🇺🇸🇷🇸 CIA Chief William J. Burns is on a surprise visit to Serbia.

He is being hosted by the Serbian Security Intelligence Agency (BIA).

🔗 https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/direktor-cia-berns-poseta-beograd/33087580.html

🇺🇸🤝🇽🇰 The head of the CIA in the Presidency of Kosovo

The head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, was seen entering the Kosovo Presidency building on August 22.

His visit to Kosovo comes after the senior American intelligence official stayed in other countries of the region.

Previously, the American Embassy in Pristina did not confirm Burns' visit to Kosovo. Radio Free Europe did not receive confirmation either from the Presidency of Kosovo, or from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

However, the American army plane, with which the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, is believed to have traveled to Bosnia and Serbia, was seen at noon on Thursday at Pristina's "Adem Jashari" International Airport.

Burns' visit to the region comes at a time when the American ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, has said that his country has been challenged in several aspects by the Government of Kosovo, led by Albin Kurti.

The USA and other countries of the international community have criticized some decisions and actions taken recently by the Kurti Government, which have been considered "unilateral" and "uncoordinated".

The US Department of State has asked the Kurti Government to return to "constructive and close engagement" with Washington, the European Union and NATO, while Washington is also demanding that Kosovo's institutions not open the bridge over the Ibër River to traffic. , citing security concerns.

🔗 https://www.cna.al/english/kosova-bota/shefi-i-cia-s-ne-presidencen-e-kosoves-i406468

🇮🇹 Italy's foreign minister says country needs more African students

Tajani's centre-right Forza Italia party has urged the government to consider granting citizenship to foreign minors who have completed most of their education in Italy.

The proposal has met with opposition from the two hard-right coalition parties, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy and Matteo Salvini's League.

"I think the numbers of African students studying in Italy should be increased", Tajani said at a Catholic business and politics conference in Rimini, on the Adriatic coast.

He was discussing an Italian development initiative for African countries, known as the Mattei Plan, named after the late founder of Italy's state controlled energy company Eni.

Tajani likened the project to a modern day Marshall Plan, which saw the United States support European economies in the aftermath of World War Two.

Far fewer foreigners study in Italy than in other large European Union nations.

Data from Italy's national statistics institute ISTAT shows the country issued around 25,000 study permits in 2022, compared to almost 105,000 issued by France and about 70,000 by Germany.

ISTAT cited the relatively limited use of Italian as an international language and the difficulties of finding work in Italy among probable reasons for the dearth of foreign students.

🔗 https://www.reuters.com/world/italys-foreign-minister-says-country-needs-more-african-students-2024-08-22/

🇬🇧🇳🇬 UK opens portal to recruit Nigerians for British Army

The British Army has announced a new recruitment drive targeting Nigerians and other Commonwealth citizens, inviting applications for various roles within its armed forces.

The recruitment window is open from August 19, 2024, to August 26, 2024.

Interested candidates from Nigeria are sought for positions including musicians, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Royal Engineers Technicians, tradesmen, and paratroopers.

The British Army emphasised the critical role of Commonwealth soldiers in its ranks and their continued importance within the organization.

🔗 https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/08/japa-uk-opens-portal-to-recruit-nigerians-for-british-army/

🇬🇧 Magistrates told to stop jailing offenders to ease prisons crisis

A senior judge has said that people on bail who are likely to receive a custodial sentence should have their hearings postponed until at least September 10

Magistrates have been told to stop jailing convicted criminals for several weeks in the latest effort to ease pressure on Britain’s overcrowded prisons.

One of the country’s senior judges has issued a “listing direction” to the managers of magistrates’ courts in England and Wales saying that offenders who are on bail and likely to be jailed should have their sentencing hearings postponed until at least September 10.

The order could affect some who have pleaded guilty to offences during the recent spate of rioting as well as others facing sentences for crimes including assaults.

But from September 10, the government will implement its emergency early release scheme, which is forecast to free 2,000 places immediately and another 1,700 by October 22.

According to ministers, in the longer term, the scheme will free up to 5,500 prison places.

The core of the scheme involves moving the standard release date of most prisoners from 50 per cent of their sentence served to 40 per cent. The scheme will not include prisoners serving sentences for violent offences of four years or more, as well as sex and domestic violence offences.

Green emphasised that “every case must be considered individually, and decisions must be made upon the basis of the interests of justice” and that the process “needs to be a carefully conducted exercise”.

🔗 https://archive.ph/QBaDr

🇻🇪⛓ — The president of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) of Venezuela, controlled by Chavismo, has requested an investigation against the team of María Corina Machado and Edmundo González for the publication of the July 27th electoral records.

🇩🇪🌐⚠️❗️ — Once again, for the 2nd time in 9 days, NATO air base in Western Germany raises security level due to 'potential threat', reports Reuters

➡️ As Reuters reports, NATO Air Base located in in the town of Geilenkirchen in Western Germany, which is the Main Base for NATO’s Fleet of E-3 “Sentry” Early Warning and Control Aircraft, has reportedly been ordered to a High Level of Security Readiness, with Non-Mission Essential Staff being told to leave the Base.

📝 The base said in a statement on the social media platform X, without giving details:

"All non-mission essential staff have been sent home as a precautionary measure.

The safety of our staff is our top priority. Operations continue as planned."

➡️ A spokesperson for the base in Geilenkirchen said the threat level had been raised to Charlie, the second-highest of four states of alert, which is defined as "an incident (that) has occurred or intelligence has been received indicating that some form of terrorist action against NATO organisations or personnel is highly likely".

➡️ It was the second time the base housing NATO's fleet of AWACS surveillance planes raised the security level after an incident last week when a military base in nearby Cologne was temporarily sealed off as authorities investigated possible sabotage of the water supply.

➡️ NATO has warned in the past of a campaign of hostile activities staged by Russia, including acts of sabotage and cyberattacks. Russia has regularly accused NATO of threatening its security.

🔗 Link
https://archive.is/bNvg0

🇧🇷❌🇮🇳🇻🇳 — Brazilian Government will restrict entry to Indian, Vietnamese and Nepalese nationals, aiming to curb migration to Brazil as well to the US and Canada, says AP

➡️ Brazil will begin imposing restrictions on the entry of some foreigners from Asia who use the country as a launching point to migrate to the United States and Canada, the justice ministry’s press office said Wednesday.

➡️ The move, which starts on Monday, will affect migrants from Asian countries who require visas to remain in Brazil. It does not apply to people from Asian countries currently exempt from visas to Brazil. US citizens and many European nationals also do not require visas for Brazil.

➡️ A Federal Police investigation has shown these migrants often buy flights with layovers in Sao Paulo’s international airport, en route to other destinations, but stay in Brazil as a place from where they then begin their journey north, according to official documents provided to The Associated Press.

➡️ More than 70% of requests for refuge at the airport come from people with either Indian, Nepalese or Vietnamese nationalities, one of the documents says. The African nations of Somalia, Cameroon, Ghana and Ethiopia are among the remaining 30% of refuge seekers.

➡️ Starting next week, travelers without visas will either have to continue their journey by plane or return to their country of origin, the ministry said.

🔗 Link
https://archive.is/j9Znd

🇺🇸🚨‼️"We are on the brink of making history by electing our first female president"
— Beyoncé's endorsement for Hillary in 2016

—> Beyoncé is going to perform tonight at the DNC again and endorse Kamala Harris.

Will history repeat itself?!

Follow me on X | Subscribe to this channel @tabzlive ☑️

🇺🇸🏀🤝🇺🇸 — NBA superstar Steph Curry endorses Kamala Harris for president

🇧🇼💎 A 2,492-carat diamond, the largest found in over a century, was discovered at Botswana's Karowe Mine.

🌐📰🇻🇪🇻🇪 — The international agencies EFE, AP, and Europa Press have been accused of spreading disinformation favorable to Nicolás Maduro's regime.

⁉️ According to the Orwell Report, these agencies published headlines that lead people to believe that the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela, controlled by the Chavista regime, is an independent body. EFE, after facing criticism on social media, was forced to correct its content.

❗️ The report also revealed that AP twice published a biased headline on its X account, contributing to confusion about the legitimacy of the Venezuelan electoral process.

Source 🖇

🇺🇾❌🇻🇪 — The Uruguayan foreign minister says that the Venezuelan Supreme Court's ruling on the elections is not credible.