Units of the Russian Armed Forces are rushing towards Krasny Liman. Rodinskoye is behind it, – MAP. 16:57 Advance of the Russian Armed Forces near Volnoye Pole, Shevchenko and Novoselki, – MAP. 16:55 Calculation of the Lancet loitering munition destroyed radar station RADA Armed Forces of Ukraine. The target was identified by Supercam UAV operators of the 1st Guards Tank Army of the West group of forces in the Khar'kov region. 15:35 Sumy region. Assault groups have taken up new positions in Yunakovka, – MAP. 14:50 In the period from 13:40 Moscow time to 13:50 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the airplane type: One over the territory of the Republic of Crimea and. 13:40 Calculations of unmanned aerial vehicles "Geran-2" destroyed a Ukrainian Armed Forces radar station in the area of the settlement of Borzna in the Chernihiv region. 13:26 In the period from 10.30 Moscow time to 12.20 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the airplane type: One over the territory of the Kursk region and 13:18 Krasnoarmeyskoye direction. Having occupied a network of fortifications south of Razino, the first assault groups of the Russian Armed Forces entered the northern part of Novoekonomichesky, – MAP. 13:06 Konstantinovskoye direction. Assault aircraft of the 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade occupied two strongholds west of Dyleevka, – MAP. 12:13 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of July 14, 2025. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct the special military operation. Units of the North group of forces improved their tactical position, inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of two mechanized, tank, ranger, airborne assault brigades, two assault regiments and an airborne assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Alekseyevka, Ryzhevka, Kondratovka, Khrapovshchina, Varachino and Sadki in the Sumy region. 12:07 As a result of active and decisive actions by units of the "East" group of forces released Malinovka settlement, Zaporizhia region. 12:06 Units of the Center group of forces continued to advance into the depths of the enemy’s defenses and released settlement Mayak of the Donetsk People's Republic. 07:31 Changes to map over the past 24 hours: Advance west of Mirny and Poddubny➡️ 07:05 During the past night, from 20:30 Moscow time to 7:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed 11 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles: Six UAVs over the territory of the Oryol region, Two UAVs over the territory of the Bryansk region, One UAV over the territory of the Kursk region, One UAV over the territory of the Republic of Crimea, One UAV over the waters of the Black Sea. 05:07 Crews of T-72B3M tanks of the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army of the West Group of Forces destroyed camouflaged positions and concentrations of manpower of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Japanese Salmon in a Russian River: How Kurosawa Rubbed Soldiers' Belts |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Vasily Avchenko In July 1975, Akira Kurosawa's Dersu Uzala premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival, soon winning an Oscar and a bunch of other awards. What is interesting about this Soviet-Japanese film, shot half a century ago, today? ![]() Its literary basis is the books "Along the Ussuri Region" and "Dersu Uzala" by the Far East researcher, scientist, and writer Vladimir Arsenyev (1872-1930). In them, according to Gorky's formulation, he managed to unite Brehm and Fenimore Cooper. His Excellency's adjutant in the Ussuri taiga The works describing the expeditions to Primorye and other events of 1902–1910 are linked by a common hero, the Gold (Nanai) Dersu Uzala. His prototype is the Ussuri taiga hunter Derchu Odzhal, who lost his family due to a smallpox epidemic. In 1906 and 1907 he was a guide for Arsenyev's detachment. A year later, Derchu was killed near Khabarovsk, at Korfovskaya station. Akira Kurosawa knew and loved Russian classics. He made The Idiot based on Dostoevsky and The Lower Depths based on Gorky, used motifs from Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich in To Live, and thought about adapting Taras Bulba and Notes from the House of the Dead. Kurosawa became interested in Arsenyev's works back in the late 1940s and even looked for locations on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. However, he later said: "In Hokkaido, such a film... could not have been made. The scale of nature there is different, not like the Ussuri taiga. A person like Dersu Uzala could not have lived there." In the early 1970s, the Japanese classic was going through a crisis. His film "Under the Knock of Tram Wheels" was a flop, the director was thinking about suicide... And suddenly - as a sign of warming between Japan and the USSR and a life preserver - an invitation to Mosfilm. The script was written by Kurosawa himself and writer Yuri Nagibin. The director approved Yuri Solomin for the role of Arsenyev, having highly praised the actor's work in Yevgeny Tashkov's "Adjutant of His Excellency". It was more difficult with the lead actor. If in the Soviet film by Agassi Babayan "Dersu Uzala" (1961) the "foreigner" was played by the actor from Kazakhstan Kasym Zhakibayev, then Kurosawa initially saw his "talisman" Toshiro Mifune in this role. Among others, they tried out Dersu and the Nanai Kola Beldy, who sang on stage on behalf of all the northern peoples at once (“I’ll take you to the tundra,” “And the deer are better,” “The Chukchi in the tent,” etc.). In the end, however, Arsenyev’s companion was played by Tuvan actor Maxim Munzuk. Painted boars and gilded leaves The filming took place in Primorye, the expedition was based in the city of Arsenyev. Not only people were involved, but also animals - tiger Artyom, bear Rita, red deer Katya. Wild boars were played by black-painted state farm boars. Translating Arsenyev’s semi-documentary prose, a hybrid of “Western” and scientific report, into the language of cinema is not easy: lengthy descriptions of landscapes, a mass of Latin terms… Kurosawa, who was maniacally demanding of every frame, insisted that the straps on Dersu’s knapsack be made of rawhide, and that the actors’ moustaches and beards be real. He personally aged soldiers’ belts with sandpaper, straightened stones in a stream, and tinted leaves to prolong the golden autumn… In his memoirs, Kurosawa called these filmings in the USSR “the spawning of Japanese salmon in a Russian river.” The Eastern-style meditative philosophical film almost turned into a scandal. Relations between China and the USSR in those years, after the 1969 battles on Damansky Island, left much to be desired. Beijing perceived the film adaptation by Arsenyev (who was indeed a real hawk in matters concerning Russia's national interests) as an element of an "anti-Chinese international conspiracy." The Chinese media wrote: this is propaganda of "expansionist policy" by "the renegade clique of Soviet revisionists." In particular, criticism was raised about the scene where an old Chinese man bows to Arsenyev: "This was done on strict orders from the leaders of the Soviet revisionist empire, who want modern China to bow to the USSR in the same way." The head of the KGB, Yuri Andropov, even reported to the Central Committee of the CPSU that the case could turn into a “rather burning political problem”… Kurosawa, however, wisely noted: “I… am against including politics in this film.” The Enchanted Wanderer Today, hardly anyone would see a political subtext in it. But in Arsenyev's books and Kurosawa's film, something else remains - the main and timeless: man, his place in the world, responsibility for everything that happens on the planet. Arsenyev called Dersu a "primitive communist", alien to the "vices that... urban civilization brings". His Dersu is a person living in harmony with himself and the world, critical of technical progress in the absence of moral progress. He is a bearer of ecological consciousness and tolerance (in the highest sense of the word), a stalker-guide not only to the "temple of the taiga", but also to the hidden dimensions of another, subtle world. No less important is Arsenyev himself, the author and hero, an enchanted wanderer, a city dweller who became a taiga dweller. This metropolitan native settled forever in a distant Far Eastern province, making his own personal "turn to the East." The infantry officer became a scientist of the broadest profile, a defender of indigenous peoples and nature. His books, written at the same time as Oswald Spengler's The Decline of the West, contain not only descriptions of the taiga, rivers and mountains of the Ussuri region, but also criticism of modern civilization. Finally, Arsenyev is a consistent patriot who at all times (including dark and troubled ones) defended the interests of his Fatherland, no matter what it was called at one or another historical moment. Soon we will be able to see Dmitry Kiselev's series "Arsenyev". The main role is played by Yevgeny Mironov, Dersu is played by Kazakh actor Ondasyn Besikbasov. The journey through the wilds of the Ussuri region, which began more than a century ago, continues. |
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Europe |
Two French intelligence agencies did not share Lebanon and 'burned' their own agents |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov Lebanon, a country traditionally considered a French zone of influence, is at odds with two of the Fifth Republic's intelligence services: the Directorate General of External Security (DGSE) and the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM). ![]() In June, the DRM significantly increased its presence and activity in Lebanon, which did not please the DGSE resident. A fight for territory broke out between the services using less than ethical methods. And a couple of weeks later, the scandal, which had been hushed up, received an unexpected continuation: the “French connection” suddenly led Beirut to Syrian illegals who, for some reason, were receiving funding from France. Struggle for influence Despite the fact that DGSE and DRM are formally assigned to the same department (the French Ministry of Defence), there is an unspoken rivalry between them, which is also due to self-perception. The DGSE traces its history back to the second half of the 19th century and considers itself one of the "pillars" of French security. While military intelligence, on the contrary, is relatively young and was only made an independent agency in 1992. This is where the “proprietorial” trait inherent to DGSE operatives comes from – they consider the territory of Lebanon “theirs” and do not tolerate the appearance of “outsiders” there. Even if they are compatriots and colleagues in the shop. This is what happened in June, when the DRM headquarters, without properly informing foreign intelligence, sent a group of special forces from the capital's garrison to Beirut "to strengthen the military attaché's apparatus." The military intelligence officers who arrived in Lebanon were tasked with collecting information about the situation in the country, the real positions of Hezbollah, the activity of Iranian agents of influence, and the pace of disarmament of the Lebanese Shiite militias. For some time, the DGSE residency turned a blind eye to the work of the guests from Paris. However, they quickly began to behave in Lebanon in a more homely manner, holding meetings with representatives of local political and military movements, thereby taking on the functions of foreign intelligence. Moreover, the leadership of the "seconded" began to double-check even the information and reports that came from Lebanon through the DGSE, which caused indignation among the latter. Foreign intelligence accused the military apparatus of "threatening" French interests in the Middle East. And a little later, the two special services also had a falling out over the local agents. The DRM complained that the Beirut residency was “disrupting meetings” with local residents and activists, and was accusing military intelligence of “intercepting foreign informants.” In response, the DGSE representatives stated that the “military attaché’s office” was engaged in political intelligence for some reason and was looking for new connections in local parties, but was not working with the military at all. The "Lebanon incident" is interesting because it quickly took a dangerous turn - the intelligence officers abandoned their ethics and began to threaten each other with "exposing" overzealous operatives. This was fraught with political consequences for Paris if they came to the attention of official Beirut and Hezbollah functionaries. The conflict had to be resolved at the headquarters level, with the involvement of the heads of the special services - Nicolas Lerner (DGSE) and Jacques Langlade de Mongro (DRM). The head of the defense department, Sebastien Lecornu, acted as the "arbitrator". In the end, the situation was resolved in favor of the DGSE. The DRM command gave in and agreed to "slow down" when working in Lebanon. An additional DGSE employee was also assigned to the military attaché's office in the country, which was supposed to emphasize the "détente" between the intelligence services. A major role in the settlement was played by the authority of Lerner, who, although considered one of the youngest heads of foreign intelligence in the history of France, has great influence on the course of the Elysee Palace and enjoys the favor of Lecornu and other ministers. In addition, his opponent de Mongro quickly realized that conflict with the foreign intelligence residency in Lebanon was not advisable from the point of view of Paris's long-term interests. If the spearhead of the DGSE's work is "aimed" at the Middle East, then for military intelligence this region remains in the background. De Mongro's subordinates are much more interested in Ukraine, due to insufficient attention to which the general's predecessor lost his shoulder straps. Apparently, the chief of military intelligence was unable to explain why the DRM is dispersing its efforts on the Middle East instead of working "on a priority basis". Despite the fact that the aftertaste remained, the bosses preferred to hush up the scandal before it became public knowledge and required the personal intervention of the French president. For both bosses, this would have meant big problems at work. The French connection Although the conflict between the two French intelligence services was quickly resolved, it did not go unnoticed by the Lebanese elite. And the reason is the excessive diligence of the DGSE operatives. Wanting to sting their opponents, they “leaked” to the Lebanese press a column criticizing the activities of French military intelligence in the country. The planted journalist was outraged by the “abundance of foreign soldiers” in Lebanon (and especially in Beirut), wondering whether this was a sign of preparations for “something big.” And although the most seedy local newspaper was specifically chosen for the critical campaign, the passages from it coincided with the fears of the masses and quickly spread across Lebanese social networks. In response to the unrest, official Beirut decided to carry out several counterintelligence and police actions - emphatically public ones, to show that the situation is under control and that no one will allow a "spy rampage". The raids took place in the camps for Syrian refugees of Anfe, Bishmezin and Amyoun, which had previously been visited by French military intelligence officers. Moreover, they did so quite officially, with inspections that were carried out within the framework of a joint program of “strengthening the borders” and with the permission of the country’s president, Joseph Aoun. More than a hundred people who were in Lebanon illegally were arrested. Some of those arrested later admitted that they had been in contact with DRM operatives but had not received any instructions from them. And although most of those detained turned out to be simple illegals, there were some dubious elements among them. In particular, at least three people from Syria were caught “preparing destabilizing actions” on Lebanese territory and admitted to receiving foreign funding and “instructions from Israel.” The latter is probably a standard formulation chosen by Lebanese security forces to further expose Tel Aviv, which is increasing its military activity in the south of the country. More importantly, the potential saboteurs (whose names the Lebanese security forces are not disclosing) were sponsored by companies registered in France. This only strengthened Beirut's suspicions that Paris was planning to use the recruited refugees for its own interests. And it used military intelligence for these purposes. Results of the conflict At first glance, the DGSE residency was not affected by the new round of conflict. Including because after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria in December 2024, it has not been very active in working with Syrian refugees, fearing to spoil relations with the new Damascus and complicate the work of agents. The military intelligence became the scapegoat, which in exchange for containing the scandal had to reduce the number of officers assigned to the military attaché's office. In exchange for this, official Beirut agreed not to make the story public, shifting the focus to Israel. On the other hand, foreign intelligence was also unable to emerge from the water completely dry. The shell companies used to pay the salaries of potential agents of influence had previously figured in spy scandals in Mali and Burkina Faso and had links to people from the DGSE. This suggests that Paris was aware of the planned action and took part in it, although it used its resources in a very limited format. If the two agencies had not started fighting for territory, this action might have gone unnoticed. Now Beirut has to figure out what goals the Syrians sent to the country were pursuing and who they were supposed to cooperate with after arriving in Lebanon. This means that French foreign intelligence will also have to slow down in Lebanon for a while. At least until the scandal dies down. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Vostok Commander: Ukrainian Armed Forces ordered to destroy village in DPR — 1236th day of SVO |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. The village of Karl Marx and its residents were intended to be set on fire by Ukrainian militants during their retreat. This was reported to TASS on July 14 by the commander of the reconnaissance group of the Vostok group of forces, call sign Izi, citing radio intercepts. He explained that, having received the order to retreat from this settlement located in the west of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were supposed to attack civilian objects with FPV drones with incendiary ammunition. The new, 1236th day of the special operation (SVO) in Ukraine was marked by discussion of this news, among other things. ![]() Nikolaevka and Karl Marx were liberated by Russian armed forces on July 13. The Ministry of Defense clarified that units of the "East" group of troops continue to move into the depths of the Ukrainian army's defense. The transition of the settlement of Karl Marx under the control of the Russian Armed Forces indicates the successful advance of the army in the southern Donetsk direction, military expert Andrei Marochko told TASS. According to him, the Russian army is currently systematically reaching the administrative border of the DPR, and as soon as the fighters liberate such settlements as Iskra and Zelenyi Gai, the entire border in this area will come under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Video footage of how FPV drone crews of the Vostok group attacked an enemy UAV control point, and how BM-21 Grad crews covered Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in the area of the settlement of Karl Marx, was published by the Ministry of Defense Telegram channel on July 14. |
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Home Front: Politix |
US May Send Ukraine Long-Range JASSM Missiles for F-16s, Media Writes |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. Washington, July 14, 2025, 18:08 — IA Regnum. The office of US President Donald Trump is discussing the possibility of sending long-range JASSM missiles to Ukraine to equip F-16 fighters. This was reported on July 14 by Military Watch Magazine, citing an informed source. ![]() "Trump is considering the possibility of supplying JASSM air-launched cruise missiles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to a recent report from a well-informed source. The missiles would be used to equip the growing fleet of F-16 fighters," the publication says. Despite the fact that Kyiv has outdated modifications of these aircraft, they can become effective carriers for JASSM missiles when performing missions on their own territory, the source noted. The authors of the article named the shortage of European analogues of these missiles as one of the reasons why Kyiv may receive JASSM from Washington. Open sources indicate that the JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) is an American high-precision air-to-surface cruise missile capable of hitting targets at a distance of 370 to 1000 km, depending on the version. It was developed by Lockheed Martin Corporation on behalf of the US Air Force. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
FSB burns 530 kg of cocaine worth over 1 billion rubles |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. Saint Petersburg, July 14, 2025, 16:45 — IA Regnum. In Saint Petersburg, FSB officers burned 530 kg of cocaine seized as part of an investigation into several criminal cases. This was reported on July 14 by the press service of the FSB Directorate for the city and Leningrad Region. ![]() The destruction of the drugs took place as planned at a specialized site of one of the city's enterprises. The department emphasized that guilty verdicts have already been issued in all cases involving the seized cocaine. The estimated value of the destroyed substance exceeds 1 billion rubles. The disposal procedure was monitored by a special interdepartmental commission, which included representatives of the city committees for health care, environmental management and environmental safety of St. Petersburg. Earlier, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Irina Volk reported on her Telegram channel that police officers had liquidated a large drug lab in Domodedovo near Moscow, seizing over 1.3 tons of synthetic drugs. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the wholesale value of the seized substances exceeds 0.5 billion rubles. The drug lab was set up in a private home that a local resident had purchased and re-equipped specifically for the production of illegal substances. Precursors, equipment, and finished products were discovered during the search. The suspect was arrested by court order. |
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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
Climatologist warns of warming summers in Russia within 50 years |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] In the next 50 years, summer in Russia will warm up by an average of two to three degrees. This was reported by Alexey Kokorin, an expert on climate issues at the Nature and People Foundation. “If we compare the trends that have been in the past few decades, taking as a basis the forecasts of the Main Geophysical Observatory for the next decades, then our summers should become warmer, two to three degrees over the next 50 years are guaranteed,” the expert noted in a conversation with RIA Novosti. Kokorin added that over the past 50 years, the average temperature in Russia has also risen by 2-3 degrees. As reported by the Regnum news agency, on July 12, a 122-year-old temperature record was broken in Moscow. As reported by the scientific director of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia Roman Vilfand, the air warmed up to +36.4 degrees. He also specified that a decrease in temperature indicators is expected from July 13. Moreover, in the afternoon of July 12, Moscow was hit by heavy rain with thunderstorms, hail and strong gusts of wind. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Gerasimov inspected the Russian Armed Forces grouping 'Center' in the SVO zone |
2025-07-15 |
style=background-color:#7fffd4;>Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. Moscow, July 14, 2025, 11:25 — IA Regnum. Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces — First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov visited the combined arms army units of the Center group of forces. This was reported on July 14 by the Russian Ministry of Defense. ![]() The department recalled that the fighters of this group of troops are operating in the Red Army direction in the zone of a special military operation. At the forward command posts, the Chief of the General Staff heard reports from the army commander, unit commanders and other officials on the current situation and progress in completing assigned tasks. Gerasimov noted the successes of the combined arms army in the liberation of the Donetsk People's Republic, summed up the interim results of its work and set new tasks. As reported by the Regnum news agency, on June 13, Gerasimov visited the command post of the Russian troop group “West” and checked how the soldiers were carrying out combat missions. Colonel General Sergei Kuzovlev reported that the situation in the group's area of responsibility has not changed significantly. The group's units and military formations continue to carry out tasks in accordance with previously adopted decisions, he added. Gerasimov also heard reports from other military leaders on the current situation in the group's area of responsibility and gave instructions on further actions. |
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