EU needs to butt out of South China Sea territorial spats

The Chinese diplomatic mission in Brussels rebuked the European Union on Friday after the bloc issued a statement on the anniversary of 2016 arbitration by The Hague ruling that a disputed area of the South China Sea belongs to the Philippines, not China.

Beijing, which rejects the ruling, pointed out that the EU “is not a party to the South China Sea issue,” and called the bloc’s disregard for “the history and facts of the South China Sea issue” “extremely irresponsible” and “not conducive to regional peace and stability.”

💬 “The EU issued this statement mainly out of the selfish and narrow geopolitical interests of the United States and the West,” Zhu Feng, director of the China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea at Nanjing University, told Sputnik China, pointing to recent efforts to drag NATO’s European members into Asia-Pacific affairs.

Dmitry Mosyakov, a leading Russian Southeast Asian affairs observer, echoed Zhu’s concerns, saying the Philippines “is mistaken to think that as long as its allies support it, it can force China to make some concessions on territorial disputes. Coordinated pressure on China can only have the opposite effect, because China will see foreign countries’ attempts to intervene in the dispute as absolutely unacceptable.”

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Orban’s Patriots of Europe closes ranks with non-mainstream forces around Europe

The group of right-wing parties in the European Parliament created by Hungarian PM Viktor Orban in the last two weeks has become the third largest group in the EP, EUobserver reports.

What is the key to its sudden success?

◻️ Opposition to mainstream right. The European Conservatives and Reformists bloc led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni tends to follow the general EU agenda, including military aid to Ukraine. As EUobserver reports, “Meloni shed her radical image, compromising by giving support for Ukraine.” But Orban’s peace mission and talks with Russia, widely condemned in the EU, got public assurance of his ability to stand up to the European mainstream. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who also opposes arms supplies, said his Smer party was considering joining Orban’s group.

◻️ Uniting Eurosceptics. Patriots of Europe attracted Eurosceptic parties such as Spain’s Vox, the Portuguese Chega!, the Czech Action of Dissatisfied Citizens and the Belgian Flemish Interest. All these forces have common ground on a range of economic and social issues, along with general criticisms of EU institutions and policy.

◻️ Solid right-wing heritage. Two-thirds of Patriots of Europe MEPs are former members of the now-defunct Identity and Democracy group. They include the French MEPs from Marin Le Pen’s Rassemblement Nationale, Italy’s Lega, the Dutch Party for Freedom led by Geert Wilders and the Austrian Freedom Party.

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Turkey is holding talks with Russia and Ukraine about resuming the "grain corridor," President Erdogan said, adding that the issue was discussed with both Putin and Zelensky.

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◻️ Scott Ritter: Ukraine an 'open target for Russia to take apart'

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🔥 The Russian BM-21 Grad MLRS wipes out AFU units on the right bank of the Dnepr River.

Russian fighters destroyed a Ukrainian stronghold, firing positions, and observation posts.

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Biden ‘will probably’ keep his gaffes coming - campaign chief

“Joe Biden has been making gaffes for 40 years. He made a couple last night. He will probably continue to do so,” Biden campaign communications chief Michael Tyler said during a White House press briefing.

At the solo press event following the NATO summit in Washington, Biden mistakenly introduced Russian President Vladimir Putin as Ukrainian president, with Volodymyr Zelensky standing right beside the POTUS.

During the same press conference, Biden then went on to mention his Republican challenger Donald Trump as his vice president instead of Kamala Harris.

The blunders come amid concerns among some Democrats about Biden’s viability as a candidate, following a lackluster debate performance against Trump last month. However, Biden and his campaign have said that he intends to act as the Democratic Party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential race.

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Iran ‘deeply values’ its friendship with Russia and China - President

China and Russia have always supported Iran in difficult times, and Tehran really cherishes its ties with the two nations, Iranian President elect Masoud Pezeshkian wrote in an article named "My message to the world" published in the Tehran Times newspaper on Friday

"China and Russia have consistently stood by us during challenging times. We deeply value this friendship," the president said.

The president-elect also called Russia a "valued strategic ally" of Iran, adding that his administration will remain committed to expanding Tehran-Moscow cooperation.

"I will continue to prioritize bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia, particularly within frameworks such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Eurasia Economic Union," Pezeshkian also noted.

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The IDF announced it struck Hezbollah infrastructure, an observation post, and a military structure in the areas of Ramyeh, Jibbain, Tayr Harfa, and Kfarkela in south Lebanon. 

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Actor Alec Baldwin's manslaughter case was dismissed with prejudice

New Mexico judge Mary Marlowe dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin during his trial, ruling that it cannot be refiled.

"Motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted," Marlowe said on Friday during the ruling.

The video shows Baldwin's and his wife’s emotional reaction to the verdict.

According to reports, one of the special prosecutors in the trial resigned in the middle of the hearing.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on October 21, 2021, when a gun held by US actor Alec Baldwin was fired during a scene rehearsal on the set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch.

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Baldwin and other important members of the movie production on February 15, 2022. In February 2023. Baldwin pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges.

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US Treasury is denying Jill Stein matching funds the FEC awarded - campaign manager

Jill Stein, the leading candidate for the Green Party’s nomination for president is being denied federal matching funds they are ennoscriptd to, Stein campaign manager Jason Call said on Tuesday.

The funds come from an optional $3 donation to the Presidential Matching Fund on the US individual federal tax returns.

Last week, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) confirmed that the Stein campaign reached that threshold and should be awarded $100,000 immediately, with more to come. Call says the total amount should be around $270,000.

However, the US Treasury has declined to distribute the funds, citing a shortfall. In March, the government raided the fund of $400 million as part of the $1.2 trillion spending package.

According to Call, the Treasury said it has to wait until after the party conventions to see if they will take money from the fund, despite neither party taking general election funds in recent elections. He told Sputnik that even if the funds are eventually distributed, the delay will still harm the campaign.

“If [any party hits] 5% in 2024 they would be eligible for those funds in the 2028 general election. So, them denying us primary matching funds now is limiting our ballot access efforts now,” Call explained in a message to Sputnik, “Therefore [it is] going to limit our opportunity to get 5% in this election. They are taking away our potential voter base and thus prevent us [from] being eligible for those funds in 2028.”

Read more in the full article.

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US is the only former funder of UNRWA that has not returned - official

UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said all states that stopped funding UNRWA with the exception of the US have resumed their financial support for the agency.

"I am happy to say that, with the exception of the United States, which cannot resume before March 2025 because of legislative constraints, all the other countries are back," Lazzarini said on Friday.

Lazzarini expressed hope the UK will also be back soon and the received communications confirm that.

The conference’s main goal was to ensure sufficient funding for UNRWA’s mission, especially as the United Nations views it as the only UN agency that effectively addresses critical issues in the Gaza Strip.

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Al-Qassam Brigades publishes scenes of luring an Israeli force into a pre-prepared ambush in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, southwest of Gaza City.

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A new sleek move unlocked!

Joe Biden seems to have mastered a cool move, unconventionally passing his mic to a secret service agent at a recent speaking engagement.

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💥 Russian Su-34 aircraft launch strikes at Ukrainian camouflaged hardware and manpower. The pilots deployed OFAB-500 unguided aerial bombs with universal planning and correction modules.

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Qatar has dispatched its elite security unit, Lekhwiya, to Paris to help secure the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This contingent includes specialized dog teams trained in explosives detection and police officers who will be patrolling the airports in Paris.

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What advantages will the Russian army have after taking apart and studying the Storm Shadow cruise missile?

Russian professionals have disassembled and thoroughly examined the major components of the Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missile, an expert engineer told Sputnik.

"The suspension mounting system and main switch, located in the center section, are removed from this unit along with all electrical circuits and wires. This is done in order to have objective control over subsequent changes in the missile’s design," the expert explained.

Earlier this month, Russian specialists got hold of the Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missile’s control and guidance system.

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Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have repeatedly offered NATO talks on building a principled security system, the Russian permanent representative to the organization told Sputnik.
 
Both Russia and CSTO have approached NATO with dialogue proposals for a security system not erected "at the expense of the security of others", but there has been no interest from the other side, Russian Permanent Representative to CSTO Viktor Vasilyev stated.
 

"We do not shut ourselves off from dialogues with Western countries. Russia and CSTO have repeatedly made dialogue proposals to NATO in seeking common ground for a security system - one that is based on the key principle that we should not ensure our own security, at the expense of others’. Unfortunately, our repeated proposals have not found any reciprocal willingness," Vasilyev stated.

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📹 Russian paratroopers of the Dnepr Battlegroup destroyed a Ukrainian REB station on the right bank of the Dnepr River with a Lancet

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⚡️ What advantages will the Russian army have after taking apart and studying the Storm Shadow cruise missile?

⚡️ Biden ‘will probably’ keep his gaffes coming - campaign chief

⚡️ Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization have repeatedly offered NATO talks on building a principled security system

⚡️ Iran ‘deeply values’ its friendship with Russia and China - President

⚡️ Russian paratroopers of the Dnepr Battlegroup destroyed a Ukrainian REB station on the right bank of the Dnepr River with a Lancet

⚡️ Actor Alec Baldwin's manslaughter case was dismissed with prejudice

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📹 Footage of the Russian Pacific Fleet's corvettes, Gromkiy and Rezkiy, calling at the Chinese port of Zhanjiang

The Russian ships will take part in the joint naval exercise Maritime Interaction 2024. Sailors from the two countries will conduct joint sea rescue and air defense exercises, and an anti-submarine exercise involving PLA anti-submarine aviation.

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