Former US President Donald Trump appeared at the second day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his ear covered in a bandage just as the day before, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Trump entered to loud applause from the audience and was greeted by his newly-selected running mate JD Vance.

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Former UN ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley endorses presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

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EU's threats encourage Hungary to put more efforts into peace mission - Szijjarto

The European Union's leadership's threats to boycott and not negotiate with Hungary will not discourage Budapest from continuing its peace mission to resolve the Ukraine conflict, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told news agency RIA Novosti.

"All pro-war politicians of Europe popped up immediately after this peace mission has been started. And they have threatened us with boycotting, with not negotiating with each other, with neglecting us. But you know, these kinds of attacks do not discourage us from the continuation of the Peace Mission. They encourage us to put more efforts on helping a peaceful solution of this war in Ukraine," the minister said when asked whether the Hungarian presidency of the EU received any threats after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's peace mission.

The Hungarian foreign minister added that Orban's administration is "used to such kinds of attacks."

"So, since we are a patriotic government, we are a government which does not represent mainstream, we are under financial sanctions of the European Union. So, I don't see how they could threaten us more than so far," Szijjarto said.

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🇨🇳🇭🇺 China is ready to cooperate with Hungary to contribute to the development of the situation in Ukraine toward a political settlement, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone conversation with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto.

"China is ready to cooperate with Hungary to gather more forces in support of peace, raise more rational voices, and contribute to the development of the situation [in Ukraine] toward a political settlement," the Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Wang as saying.

The ministry added that Szijjarto delivered views on the Ukraine crisis and Hungary's recent efforts on the issue to his Chinese counterpart.

"Szijjarto delivered views on the current environment, the Ukraine crisis in particular, and Hungary's recent efforts," the ministry said.

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An animated parody of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump has gone viral on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu.

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Not the first time a pro-peace politician has been attacked - Szijjarto on Trump shooting

The assassination attempt on ex-US President Donald Trump during his campaign event in the US state of Pennsylvania was not the first time in recent months when a pro-peace and patriot politician has been attacked, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

"This is a crazy world, where such kind of things can happen. You know, this is not the first time in the recent months when a pro-peace and patriot politician is tried to be killed," the minister said.

The Hungarian official recalled the May 15 attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has repeatedly opposed arms deliveries to Ukraine and its accession to NATO.

"In our neighboring country Slovakia, a similar thing has happened when the Prime Minister who represents a pro-peace position and represents a very patriotic approach has been almost killed ... after a Cabinet meeting in the countryside," Szijjarto said.

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🎥 Here’s how Russia’s 'Solntsepyok' incinerates Ukrainian fortifications north of Verbovoye, along the Zaporozhye front

Crews manning the heavy flamethrower systems provide support for the advance by the airborne assault units here. Operating predominantly under the cover of nighttime darkness, the 'Solntsepyok' strikes with ruthless efficiency, ensuring the safety of military personnel while maximizing the element of surprise against the enemy.

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◾️US policy ‘stupid’ & sanctions undermine greenback: Donald Trump on America’s stance towards Russia, China

◾️Hungary’s top diplomat weighs in on assassination attempts targeting Trump, Fico: Patriotic, peace-seeking leaders in the crosshairs

◾️VIDEO: Hezbollah retaliates, firing around 80 missiles towards northern Israel

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◾️Another day, and more cringeworthy moments from Biden

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BRICS Futurological Forum: Modernization doesn't mean Westernization

Speaking to Sputnik, Marta Fernandez, Director of the BRICS Policy Center at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, highlighted considering past years' experiences of transformations in order to successfully construct a just world order and foster future intercivilizational relations at both the national and international levels.

"The very concepts of civilization and modernity are in many ways contradictory, it is argued that in order to develop and look to the future it is necessary to somehow completely erase the past. In the Western understanding, the past is presented as something unworthy and subject to destruction, which seems strange. At this forum, on the contrary, we talked about the need to respect different cultures and to plan the future with diversity in mind," expert said.

In particular, she notes that each of the BRICS countries has its own unique experience in overcoming the harsh consequences of socio-economic and social transformations, as well as in implementing major infrastructure projects aimed at improving the lives of the population, "taking into account specific cultural and material circumstances".

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Trump allies hammering out AI 'Manhattan Projects' for defense sector – reports

Allies of Donald Trump are currently drafting a comprehensive executive order on artificial intelligence (AI), says the Washington Post. This order is intended to launch a series of projects similar to the famous "Manhattan Projects" to boost military technology. Additionally, it aims to review and potentially remove any regulations deemed as unnecessary or overly burdensome that have been proposed by Biden.

◾️ More military investment in AI could benefit tech companies that presently work with the Pentagon, the newspaper said, naming in particular Anduril, Palantir and Scale and adding that those companies' executives back Trump.

◾️ A copy of the document obtained by WaPo envisages creating "industry-led" agencies to evaluate AI models and shield the systems from "foreign adversaries".

◾️ The document's approach appears to sharply differ from Biden's October 2023 AI policy that ushered in government's oversight of the technology's development. The GOP is reportedly planning to repeal the order, saying it stifles innovation.

◾️ The Trump team's focus on AI and cooperation with Silicon Valley marks a change in his approach towards Big Tech.

◾️ The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, is also involved in drafting new AI policies as part of Project 2025, as per WaPo. Project 2025 calls for boosting AI research in the US while placing curbs on China's development. Trump has distanced himself from the project.

◾️ The Trump team told WaPo that no policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from Trump or his authorized campaign spokesperson.

◾️ Silicon Valley, once a bastion of Democratic support, is shifting towards the Republicans, with a "significant chunk of the tech industry's money and power" lining up behind Trump, Axios reports.

◾️ Jacob Helberg, senior policy advisor to US defense contractor Palantir Technologies, has been called "Trump's AI whisperer".

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Bombs away! How much damage can Russian FAB munitions do

Engineers at Russia’s top defense conglomerate Rostec are now working at increasing the range of the weapon that has become a literal nightmare for the Ukrainian military in recent months – the FAB-3000 bomb.

Outfitted with a universal gliding and correction module, these three-ton monstrosities can be dropped from an aircraft far away from their intended target and still hit the latter with unerring precision, thus allowing the bomber to avoid getting too close to enemy air defenses.

Rostec now seeks to improve these modules even further, which would greatly increase the range of FAB bombs and turn the lives of Ukrainian air defense operators into living hell.

This infographic compiled by Sputnik shows what types of FAB bombs Russia has at its disposal and how much havoc they can wreak.

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NATO moves to sink its tendrils into MidEast by opening office in Jordan

NATO's plan to set up a liaison office in Jordan signals its aim to expand influence in Middle Eastern affairs, political analyst Alexander Kargin told Sputnik.

He stressed the significance of choosing Jordan over Israel for the office, given Israel's close relationship with the US.

“Biden’s stance – who, on one hand, supports Israel, but on the other hand hinders it – must have disappointed Netanyahu who refused to let NATO open a liaison office [in Israel],” the regional expert said. “We can draw different conclusions from what happened, such as that there is a cooling in relations between Israel and NATO.”

Kargin warned the move may create new problems for the country, but also argued that a NATO office in Jordan “cements the existing reality” in the Middle East — already “divided” between existing alliances.

“There are already these blocs, this division: the Gulf monarchies and the Arab countries allied with them on one side, and Iran and its allies on the other,” he said, adding that the regional reaction to the new NATO office will be split along those lines.

The opening of a NATO office also “reflects a strategic response to the volatile security landscape in the Middle East, marked by conflicts, terrorism and geopolitical tensions,” argued Dr Mehmet Rakipoğlu, assistant professor at Turkiye's Mardin Artuklu University.

“This move is both pre-emptive and reactionary: pre-emptive in strengthening NATO’s influence and preparedness for potential crises, and reactionary in addressing ongoing threats like terrorism and regional instability,” said Rakipoğlu. “It underscores NATO’s commitment to proactive engagement and crisis management in a strategically crucial region.”

The Jordan gambit is about “strengthening and powering stance of NATO and expansion in the Middle East,” he added.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳⚓️ Russia and China conducted a maritime patrol as part of the "Naval Cooperation 2024" exercises

The route of the Chinese and Russian ships passed south of Jeju Island, through the Osumi Strait, the western Pacific Ocean, and the South China Sea.

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