Russian MoD delivers briefing on Ukraine op:

▪Ukrainian militants and nationalist groups are preparing a provocation with the use of toxic substances in Nikolaevka, the Donetsk People's Republic.

▪Ukrainian neo-Nazis have brought tanks with liquid chlorine (over six thousand liters) to the pumping and filtration stations of the Slavyansk TPP, which they mined and plan to blow up when Russian troops and formations of the Donetsk People's Republic approach.

"We warn the 'civilized West' in advance of an impending provocation, where Ukrainian authorities will once again accuse the Russian military of indiscriminate strikes on chemically hazardous facilities," the MoD said, adding that the "fabricated material" will be widely spread in the Ukrainian and Western media.

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😰🚨At least three people died this Monday and seven others were injured as a result of a shooting at a neighborhood party in Gary, Indiana, as part of the celebrations for Independence Day in the United States.

Local media reported that two men, 25 and 27, along with a 20-year-old girl were killed. The condition of the injured is unknown.

“The victims of the shooting were taken to hospitals in the area, by ambulance, and in private cars. Due to the shocking nature of the scene, mutual assistance was requested from surrounding law enforcement agencies," Gary Police said in a statement.

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⚡️”In 2019, Police confiscated numerous knives and a sword from the Highland Park Parade shooter after he told a family member he was going to “kill everyone” but no further action was taken”, police say.

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⚡️🌪🌨A tornado was confirmed around 5:30 p.m. near Bowie, Maryland with a report of damage and injuries.

The National Weather Service reported damage to structures and injuries near Annapolis Road and Superior Lane in Bowie.

The rotating storm that produced the tornado pushed through central and southern Anne Arundel County, south of Annapolis, Maryland's state capitol.

Showers and storms are possible this evening and overnight. Some brief heavy rain and lightning may occur. With high humidity increasingly entrenched, temperatures won’t dip much. Lows will range across the 70s, between 72 and 78 in most spots, according to The Washington Post and The National Weather Service.

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🗳🔎The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a suit against the state of Arizona Tuesday seeking to strike down its new law requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship.

“Arizona has passed a law that turns the clock back on progress by imposing unlawful and unnecessary requirements that would block eligible voters from the registration rolls for certain federal elections,” Clarke said, according to a press release in which she called the proof-of-citizenship requirement "onerous."

The Arizona law, which would not go into effect until next year, could force voters to provide documentation proving citizenship, such as a driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, or naturalization papers, in order to participate in federal elections.

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🇮🇹😷The Italian Ministry of Health registered 132,274 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, exceeding 100,000 daily infections for the first time after five months of epidemic decline.

Health authorities specified that the country is going through a new wave of pandemics, with 464,732 tests to detect the disease.

The positivity rate increased by 28.4%, while the number of hospitalizations increased by 20%, with a total of 323 admissions to intensive care units. According to the Undersecretary of Health, Andrea Costa, the country is in a positive and manageable phase. For this reason, the Government is not currently considering restrictive measures.

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✝️🙏Pope Francis called Tuesday for a rejection of violence and respect for life as he mourned the dead from the “senseless shooting” during an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago.

In a telegram of condolence to Chicago’s archbishop, Francis said he was praying for the six people killed Monday and for “healing and consolation to the injured and bereaved.”

Quoting the Bible, he called for everyone to “reject violence in all its forms and respect life in all its stages.” The telegram to Cardinal Blase Cupich was signed by Francis’ secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

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😜🎆The UK’s Embassy in Washington gently trolled Americans on Independence Day, posting a ‘Fourth of July playlist’ created by faux Spotify user ‘KingGeorge1776’ featuring Player’s 1977 hit ‘Baby Come Back’ playing over and over again. The post also includes the ‘You’ll Be Back’ meme of Hamilton fame.

The viral tweet got over 100,000 likes and more than 13,000 retweets and spawned a host of replies poking equally inoffensive fun at the Embassy, King George, and Brits in general.

The replies quickly turned into a political debate about which country has become more of a “mess” since the heady days of 1776. Some users also reminded Britain about the upcoming Scotland independence referendum, suggesting the country should focus on that before eyeing longingly at its former American colonies.

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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the scene of the Highland Park mass shooting.

“We have to take this stuff seriously, as seriously as you are because you have been forced to take this seriously,” she said.

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🔎Texas officials representing Uvalde, Kinney, and Goliad counties gathered Tuesday to make an “important announcement about forthcoming emergency declarations” at a news conference in Brackettville.

They said the issue at the border has been harming families, businesses, and governments across Texas, nearby states, and beyond. "I’m here to let you know that the invasion is real,” Terrell County Judge Dale Lynn Carruthers said. "We are here to protect the sovereignty of our nation, not just the border of Texas,” she added.

Carruthers and several others called on President Joe Biden, as well as Gov. Greg Abbott, to stiffen laws and make changes. Among those who spoke included Uvalde Mayor Don Mclaughlin, Goliad County Judge Mike Bennett, and Kinney County Judge Tully Shahan.

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⚡️Musician Carlos Santana collapsed on stage during performance in Michigan Tuesday evening

⚡️⚡️ OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo has passed away, Nigerian petroleum boss Mele Kyari said on Twitter

LIVE | Russian FM Lavrov holds press briefing after talks with Vietnamese counterpart

⚡️⚡️ Two more resignations rock Johnson's government ahead of Wednesday PMQs

On Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, commenting on calls made by a number of western countries that are taking part in the G20 to exclude Moscow from the summit, noted that he was not aware of any machinations to stop him participating in the forthcoming G20 meetings in Bali.

🗣 The Russian foreign minister added that that if any such attempts had been made, the Indonesian government simply ignored them.

The remarks came after talks between Lavrov and his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from where the Russian foreign policy chief will travel to Bali, Indonesia, to take part in the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which starts on Thursday

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▪️ Will Quince has resigned as a junior education minister in Boris Johnson's government, having previously defended the prime minister in interviews on Monday when he gave “repeated assurances to the media which have now been found to be inaccurate”;

▪️ Directly after Quince resigned, Laura Trott, who was a parliamentary private secretary at the Department of Transport, announced that she was standing down from her junior ministerial position

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