World
Ukraine invasion: Russia asks UN Security Council for special meeting on ‘biolabs’
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Russian and China are doubling down on claims that america is conducting organic weapons analysis in “biolabs” throughout war-torn Ukraine – assertions that leaders in Washington and Kyiv have known as absurd.
Russian diplomat Dmitry Polyanski has requested the United Nations Safety Council talk about the alleged analysis at a gathering Friday, the Kremlin-aligned media outlet RIA Novosti reported earlier.
The report additionally highlighted allegations from Russia’s Protection Ministry that declare the U.S. spent $200 million on Ukrainian labs for a purported “bioweapons program.” Russia claims its troops uncovered proof throughout Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which he calls a “particular navy operation.”
Earlier Thursday, when requested what proof China had of the claims throughout his day by day information briefing, International Ministry spokesman Zhao Ljian supplied none however demanded the U.S. reply questions in regards to the situation.
“What has the U.S. been doing at Fort Detrick and its 336 organic laboratories overseas?” he requested. “Do the actions conform to the stipulations of the [Biological and Toxin Weapons Conventions]?”
Fort Detrick is the house of the U.S. Military Medical Analysis and Growth Command in Maryland.
U.S. Protection Division officers stated Thursday that there have been 5 organic analysis laboratories in Kyiv – centered on “diagnostics, therapeutics, therapies, prevention and vaccines” – and never on navy or organic weapons analysis.
“There are not any DOD bioweapon labs in Ukraine or wherever else on the planet,” the officers stated.
White Home Press Secretary Jen Psaki known as the claims of a world community of U.S.-run organic weapons labs “preposterous” Wednesday. She additionally warned the claims could possibly be an try and create cowl for a Russian chemical or organic assault on Ukraine, noting that disinformation is a part of the Kremlin’s weapons package.
CHINA ACCUSES U.S. OF ‘BIOLOGICAL MILITARY ACTIVITIES’ IN UKRAINE
“Now that Russia has made these false claims, and China has seemingly endorsed this propaganda, we must always all be looking out for Russia to presumably use chemical or organic weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation utilizing them,” she stated. “It’s a transparent sample, and nobody ought to fall for it.”
Russia’s UN request follows worldwide requires the nation to have its everlasting seat on the Safety Council eliminated.
“Moscow is driving selections within the United Nations by means of its position as a Everlasting Member of the Safety Council,” U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, stated days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia should be exiled from the worldwide neighborhood.”
RUSSIA’S CLAIM ON U.S. AND UKRAINE BIOLABS ‘ABSURD’ AND ‘UNTRUE’: US DEFENSE OFFICIAL
When the Soviet Union collapsed 30 years in the past, Russia inherited its seat as certainly one of 5 everlasting fixtures on the UN Safety Council. The transfer went uncontested on the time – nevertheless it grants the Kremlin veto energy over council selections.
Moscow used that veto final month when the Safety Council floated a decision denouncing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and demanding a withdrawal of Russian troops.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has additionally known as on the UN to revoke Russia’s Safety Council seat.
“No chemical or some other weapons of mass destruction have been developed on my land,” he stated in a video posted to Telegram Thursday, translated from Ukrainian. “The entire world is aware of that.”
Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland instructed the Senate International Relations Committee Tuesday that the U.S. was conscious of “organic analysis services” in Ukraine underneath questioning from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida.
WHITE HOUSE WARNS RUSSIA COULD USE CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS IN UKRAINE
He requested her if Ukraine has chemical or organic weapons.
“Ukraine has organic analysis services,” Nuland replied, “which actually we’re fairly involved Russian troops, Russian forces, could also be searching for to achieve management of, so we’re working with the Ukrainians on how they will stop any of these analysis supplies from falling into the arms of Russian forces.”
She additionally stated that if anybody have been to deploy a chemical or organic assault in Ukraine, she “100%” believed it could be the Russians.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. has led a world effort to safe and dismantle leftover Soviet-era weapons of mass destruction, together with in Ukraine. In August 2005, Washington and Kyiv agreed to cooperate to stop the “proliferation of know-how, pathogens and experience that could possibly be used within the growth of organic weapons.”
Along with failing to safe many Soviet weapons within the Nineties, Russia additionally has a historical past of violating worldwide legal guidelines governing organic and chemical weapons, based on the White Home.
Psaki stated Wednesday the tried poisoning of Kremlin-critic Alexey Navalny and Russia’s assist of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons assaults on rebels inside his personal borders.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby additionally addressed the claims Wednesday, saying they have been “malarkey” and “basic Russian propaganda.”
“We’re not growing organic or chemical weapons inside Ukraine,” he stated. “It is not occurring.”
Fox Information’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
World
Max Christie is getting a 4-year, $32 million deal to return to the Lakers, an AP source says
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Promising wing Max Christie is returning to the Los Angeles Lakers with a four-year, $32 million contract, a person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because the Lakers haven’t announced the deal for their former second-round draft pick. ESPN first reported it.
The 21-year-old Christie has averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists while playing inconsistently during his first two NBA seasons, but the Lakers clearly believe in his potential.
The Michigan State product is a career 37.8% shooter on 3-point attempts, and he showed promise as a three-and-D wing during his stretches in the Lakers’ rotation last season, including seven starts.
New Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned Christie prominently when he spoke of the team’s promising young talent ripe for development during his introductory news conference last week.
Even with two years of NBA experience, Christie is two years younger than Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ first-round draft pick last Wednesday.
Christie’s brother, Cam, was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers last week.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
World
Macron on edge as France’s right-wing National Rally party gains momentum in first round of elections
France’s right-wing National Rally party on Sunday made considerable gains in the country’s first round of elections, putting the centrist President Emmanuel Macron and his supporters on edge.
Early projections suggest that the National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, stands a good chance of winning a majority in the lower house of parliament for the first time, with an estimated one-third of the first-round vote, nearly double their 18% in the first round in 2022.
French polling agencies indicated that Macron’s grouping of centrist parties could finish a distant third in the first-round ballot. Their projections put Macron’s camp behind both the National Rally and a new left-wing coalition of parties that joined forces to keep Le Pen”s anti-immigration party from potentially forming the most conservative government since World War II.
Still, the election’s ultimate outcome remains uncertain, and the decisive final vote will happen next Sunday, July 7.
BOLIVIA’S PRESIDENT DENOUNCES ‘SELF-COUP’ ACCUSATIONS AS ‘LIES’ AS SUPPORTERS RALLY
Earlier this month, Macron dissolved parliament and called for a surprise vote after the National Rally clobbered his party in the European Parliament election. The move was seen as a risky gamble that French voters, complacent about the European election, would be motivated to back moderate forces to keep the National Rally out of power.
Many French voters are frustrated about inflation and other economic concerns, as well as the leadership of Macron, who is seen as arrogant and out of touch. Le Pen’s anti-immigration National Rally party has tapped that discontent, notably via online platforms like TikTok, and led in pre-election opinion polls.
Voters in Paris had issues from immigration to the rising cost of living on their minds as the country has grown more divided between the right-wing and left-wing blocs, with a deeply unpopular and weakened president in the political center.
Le Pen called on voters to give the National Rally an “absolute majority” in parliament. She said a National Rally majority would enable the right to form a new government with party President Jordan Bardella as prime minister to work on France’s “recovery.”
“Following historic victories for conservatives in the EU elections a few weeks ago, France today reaffirmed the drastic shift we are seeing in Europe away from the failed left-wing playbook in favor of a common-sense conservative agenda centered around lower taxes, a crackdown on illegal immigration, and support for freedom of speech,” Matt Mowers, EU-US Forum founding board member and former State Department official, told Fox News Digital. “Today’s results serve as another major message to bureaucrats in Brussels – Europeans want conservative policies and leaders.”
KENYAN POLICE CONFRONT PROTESTERS DAY AFTER PRESIDENT WITHDRAWS TAX INCREASE BILL
Turnout on Sunday stood at an unusually high 59% three hours before polls closed – 20 percentage points higher than turnout at the same time in the last first-round vote in 2022.
The first polling projections emerged after final polling stations closed. Early official results were expected later Sunday.
The second round of voting next Sunday will be more decisive, but questions will still remain about how Macron will share power with a prime minister who is hostile to most of his policies.
In the scenario of a National Rally victory, Macron would be expected to name the party’s president, 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, as prime minister in an awkward power-sharing system known as “cohabitation.” While Macron has said he won’t step down before his presidential term expires in 2027, cohabitation would weaken him at home and on the world stage.
The results of the first round will give a clear picture of voter sentiment, but not necessarily the overall makeup of the next National Assembly. Predictions are difficult because of the complicated voting system, and because parties will work between the rounds to make alliances in some constituencies or pull out of others.
Bardella, who has no governing experience, said he would use the powers of prime minister to stop Macron from continuing to supply long-range weapons to Ukraine for the war with Russia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
World
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen announces her re-election
Le Pen’s success in Hénin-Beaumont underscores her enduring influence in the region, where she has consistently garnered strong support
Marine Le Pen, the prominent leader of the French far-right National Rally (RN) party, has announced that she has been re-elected in the first round of the parliamentary election in her stronghold constituency of Hénin-Beaumont.
According to initial results, the three-time presidential candidate won with over 58% of the vote, against nearly 26% for New Popular Front candidate Samira Laala.
In a speech following her victory, Le Pen emphasized the importance of the upcoming second round. “Nothing is certain: the second round is decisive. In order to give Jordan Bardella an absolute majority in the National Assembly and for him to be appointed Prime Minister by Emmanuel Macron in eight days’ time, I invite you to renew your vote,” she urged her supporters.
Le Pen’s success in Hénin-Beaumont underscores her enduring influence in the region, where she has consistently garnered strong support. Le Pen was a candidate in the 11th constituency of Pas-de-Calais, where she has been elected since 2017.
The first-round victory is a significant step for the National Rally as they aim to increase their representation in the National Assembly and push for their broader political agenda.
The final outcome of the parliamentary election will be crucial in determining the balance of power in France. As Le Pen and her party prepare for the decisive second round, the political stakes remain high, with the potential to reshape the nation’s future direction.
The National Rally, the far-right party led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, has surged to first place in the first round of legislative elections, according to a projection produced by Ipsos Talan today (30 June) after polls closed. The National Rally may have gained 34% of votes cast, according to the poll, a slight decrease from opinion polls last week which put the party and its allies at 36%.
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