German FM Heiko Maas calls Lavrov to discuss Putin's UNSC+Germany+Iran initiative for Persian Gulf security, preserving the #JCPOA, and Belarus.
Lavrov warned Germany/EU of interference in #Belarus, "with which Russia has brotherly relations."
Putin's MENA envoy Bogdanov meets with the Egyptian ambassador to discuss the region, specifically #Libya
Bogdanov also spoke with Hussein Al-Sheikh of #Fatah's Central Committee to discuss the need to go back to the two-state solution and uniting all Palestinian factions under the #PLO political program.
#Putin spoke with President of the #European Council Charles Michel, and "expressed concern in connection with some countries’ attempts to put pressure on the #Belarusian leadership and destabilise the internal political situation."
"The Russian side stressed that any attempts to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs...would be unacceptable. The two leaders expressed hope that the situation returns to normal as soon as possible."
"Vladimir Putin emphasised that...putting pressure on the Belarusian leadership would be unacceptable...The two leaders had a comprehensive exchange of opinions on the Libyan crisis."
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"According to a U.N. report seen by New Lines, at least two meetings between the Houthis and al-Shabab were held in July and September 2024." newlinesmag.com/spotlight/a-pa…
If India and Pakistan can avoid a nuclear exchange, anyone can, and North Korea, e.g., will nuke South Korea (and use biological and chemical weapons) in the event of conflict regardless of the South's possession of nukes.
Nukes aren't a magical answer, but if you've got the infrastructure, know-how, and money, unclear to me why you wouldn't at least become a nuclear threshold state as a theoretical deterrent to nuclear coercion/threats.
Rules are different for nuclear powers, and everybody knows it [Pakistan has been treated with kid gloves for decades despite its behaviour, partially for this reason].
Seems the "Georgian Legion" that basically kicked off what became NAFO was a scam, one I promoted and to which I donated and got my friends to donate significant amounts of money.
Al-Qaeda (Al-Shabaab) has reversed all Somali military gains in central Somalia over the last 2 years and is working with the IRGC (Houthis) to enhance capabilities.
"Ahmed said the Houthis...aim to establish a new front in the Indian Ocean where al-Shabaab can receive advanced missiles and drones. He said the Houthis have already sent three engineers to al-Shabaab...to help build sophisticated weapons and bombs."
.@jonathanchait: "They are treating apologias for Hamas as a factually or logically flawed application of left-wing ideals. I believe...that Hamas defenders are applying their own principles correctly. The problem is the principles themselves." nymag.com/intelligencer/…
@jonathanchait: "The illiberal left believes treating everybody equally...merely serves to maintain existing structures of power. It follows...that the legitimacy of a tactic can only be assessed with reference to whether it is being used by the oppressor or the oppressed."
@jonathanchait: '“Decolonization”...has a model of the world in which conflicts are analyzed as a struggle pitting settler-colonist-Europeans, who are evil, against native/indigenous/BIPOC people...[It] does not leave room to judge the morality of any methods.'