📹 Philippine-flagged tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil capsized and sank off the coast of Manila

The country's Coast Guard had rescued 16 of the 17 crew members, with one person missing, the Philippines’ transportation secretary stated.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko met on Russia's island of Valaam

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Web page that rated Kamala Harris the 'most politically left' senator in 2019 has "unexpectedly" disappeared

In 2019, GovTrack, a nonpartisan Congress tracker, rated Kamala Harris, a California Democrat, as the "most politically left compared to Senate Democrats," surpassing Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

The tracker's ideology score is based on whether senators sponsor or cosponsor bipartisan legislation.

But the web page with the ranking, which was widely covered in news reports during the 2020 election, was recently deactivated. The link now displays a "Page Not Found" message.

GovTrack confirmed to Fox News that it had taken down a 2019 page rating Kamala Harris as that year's "most politically left" US senator sometime within the last two weeks.

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CrowdStrike's big fix for global outage? A $10 snack on them!

CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm responsible for last week's global tech outage, is generously offering its partners a token of appreciation following the chaos... with $10 Uber Eats gift cards, because nothing says "we're sorry for the massive inconvenience" quite like a small snack on the house.

A spokesperson for CrowdStrike confirmed that the company sent the vouchers to its partners who are part of the Accelerate Program, meaning they sell and manage CrowdStrike for customers.

"CrowdStrike did not send gift cards to customers or clients," the spokesperson said. "We did send these to our teammates and partners who have been helping customers through this situation. Uber flagged it as fraud because of high usage rates."

"We recognize the additional work that the July 19 incident has caused. And for that, we send our heartfelt thanks and apologies for the inconvenience," an email, addressed to CrowdStrike’s partners, read. "To express our gratitude, your next cup of coffee or late-night snack is on us!" the email added.

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Putin and Lukashenko took part in a prayer service on Russia's island of Valaam

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Russian Tu-95MS aircraft together with Chinese strategic bombers conducted joint patrols over the Chukchi and Bering seas, as well as the northern part of the Pacific Ocean - Russian Defense Ministry

The flight duration was more than five hours, and at some stages of the route the air group was accompanied by fighter jets from other countries.

The joint air patrols are not directed against third parties, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang stressed, adding that they were conducted in accordance with the annual cooperation plan between the two countries’ armed forces.

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US aims to counter Russia and China: Blinken's Asia-Pacific tour prepares ground for new strategy in region

The US’ actions in the Asia-Pacific region are aimed at countering Russia and China, military and political expert Colonel Nguyen Minh Tam, former director of the Center for Information and Education at Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security, told Sputnik. He suggested that Washington will try to escalate tensions to the maximum before the current administration leaves the White House.

"It is now clear that the US has lost the war in Ukraine. Their train has run out of fuel, and Washington has been unable to help the Kiev regime by any means. Losing on this front, the US seeks to exert pressure on other fronts. This is a natural step for [the] Americans because they cannot exist without war. America needs war to continue pressuring others. During this Asian tour, Antony Blinken will face serious challenges," Nguyen Minh Tam said.

"For instance, Mongolia has suddenly caught the attention of the US secretary of state, a country that previously received little notice from the US. But now, the US is seeking allies. The newly inaugurated president of the Philippines, Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., is restoring American influence in the eastern part of the South China Sea. As Russia sees it, the US is attempting to create an 'Eastern NATO.' The Vietnamese understand this well, given their experience with the SEATO bloc during the Vietnam War," he added.

In recent years, the US has significantly increased its presence in Southeast Asia, particularly in countries with territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. President Joe Biden has made expanding US alliances in the region a cornerstone of his foreign policy.
Antony Blinken believes that diplomacy should be backed by deterrence measures, and has stated that "force can be a necessary adjunct to effective diplomacy."

"I think it will be difficult for him to achieve his goals this time. Although the US continues to provide substantial assistance to its allies, the current context is different because counterbalances have formed. Among them are the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the BRICS bloc," the expert said.

According to Nguyen Minh Tam, “Blinken's visit is preparing the ground for a new strategy. Participation in the state funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is not the primary purpose of the visit. In the past, US leaders had little interest in the heads of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It seems like Washington is ‘flirting’ with Hanoi," the political and military analyst noted.

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ASEAN – one of Russia’s key economic partners in Southeast Asia – is gaining geopolitical clout amid growing US presence

The top diplomats of Russia, China, and the US have arrived in Vientiane, Laos for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a 10-member political and economic union of 10 Southeast Asian nations.

🔸 ASEAN boasts a PPP GDP of over $10 trillion, or six percent of global PPP GDP. The bloc’s members account for a land area of 4.5 million square km and have a population of 600+ million people. Together, they add up to the fifth-largest economy in the world.

🔸 ASEAN also enjoys growing geopolitical clout, as evidenced by the issues being addressed at its meetings, from tensions in the South China Sea to the security situation in Myanmar.

🔸 Russia signed a comprehensive partnership with ASEAN in 2005. Its terms include a pledge to build “an international system that is fair, balanced and just.” Bloc members undoubtedly appreciate Moscow’s historical relationship with the region, including economic and military help against US and European imperialism, and no record of colonialism.

🔸 China has taken big steps to cement its reputation as a friend of ASEAN, signing a strategic partnership with the bloc in 2003. ASEAN has been China’s largest trading partner since 2020, and all its members have joined the Belt and Road Initiative.

🔸 At Friday’s summit, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will present Russia’s assessment of the security situation in Southeast Asia, and bring up President Vladimir Putin’s proposal of an indivisible Eurasian security architecture amid US attempts to militarize the region. Without Russia and China's diplomatic efforts, ASEAN may have a hard time resisting Washington’s “Asian NATO” ambitions.

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Netanyahu and Assad's diplomatic missions: contrasting agendas in Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the US, where he addressed Congress on Wednesday night and is set to meet with Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Assad is in Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin. The primary focus of both visits is the situation in the Middle East. So, what’s the latest there?

🔸Netanyahu in Washington

⚡️In the US Congress, Netanyahu presented his post-war vision for the Gaza Strip as a “demilitarized and de-radicalized” led by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel.

⚡️He criticized the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes in Gaza, denying any wrongdoing by Israel. The ICC is attempting to restrict Israel from defending itself, "if Israel’s hands are tied, America will be next,” he said.

⚡️ He thanked the US for its support and weapons supplies.

⚡️ He suggested the creation of a broad Middle East security “NATO-like” Abraham Alliance led by the US and Israel in order "to counter the growing Iranian threat."

⚡️His address to Congress took place against the backdrop of pro-peace and pro-Palestinian protests near the Capitol. Netanyahu labeled the protesters as “Iran’s useful idiots.”

🔸 Assad in Moscow

⚡️ Bashar Assad met with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday night, and the two leaders discussed rising tensions in the Middle East, which affect Syria as well.

⚡️ During the conversation, Assad noted that Russia and Syria have overcome numerous challenges thanks to the mutual trust between their countries and peoples.

⚡️ "Given the current global events, particularly in the Eurasian region, today's meeting is crucial for discussing the development of these events and exploring possible scenarios and prospects," Assad said.

⚡️Putin and Assad also discussed bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

🔸 What are the reactions to these developments?

⚡️ Commenting on the Israeli PM’s idea to create a NATO-like alliance in the Middle East, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said more confrontational mechanisms are unlikely needed in the region.

⚡️ Arabic media outlets have had mixed reactions to Netanyahu's proposal for a regional “NATO-like” military alliance. For example, Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen commented that Israel might be positioning itself as a US proxy in the Middle East, particularly in relation to tensions with Iran.

⚡️Media outlets in the Persian Gulf monarchies did not comment on the suggestion at all, concentrating on negative reactions to the Israeli PM’s speech in general.

⚡️ Arabic media outlets appear to have been surprised by President Assad's visit to Moscow, making it the top news story. However, there have been no official reactions yet.

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The magazine Compact has filed a lawsuit challenging the ban imposed by the German Ministry of the Interior, the federal administrative court told Sputnik.

Previously, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced that the Compact magazine was shut down at her insistence, alleging that it served as a "central mouthpiece" for the far-right scene and engaged in propaganda against Jews, people with migrant backgrounds, and parliamentary democracy.

On July 13th, the magazine published an interview with the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, who later linked the closure of the publication to her speaking the truth that the German government allegedly hides from the public.

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The US wants to establish logistics centers in the Black Sea region to expedite the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and deploy long-range weapons, according to Nikolai Patrushev, an assistant to Russia's president overseeing maritime policy.

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More statements by Nikolai Patrushev, an assistant to Russia's president overseeing maritime policy:

◻️ NATO at the Washington summit demonstrated plans to increase its military presence and escalate confrontation in the Black Sea.

◻️ NATO countries, by aggressively expanding the number of naval bases beyond their borders, aim to turn the world's oceans into their sphere of influence.

◻️ Zelensky, by signing the Maritime Security Strategy of Ukraine, which defines NATO's role in the Black Sea, is trying to assert his legitimacy.

◻️ The uncontrolled drift of naval mines, haphazardly laid by the Ukrainian Navy, increasingly threatens civilian ships in the Black Sea.

◻️ Ukrainian unmanned boats, losing course due to GPS navigation failures, pose an unpredictable threat to shipping in the Black Sea.

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Netanyahu’s NATO-style anti-Iranian alliance proposal threatens to unleash '20 years of mayhem' in Mideast

💬 “The idea of an ‘Abraham Alliance’ is perfectly coherent with the policy Netanyahu has been pursuing for more than twenty years. He advocated something similar against Iraq in the early 2000s,” Dr. Marco Carnelos, a veteran retired Italian diplomat and top Middle East policy advisor, told Sputnik, commenting on the NATO-inspired anti-Iranian regional security alliance proposed by the Israeli prime minister during his speech to Congress on Wednesday.

💬 “At the time it was not called the ‘Abraham Alliance’, but it accomplished a change of regime in Iraq in 2003, which delivered at least fifteen years of conflict and instability in the region,” Carnelos recalled. “Now, [Israel] is trying to achieve the same result vis-à-vis Iran, and if it will succeed – by bamboozling the US again, another twenty years of mayhem” will ensue, according to the observer.

Carnelos isn’t sure Arab powers will be in any rush to support Netanyahu’s ambitions, especially amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

“Saudi Arabia’s position will be crucial, and honestly, at this stage, I do not know if [amid] the ongoing carnage in Gaza the Saudi [leadership] will be willing or can afford to join the Abraham Accords” normalization deal, much less “its military corollary targeted at Iran,” he said.

Riyadh has dramatically shifted its security and foreign policy in recent years, unexpectedly signing a diplomatic normalization deal, joining BRICS+, and seeking a peaceful resolution to the civil war in Yemen.

Even Washington, Israel’s go-to whipping boy for Middle East adventurism, can’t necessarily be counted on when it comes to Iran, according to Carnelos. “I should not rush to equate the 58 standing ovations attributed to Netanyahu by the US Congress to be an automatic US determination to go to war…for Israel,” he said, pointing out that Washington’s priorities have shifted to China.

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