I’ve already printed out my copy. Watch the show they co-hosted this week (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003511545399),

Blowback: Exposing Imperial Decline

https://www.youtube.com/@BlowbackExposingImperial-hh8ig

Outline

TOPICAL

EURASIA TILTING AWAY

BANDERA 404

– 404: Ukraine will introduce ‘action plan for peace’ by end of November – Elensky communique ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ ) 

┝ Patience, Support and Diplomatic pressure needed ( by US and EU ) for a ‘just peace’

┝ ‘International unity will add pressure and show Moscow that there is no chance’

– 404: ‘I know we will win – and how’ – Ukraine’s top general on turning the tables against Russia – Syrsky ( Guardian UK ) 

┝ Russia has more of everything :  APCs from 4,500 > 8.900, Tanks doubled 1700 > 3500, Artillery tripled

┕ There is a plan to take Crimea but it’s top secret.. We basically need more men, hopefully Ukrainians abroad.

– 404: Russia ‘adapting tactics’ advances in Donetsk – takes more land – Ukraine depleted – turmoil in US election ( WaPo ) 

– 404: Ukraine helped Mali rebel attack kill dozens of Wagner fighters – key role in ambush by 1,000 ‘Tuaregs’ ( Times UK )

– 404: Ukraine‘s plan to survive Trump – survive and resist for 5-8 months – Trump will see ‘Putin can’t be trusted’ ( TIME ) 

– 404: Ukraine’s top diplomat signals readiness to negotiate with Russia – Kuleba – Wang Yi 3 hour meeting ( SCMP CN ) 

– 404: Zaluzhny – now ambassador to UK – in first address – wants to turn his country into a weapons testing lab ( RT RU ) 

– 404: US combat vehicles keep Russians at bay – for how long? – 300 Bradley IFVs wrecked, Trump more? ( Times UK ) 

– 404: Ukrainian Brigade Collapses – and now hundreds of soldiers are surrounded near Progres – David Axe ( Forbes )

– 404: Ukraine will have a just peace or none at all – better position for offensive next year – Editorial Board ( FT UK 💬 ) 

– 404: Gains in terrain for Russia‘s army – Ukrainians are less and less able to counteract, morale crumbles ( FAZ DE ) 

– 404: Russia punches through weakened frontlines in eastern Ukraine – probing and breakthrough operations ( NYT ) 

– 404: F-16 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine but may not tip advantage against Russia – ‘ will arrive within weeks’ ( WaPo ) 

– 404: Ukraine has suffered 700,000 irretrievable losses in the SVO – Major General Apti Alaudinov ( Rossiya 1 TV ) 

– 404: Peace agreement with Russia would be a ‘deal with the devil’ – top Ukrainian adviser Podolyak ( Euronews ) 

– 404: Fitch downgrades Ukraine further into default zone over $20 billion debt agreement – ‘C’ rating ( Reuters ) 

– 404: Plan to send Azeri gas to Europe may simply disguise Russian fuel – Kiev ‘experts’ examine ( FT UK ) 

EUROPE HATES HUNGARY

– EUK: ‘Welcome to Viktor Orbán‘s show of lies’ – using presidency > world stage – we ‘struggle to deal with it’ ( Spiegel DE ) 

– EUK: Poland tells Hungary to ‘join a union with Putin‘ in diplomatic row – leave EU and NATO – Deputy FM ( Euronews ) 

– EUK: Hungary embraces China loan financing after €1B deal – Chinese financing will be widespread ( Bloomberg ) 

– EUK: Orbán spoke at the annual Tusványos summer University in Hungarian part of Romania ( various ) 

┝ Russia stands to gain as ‘irrational’ West loses power – hyper rational, remarkable economy ( Reuters / CNN ) 

┝ Nord Stream act of terrorism was carried out under US leadership against German property ( Ukro Pravda ) 

┝ The European Union is on the path to ‘self-destruction‘ – world is Asia-oriented – Orbán ( Guardian UK ) 

┕ EU will have to admit defeat and bear responsibility for supporting war in Ukraine – Orbán ( TASS RU ) 

ITALIA REACHES OUT

– EUK: Italy’s Meloni on mission to mend ties with Xi ahead of US vote – in Beijing after leaving BRI last year ( Bloomberg ) 

– EUK: Italy‘s Meloni pledges to ‘relaunch’ relations with China – on five day state visit – signed 3-year ‘action plan’ ( FT UK ) 

– EUK: Italy restores diplomatic relations with Syria – returns ambassador after decade-long absence ( Euronews ) 

– EUK: Thousands rally in various Serbian towns to protest against EU lithium excavation deal ( Euractiv ) 

ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE

– USC: National debt hits $35 trillion – US stares down fiscal reckoning – debt to GDP ‘scary levels’ ( Washington Examiner )

– USC: US home insurers suffer worst loss this century – citing natural disasters, inflation and ‘population growth’ ( FT UK ) 

– USC: Pentagon finds another $2 billion of accounting errors for Ukraine aid – used wrong values to tabulate ( Reuters )

– USC: US consumers show signs of flagging, companies and analysts warn – spending lowest in eight months ( FT UK )

– USC: $1 Trillion rout his NASDAQ 100 over AI jitters in worst day since 2022 – lost $10t value in selloff ( Bloomberg ) 

– USC: US Carmakers chasing an EV future get tripped up by ‘choppy present’ – Ford, GM, Tesla stocks fall ( WSJ ) 

– USC: Undocumented immigrants will boost economy, lower deficit – Congressional Budget Office ( The Hill ) 

– USC: Yellen says $3T of fresh capital is needed annually to fight climate change – in Brazil ( Politico US ) 

– USC: No return date for NASA astronauts amid problems with Boeing Starliner capsule ( Guardian UK ) 

– USC: McDonald’s sales fall worldwide for first time in four years as cost of living bites ( Guardian UK ) 

——————————————————

– EUK: Around 10m British pensioners will lose their winter fuel payments under new plans – chancellor Reeves ( BBC UK ) 

– EUK: EU diplomats ordered to cancel parties after ‘budget crunch’ – overspending triggers expense crackdown ( FT UK ) 

– EUK: Tories have left UK with ‘unforgivable’ £22 billion black hole in budget – Chancellor Rachel Reeves ( Times UK ) 

– EUK: Scholz is failing to engineer ‘liftoff’ for German economy – no meaningful growth casts shadow ( Bloomberg ) 

– EUK: More than half of Britons feel poorer than they did five years ago – Censuswide survey ( Bloomberg ) 

– EUK: The UK is ‘broke and broken‘ – Starmer‘s office prepares to tackle shortfall in public finances ( AP ) 

– EUK: UK drops out of top ten manufacturing nations for first time -from 8th to 12th place ( Times UK ) 

┕ 7 Mexico, 8 Russia, 9 Italy, 10 France, 11 ‘Taiwan’, 12 UK

– EUK: China‘s made-in-Europe EVs pose new threat to region’s carmakers ( Bloomberg )

┝ BYD, Chery, Geely open new factories in Hungary, Spain, Türkiye and Poland

┕ New quarterly losses : Renault 35% decline, Ford 18%, Nissan 73%, Stellantis 48%!

——————————————————

– ASO: Japanese automaker Nissan lowers its profit forecast amid incentive, inventory woes – 73% profit loss ( WaPo ) 

– ASO: Critical AUKUS contract doubles in price and now a year late – $9.6m / 114% increase ( Canberra Times AU ) 

——————————————————

– RUC: Russia’s ‘surprising’ consumer spending boom – sharp rise in real wages and consumption ( FT UK ) 

MILITARY / DIPLOMATIC 

– USC: Canada, China pledge to mend relations – FMs met in Beijing – Tibet, Taiwan, Uyghurs ‘internal affairs’ ( CBC CA ) 

– USC: How the US and allies can convince more citizens to serve – we need more men – Editorial board! ( Bloomberg 💬 )

– USC: The entire West makes just one fifth-generation fighter – The F-35 – and it’s in crisis – delays, price ( Telegraph UK ) 

– USC: US risks losing in event of multiple conflicts with adversaries – National Defense Strategy report ( Sputnik RU ) 

– USC: Blinken warned China’s top diplomat Wang Yi that Kamala Harris ‘cares about rules-based order’ ( WaPo ) 

——————————————————

– EUK: The EU sends €1.5B frozen assets to Ukraine – Switzerland opts out – will not follow – law, obligations ( Swissinfo ) 

– EUK: Germany‘s legal bogeyman is ‘hampering EU response to Putin‘ – shared EU debt = Eurobonds ( Bloomberg ) 

– EUK: Rampant sanctions busting is overwhelming EU front-line states – Latvian FM Baiba Braže ( Politico EU ) 

– EUK: European defense is in need of big financial boost – Swedish Saab chief Micael Johansson ( FT UK ) 

– EUK: Why Britain’s F-35s could be consigned to the scrap heap – programme is too costly ( Telegraph UK ) 

——————————————————

– ASO: US told Philippines it made ‘missteps’ in secret anti-vax propaganda effort – drag China into a quagmire ( Reuters ) 

– ASO: Making Asia grimace again? Idea of Trump 2.0 White house fuels regional unease – for the enslaved ( SCMP CN ) 

– ASO: US forces Japan to be upgraded to ‘warfighting command‘ – new four-star US commander ( Defense One ) 

– ASO: Blinken chides Beijing‘s ‘escalating actions’ at sea, concerned over Taiwan – ASEAN Summit ( Reuters ) 

– ASO: US launches military command in Tokyo ‘to counter China’ – forces will be overseen from new HQ ( WSJ ) 

– ASO: Blinken meets Wang Yi, US and China ‘air global differences’ – on sixth meeting since last year ( AP ) 

——————————————————

– RUC: PLA holds intensive foreign military interactions across three continents – Europe, Asia, Africa ( Global Times CN )

– RUC: Russia celebrated Navy Day in St Petersburg – with international flotilla of 200 – China, Algeria, India ( TASS RU ) 

– RUC: Putin on Russian patrol flights near Alaska – a response to increased US activity close to Russia ( RT RU ) 

– RUC: Segrei Lavrov arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on previous unannounced official visit ( TASS RU ) 

┕ Malaysia sent official letter of application to join BRICS – PM Anwar Ibrahim ( TASS RU  ) 

– RUC: Russian navy starts major drills involving most of its fleet – Pacific, Arctic, Caspian, Baltic ( Reuters ) 

– RUC: India and China agree to work urgently to achieve withdrawal of troops from disputed border ( AP )

– RUC: Putin warns the United States of Cold War-style missile crisis – response to Germany ( Reuters ) 

– RUC: Attack on Christian church foiled in Islamic Russian region – Kaspiysk, Dagestan – FSB ( RT RU ) 

WEST ASIA MIGHT EXPLODE

ATTACK ON THE GOLAN

– WEA: A projectile fell on a football field, in Majdal Shams, Israel-occupied Syrian Golan Heights, killing 12 children 

┝ Hezbollah ‘firmly denied’ claims that they were responsible – official statement

┝ The Druze initiative said Israeli Iron Dome interceptor missiles fell on them – ‘happens every day’ – Ghalib Saif

┝ The Druze in this occupied area are Arabs loyal to Syria and the resistance, certainly not the occupation

┝ The funeral goers rejected Israeli ministers presence, including Smotrich – videos

┝ They also heckled PM Netanyahu going to the town – sent a letter to the Knesset to ‘stay away’

┝ ‘Get out of here, murderer! You came here to dance on the blood of our children!’

┝ Israel blamed Hezbollah – claimed it was an ‘Iran-made Falaq 1 missile’

┝ Israel has refused an official inquiry into the Majdal Shams explosion.

┕ The IDF vowed they – Hezbollah – will ‘pay a heavy price’ – DM Gallant

CURRENT AFTERMATH

– USC: Netanyahu’s US visit revealed ‘no workable plan’ for peace – Biden ‘day after’ strategy remains pipe dream ( WaPo ) 

– USC: Don’t bomb Beirut – US leads push to ‘rein in’ Israel‘s response – five people with knowledge ( Reuters – Euractiv ) 

– USC: Washington gives Netanyahu ‘full backing’ to expand war on Lebanon – insider tells Israeli channel 14 ( Cradle ) 

– USC: US and Middle-East diplomats scramble to head off Israel–Hezbollah war after rocket attack ( WSJ )

– USC: US does not want escalation after Golan Heights rocket attack – Blinken in Tokyo ( Reuters )

——————————————————

– EUK: Britain delays decision on banning arms exports to Israel for weeks – expected ‘total ban’ suspended ( Times UK ) 

– EUK: Türkiye should be kicked out of NATO after threatening Israel with war – Belgian PM Geert Wilders ( Ynet ) 

– EUK: Church of England bishop calls Israel an apartheid state – Rachel Treweek ( Telegraph UK ) 

– EUK: EU top diplomat urges end to ‘madness’ after Gaza school strike – Borrell ( Euractiv ) 

——————————————————

– WEA: Extremist Israeli Finance Minister minister called for assassination of Hezbollah‘s Nasrallah – Smotrich ( IRNA IR ) 

– WEA: Israel launched retaliatory strikes ‘deep inside’ Lebanon – claim ‘weapons and military infrastructure’ ( Politico EU ) 

– WEA: FM Bezalel Smotrich urged NATO to expel Türkiye after Erdogan threatened to invade Israel ( Times of Israel ) 

– WEA: Lebanon warned Israel that an attack on Beirut would lead to ‘regional war‘  – Foreign Ministry ( Telegraph UK ) 

– WEA: ‘I can’t justify this military operation any more’ –  the IDF reservists refusing to return to Gaza ( Guardian UK ) 

– WEA: Israeli education minister threatens ‘all-out war’ with Hezbollah after Golan Heights attack ( Guardian UK ) 

– WEA: Iran warned of serious consequences for any Israeli strike on Lebanon – President Pezeshkian ( Reuters ) 

– WEA: UNHRC finds Israel ‘and Hamas‘ guilty of war crimes – extermination, murder, using starvation ( CNN ) 

– WEA: Erdogan warned that Türkiye may enter Israel – just like it entered Karabakh and Libya ( TASS RU )

– WEA: An Israeli airstrike hits a school sheltering people in Gaza, killing at least 30 including children ( AP ) 

– WEA: Israel orders more evacuations – deadly strike on Khan Younnis school kills at least 30 ( WaPo ) 

– WEA: Israeli FM threatens Erdogan with Saddam Hussein’s fate – Israel Katz ( Mehr IR ) 

THE AMERICAS

VENEZUELA DECIDES

– LAT: Venezuela ‘strongman’ Nicolas Maduro reelected as president – election authorities ( CNN ) 

┝ All Western headlines are about a ‘shock’ win for an ‘autocrat’ with election interference.

┝ Attack on electoral system that slowed vote count came from North Macedonia – Attorney General Tarek Saab

┝ ‘protestors’ / thugs have set hospitals, and the Calabozo USP HQ on fire after elections.

┝ Nicholas Maduro, when casting his ballot : ‘Viva Palestine Libre!’ 

┝ María Corina Machado : ‘Venezuela’s struggle is Israel’s struggle’ – sent letters to US and Israel to invade

┝ María Corina Machado : ‘We will move the Venezuelan embassy to Jerusalem if we win’

┝ Argentina will not recognize Maduro – Milei ‘hopes the Armed Forces will ‘defend democracy’ – statement

┝ Elon Musk – for some reason – was extremely upset with the election results.

┝ Blinken has ‘serious concerns’ about election representing the ‘will of the people’ – statement

┝ Venezuela withdraws diplomatic staff from Argentina, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, Dom-Rep, Uruguay

┝ Mexico – belatedly – recognized the election results as fair and open, after confirmation.

┕ Putin, Lukashenko, Iran, Bolivia and China congratulated Maduro on his re-election as president

DEMOCRACY IN USA

– USC: Democrats bet America is ready to elect a black woman president – Gender and race will be central to campaign ( WSJ ) 

– USC: Kamala Harris and the dangers of the ‘Glass Cliff’ – women of color cleaning up mess after white men ( Intercept ) 

– USC: Kamala Harris has ‘quickly pivoted’ to convincing Arab American voters of her leadership – on Gaza policy ( AP ) 

– USC: Kamala Harris raises $200m in first week of presidential campaign – overcoming Biden ‘slowdown’ ( FT UK ) 

– USC: Trump was struck by bullet – whether whole or fragmented – FBI finds nearly two weeks after event ( WSJ ) 

FROM LAST TIME

OVERARCHING

– USC: Why hasn’t the UN accused China of genocide in Xinjiang? – cope when Netanyahu’s in town ( New Yorker ) 

– USC: Israel privately pressures Biden admin to fast-track more weapons during Netanyahu visit ( Politico US ☆ ) 

– USC: Jordan’s quagmire: NATO sets up shop in Amman – liaison office establishes ‘Arab-Israeli NATO’ ( Cradle ) 

– USC: US informs Iran of readiness to return to nuclear deal / JCPOA – Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida ( TASS RU )  

– USC: Apple transfers some of its production capacity from India back to China – BYD new partner ( Xinhua CN ) 

– USC: Palestinian protesters release maggots, crickets in Watergate Hotel in protest of Netanyahu visit ( Fox ) 

– USC: Russia’s new punching bag: Kamala Harris – rolling out its full ‘racist and sexist arsenal’ ( Politico EU ) 

– USC: Obama doesn’t believe Kamala Harris can beat Trump, which is why he hasn’t endorsed her ( NYP ) 

– USC: Harris leads Trump 44% to 42% in US presidential race – new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds ( Reuters ☆ ) 

– USC: Fox News proposes Trump–Harris debate on September 17 after Biden pulls out of race ( CNN ) 

– USC: Barack Obama endorses Kamala Harris – ‘She will make a fantastic president’ ( Times UK ) 

– USC: The New threat to the chip Industry – worker unrest at Samsung fab in South Korea ( WSJ ) 

– USC: US would defeat China in a war over Taiwan – JCOS Charles Brown ( Washington Times ) 

– USC: Netanyahu Meets US Evangelical leaders – says Israel has ‘no better friends’ ( Haaretz ) 

– USC: Harris presidency will be bad news for Oil –  supports Green New Deal ( Oil Price )

– USC: Netanyahu receives – several, actually 49! – standing ovations before US congress ( videos ) 

┝ Israel took more precautions to avoid civilian deaths than any other military in history

┝ Israel does not deliberately target civilians, practically none were killed in Rafah.

┝ Hamas burnt babies, killed 1,200 Israelis on 10-7, is stealing aid that enters Gaza.

┝ Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests in the US, who call for genocide of jews.

┝ US and Israel must stand together – ‘our victory will be your victory’

┝ US and Israel should create ‘Middle East NATO’ 

┝ Iran ‘brazenly’ tried to assassinate Trump???

┕ Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel.

– USC: Harris touts a tough-on-crime image that was once a liability – ‘I know perpetrators of all kinds’ – Trump type ( WSJ ) 

– USC: Harris to Netanyahu – We need a ceasefire to end the war – ‘I will not be silent’ – 10 min meeting ( Times UK ) 

– USC: Unnamed Israeli official criticizes Harris‘ call for end to Gaza war – hope no rift between allies ( Guardian UK )

– USC: Netanyahu also met Trump – he apparently refused to shake his hand ( video ) 

– USC: Biden to the nation – will keep stopping Putin, strengthening NATO, keep China from surpassing US ( video ) 

┝ Address lasted for 11 minutes, and was said to be live – people pointed out his watch was set to earlier

┝His bowing out from the elections had ‘nothing to do with his health’,

┝ Instead he did it to ‘pass the torch’ to ‘save democracy’, and ‘unite the nation’

┝ Even though is ‘achievements’ merited’ a second term… 

┕ Because America is not at war with anyone, for first time in this century…. 

——————————————————

– EUK: Britain and Germany team up on defense as fears grow Trump will ditch Ukraine – deep military coop ( Politico EU )  

– EUK: Europe’s warplanes fly to Japan to keep an eye on Russia and China – Ger-Ita-Fra in Tokyo joint drill ( Politico EU ) 

– EUK: Scholz to run for German chancellor again – party ‘united’ and ‘determined’ to enter election ‘together’ ( Politico EU ) 

– EUK: ‘Blood minerals’ – EU accused of fueling conflict with Rwanda deal – clarifies minerals deal with Kigali ( Politico EU )

– EUK: Ukrainians face decrease in support from Germany – Ukraine budget halved, refugee aid running out ( Euronews )

– EUK: EU warns Slovakia against foreign agent law for NGOs – ‘follow Hungary and we will launch legal action’ ( Reuters ) 

– EUK: UK military problems ‘much worse than thought‘ – hollow forces, waste, low morale – Defense Sec Healey ( RT RU )

– EUK: Athletes served raw meat in Paris as Olympic village rations food – teams package food, fly in chefs ( Times UK ☆ )

– EUK: Why Russia is prime suspect in massive Olympics sabotage – Putin wanted to ‘humiliate’ Macron ( Telegraph UK ) 

– EUK: Dutch MPs sound alarm over surging imports of Russian gas  – imports rose by more than 25% in 2024 ( RT RU )  

– EUK: With uncertainty across the Atlantic, Europe worries about its own security – Borrell, Finns, Poles, Swedes ( AP ) 

– EUK: Britain drops its challenge to ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders – will not question jurisdiction ( Guardian UK ) 

– EUK: Britain has just three years to prepare for war with Iran, Russia, China – new Army chief Rory Walker ( Sun UK ) 

– EUK: Russia to lose 1m men in Ukraine advance – ‘utter devastation’ if Moscow continues – Rory Walker ( Times UK ) 

– EUK: EU wants comprehensive database on assets of all citizens – ‘money laundering and terror financing’ ( Focus DE ) 

┕ real estate, bank accounts, securities, vehicles, works of art, crypto, precious metals

– EUK: Brussels berates Italy, Hungary and Slovakia for rule-of-law decline – ‘problems in press freedom’ ( Euronews )

– EUK: Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony hit by travel chaos as quarter of Eurostar trains canceled ( Guardian UK ) 

– EUK: NATO finds gaping holes in European defenses – 10+ signs of imminent ‘full scale’ Russian invasion ( Reuters ) 

– EUK: Germany wants a Brexit mega deal – Berlin wants to turn security pat into broader EU-UK ‘reset’ ( Politico EU ) 

– EUK: Poland will not allow Ukraine to join EU until Volhynia massacre ‘resolved’ – deputy PM ( Notes from Poland ) 

– EUK: Tbilisi places Georgians fighting for Ukraine on wanted list – 300 of them from ‘Georgian Legion’ ( Kyiv Post ) 

– EUK: Why can’t Ukraine use British missiles to strike Russia? – must ‘consult with some NATO allies’ ( Times UK ) 

– EUK: EU moves to ease US fears over $50b Ukraine loan – commission to ‘indefinitely immobilize assets’ ( FT UK ) 

– EUK: Why Brussels is wary of backing Hungary in fight for Russian oil – needs time to ‘gather evidence’ ( FT UK )

┕ Out of 11 trade ministers at meeting, none took the side of Hungary in oil dispute – wow.

– EUK: Hungary blocks aid to Kiev from EU peace fund until Lukoil problem is resolved – FM Szijjártó ( TASS RU ) 

– EUK: Hungary quietly takes €1B loan from Chinese banks – largest loan ever taken by Budapest ( Politico EU )

– EUK: EU transfers €1.5 billion to Ukraine using Russia‘s frozen assets – first transfer of its kind ( Euronews ) 

– EUK: Deutsche Bahn set to cut thousands of jobs after stinging losses – will ax 9% of workforce ( Euronews ) 

– EUK: Arson attacks halt trains across France ahead of Olympics opening – train lines canceled  ( Euronews ) 

– EUK: UK says it is not about to impose tough tariffs on Chinese EVs – won’t follow Brussels‘ lead ( FT UK ) 

– EUK: EU and US urge Israel to halt ‘nonsense’ attack on UN refugee agency UNRWA ( EUObserver )  

OLYMPICS SUPERCUT

┝ ‘Coordinated arson attack’ brings French trains to a halt hours before Olympics opening ceremony

┝ The city is reportedly segregated, parts cordoned off, only accessible via Olympic QR codes.

┝ Athletes are reportedly experiencing food shortages in the Olympic Village in Paris, packing food, importing chefs

┝ South Korean athletes complained about the heat in the buses and left the Olympic village

┝ Athletes are living two to a room, with rooms measuring only 12 square meters and no air conditioning

┝ Each bathroom is shared between four athletes, and they are having to buy their own toilet paper

┝ Australian journalists were robbed in the Paris suburbs, and an Australian tourist was raped by five African men

┝ An Argentine footballer was robbed before a match with Morocco

┝ An Australian cyclist was robbed in Belgium on the way to the games

┝ Macron previously pledged to swim in the Seine to prove its cleanliness but later said that he never specified when

┝ Swedish handball players purchased mattresses from IKEA, complaining of unsuitable, uncomfortable mattresses.

┝ The bedframes themselves were made of cardboard in an apparent bid to stop athletes from having sex.

┝ After the US team announced it would bring its own air conditioners, IOC allowed other teams to have A/C.

┕ ‘This is France’ – Emmanuel Macron tweet sums this up perfectly.

OLYMPICS NEW

– EUK: Paris was hit by a ‘power blackout’ – day after city was battered by rain and transport system paralyzed ( Mail UK ) 

– EUK: For US ‘hoops stars’ – Basketball team – at the Olympics, one luxury hotel isn’t enough – rented two ( WaPo ) 

– EUK: Triathlon in Paris for Sunday was canceled due to deteriorating water quality in the Seine ( Le Parisien FR ) 

– EUK: Nightmare for France as Paris Olympic Opening Ceremony was called ‘the worst in history’ ( Express UK ) 

– EUK: Olympic Games city of Paris experiences a massive blackout a day after the inauguration ( Marca ES ) 

– EUK: Queer Olympic opening ceremony wants ‘everyone to feel represented’ – Thomas Jolly ( Pinknews ) 

– EUK: Triathlon postponed due to Seine pollution concerns ahead of men’s Olympic event ( Guardian UK ) 

– EUK: Paris officials are confident water quality will improve to let Olympians swim in the Seine ( AP ) 

– EUK: Olympic Games – French bishops deplore ‘scenes of mockery of Christianity‘ ( Vatican News ) 

– EUK: Slovakia‘s Deputy Prime Minister declines to attend Olympic Closing Ceremony ( Trend AZ ) 

– EUK: Olympic bosses apologize for ‘sleazy’ drag queen Last Supper parody ( Telegraph UK ) 

——————————————————

– WEA: Iran has summoned the French ambassador due to offensive portrayal of Jesus at Olympic Opening ( PressTV IR )

– WEA: Iran summons French Ambassador over Blasphemous Olympic ceremony ( IRNA IR ) 

THE REST

– RUC: FM Lavrov arrived in Vientiane, Laos to participate in ASEAN Summit – met with Wang Yi on sidelines( TASS RU ) 

– RUC: US is now ‘an empire of lies’ – deceptive behavior to achieve its selfish aims – DM spokesman Xiaogang ( RT RU ) 

– RUC: NATO and its allies are fuelling and profiteering from the conflict in Ukraine – DM spokesman Xiaogang ( RT RU ) 

– RUC: Russia welcomes Trump comments on being ‘a war machine’ but says it remains clear-eyed – Peskov ( Reuters ) 

– RUC: NORAD detected two Russian Tu-95 and two Chinese H-7 bombers in Alaska ADIZ – press release ( NORAD ) 

– RUC: Wang Yi and Jaishankar prepare for a new phase of relations between the two Asian civilizations ( SCMP CN ) 

– RUC: President Putin met with Bashar al-Assad in Moscow – discussed worsening situation in region ( TASS RU )

– RUC: Xi Jinping is building secret commodity stockpiles – grain, gas, oil suggest ‘trouble ahead’ ( Economist UK ) 

– RUC: Moscow doesn’t trust Kiev regime when it comes to potential talks – they lie – Zakharova ( TASS RU ) 

– RUC: North Korea rejects Trump‘s overtures, shrugs off US selection outcome – ‘we do not care’ ( SCMP CN ) 

– WEA: India responds to US criticism over Russia ties – we have freedom of choice – Foreign Ministry ( RT RU ) 

– WEA: Hezbollah releases drone footage of Israel’s Ramat David Airbase – in the north – Ynet ( Cradle )