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Ukraine News ++ Kim Jong Un arrives in Russia for talks ++

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Ukraine News ++ Kim Jong Un arrives in Russia for talks ++

nNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on his way to meet Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Seoul’s Defense Ministry said there were indications that Kim’s special train crossed the border on Tuesday morning (local time).

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin’s meeting with Kim will take place in the far east of Russia. The spokesman was quoted by TASS news agency as saying that the exact location had not yet been determined. There will be meetings between the two delegations and individual discussions before the official dinner.

A photo released by the North Korean government is said to show Kim on his way to Russia

Source: AP/æœé®®é€šä¿¡ç¤¾

After days of speculation abroad, Moscow and Pyongyang confirmed Kim’s official visit to Russia on Monday. According to information from Pyongyang, the talks may revolve around an arms deal. Although there is no official information yet, there is speculation that the two leaders may meet at an economic forum in the city of Vladivostok in Far East Russia. The forum continues until Wednesday.

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Statues of the late rulers Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang

Experts suspect that Putin needs artillery shells from North Korea for the Ukraine war, while Kim is said to hope to obtain advanced satellite and submarine technologies, as well as food for his impoverished country.

Looking ahead to the upcoming meeting, Washington joked that Putin would have to „beg” Kim for help in his invasion of Ukraine.

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All developments in the live stream:

9:33 am – Russia reports alleged drone attack on the city of Enerhodar nuclear power plant

Russia announced an alleged drone attack on the occupied city of Enerhodar in southern Ukraine near the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

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The head of the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, said on Tuesday, citing Interfax, that two drones were intercepted on Monday, and four other drones carried out their attacks without causing any damage. Among other things, a park and an area where the United Russia party office is located in the Kremlin were affected.

It was not initially possible to independently verify the information. There was initially no official reaction from Ukraine. Russia occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhya region, where the nuclear power plant is located, as part of its aggressive war that has been ongoing for more than a year and a half.

Likhachev portrayed the drone strikes as a response to the sham elections held last weekend by Russian occupiers in the part of Zaporizhia they control. The results, in which the Kremlin party emerged as the clear winner in the end, are not recognized internationally.

8:45 AM – Statistics show that Germany imports Russian oil via India

Numbers of Federal Bureau of Statistics It indicates that Germany continues to import large quantities of Russian oil through India. Imports of petroleum products from India rose more than twelve-fold in the first seven months of this year compared to the same period last year, the Wiesbaden authority announced on Tuesday. According to the United Nations, India, in turn, buys large quantities of crude oil from Russia.

The statisticians explained that imports from India “were mainly gas oils used to produce diesel or heating oil.” India produces these gas oils from crude oil, which the country has been buying in large quantities from Russia since Russia’s aggressive war on Ukraine.

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Because of the war, Germany stopped its direct imports of oil from Russia. Western countries have also imposed a price cap on Russian oil, which they want to enforce internationally using their market power in the shipping and insurance sectors. However, this mechanism is said to not be working as planned.

08:21 AM – Moscow’s anti-aircraft defenses have been modified to protect against drones.

According to British information, Russia appears to have reorganized its air defense around Moscow to protect against Ukrainian drone attacks.

The Ministry of Defense in London said: “Since the beginning of September 2023, Russian SA-22 air defense systems have been stationed around the capital on high towers and slopes.” In his daily intelligence update. The goal is to improve defense against drone attacks, “which the city is currently exposed to on most days.”

Since the December 2022 attacks on Russia’s Engels and Ryazan air bases, Russia has also installed the Panzer anti-aircraft system (NATO code: SA-22) on the roofs of public buildings in Moscow. This is intended to enable detection and defense of so-called kamikaze drones.

But she said in London that it may have been a high-level measure to reassure the public and show that the authorities had the threat under control.

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7:47 AM – Russia reports Drone attack on Enerhodar near nuclear power plant on Monday

According to Russian information, Ukraine attacked the city of Enerhodar, near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with drones on Monday. Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom, was quoted as saying that six drones were fired and destroyed by Russian forces. There was initially no comment from Ukraine. Enerhodar and the nuclear power plant are located in the Zaporizhia region of southern Ukraine, which is partly controlled by Russian forces.

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Russian forces occupied the nuclear power plant early in the war that has been ongoing since February 2022. Fighting continues nearby, and the nuclear power plant site has been bombed several times. Russia annexed the Zaporizhzhya region, as well as Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, in September 2022, although its forces do not have full control over them.

2:30 a.m. – New York’s Metropolitan Opera orders action on kidnapped Ukrainian children

New York’s Metropolitan Opera has commissioned a work from Ukrainian composer Maxim Kolomyyets about children who have been kidnapped to Russia since the beginning of the war. The opera said that the composer, born in 1981, should write the opera with American composer George Brant. “We are proud to continue supporting Ukraine on the cultural front,” said Met President Peter Gelb. The idea for the campaign came last year during the visit of Ukrainian First Lady Olena Selinska to the Manhattan Opera House.

According to Kiev, Moscow has brought a total of about 20,000 Ukrainian children from areas near the front to Crimea and Russia. Several hundred have now been able to return to government-controlled areas. The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children’s representative, Maria Lowa-Belois, in connection with the kidnapping.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA - FEBRUARY 9: (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin enters the hall during a ceremony marking the centenary of domestic civil aviation at the State Kremlin Palace, on February 9, 2023 in Moscow, Russia.  The Russian aviation industry is subject to strict Western sanctions after the start of the military invasion of Ukraine.  (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

01:17 AM – The operator reported a traffic disturbance on the Qurum Bridge

The Russian-appointed bridge operator announced that traffic on the Crimean Bridge has been temporarily suspended. The administration did not explain the reason for the suspension in the message on its Telegram channel. The Crimean Bridge has been the target of increasing drone attacks from the air and sea in recent months.

01:00 AM – Zelensky calls on Ukrainians to focus on the events of the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Ukrainians to remain fully focused on the war effort, 18 months after the Russian invasion began. “Although today is the 565th day of this war, everyone must remain focused on defending the state, as was the case in the first days,” Zelensky said in his evening video message. Russia does not hope for victory. The enemy just hopes we won’t withstand the whole thing. Ukraine must stand firm. Anything that strengthens us is the priority, the only priority. There can be no negligence. We will not allow anyone to weaken Ukraine.”

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A man finds luxury clothes worth 64 thousand euros News

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A man finds luxury clothes worth 64 thousand euros  News

Wade Venture (37) staunte nicht schlecht, als er das Rolltor zu einer Lagerbox in Portland (US-Bundesstaat Oregon) öffnete und begann, in den Kisten zu stöbern, die sich dort türmten.

Der Amerikaner hatte die verlassene Einheit bei einer Versteigerung für umgerechnet etwas mehr als 370 Euro ergattert. Dann stellte sich heraus: Der Inhalt war 70 000 Dollar (mehr als 64 000 Euro) wert!

Der Kauf war ein „Blind-Kauf“

Venture hat Erfahrung mit solchen „Blind-Käufen“: Nach eigener Aussage hat er bereits zwischen 400 und 500 Lagerräume gekauft. Und er schlug auch bei diesem zu – ohne zu wissen, was ihn erwarten würde. Doch einen solchen Schatz hatte er noch nie gefunden. Unglaublich: Die Vorbesitzerin der Box hatte Designerkleidung ohne Ende hinterlassen – unbenutzt!

Hunderte Schuhe entdeckte Wade in dem Lagerraum

Foto: action press

Unter den Fundstücken: Schuhe von Luxus-Labels wie Gucci

Unter den Fundstücken: Schuhe von Luxus-Labels wie Gucci

Foto: action press

Es war unfassbares Glück

Venture gegenüber US-Medien fassungslos: „Es ist selten, dass man eine solche Einheit findet, oft findet man Haushaltsgegenstände oder Müll.“ In der Vergangenheit hatte er den minderwertigen Inhalt seiner „Fundgruben“ oft einfach für wohltätige Zwecke gespendet. Venture weiter: „Die Leute denken, ich mache das schon so lange, dass ich schon alles gesehen habe, aber so eine Einheit habe ich noch nie gefunden.“

Wade zeigt einen der Mäntel aus seiner Fundgrube

Wade zeigt einen der Mäntel aus seiner Fundgrube

Foto: action press

Auch reichlich Handtaschen hatte die Vorbesitzerin in dem Raum gelagert

Auch reichlich Handtaschen hatte die Vorbesitzerin in dem Raum gelagert

Foto: action press

Hunderte Paare nagelneuer Schuhe

Unter den Fundstücken in seiner neuesten Schnäppchen-Schatztruhe: Mehr als 400 Paar Schuhe (u.a. von der Luxus-Marke Gucci), Pelzmäntel und Accessoires im Wert von mehreren Tausend Dollar. Viele der Stücke trugen sogar noch die originalen Verkaufsetiketten.

Besitzerin hatte wohl Problem mit Shopping

Der glückliche Finder: „Normalerweise finde ich Dinge, die zu 30 Prozent neu und zu 70 Prozent gebraucht sind. Aber das hier war alles brandneu.“ Mittlerweile hat er damit angefangen, die Kleidungsstücke zu verkaufen. Allein für einen der Mäntel bekam er 1500 Dollar (rund 1400 Euro), berichtet Venture.

Eine Theorie über die Vorbesitzerin der Lagerbox hat er auch. Venture: „Es ist mehr als wahrscheinlich, dass sie ein Shopping-Problem hatte.“

Und weiter: „Man munkelt, dass sie das vielleicht vor ihrem Mann geheim halten musste.“

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Prime Minister assassination attempt: Slovakia comes together after the shooting of Robert Fico – despite all the polarization

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Prime Minister assassination attempt: Slovakia comes together after the shooting of Robert Fico – despite all the polarization

DrSlovak MP Lubos Blaha is not exactly known for his soft tones. Even on Wednesday, shortly after learning of an attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico, left-wing populist Blaha, a Fico supporter, had not backed down. “This anger, this anger, this hatred: this is your job today,” he told Slovak TV cameras. “The opposition, the progressives and the liberal media. “We are full of emotions,” Blaha said. The fact that FICO is unpopular with all segments of the population is due, among other things, to the planned judicial and media reform.

Milan Nick, an expert on Eastern Central Europe at the German Foreign Policy Association, is not surprised by this reaction. “It does not surprise me that Blaha, known for such rhetoric, would say this. But so far it has been an exception, as many politicians from various parties, including Fico Smer’s party, have expressed their dissatisfaction and called for calm and caution.

Robert Fico, here in Budapest in January

Source: Associated Press/Denis Erdos

In fact, Liberal President Zuzana Čaputová gave a well-received speech. She clearly condemned the attack and wished „that Robert Fico would have a lot of strength at this critical moment so that he could recover from the attack. Peter Pellegrini, the president-elect, made a similar statement.” Pellegrini comes from the government coalition led by Robert Fico and was elected president in April. However, he will not be sworn in until June.

Meanwhile, 59-year-old Fiko is still receiving treatment in hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica. His deputy, Thomas Taraba, told the BBC late on Wednesday evening that he appeared to have survived an emergency operation after the attack and was no longer in a life-threatening situation. Slovak media reported early Thursday morning that Fico had regained consciousness.

After a cabinet meeting on Wednesday in the town of Handelova, when Fico went out into the street, a 71-year-old man fired four to five shots at him. The suspected perpetrator was arrested at the scene and the Prime Minister was airlifted to hospital by helicopter.

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Concerns about state restructuring

Government officials assume a „political motive.” There are many photos and video recordings of the attack itself. Slovak news platform aktuality.sk She also stated that the suspected killer was legally in possession of a gun. The 71-year-old was not undergoing psychiatric treatment. These rumors have been reported previously.

There is also speculation on social media in Slovakia about the possible politicization of the alleged killer. This intensifies the already heated mood in the country, which reached two peaks during the parliamentary elections in September last year and the presidential elections in April this year.

Security forces arrested the suspected shooter at the scene

Security forces arrested the suspected shooter at the scene

Source: Agence France-Presse/-

Both elections were accompanied by an aggressive mood and disinformation campaigns on social media, as well as questionable rhetoric by the actors involved. Fico’s Smer Party considers itself a social democratic party, but in the eyes of many observers it is characterized as a left-wing nationalist. It became the strongest force in the recent parliamentary elections, with 22.9 percent of the votes. In October 2023, Fico was able to assume the reins of government in a coalition with the Social Democratic Party of Halas and the far right.

He is considered a veteran of Slovak politics, having ruled from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018. His companion Peter Pellegrini won the presidential election in April. Fico polarized the country for several months and thousands of Slovaks took to the streets against his policies.

There are major concerns among many Slovaks about an authoritarian state restructuring similar to what happened in Hungary or Poland. The Slovak Parliament approved a first legislative package in April as part of a controversial judicial restructuring process. The law provides, among other things, for the dissolution of the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office or the reduction of penalties for serious crimes such as murder.

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The EU Commission has already expressed concern that the so-called judicial reform could violate EU law. In addition, there are verbal attacks on journalists from politicians – and concrete plans to control the media. Public television station RTVS is set to be transformed into a state broadcaster over which the government will have enormous influence. A similar law could be passed in June.

Before the Cabinet meeting in Handelova, Fico received local residents.  After the meeting he was shot

Before the Cabinet meeting in Handelova, Fico received local residents. After the meeting he was shot

Source: German Press Agency/Radovan Stoklasa

The NGO Transparency Law also made international headlines. If an organization receives €5,000 or more from abroad in one year, it should in the future be classified as an “organisation receiving support from abroad”. Critics fear the government will ban organizations it doesn’t like as a result.

Fico also reoriented Slovakia’s foreign policy. He himself and other members of the government have loudly criticized the course of the European allies towards Russia and Ukraine. Fico criticizes Russian sanctions as well as arms shipments to Ukraine. His government stopped supplying weapons from Slovak stockpiles to Ukraine. The partly pro-Russian policy of Slovakia, a member of the European Union and NATO, is also worrying diplomats and politicians in Brussels and other European capitals.

It is striking that Slovak society now seems to be uniting and that politicians from different political camps are strongly condemning the attack. Religious organizations, bishops and Islamic associations also commented on this. Expert Nick said, „The assassination attempt on Fico represents a turning point for Slovak politics, regardless of whether he will be able to take office again or not.”

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Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia

Another turning point for Slovakia was the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova in 2018. Through his research, Kuciak uncovered organized crime connections in Slovak politics. He worked for aktuality.sk, a news portal of Ringier Axel Springer Slovakia, a joint venture between Axel Springer SE (including WELT and “Bild”) and Swiss Ringier AG.

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The murder of Kuciak and his fiancée attracted much attention in Slovakia and internationally. Fico, who was prime minister at the time, was forced to resign after mass protests following the killings. Even then, Fico’s policies were radically rejected by many Slovaks, but he always enjoyed a stable fan base, as demonstrated by his recent electoral victory in 2023.

However, expert Nick does not see a direct link between the assassination attempt on Fico and the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his wife. “This aggression against politicians and the cruelty of the conflict is not just a Slovak phenomenon. We see something like this everywhere in Europe, and unfortunately also attacks on politicians. Look at Germany: from the assassination attempt on Wolfgang Schäuble many years ago to the recent attacks on politicians,” says Nick.

Speculation about the paramilitary organization

Despite voices calling for calm in Slovakia, observers are also concerned that the government camp, after a brief period of calm, will use the attack to further divide society and consolidate its power. Blaha statements are the first sign. Fake news is also likely to spread quickly on social media, and disinformation campaigns can be launched.

The evening after the attack on Fiko, a report was published in Slovak online media that was likely to increase speculation about the background of the crime: the famous Hungarian investigative journalist Száblocs Bánje shared old photos of the alleged killer, which had a connection to a loyalist Slovak paramilitary women’s organization. For Russia, it is called the „Slovak Brotherhood”. Photos from 2016 are considered original.

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In order to view embedded content, it is necessary to obtain your revocable consent to the transfer and processing of personal data, as providers of embedded content require this consent as third-party service providers. [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to „On”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Article 49(1)(a) of the GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the key and privacy at the bottom of the page.

“However, in the next few days we are likely to see an increase in disinformation campaigns and the like on social networks. What happened is a reason for this,” says Milan Nick. But a lot will depend on whether Fico will survive the attack.

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Georgians continue their protests against the controversial law

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Georgians continue their protests against the controversial law

As of: May 15, 2024 at 10:12 p.m

The day after the controversial NGO law was passed, tens of thousands protested again in Georgia. The foreign ministers of European Union countries also participated. Meanwhile, Türkiye announced a similar proposed law.

In Georgia, tens of thousands of people took to the streets again to protest a recently passed law on “foreign influence.”

An Agence France-Presse journalist reported that about 30,000 people gathered in front of Parliament in the capital, Tbilisi, on Wednesday alone. Demonstrations also took place in the cities of Kutaisi and Zalinghikha in the west of the country.

European ministers demonstrate

The foreign ministers of Estonia, Iceland and Lithuania, who were visiting Georgia, also participated in the protests in Tbilisi. Senior diplomats addressed the demonstrators.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told AFP that he and his colleagues participated in the protest „to support the desire of the Georgian people to become part of the European Union and NATO.” The Georgian national anthem and the European anthem „Ode to Joy” were played at the demonstration.

The demonstrators waved the flags of Georgia and the European Union.

Parliament in Tbilisi approved the controversial law on Tuesday. According to this, organizations and media that receive at least 20% of funding from abroad must in the future be registered in the former Soviet republic as bodies “pursuing the interests of foreign powers.”

Similarities with Russian law

Critics see similarities with the law against „foreign agents” in Russia, which enables authorities there to take wide-ranging measures against critical media and organizations. There have been massive protests against the law in Georgia for weeks.

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The adoption of the law sparked international criticism. The European Union, the United Nations and NATO called on the government in Tbilisi to change course. It also called on the federal government to withdraw the law. Georgia has been an official candidate for European Union membership since December. With the new law, it has become difficult to imagine the European future of this Caucasian country.

Türkiye plans to issue a similar law

On the other hand, a draft law has been introduced in neighboring Turkey requiring the imprisonment of journalists and scholars who work for foreign “interests”. The proposed amendment to the Turkish Penal Code stipulates prison sentences ranging from three to seven years, according to the text obtained by Agence France-Presse.

The draft law applies to “any person who conducts or orders the conduct of research on (Turkish) citizens or institutions on behalf of or for the strategic interest of a foreign organization or state in order to act against the security, political, internal or external interests of the state.” „.

Björn Blaschke, ARD Moscow, now Tbilisi, Tagesschau, May 15, 2024 at 7:13 am

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