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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The readiness for negotiations expressed in Kiev aligns with Moscow's position that the diplomatic path is preferable, said Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia. He added that Russia has never refused to engage in talks with Ukraine; rather, it was Kiev that rejected them.

If Kiev has truly matured enough for a peace plan, they should consider the initiative proposed by Putin; Ukraine won't get a better offer, Nebenzia stated.

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Japan is re-militarizing and watering down its pacifist constitution with US support

Tokyo’s rapid buildup has prompted Moscow to issue a warning about countermeasures to Japan’s re-militarization. According to its constitution, Japan is prohibited from waging war and limits the size of its armed forces. In practice, the Asian country has experienced a rapid military buildup in recent decades, and top officials have called for a revision of the law.

Here is the short story of Japan drifting from pacifist nation to militarized US bandwagoner:

🔸 In 1951, Japan allowed US troops to be deployed on its territory despite its pacifist stance. In 1954, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) were created. In 1960, the US was granted the right to establish military bases in Japan.

🔸 In 2001, Japan dispatched its Maritime Self-Defense Force for the first time to the Indian Ocean to provide logistical support to the US amid the Afghanistan War.

🔸 In 2015, the Japanese parliament passed a law expanding its operational assistance to allies fighting in foreign wars.

🔸 In December 2022, Japan issued a new national security doctrine aimed at doubling the country’s defense spending within the next five years, with a plan to buy 500 long-range land-attack Tomahawk cruise missiles.

🔸 The same year, some Japanese politicians advocated deploying US nuclear arms in the country.

🔸 In July 2023, Japan released its new Defense White Paper which named North Korea, China, and Russia as threats to the regional security environment.

🔸 In April 2024, the US and Japan signed over 70 military cooperation agreements, including on strengthening ties between their military industries, training, and maintenance of equipment.

🔸 Currently, around 63,000 US troops are stationed in Japan, with the country’s own active personnel amounting to around 247,000, as per The New York Times.

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Aussie Cossack dismisses 'Russian spy scandal' as nothingburger and distraction tactic

"The latest Russian spy scandal to hit Australia is of course another nothing burger. There was no Russian involvement in the Russian spy scandal. In fact the Australian government itself, the Australian Federal Police themselves concede that the Russians were not involved in this spy scandal. So how can you call it a spy scandal if Russia's not involved?" Australian independent journalist Aussie Cossack @AussieCossack told Sputnik.

The scandal involved Anya Koroleva, an Australian soldier of Russian descent, who traveled to Russia without informing the Australian authorities and allegedly accessed classified documents. She and her husband were arrested.

Aussie Cossack argued that the narrative was being used to distract from Australia's announcement of a significant financial aid package to Ukraine of 250 million Australian dollars (US $160 million), something which has faced public backlash. According to him, the media exaggerated the spy story to divert attention from the controversial aid decision.

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Flying ace and war hero: who is the new deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces?

In a recent reshuffle, Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash, who previously served as commander of the Long-Range Aviation, was appointed as a deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

What is known about Kobylash?

◻️ He began his service in the Soviet Armed Forces' aviation group in Germany as an Su-17M4 fighter-bomber pilot, and then held various command positions in the Russian Air Force.

◻️ Kobylash participated in the restoration of the constitutional order in Chechnya between 1994 and 1996, and then took part in counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

◻️ During Georgia's invasion of South Ossetia, Kobylash, then a regiment commander, piloted an Su-25SM attack aircraft that was hit twice over the Tskhinval area on August 9, 2008. He managed to fly the damaged jet away from a residential area and successfully ejected from the aircraft.

◻️ In September 2016, he was appointed to the position of a commander of the Long-Range Aviation, a sub-branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces responsible for delivering long-range nuclear and conventional strikes.

◻️ Early last year, Kobylash announced that the Russian strategic aircraft of the Long-Range Aviation would take part in the special military operation in Ukraine in 2023.

◻️ Kobylash was awarded the noscript of Hero of the Russian Federation for taking part in the counter-terrorist operations in the North Caucasus. He was also awarded the Order of Courage, the Order of Military Merit, the Medal of Courage and other military awards.

◻️ He was born on April 1, 1965 in Odessa and graduated from the Yeisk Higher Military Aviation School in 1987. He also studied at the Gagarin Air Force Academy and the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. His total flight time exceeds 1,500 hours.

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Biden’s bitter legacy signals ‘culmination of betrayal’ of post-Cold War hopes for peace

“I look at what’s happening today through the scope of what’s been happening since…the end of the Cold War, since 1991,” former NYT and Bloomberg contributor-turned independent foreign affairs observer John Varoli told Sputnik, commenting on the broader implications of Joe Biden’s address to the nation Wednesday where he expanded on his decision not to seek a second term.

“It’s just been a horrifying time in American history,” Varoli said of this 35-year period. “It is the most disgraceful, wicked period in American history. And it’s just the feeling of betrayal…The Biden years are the culmination of this betrayal. You have to understand, we Americans, young Americans like myself…met [the end of the Cold War] with enthusiasm, with optimism. We were like ‘this is all great. It’s going to be peace in the world. No nuclear war. We’re going to get along with Russia.’ We were so full of optimism that we were going to build a better world.”

Instead, the journalist recalled, the decades since 1991 have been filled with US-led wars, regime change operations and other aggression, from the Gulf War, to the bombing of Yugoslavia, NATO’s expansion, culminating with the Euromaidan coup in Ukraine.

“What the hell’s wrong with these people?” was the natural reaction to these processes, Varoli said. “Then you realize, it was a plan. Professor Jeffrey Sachs said it. He saw it. He was there….This is nothing accidental…Biden is the culmination of this absolute insanity and madness. Imperial madness, imperial insanity, this bid for global domination to build a ‘Fourth Reich’.”

The observer believes what’s taking place today in US politics is “basically the final chapter in [the] collapse” of “this whole imperial project,” with even mainstream outlets admitting, by reporting on Biden’s donors pulling the plug on his reelection bid, that the US has become “an oligarchy.”

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Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu went on Tesla factory tour with Elon Musk.

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American Nolan Arbo, who has a Neuralink implant, shared with Sputnik that he made the decision to undergo the surgery after discussing it with family and friends. He was also convinced by arguments involving Elon Musk.

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Netanyahu’s ‘Abraham Alliance’ is rehash of old plan and detached from reality - analyst

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hopes to bring Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and perhaps Egypt into a new Israeli and US-led, NATO-style pact dubbed the Abraham Alliance is not only unrealistic, but not original, either, Georgetown University Qatar professor of government Dr. Mehran Kamrava told Sputnik.

“I don’t think that [an alliance between Israel and the Gulf States] is a realistic assumption because Saudi Arabia normalized relations with Iran…Bahrain and Iran have been in conversations about a rapprochement, and the UAE, despite having maintained its relationship with Israel, has also maintained a relationship with Iran,” Kamrava pointed out.

The Abraham Alliance proposal is “not new, incidentally,” the observer said, noting that Netanyahu has “been advocating this for a number of years,” with Israel’s push to normalize ties with its Gulf neighbors seen as the first step in this direction.

Today, Israel can only dependably rely only on United States Central Command and Washington for weapons and other support, Kamrava said. That’s because “the Israeli lobby is quite powerful in the United States, particularly in Congress,” with both parties and all of its major figures, from presidents Biden and Trump to vice president Harris, declaring themselves Zionists or otherwise voicing “strong support” for Israel.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, remains mired in a “deep” political mess, Kamrava said, facing “pressure from [his] left that want the hostages back…pressure from the Israeli army, which has said that it is unable now to bring the remaining hostages home through continued use of force and the continuation of the war,” and “pressure from the right that want a complete eradication of Palestinians.” In this situation, only a continuation of the war and playing up the the “Iranian boogeyman” can save him, the observer concluded.

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◻️ Biden’s bitter legacy signals ‘culmination of betrayal’ of post-Cold War hopes for peace

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

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

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

◻️ Russia is always ready for negotiations — UN envoy

◻️ Flying ace and war hero: who is the new deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces?

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

◻️ Russian Iskander strike on foreign mercenaries in Kharkov

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Australian Olympic cycling team robbed in Paris

Australia’s Olympic cycling team has been robbed in Paris, with their van broken into and all their belongings stolen. The incident occurred shortly after their arrival in Brussels en route to the Paris Olympics.

The Olympics have become a great opportunity for local criminals to take advantage of the increased number of visitors unaware of Parisian "hospitality."

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Biden’s ‘Orwellian’ speech on why he quit 2024 race packed to the brim with lies - observer

💬 “I think nearly everything he said was a lie. He did not drop out of the race because he wanted to give up his selfish ambitions and put America first, but rather because he was forced to give up his plan to become America’s president for life,” former US Department of Defense officer-turned politics and security affairs commentator David Pyne told Sputnik, commenting on President Biden’s Wednesday night address to the nation in which he explained his decision not to seek a second term.

◻️ Biden “did not admit he was blackmailed to end his presidential campaign for health reasons or even that he was dropping out of the race for health reasons,” Pyne pointed out, suggesting that “the only true thing he said was the he was dropping out of the race to unite the Democratic Party and end the Democrat civil war between himself and the Democrat faction led by former president Barack Obama that succeeded in their palace coup of forcing [Biden] out of the race.”

◻️ Biden also “lied about the US not being at war,” the observer added, referring to the president’s claim that he was “the first" US leader "of this century” to be able to say "that the United States is not at war anywhere in the world.”

◻️ “Every time [Biden] and other Democrat leaders say democracy is at risk, what they are really saying is the one-party Democrat dictatorship over America is at risk. It was all very Orwellian,” Pyne suggested, adding that Americans aren’t used “to having such…[an] authoritarian regime that seeks to rig elections and imprison opposition party leaders” in charge.

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