British MPs back Partygate report that found Johnson deliberately misled UK parliament

The British Parliament voted in favor of a report stating that Boris Johnson had intentionally misled MPs about lockdown parties at Downing Street during 2020. The report received approval from 354 MPs, with 7 voting against it; while 286 abstained.

Johnson's Conservative Party saw mixed voting patterns. If he had not resigned earlier, Johnson would have faced a 90-day suspension and will lose special access to Parliament based on the report's recommendations.

The investigation, led by the Privileges Committee of Parliament, found that Johnson knowingly deceived the legislature by attending parties that violated COVID-19 restrictions.

While admitting to misleading Parliament, Johnson argued it was done in good faith and criticized the probe as biased.

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Kiev reportedly can’t account for ‘hundreds of millions’ in weapons

According to a major Western newspaper, the Zelensky Administration in Ukraine has reportedly spent "hundreds of millions" on weapons that have not been delivered, revealing serious issues within the country's military supply chain.

Documents show that the Ukrainian government paid over $800 million to arms suppliers for contracts that were either completely or partially unfulfilled.

The quality of the weapons that do arrive is also a source of frustration, as evidenced by a recent video showing engine problems and coolant leaks in self-propelled howitzers donated by Italy.

Italy's Defense Ministry claimed that the vehicles were decommissioned and were meant to be overhauled before use, but the repair efforts faced setbacks.

Furthermore, a US company accused of defrauding the Ukrainian government of millions of dollars denies the allegations, stating that the weapons were in working condition upon delivery.

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📹💥 A Russian kamikaze tank exploding in front of Ukrainian positions was caught on video

The Russian troops stuffed a captured Ukrainian tank with 6 tons of explosives and sent it towards Ukrainian troops without a driver, according to Russian military blogger Romanov. The footage was allegedly made near Maryinka, a village near Donetsk

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❗️ The leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces plans to strike at the territory of Russia, including Crimea, with HIMARS and Storm Shadow missiles, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said

▪️ The use of these missiles outside the special operation zone will mean the full involvement of the United States and Britain in the conflict and will entail immediate strikes on decision-making centers in Ukraine, the minister warned.

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Since June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have made 263 attacks on Russian positions, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said

▪️ Thanks to the competent and selfless actions of Russian units, all attacks were repulsed, the enemy did not reach their targets, the minister added.

▪️ Kiev has used a large number of Western weapons and elite formations, whose personnel were trained by NATO specialists during the counter-offensive, Shoigu relayed.

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EU reportedly ready to propose $55 bln in new aid package for Ukraine

EU member states have provided over $55 billion in direct support to Ukraine, including military aid, since Russia's military operation began in the country.

The European Commission is expected to propose a financial aid package of around $55 billion to assist Ukraine in its counteroffensive against Russian forces. The package will be financed through contributions from EU member states rather than borrowing from the markets and aims to fund the Ukrainian government's current expenses and urgent reconstruction priorities.

The announcement of the aid package is anticipated ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, where donors will discuss financial support for Ukraine.

However, Germany's Finance Minister has expressed concerns about pouring more money into the EU's budget, citing necessary cuts in Germany's own national budget.

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US bombers debut on Swedish soil in historic drill

Two US B-1B strategic bombers made a historic landing in northern Sweden for joint drills with the country's military. The bombers are part of the Bomber Task Force, aimed at developing operational capabilities in unfamiliar locations and strengthening partnerships.

Accompanied by Swedish fighter jets and a US cargo plane, this marked the first time US bombers have been present on Swedish soil in modern times.

Sweden's Deputy Air Force Chief, Brigadier General Tommy Petersson, emphasized the importance of strong partnerships and described the event as a significant step for Sweden while it awaits NATO membership.

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📹 Russian tank crews destroyed a stronghold of Ukrainian troops near Krasny Liman

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❗️Russian MoD’s briefing on the special military operation’s progress in Ukraine:

▪️ The Ukrainian Armed Forces continued unsuccessful attempts to advance in the DPR and the Zaporozhye region;

▪️ The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the south of the DPR and in the Zaporozhye region have amounted to 260 troops;

▪️ The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 100 soldiers near the Krasny Liman;

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces successfully repelled 10 attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlements of Krasnogorovka, Avdeevka and Maryinka in the DPR in a day;

▪️ The Russian army eliminates up to 220 Ukrainian troops in the DPR per day;

▪️ Russian troops destroyed eight warehouses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with ammunition in a day;

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces stopped the actions of four Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups;

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces destroyed up to 25 military units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the M777 artillery system in the Kherson region;

▪️ Russian air defense systems intercepted seven HIMARS MLRS shells and shot down 13 UAVs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a day.

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❗️Russia believes that grain deal will end on July 18 - Foreign Ministry

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German Leopard tanks are being wiped out by Russian troops and should soon be included on the list of endangered species

German Leopard tanks, used by Ukrainian forces during their counteroffensive operation against Russia, are being wiped out by Russian troops and should soon be included on the 'Red List', Russian Envoy to International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said on Tuesday, referring to Russia's list of endangered species.

"I hope that their trick with the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant and offensive operations in Kherson and Zaporozhye will fail. It will soon be proposed to include German Leopards in the Red Data Book, since they are being destroyed by Russians," Mikhail Ulyanov, Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, told a Russian broadcaster.

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China welcomes more countries joining BRICS

"China is committed to advancing the expansion process. We welcome as many like-minded partners as possible to join the BRICS family as soon as possible," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a briefing, commenting on Bangladesh's application.

She said that the expansion of the bloc is a political consensus of the five BRICS countries.

"The BRICS countries are an important platform for cooperation between emerging and developing countries. They have always been committed to defending multipolarity, actively promoting global governance reform, and strengthening the representation and voice of emerging and developing countries," Ning added.

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⚡ Hunter Biden agrees to plead guilty to 2 federal charges - court document

Secret services from almost 20 countries played an active role in organizing the anti-government protests that took place in Iran last fall

"The United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Canada, Belgium, Austria, Albania, Australia, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Bahrain, New Zealand and Israel are among countries that were active during the protests," Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Intelligence Organization Mohammad Kazemi was quoted by a Iranian news agency as saying.

Riots broke out in Iran in mid-September in connection with the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old woman died in a hospital in Tehran after suffering a heart attack and falling into a coma after an argument with a minder at a morality police facility over the alleged improper wearing of a hijab.

A day after her death, rumors spread that she had been beaten into a coma by police, with these claims sparking protests in the capital which quickly spread to other major population centers.

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📹 A tank crew under the command of a senior lieutenant with the call sign "Groom" successfully resisted three Ukrainian tanks during the assault on a stronghold in the zone of the special military op

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The EU is currently lacking critical material to produce ammunition for Ukraine

"Today I realized ... that in order to fulfill the ammunition that Ukraine needs, in order to produce [it], we [are] lacking critical materials, in order to produce [it] at home. Our industry of defense already has other constraints that come from outside Europe and we have to identity them and solve them, if we want to have the autonomous capacity to provide Ukraine with arms they require," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a press conference.

Since the onset of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, EU members have provided more than $55 billion in direct support to Kiev, including military aid. Moscow has repeatedly warned that this assistance fuels the prolongation of the conflict raging in Ukraine.

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📹 Russian paratroopers used a new Albatross drone in the zone of the special military op

Due to the long flight range, the Albatross can hit Ukrainian strongholds at a considerable distance. At the same time, HD cameras produce high-quality images both day and night.

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🗣️”Why is the United States facing this conflicted situation vis a vis China? Because it is losing power”: Dr. Radhika Desai, a professor at the University of Manitoba, director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group, and author of Capitalism, Coronavirus and War: A Geopolitical Economy, on why the US is looking for confrontation with China

🎧Listen to more of Desai’s analysis in our podcast By Any Means Necessary

The EU plans to prohibit European companies from making artificial intelligence technologies in countries such as China

The EU is going to adopt the European Economic Security Strategy in order to reduce economic dependence on the decisions made in China and the United States, according to a US newspaper’s report. The 14-page document, obtained by the news outlet, will be presented by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen later in the day, and EU leaders are scheduled to discuss it at their June 29-30 summit.

Even though the document does not mention China specifically, it is clear China is implied as the main target of the ban, the newspaper said. Thus, the strategy refers to the risk of "overreliance on a single country, especially one with systemically divergent values, models and interests." The paper also mentions plans to limit the outsourcing of advanced technology to countries where it could pose a threat to national security.

The bloc intends to limit "outbound investment in a narrow set of advanced technologies that could enhance military and intelligence capacities of actors who may use these capabilities to threaten international peace and security; and the secure treatment of sensitive information," the newspaper reported.

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