Muslim, European FMs to meet in Madrid on Israel-Palestine two-state solution today – Tribune UK
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The foreign ministers of several Muslim and European countries will meet in Madrid on Friday to discuss how to implement a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Spanish and Norwegian governments said.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will host the meeting, which will be attended by his European counterparts, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza.
The two-state solution set out in the 1991 Madrid Conference and the 1993-95 Oslo Accords has long been seen by the international community as the best way to settle the decades-long conflict, but the peace process has been moribund for years.
However, the search for a peaceful solution has been given new urgency by the 11-month-long war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas – the bloodiest episode yet in the overall conflict – as well as escalating violence in the occupied West Bank.
On May 28, Spain, Norway and Ireland formally recognised a unified Palestinian state ruled by the Palestinian Authority comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital. With them, 146 of the 193 member states of the United Nations now recognise Palestinian statehood.
U.S. moves USS Theodore Roosevelt from Middle East, leaving USS Abraham Lincoln as sole carrier in vicinity – 13 News Now
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WASHINGTON — The United States has reduced the number of aircraft carriers it has stationed in the Middle East,
The Pentagon announced Thursday that it has moved USS Theodore Roosevelt from the region. That decision leaves the U.S. with just one carrier in the vicinity: USS Abraham Lincoln.
Both carriers have been in place since August 23 to provide presence, as Israel continues its war with Hamas.
“Following a period of dual carrier coverage by the Theodore Roosevelt CSG and the Abraham Lincoln CSG in the CENTCOM region, the Theodore Rosevelt has departed and begun its transit into the Indo-Pacific area of operations,” said Major General Pat Ryder, Department of Defense Press Secretary.
Foreign Anarchists Instructed to Deceive Israeli Authorities, Document Reveals – The Jewish Press – JewishPress.com
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Excerpt:
Anti-Israel foreign activists, including American students, are being used by a radical Palestinian organization and told to lie their way into Israel, according to a document obtained by The Press Service of Israel.
The annual Faz3a campaign, organized by the Ramallah-based Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, is timed around the olive harvest season, which typically takes place in October and November.
“When asked about where you are going, you can say Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Do not mention Palestine, the West Bank, nor your intentions to go there. When asked why you are coming, answer tourism. Do not wear anything that can be connected to Palestine,” the document advises the foreigners.
Hamas Using Hostages to Wage Psychological Warfare on Israel, Terror Group’s Leaked Document Shows– legalinsurrection.com
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Excerpt:
A newly leaked top-secret Hamas document exposes the terrorist group’s negotiation strategy and its ongoing phycological warfare against Israel. The document, described as Hamas terror chief Yahya Sinwar’s “secret war paper,” was published by the German newspaper BILD on Friday.
Hamas is negotiating to survive the current Israeli offensive and regain its lost terrorist capabilities to stage future attacks on Israel, the document shows.
The Gaza-based terrorist group’s current negotiation strategy is to restore the “ability of [its] armed forces” to act against Israel. Israel should be “exhausted” and international pressure on country should be “increased,” the German daily reported, quoting from the document.
The aim of the ceasefire talks is to further Hamas terrorist aims — “ending the war is not a priority for Hamas,” the BILD added.
Israeli intelligence commander to resign after being accused of failing to prevent Oct. 7– www.ctvnews.ca
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An Israeli intelligence commander, who critics say played a pivotal role in failing to prevent the Oct. 7 attacks, is resigning, Israel’s military told CNN.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Brigadier General Yossi Sariel, who led its 8200 intelligence unit, has informed them he will “conclude his role in the near future.”
The country’s public broadcaster Kan and several other media outlets have published excerpts of his resignation letter stating he feels personally responsible for not preventing Hamas from launching the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
“On October 7th at 06:29 I did not fulfill the task as I expected of myself, those at my command and commanders expected me and the citizens of the state I love so much,” the letter said, according to Kan.
“Today, in accordance with the state of the war, the processes of the gathering ranks and the building of the unit’s resilience, and after the completion of the initial investigative processes, I request to fulfill my personal responsibility as the commander of the unit on October 7 and at a time to be determined by my commanders to pass the baton to the next shift,” Kan reported Thursday.
US military says destroyed five Houthi drones, two missile systems in Yemen – Social News XYZ
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“It was determined these (equipment and) systems presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” it said on social media platform X, without disclosing the name of the areas targeted.
The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen since late 2014 after the outbreak of a civil war with the Yemeni government, has not yet made any comment, Xinhua news agency reported.
Israeli forces withdraw from Jenin, step up raids in other West Bank areas – aljazeera.com
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Excerpt from www.aljazeera.com
The Israeli military has withdrawn from the occupied West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp after a military offensive that killed many and destroyed critical infrastructure.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa confirmed on Friday that Israeli forces had pulled out of the city following a 10-day siege, but residents feared soldiers would return after temporarily moving to surrounding military checkpoints.
At least 21 Palestinians, including children and the elderly, have been killed in Jenin over the last few days, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement on Friday, and at least 130 more were injured.
The Israeli military said on Friday that its forces had been “conducting counterterrorism activity in the area of Jenin”, without confirming the withdrawal.
Iran Ally Shoots Down NATO Military Drone Over Arab Airspace; Rare Escalation Amid Israel-Hamas War – MSN
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In a rare incident, Middle East Monitor reported that Iraq shot down a Turkish military drone which was flying over Iraqi air space last week. According to Reuters news agency, an armed drone fell in the centre of the city of Kirkuk in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region. No casualty has been reported in the incident. Iran Ally Shoots Down NATO Military Drone Over Arab Airspace; Rare Escalation Amid Israel-Hamas War
Netanyahu insists Israel will not withdraw from strategic Philadelphi corridor – euronews.com
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Excerpt from www.euronews.com
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his stance on keeping an Israeli presence along the Philadelphi corridor, while thousands protested against the government’s failure to secure a hostage deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he will continue to insist on maintaining an Israeli presence along the Philadelphi corridor.
The strategic border between Gaza and Egypt has been a main point of discussion in recent ceasefire talks. Hamas is demanding a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, but Netanyahu claims Israel’s control of the corridor is vital to ensure the militant group cannot rearm via tunnels.
Strikes begin after huge anti-government protests erupt in Israel – Thred
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Excerpt:
The Israeli government is facing pressure for not doing enough to retrieve hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Tel Aviv to protest on Sunday, while widespread labour strikes are planned for the rest of the week.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Sunday, demanding their government agree to a ceasefire in order to secure a hostage return deal with Hamas.
The protests were sparked after the bodies of six captives were recovered by Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers from underground tunnels in southern Gaza on Saturday.
Forensic examinations conducted by Israel’s health ministry suggest they were killed 48–72 hours before being found.
Israel brought to a near halt as strikes and protests pressure Netanyahu to secure a Gaza hostage deal – CNN
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Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to Israel’s streets in fresh fury on Monday over the government’s failure to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas. Demonstrations could be seen in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Caesarea and other sites across the country, fueled by the killing in Gaza of six hostages, whose bodies were retrieved by Israeli soldiers this weekend.
Several gatherings targeted the homes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with protesters lighting fires and chanting: “You are the leader – you are guilty!” near one of Netanyahu’s private residences in Caesarea. In Tel Aviv, protesters outside the US Embassy chanted “Shame!” late into the evening, video showed.
Netanyahu has been accused of stalling efforts for a deal by some hostage families and their supporters. More than 100 hostages, including 35 believed to be dead, are still being held in Gaza – the vast majority of them taken during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, when some 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken captive
The scenes outside the Israeli leader’s homes culminated a day of anger that brought much of the country to a halt, following a call by the country’s largest labor union, known as Histadrut, to shut down the “entire” economy. Flights in and out of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport were also stopped for two hours.
Israeli court orders end of nationwide strike called over handling of hostage talks – The Guardian
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Israel’s first nationwide general strike since the Hamas attacks of 7 October, which was convened in support of a deal to free hostages held in Gaza, has ended after eight hours with a court order for workers to go back to their jobs.
The strike was organised amid widespread public anger at the government’s handling of the war in Gaza after the discovery of the bodies of six hostages at the weekend.
It was called by Israel’s largest trade union, Histadrut, from 6am on Monday, closing government and municipal offices as well as schools and many private businesses. Israel’s international airport, Ben Gurion, was reported to have shut down at 8am local time (6am BST) for two hours.
Israel seeking to close down Unrwa, says agency’s chief after school bombing | United Nations– www.theguardian.com
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A campaign is under way to drive the UN relief agency for Palestinians, Unrwa, out of existence, its commissioner general has said, days after 18 people were killed when Israeli jets bombed an Unrwa school in Gaza.
Philippe Lazzarini said in an interview that the Israeli government was seeking to close down the agency, having failed to persuade western donors to stop funding it on the grounds of allegations about links between Unrwa staff and Hamas.
“This deliberate attempt to eliminate Unrwa and prevent it from operating would have devastating consequences for the multilateral system, the UN and the cause of a Palestinian transition to self-determination,” Lazzarini said.
DOJ charges Hamas leader, other militants over Oct. 7 attacks – thehill.com
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Excerpt from thehill.com
The Department of Justice has charged Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other militants over the group’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Tuesday.
The charges, unsealed Tuesday, accuse Sinwar and other senior Hamas leaders of “financing and directing a decades-long campaign to murder American citizens and endanger the security of the United States.”
The criminal complaint, filed in federal court in New York City, includes seven counts, including charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, resulting in death.
“In its attacks over the past three decades, Hamas has murdered or injured thousands of civilians, including dozens of American citizens,” Garland said in a video announcement.
Former British diplomat: Benjamin Netanyahu is the enemy of peace in Israel – lifesitenews.com
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Excerpt from www.lifesitenews.com
(LifeSiteNews) — In his latest interviews with Judge Antony Napolitano, former British diplomat and highly influential MI6 operative Alastair Crooke brings to his audience a view of the crisis in world events notably absent from the mainstream headlines.
In one of two videos below, Crooke argues that it is the Netanyahu regime rather than Hamas which is making any peace or hostage deal impossible – to prolong and escalate war in the region.
His work offers a comprehensive appraisal of the system of “mind management” pursued by the liberal-globalist West, whose partnership with Israel sees it focused on “narrative control” through media propaganda, while it loses wars in reality. Crooke is strongly committed to trying to bring about peace between warring factions.
Islamists Gain in Jordan, Reflecting Public Anger Over Gaza War – The New York Times
UK suspends 30 of its 350 arms export licences to Israel – Reuters UK
After the killing of a Hezbollah leader, the terrorist organization launched a rocket campaign against Northern Israel that was met with the largest air attack by Israel against Lebanon since 2006. The war in Gaza is pressing on, with still no signs of an end as efforts to broker cease-fire deals failed. Following the massive air assault on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, Israel also began an expanded West Bank operation, claiming “this is a war for everything.”
excerpt from USA Today
The Israeli military conducted a massive operation in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, killing at least nine people in a string of fierce gun battles across Jenin and other major cities as tensions heightened in a war that already has laid to waste most of Gaza.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday called on Israel to consider temporarily relocating Palestinians in Jenin and elsewhere during a major anti-terror raid. The Israeli military said it is allowing residents who wish to flee the combat zones to safely leave.
Israel is ramping up its efforts in the West Bank while continuing operations in Gaza, clashing with Iran-backed Hezbollah on its northern border with Lebanon at the same time commercial ships − some with Israeli ties − are threatened by Iran-backed, Yemen-based Houthi militants.
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Excerpt from www.rt.com
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out accepting a ceasefire proposal that includes ending the war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday.
The report comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the Israeli leader on Monday to discuss efforts to reduce tensions and reach an agreement on a ceasefire and release of hostages. Blinken claimed that Netanyahu had accepted the US ceasefire proposal.
The White House later claimed that significant progress had been made during the latest round of talks involving officials from Israel, Qatar, the US, and Egypt in the Qatari capital of Doha last week. Hamas skipped the negotiations, citing the absence of a clear plan.
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Excerpt from Washington Post
Iranian officials are signaling this week that an attack against Israel may not be imminent, tamping down some of the more urgent rhetoric around threats to avenge Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last month in a blast at his guesthouse in Tehran.
Iran had warned early on of a “devastating” reprisal to “punish” Israel for the assassination — but it later adjusted its language, and, in a statement Wednesday, the Iranian mission to the United Nations reinforced the government’s position that any response “must be carefully calibrated” to avoid affecting a potential cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
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Excerpt from The Indian Press
On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Hamas to accept a US proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza. This appeal came after a “very constructive” meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.
Blinken emphasized that the latest effort to secure an agreement might be the best and possibly last opportunity for both sides.
The negotiations, which had stalled last week in Qatar, are expected to resume with the US proposal aimed at bridging the gaps between Israel and Hamas.
Despite Blinken’s optimism, tensions remain high. Hamas announced the resumption of suicide bombings in Israel after many years, and Israeli military strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians in Gaza on Monday.
“In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal – that he supports it,” Blinken stated. “It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.”
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Excerpt from Haaretz
Vice President Kamala Harris, asked outside a campaign event in Pennsylvania whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prepared to agree to a ceasefire, said that the U.S. is not giving up.
“I will not speak for him, but I will tell you these conversations are ongoing, and we’re not giving up. We’re going to continue to work very hard on this. We’ve got to get a cease-fire and we’ve got to get those hostages out,” Harris said.
U.S. President Joe Biden, when asked about the status of cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas after landing at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday, said “It’s still underway, we’re not giving up, [it’s] still possible.”
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Excerpt from Hindustan Times
NATO Nation Turkey made explosive remarks against the U.S. and Israel. Turkey’s ambassador to Iran, Hicabi Kırlangıç, asserted that Ankara will not dictate Iran’s response to Israeli actions, suggesting that “aggressor countries” like Israel and the U.S. should be “brought to their knees.” Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan also condemned U.S. support for Israeli actions. Watch for more.
The just-elected Labour government of Britain has come out in support of illegal immigrants, Islam, and anything that opposes British national pride. As a result, protests and riots have exploded throughout Britian, with some being led by Brits and other being led by anti-Brits.
The anti-Brits get special treatment while the Brits get arrested, not just for being part of the riots, but for posting “mean” things online. So far, more than 2,000 people have been arrested. While the riots and protests are dying out, the discontent is only growing, and the arrests are only continuing. Britain is on the brink of civil war at this point.
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Excerpt from legalinsurrection.com
On Sunday, I summarized new reports about the anti-immigration protests and unrest that erupted after three young girls were murdered at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in northwest England last week.
However, I want to go back and focus on the victims of the Southport stabbing, as the response of the elite media and the United Kingdom’s political elite have made choices that seem to be upending the rule of law that all citizens and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws,
You know…like the one first established in England by the Magna Carta.
To begin with, I tried to locate an in-depth summary of the victims, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar. It was a challenge, as their names have been lost in an avalanche of reports attacking the far right”.
The heartbreak for the loss of little girls, who should have been safe in a children’s dance class, is palpable.
Jean Stevenson said Elsie Dot Stancombe was “absolutely the sweetest child you could ever wish to meet”.
Ms Stevenson said she had been teaching Elsie to sew, and remembered her delight at being able to make her own top.
“I thought I could go on giving her lessons and passing my skills on,” Ms Stevenson said as she laid flowers close to where Elsie was killed.
…Ms Stevenson was one of the thousands of people who have laid flowers or attended vigils since the attack.
She said: “It’s true what they say about the Southport community: a very close knit community, a very family-orientated area.
“Stuff like this just doesn’t happen here.”
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Excerpt from abcnews.go.com
LONDON — The British government has called on Elon Musk to act responsibly after the tech billionaire used his social media platform X to unleash a barrage of posts that officials say risk inflaming the violent unrest gripping the country.
Justice Minister Heidi Alexander made the comments Tuesday morning after Musk posted a comment saying that “Civil war is inevitable” in the U.K. Musk later doubled down, highlighting complaints that the British criminal justice system treats Muslims more leniently than far-right activists and comparing Britain’s crackdown on social media users to the Soviet Union.
“Use of language such as a ‘civil war’ is in no way acceptable,’’ Alexander told Times Radio. “We are seeing police officers being seriously injured, buildings set alight, and so I really do think that everyone who has a platform should be exercising their power responsibly.’’
Britain has been shaken by violence for more than a week, as police clashed with crowds spouting anti-immigrant and Islamophobic slogans in cities and towns from Northern Ireland to the south coast of England. The unrest began after right-wing activists used social media to spread misinformation about a knife attack that killed three girls during a Taylor Swift-themed dance event on July 29.
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Excerpt from Reuters
Elon Musk has been accused of exacerbating tensions after a week of far-right rioting in Britain, sparking calls for the government to speed up the rollout of laws policing harmful online content.Misinformation and calls to violence have spread on social media over the past week after far-right and anti-Muslim groups seized on the fatal stabbing of three young girls in the English town of Southport.
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Excerpt from news.google.com
Far-Right demonstrators were left outnumbered on Wednesday night as thousands of counter-protesters crowded them out in towns and cities across England.
Police forces across the country braced for more than 100 far-Right demonstrations, with almost 4,000 specially-trained public order officers taking to the streets in anticipation of unrest.
Another 2,000 officers were placed on standby, meanwhile GP surgeries closed early and City workers were told to leave the office. In many towns and cities shops were also boarded up over fears of further rioting.
But it was the counter-protesters who turned out in far greater numbers.
In London, more than 5,000 people amassed in Walthamstow carrying banners of ‘Oppose Tommy Robinson’ and ‘Refugees Welcome’.
Hundreds of counter-protesters also gathered outside an immigration advice centre in Brentford and the Old Fire Station in Hackney.
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Excerpt from dailycaller.com
Police arrested hundreds of rioters Sunday in violent clashes that erupted after a stabbing spree in the U.K., Fox News reported.
Rioters in the U.K. have set fires, beseiged mosques and clashed with police amid false rumors blaming an asylum-seeker for a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event, according to Fox News. The attack reportedly left three girls dead and others injured. A U.K. judge named Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old native of Rwandan descent, as the suspect charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder, the outlet reported.
Riots erupt in UK after stabbing spree falsely blamed on asylum seeker https://t.co/VHy5hABKsW
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 4, 2024
The revelation — unusual due to U.K. laws purposed to protect minors’ identities — aimed to stop the misinformation which reportedly sparked riots. In response to escalating violence, including the torching of a library and attacks on a Winston Churchill statue, U.K. authorities arrested hundreds while deploying substantial police forces, the outlet reported. In addition, the town of Rotherham reportedly experienced severe clashes, with rioters allegedly trying to storm a hotel sheltering asylum-seekers. Police reported multiple officer injuries, Fox News stated.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attacks and labeled the attacks as far-right thuggery.
“I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves,” he said in a statement. “This is not a protest. It is organized, violent thuggery, and it has no place on our streets or online.”
On Sunday, the UK woke up to turmoil as the far right and anti-immigrant protests spread across Britain, resulting in violence, including clashes with riot police outside the hotel housing asylum seekers and looting shops. This chaos followed alleged misinformation about a…1/2 pic.twitter.com/vJVmxFz6Wr
— MR FRIMPONG 👑 (@mr_frimpong22) August 4, 2024
Far right racist thugs control a traffic light in Middlesbrough according to colour of skin. Frightening and unsettling scenes from across the UK.#Riot #RiotsUK pic.twitter.com/z7iUSNPraW
— Bashir Gharwal غروال (@bashir_gharwall) August 4, 2024
“People in this country have a right to be safe, and yet we’ve seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques, other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric, so no, I won’t shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery,” he added.
While Vice President Kamala Harris seemed to endorse the outcome of the Venezuelan election, which officials claim show Maduro winning with 51 percent of the vote to opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez’ 44 percent.
So far, official U.S. communication has cast doubt on the result, with other countries, including neighbors Argentina and Peru, outright denying the results altogether. As of this writing, Venezuela remains in flux as protests continue to increase in number and size, starting in Caracas, the capital, and spreading to many other parts of the country.
Venezuela on a knife-edge as opposition accuses Maduro of rigging election
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Excerpt from amp.theguardian.com
Nicolás Maduro’s claim of victory in Venezuela’s presidential election has brought the South American country to a hazardous standoff, with his thwarted opponents accusing him of rigging the election to remain in power, and many leaders in the region and beyond questioning the veracity and transparency of the vote.
Sunday’s results, which followed an election described by independent observers as the most arbitrary in recent years – even by the standards of the authoritarian regime founded by Maduro’s mentor and predecessor, Hugo Chávez – appeared to have dashed opposition hopes of ending a quarter of a century of chavista rule and economic turmoil.
After a six-hour delay in releasing the results prompted international concern, the government-controlled electoral authority claimed Maduro had won with 51.21% of votes compared with 44.2% for his rival, the former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia.
The council said that with about 80% of votes counted, Maduro had secured more than 5m compared with González’s 4.4m. Authorities delayed releasing the results from each of Venezuela’s 30,000 polling stations, saying only that they would be released in the “coming hours”.
Venezuelan protests against Maduro spread, opposition says it has proof it won the election
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Excerpt from www.reuters.com
Opponents and supporters of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro planned to rally on Tuesday as protests and clashes spread after a weekend election was awarded to the long-ruling socialist despite opposition claims of a landslide victory.The renewed instability brought divided international reaction: the United States said Maduro’s reelection had no credibility and was mulling more sanctions, while China and Russia congratulated him.Protests began after the election board declared on Monday that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of votes to extend his “Chavista” movement’s quarter-century rule.The opposition, which considers the election body in the pockets of a dictatorial government, said the 73% of vote tallies to which it has access showed its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had more than twice as many votes as Maduro.Venezuela opposition party Voluntad Popular said on Tuesday on X that its national coordinator Freddy Superlano had been detained.
Maduro declared winner in Venezuela’s presidential election as opposition claims irregularities
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Excerpt from www.euronews.com
That decision sets up a high-stakes showdown that will determine whether the South American nation transitions away from one party rule.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, the National Electoral Council said Maduro secured 51% of the vote, overcoming the main opposition candidate, Edmundo González, who garnered 44%.
However, the electoral authority, which is controlled by Maduro loyalists, didn’t immediately release the tallies from each of the 30,000 polling booths nationwide – hampering the opposition’s ability to challenge the results after claiming it had data for only 30% of the ballot boxes.
Venezuela election results: Nicolas Maduro and opposition both claim victory
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Excerpt from amp.cnn.com
Both Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his political opponent claimed victory in the country’s election on Monday, a vote that was marked by accusations of fraud and counting irregularities.
With 80% of votes counted, Maduro secured more than 51% of the vote, beating the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) candidate Edmundo González Urrutia with his more than 44% of the vote, according to a statement by the National Electoral Council (CNE).
The United States and multiple global leaders voiced skepticism about official results handing presidential election victory to the strongman leader.
Claims of election irregularities started to emerge on Sunday evening as the votes were being counted — including opposition witnesses being denied access to the CNE headquarters as the authority counted votes, and the CNE allegedly halting data being sent from local polling stations to their central location to prevent more votes from being processed…
Opposition leader María Corina Machado said in a news conference that their own records showed their candidate Edmundo González Urrutia had received 70% of the vote against Maduro’s 30%.
“We won, and everyone knows it,” Machado said, adding that the opposition would “defend the truth.”
“The entire international community knows what happened in Venezuela and how people voted for change,” she said.
Gonzalez, who was also at the news conference, alleged that rules had been violated during the election.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wins re-election, as opposition disputes results
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Excerpt from www.foxnews.com
The National Electoral Council said at around midnight that Maduro received 51% of the vote, while the main opposition candidate, Edmundo González, had 44% support, according to The Associated Press.
Elvis Amoroso, head of the National Electoral Council, said the results were based on 80% of voting stations and represented an irreversible trend.
Despite Maduro being declared the winner of a third term, the opposition claimed victory, setting up a showdown with the government over the results.
Kamala Claims That Venezuela Has Spoken — in Maduro’s Rigged Election
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Excerpt from pjmedia.com
While admitting that Venezuela still faces “challenges,” Harris vowed U.S. backing for “the people of Venezuela who expressed their voice in today’s historic presidential election.” Someone needs to tell the cackling Communist that the election expresses the will of the socialist government in Venezuela, not the people it tyrannizes — unless she is too dumb to realize she was being complimentary, which, of course, is always an option.
Harris did not mention Maduro by name in her statement but did pretend that the election results were true indicators of democratically exercised opinions from Venezuelans. Harris posted on July 28, “The United States stands with the people of Venezuela who expressed their voice in today’s historic presidential election. The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected. Despite the many challenges, we will continue to work toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future for the people of Venezuela.”
Opposition Disputes Maduro’s Victory; Says Venezuela Knows what Happened
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Excerpt from www.occrp.org
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council reported that Maduro had secured 51% of the votes, while his main challenger Emundo González received 44%. This means Maduro will remain in power for the next six years, having already held the position for the previous 11.
The announcement was first rejected by Maria Corina Machado, leader of the opposition, who had been prevented from participating in the elections and endorsed González, the candidate registered by a coalition of opposition parties led by her.
“We want to tell all Venezuelans and the rest of the world that Venezuela has a new president, and he is Edmundo González Urrutia,” Machado declared.
She stated that González’s landslide victory showed that the people had decided to end 25 years of government under the so-called Chavismo, which was established in 1999 by Hugo Chávez, the predecessor and political mentor of Nicolás Maduro.
“This has been so overwhelming, so significant, that we have won in all sectors, strata, and states of the country,” said Machado. “Venezuelans and the whole world know what happened,” added González.
World leaders cast doubt on Venezuela election results, Maduro victory claim
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Excerpt from www.washingtonpost.com
Some Latin American countries, including Colombia and Brazil, which have friendly ties to Maduro, joined in the skepticism about the announced results, as did Spain, Italy and other European nations…
… Peruvian Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea accused Maduro’s regime of having the “intention of fraud” and recalled Peru’s ambassador to Venezuela for consultations. “Peru will not accept the violation of the popular will of the Venezuelan people,” he said on X.
Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay also issued calls for a transparent count of the votes by independent observers.
Blinken says US has ‘serious concerns’ about announced result of Venezuelan election
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Excerpt from abcnews.go.com
TOKYO — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has ‘serious concerns’ about the announced result of Venezuela’s hotly contested presidential election that authorities say was won by incumbent Nicolas Maduro.
Speaking in Tokyo on Monday shortly after the announcement was made, Blinken said the U.S. was concerned that the result reflected neither the will nor the votes of the Venezuelan people. He called for election officials to publish the full results transparently and immediately and said the U.S. and the international community would respond accordingly.
“We have seen the announcement just a short while ago by the Venezuelan Electoral Commission,” he said. “We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.”
“It’s critical that every vote be counted fairly and transparently that the electoral authorities immediately share information with the opposition and independent observers without delay and that the electoral authorities publish the tabulation of votes. The international community is watching this very closely and will respond accordingly,” Blinken said.
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Excerpt from www.timesnownews.com
Doubts of Counting, Fraud Allegations
The council didn’t release tallies from the 30,000 polling booths, promising to do so “in the coming hours,” which hindered result verification. The delay, six hours after polls closed, suggested internal government debates, while Maduro’s opponents claimed early evening victory. Maduro later celebrated the results, accusing unidentified foreign enemies of hacking attempts. Opposition representatives asserted their tallies showed González trouncing Maduro…
More than 9 million people cast ballots on Sunday, with 17 million eligible voters. Another 4 million Venezuelans registered abroad mostly couldn’t vote due to registration issues.
U.S. officials defend their Venezuela strategy after Maduro claims election victory
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Excerpt from amp.miamiherald.com
The Biden administration was on the defensive Monday over its policy bet that elections in Venezuela would dislodge strongman Nicolás Maduro, a day after he was declared the winner in presidential elections despite several irregularities and polls indicating his defeat. In a call with reporters, senior administration officials fielded questions about what the United States would do next and whether the Biden administration’s negotiations with Maduro, which included lifting some oil sanctions and releasing prisoners, had failed to deliver democratic change in the South American country.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article290540384.html#storylink=cpy
In a gesture that’s as important as the location it took place, the two Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah met in the city of Beijing, the capitol of the Chinese Communist Party’s empire, forming an historic peace through a declaration on “ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity.”
The gesture puts Fatah in the elevated crosshairs in its rule in the West Bank, the former heart of Judah and Samaria. It also puts China in the power broker role in the Middle East, shifting more influence away from the U.S. and Western allies.
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Excerpt from apnews.com
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed a declaration in Beijing on ending a yearslong rift, the groups said Tuesday, taking a step toward resolving a deep divide which has lingered for years despite repeated attempts at unifying the sides.
The two heavyweights of Palestinian politics signed the Beijing Declaration on “ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity,” according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, pledging to form a unity government for the Palestinian territories. But previous such declarations have failed, including a similar deal in 2011, casting doubt over whether the China-sponsored negotiations might actually lead to a resolution.
The declaration comes at a sensitive time, as the war in Gaza rages on into its 10th month and as Israel and Hamas are weighing an internationally backed cease-fire proposal that would wind down the war and free dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
With a WEF member at the helm in Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Poland appears poised to significantly increase its ties with embattled Ukraine, entering in to an agreement to develop joint air defenses, as well as integrating their arms industries. The deal was signed in Warsaw, Poland on July 8, 2024.
Imran Khan’s Party to get Banned from Next Pakistani Election – The current administration of Pakistan’s government, led by Shehbaz Sharif, is about to declare the former jailed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political party should be banned from the next spate of elections.
Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, stated “The government has decided that the federal government will move a case to ban the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf).” He also added that there was “credible evidence” Khan’s party received foreign funds illegally, among other claims of criminal activity by the former PM’s party.
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Excerpt from www.oneindia.com
The Shehbaz Sharif-led government in Pakistan has decided to ban Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by the jailed former PM Imran Khan.
This decision was announced by Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, in a press conference on Monday. “The government has decided that the federal government will move a case to ban the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf),” Tarar told AFP. Tarar cited “credible evidence” for the ban, pointing to the foreign funding case, the May 9 riots, the cipher episode, and a resolution passed in the US as grounds for this action. The government plans to refer the case to the Supreme Court.
The Chinese military is engaging in war games with its China-Russia axis ally Belarus along the Polish border. The operation has been deemed “Falcon Assault.” It is scheduled to conclude on July 19 of this year. The operation is taking place at a training ground just outside the city of Brest, which lies on the border of Poland.
Major General Vadim Denisenko, chief of Belarusian special operations command, said “Events taking place in the world are alarming, the situation is uneasy, therefore we are going to practice new forms and methods of performing tactical tasks.”
The operation is the first highly visible European-based military exercise involving Chinese troops, sending a signal abroad and at home that China’s military presence is expanding, her reach is getting deeper into the heartlands of the West.
At home, China is dealing with another round of military purges and corruption that cause some to doubt the sustainability of the Chinese military presence under actual fire. It is only a matter of time before China finds itself militarily challenged in one of its expanding colonizing outposts, outposts that now include Belarus.
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Excerpt from www.foxnews.com
China and Belarus started joint military exercises on Monday, the Belarusian and Chinese defence ministries said, holding the drills just few miles (km) from the border of NATO-member Poland and kicking them off on the eve of the alliance’s summit.
“Events taking place in the world are alarming, the situation is uneasy, therefore we are going to practice new forms and methods of performing tactical tasks,” Major General Vadim Denisenko, chief of Belarusian special operations command, was cited by the Belarusian defence ministry as saying in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
CHINA’S XI URGES WORLD POWERS TO FACILITATE DIRECT DIALOGUE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE
The manoeuvres, codenamed Falcon Assault, will go until July 19 and are taking place at a training ground near the city of Brest, the ministry said. Brest, in southwest Belarus, lies on the border with Poland.
Leaders of NATO’s 32 member countries meet on Tuesday in Washington for a summit where further military and financial support for Ukraine will be high on the agenda.
In this photo provided by the Belarusian Presidential Press Service, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko speaks to military personnel during his visit to Oshmyany District, Grodno region of Belarus on March 26, 2024. A Belarusian human rights group said Thursday, July 4, 2024 that at least 10 political prisoners have been freed since the country’s authoritarian president this week promised to release seriously ill people jailed in connection with massive protests nearly four years ago. (Belarusian Presidential Press Service via AP)
Belarus allowed Russia to use its territory as one of the launchpads for Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
As part of the “anti-terrorist exercises”, military personnel of both countries will work out issues of night landing, overcoming water barriers, and conducting operations in a populated area, the Belarusian defence ministry said in its statement.
The ministry also posted a series of photos on Telegram, showing over the weekend Chinese troops disembarking from a plane and offloading equipment. In Monday posts it showed the troops marching at a training ground. It was not clear how many troops were involved in the drills.
The Chinese defence ministry said in a statement on Monday that Belarus held a “a grand welcome ceremony” for the Chinese troops who arrived in Belarus on July 6, according to a statement published in English on the ministry’s website.
“The joint training aims to enhance the coordination capabilities of the participating troops, and deepen practical cooperation between the two armies,” the ministry said in the statement.
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In an unrelated post on Telegram, the Belarusian defence ministry said on Monday that the size of NATO forces on the border with Belarus is rapidly growing, which leads to increased tension in the region.
“Our country is taking all possible measures to prevent escalation. However, if someone crosses our borders, the reaction will be harsh,” it said in the post.
Switzerland looks to break its neutrality stance with an application it filed to join the European Sky Shield Initiative, an air defense cooperative, of sorts, for European countries, specifically those feeling threatened by Russia.
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Excerpt from www.reuters.com
Neutral Switzerland has applied to join the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) air defence scheme at a time of heightened anxiety over security due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.The scheme, launched by Germany in 2022, has been mostly, but not exclusively, backed by NATO members.Swiss national armaments chief Urs Loher signed a membership application on Monday, the Swiss government said on Tuesday.
The French Leftist Coalition is demanding the immediate right to form a government because it has the plurality of seats, but not the majority. Meanwhile, the party that won the plurality of votes, Marine Le Pen’s Nationalist Rally, is still looking to find a path to a majority coalition, but the task seems daunting.
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Excerpt from apnews.com
PARIS (AP) — The leftist coalition that won the most seats in France’s National Assembly in surprise results demanded on Tuesday the immediate right to form a government, even though no grouping won a majority of seats.
It is unprecedented in France’s modern history to have a fractured parliament. Sunday’s vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union’s second-largest economy. The legislature is split between the New Popular Front leftist coalition, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist allies and the far-right National Rally.
Macron on Monday asked his prime minister, Gabriel Attal, to continue handling day-to-day affairs, despite Attal’s offer of resignation, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics. Macron leaves Wednesday for a NATO summit in Washington.
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The UN Peacekeeping mission, which had been put on a fast-track for withdrawal after President Felix Tshisekedi requested it back in September 2023, has announced a pause in the withdrawal plan with no future timeline announced. Rwanda’s alleged recent aggression near the Congo border was given as the reason for the pause.
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Excerpt from www.reuters.com
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo will pause its withdrawal, with no timeline set for the next phase following the initial one in June, the government and mission said.In September last year, President Felix Tshisekedi asked the mission to fast-track the withdrawal of peacekeepers who were deployed to the Central African country to quell insecurity caused by armed groups fighting over territory and resources.The first phase of the withdrawal, in South Kivu province, was completed on June 25, Congo’s ambassador to the United Nations, Zenon Mukongo Ngay, said on Monday. It had been scheduled for completion by April.Ngay indicated that conditions had not yet been met for the next phase, however, blaming neighbouring Rwanda for an escalation of clashes in the restive east of Congo.“In view of Rwanda’s continued aggression in North Kivu, the next phase of withdrawal, phase 2, will be undertaken when conditions allow, following ongoing joint assessments,” he said in a speech at the U.N. Security Council.
