Hamas rejects Joe Biden-proposed deal on freeing hostages

The Palestinian movement Hamas has rejected a proposal on freeing hostages, which was presented by US President Joe Biden, Reuters reported, citing an Israeli official.

The official also said that Israel has received a response from Hamas via the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, adding that the movement changed the main parameters of Biden’s proposal.

Earlier, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said the US received Hamas’ response to the proposal on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal and were evaluating it.

"We were in receipt of this reply that Hamas delivered to Qatar and to Egypt, and we are evaluating it right now," Kirby said during a press briefing, declining to provide any more details, except it was "certainly helpful" for US to receive any response from Hamas.

Earlier in the day, Basem Naim, a member of the political office of Hamas, told Sputnik that the movement has responded to mediators regarding the ceasefire proposal.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported, citing sources, that Hamas’ response includes full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, including Rafah and the border area with Egypt.

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Russia creates the Sparrow drone to replace Mavics

Russian company Stratim has created a reconnaissance drone Vorobei (lit. "Sparrow"), which is a domestic analog of the Mavic copters widely used in the area of air defense for artillery fire correction, a representative of the company told Sputnik.

"The Sparrow drone is designed for reconnaissance and fire correction, that is, in terms of functionality it is our domestic analog of Mavic copters widely used on the front on both sides. We got a drone that is not inferior to it: compact, foldable, with almost similar technical characteristics and control panel", - said the interlocutor of the agency.

However, there is an important advantage of Sparrow over Mavic: the Sparrow operates on a non-commercial frequency, which is harder for Ukrainian electronic warfare to suppress, unlike Mavic, whose frequencies are "known and unchangeable".

"Sparrow" was presented at the HeliRussia-2024 exhibition, which takes place from June 10 to 12 in Moscow.

Sparrow's ground station is also connected to a neural network that helps the drone operator recognize targets like armored vehicles, artillery, infantry, vehicles and others.

Stratim is a company specializing in the development and production of strike and reconnaissance drones with AI and machine vision, was founded in 2022. The company is named in honor of the fairytale bird Stratim from ancient Slavic mythology.

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Russia is ready to deepen cooperation with all states on basis on mutual respect

Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov said Russia stands ready to deepen and expand cooperation with all nations on the basis of mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

The ambassador made the remarks at a reception held at the Russian mission in Ottawa on the occasion of Russia Day.

"Russia is ready to deepen and expand reciprocal and beneficial cooperation with each and every nation on the basis of mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interest," the ambassador told the event.

Stepanov said that Russia is going through a difficult and "existential" momentous stage of its development, a situation driven by some members of the international community opposed to the concept of an equal all-centric world proposed by Russia.

"They want to impose a unipolar neocolonial mindset on everyone else, the mindset where the UN Charter and International Law are replaced by certain rules invented by who knows who," the ambassador said.

Stepanov, however, noted that there was a "magic catch," being that no one has seen or has been authorized to see the said rules.

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New wave of synthetic opioids is about to rip Europe

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) highlighted the alarming spread of nitazenes, which are potent synthetic opioids linked to a surge in overdose deaths. This powerful family of synthetic opioids is infiltrating Western Europe through the Baltics, according to the EMCDDA. These substances are making their way into heroin markets, often with deadly consequences.

Nitazenes were responsible for nearly 100 fatalities in Estonia and Latvia last year and have contributed to numerous overdoses in France and Ireland. The EU Drug Report 2024 revealed that nitazenes, which are hundreds of times more potent than heroin and stronger than fentanyl, are often misrepresented as street-grade heroin, adding a dangerous element to the drug market.

The sudden appearance of nitazenes on European streets is causing multiple poisonings in short periods, straining local healthcare services. Although the scale of the opioid crisis in Europe is not yet comparable to the situation in the US, the EMCDDA report indicates a troubling trend. Six of the seven new synthetic opioids reported to the EU's early warning system in 2023 were nitazenes, the highest number in a single year since 2019.

Last year, synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, were responsible for more than 70,000 deaths in the US, where the transition from prenoscription painkillers to heroin and then to synthetic opioids had devastating effects.

There are fears of a similar pattern emerging in Europe, especially given the potential for a heroin shortage, as the Taliban's* ban on opium cultivation in Afghanistan, which supplies 90% of the world's heroin, could lead to significant disruptions in the market.

*An Afghan militant group under UN sanctions for terrorist activities

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Drug cartels coerce migrant children into Europe's expanding cocaine trade

The Guardian investigation has uncovered that hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children in Europe are being forced into labor by drug cartels to fuel the continent's booming cocaine market. Vulnerable minors from Africa are being exploited by powerful cocaine networks operating in major European cities, "including Paris and Brussels".

EU police have raised alarms about the industrial-scale exploitation of African children. These drug networks are capitalizing on the vast supply of vulnerable young migrants to expand Europe's £10 billion cocaine market. Reports indicate that these cartels use brutal methods such as torture and rape to control and coerce their young victims.

Sources have revealed that London could be the next target, following recent discoveries of Moroccan and Algerian children in the UK who had been trafficked and tortured by cocaine gangs. These children were likely trafficked into the country and abused to enforce their participation in drug sales.

A recent assessment by EU police forces investigating serious organized crime and human trafficking highlighted several cases in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and France. These countries reported the recruitment of hundreds of North African minors by drug trafficking networks to sell narcotics. However, experts believe the actual number could be in the thousands, with police data showing 15,928 unaccompanied children arriving in Europe in 2022, many of whom have since gone missing, according to the newspaper.

According to a Belgian federal police document, thousands of unaccompanied foreign minors cross EU borders annually, often vanishing without a trace, as reported by the Guardian. Eric Garbar, head of human trafficking and smuggling at the Belgian federal judicial police, noted that Europe faces an "unstoppable low-cost human resource" of African minors being exploited, as quoted by the publication.

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💥Watch Iskander-M take part in second stage of the non-strategic nuclear forces exercises

The missile formations of the Russian Leningrad Military District are working out combat training tasks for obtaining special training ammunition for the Iskander-M operational and tactical missile system, equipping them with launchers and secretly advancing to the designated position area to prepare for missile launches, the Defense Ministry informs.

The maneuvers should be seen in the context of bellicose statements by Western politicians and destabilizing actions by NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

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◼️ Watch Iskander-M take part in second stage of the non-strategic nuclear forces exercises

◼️ Georgian authorities are reportedly preparing to restore diplomatic relations with Russia

◼️ US lawmakers appear rattled by arrival of Russian warships in the Caribbean

◼️ Hamas rejects Joe Biden-proposed deal on freeing hostages

◼️ Fighter for a fee: Which countries punish mercenaries? Sputnik explains.

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Cheap Sellout: Ukraine to sell state property amid military spending shortfall

The Ukrainian government is planning to auction off some 20 state-owned companies in a bid to boost Ukraine's budget, which is "short $5 billion this year for military spending," the New York Times reports.

According to the newspaper, Ukraine has more than 3,000 state-controlled companies, of which only 15% are profitable. Since the country "did not currently have enough weapons," businessmen are calling for privatization and the sale of assets.

The authorities plan to sell $100 million worth of assets this year, but Ukrainian officials and experts acknowledge that given the risks posed by the conflict, assets are likely to be sold at lower prices.

"The state is in desperate need of money," said Michael Lukashenko, a representative of a law firm that has advised companies on privatization. "If we don't sell now and raise money, soon there will be nothing to sell."

Past privatization efforts have often been ill-conceived, economists say, leaving large assets in the hands of oligarchs. Businessmen complain that state-owned enterprises are a "breeding ground for corruption and other illegal activities.

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❗️Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting Tuesday evening with Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and district commanders, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported.

The participants of the meeting briefed the president on the progress of the special operation and plans for future military actions.

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❗️Russia's Foreign Ministry sees no point in commenting on the stuffing replicated by opposition resources, speaking to Sputnik about reports on the possible restoration of diplomatic relations with Georgia.

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❗️Participation in NATO actions outside the Alliance should be voluntary, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg confirmed this and said he accepted Hungary's decision not to participate in the Alliance's mission to coordinate assistance to Ukraine.

"I have asked the Secretary General to clarify that all NATO military actions outside the territory of the alliance, in accordance with NATO rules and traditions, can only be voluntary. This was confirmed at today's talks, Hungary received the necessary guarantees," Orban said at a press conference with Stoltenberg.

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🇷🇺Putin congratulated Russians on National Day, noting that citizens celebrate this holiday with respect for their country.

"Russians today are united by patriotism and responsibility for the fate of the motherland," the Russian president said.

He added that all of Russia supports its heroes [of the special military operation].

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