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Ukraine Based Russian Paramilitary Groups Enter Russia

The border village of Tetkino in the Kursk region appeared to be one of the targets in Tuesday’s raids, with the FRL claiming that “liberating forces” now had full control over the settlement…reports Asian Lite News

Three Ukraine-based Russian paramilitary groups said that they have crossed into Russia and are now fighting government troops there, media reported.

The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL) and Siberian Battalion (SB) posted videos purportedly showing their fighters in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions, BBC reported.

The FRL and an exiled Russian politician claimed two villages were now in control of “liberation forces”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the breakthrough attempts were thwarted.

It claimed more than 234 Ukrainian troops had been killed and several tanks had been destroyed.

According to Belgorod’s regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, one member of Russia’s territorial defence forces was killed and 10 civilians were injured, BBC reported.

These numbers have not yet been verified by the BBC.

Ukraine’s military denied any involvement in Tuesday’s cross-border raids.

Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the country’s military intelligence, said the paramilitary groups were “independent organisations” of Russian nationals, and therefore operating “at home”.

In a separate development, Russia said Ukraine had launched 25 drones on targets across Russia, but the attack was thwarted.

However, videos have emerged which appear to show several Russian oil facilities on fire, BBC reported.

In the Ivanovo region, just east of Moscow, an Il-76 military transport plane with eight crew and seven passengers crashed shortly after take-off, Russia’s Defence Ministry was quoted as saying by Russian state-run news agencies.

The Ministry said an engine fire caused the crash. It gave no details of survivors.

Videos have emerged purportedly showing the plane on fire circling in the sky, and later plumes of black smoke from the crash site.

Elsewhere, at least three people were killed and 38 injured on Tuesday night when a Russian missile struck two apartment buildings in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, according to the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko.

Klymenko said children were among the victims and that the number of deaths may go up as the search and rescue operation is continuing, BBC reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country would “inflict losses on the Russian state in response — quite rightly”.

A full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin is now in its third year, with no signs that the biggest war in Europe since World War Two could end soon.

On Tuesday, the FRL posted what it said was a video from the Russian-Ukrainian border.

“Like all our fellow citizens, in the Legion we dream of a Russia freed from Putin’s dictatorship. But we don’t just dream: we make every effort to make these dreams come true. We will take our land away from the regime, centimetre by centimetre,” an armed FRL soldier in the footage is heard saying.

Meanwhile, the SB said “fierce fighting is going on the Russian Federation territory”, publishing a clip purportedly showing its fighters engaging with Russian government forces.

It also condemned Russian presidential elections on March 15-17, in which Putin is widely expected to be declared the winner.

“Ballots and polling stations in this case are fiction. You can really change your life for the better only with weapons in your hands,” the SB said.

Another Ukraine-based Russian group, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), also published footage of what it said were its fighters engaging with Russian government troops, BBC reported.

“The army of the Kremlin regime lays down its weapons without even starting the battle,” it said.

The videos have not been independently verified.

The border village of Tetkino in the Kursk region appeared to be one of the targets in Tuesday’s raids, with the FRL claiming that “liberating forces” now had full control over the settlement.

The BBC has verified the authenticity of FRL footage depicting a strike on an armoured personnel carrier in Tetkino.

Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak ordered all schools in the regional capital to be put on remote learning from March 13-15 “in connection with recent events”.

He also warned that the “missile alert” regime was still in place in the city, which has a population of more than 400,000.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ukraine-based Russian opposition politician Illya Ponomarev claimed that the border village of Lozovaya Rudka, Belgorod region, was “under full control of liberating forces”.

In a statement later on Tuesday, the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces together with border guards and FSB security service units “thwarted an attempt by the Kiev regime to make a breakthrough” into Russia, BBC reported.

It said enemy fighters — backed by tanks and armoured personnel carriers — had tried to invade Russia “simultaneously in three directions in the areas of the settlements of Odnorobovka, Nekhoteevka and Spodaryushino, Belgorod region”.

It added that another four attacks had targeted Tetkino, but were “repulsed”.

The Ukraine-based Russian armed groups have made several cross-border raids since the full-invasion of Ukraine began.

Last May, Russia’s military said a similar attack in the Belgorod region was rebuffed and armed insurgents defeated.

ALSO READ-US to Send $300 Million in Military Aid to Ukraine

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Navalny Ally Leonid Volkov Attacked in Lithuania

The Lithuanian Police have been informed of the incident and are investigating, according to the Reuters news agency…reports Asian Lite News

 Leonid Volkov, a long-time ally of the late Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has been attacked outside his home in Lithuania, the media reported.

Volkov was assaulted with a hammer and tear gas while in his car in Vilnius on Tuesday night, Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said as quoted by BBC report.

The alleged assailant is unknown, as is their motive.

The Lithuanian Police have been informed of the incident and are investigating, according to the Reuters news agency.

Another member of the Navalny team, Ivan Zhdanov, posted pictures on social media of Volkov with a bloodied lower left leg and what looked like bruising to his temple. He has been taken to hospital, BBC reported.

Asked whether the assailant shouted anything, Zhdanov said: “Everything happened in silence.”

“Of course this is a clear political attack, there is no doubt here.”

Volkov has lived outside Russia for some years for his own safety and served as Navalny’s Chief-of-Staff until the Opposition leader died suddenly in prison in the Russian Arctic last month while serving a 19-year sentence after being convicted of charges that were “politically motivated”.

Volkov, 43, also faces various politically motivated charges in Russia, BBC reported.

He served as Chairman of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation until last year when he resigned following the revelation he had signed letters calling for the European Union to drop some Russian sanctions.

Despite living outside Russia he has also made sure that the activism of Navalny and his team could continue.

This has included anti-corruption investigations, YouTube videos and livestreams during protests and major events in Russia.

Many more activists moved to join Volkov abroad in 2021 after Navalny’s entire political organisation was labelled “extremist” and banned in Russia, BBC reported.

Several of Navalny’s former team are now in prison, as well as some of his lawyers.

With presidential elections this weekend, Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya has called on opponents of Vladimir Putin to turn up at polling stations across Russia at midday on Sunday in an act of peaceful political protest.

It was an idea supported by Alexei Navalny before he died.

ALSO READ-Biden Fires Back at Trump, Challenges Putin

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Belarusian FM Due in India

The visit, scheduled from March 11 to 13, aims to strengthen the bilateral ties between Belarus and India….reports Asian Lite News

Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Aleinik, will touch down in Delhi on Monday evening, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

The visit, scheduled from March 11 to 13, aims to strengthen the bilateral ties between Belarus and India.

The highlight of the visit is the scheduled meeting between Sergei Aleinik and External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar.

The bilateral discussions are set to take place on Tuesday afternoon.

Minister Aleinik’s departure is scheduled for Wednesday night, marking the conclusion of his brief yet pivotal diplomatic mission to India, the MEA added.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last met his counterpart from Belarus in Kampala on January 19 on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit.

During the meeting, Jaishankar and his Belarusian counterpart, Sergei Aleinik

The two leaders spoke about developments related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Jaishankar took to social media platform X to share insights from the meeting held with Aleinik.

“A useful meeting with Belarusian FM Sergei Aleinik. Exchanged views on India – Belarus cooperation in various fields. Also discussed developments pertaining to the Ukraine conflict,” Jaishankar posted on X earlier.

India’s relations with Belarus have been traditionally warm and cordial. India was one of the first countries to recognize Belarus as independent country in 1991, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

India and Belarus enjoy good understanding and commonality of views on various matters and cooperate with each other in multilateral fora on issues of mutual interest. Belarus has been supportive of India’s candidature for a permanent seat at the UNSC.

Belarus recognizes India as an emerging global power and seeks to develop a “strategic relationship” with India.

India and Belarus have maintained high level contacts.

India and Belarus maintain comprehensive partnership. Both countries have established mechanisms for exchanging views on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues through Foreign Office Consultations (FOCs), India-Belarus Inter-governmental Commission (IGC) on Cooperation in Science & Technology and Commission on Military Technical Cooperation.

The two countries have signed a number of Agreements/MoUs on various subjects, namely, trade and economic cooperation, agriculture, cultural, educational, media and 3 sports, S&T, foreign office consultations, IGC, Avoidance of Double Taxation, Promotion and Protection of Investments and defence and technical cooperation.

The Indian community in Belarus is minuscule with around 85 Indian nationals and 476 students, mostly studying medicine in Belarusian medical universities, the MEA also said. (ANI)

ALSO READ: NATO’s biggest drills since the Cold War send a signal to Russia

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Commonwealth nations mark 75-year milestone

Commonwealth Day is traditionally celebrated on the second Monday in March…reports Asian Lite News

Today, 56 of the world’s largest countries and smallest islands, across six oceans, continue to stand united and celebrate the shared values for Commonwealth Day.

Commonwealth Day is traditionally celebrated on the second Monday in March. The theme for this year’s Commonwealth Day and the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth’.

More than 56 nations will celebrate the occasion throughout this week, with representatives attending an event at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s headquarters in London.

This year’s staging is especially significant as the modern Commonwealth will celebrate its 75th anniversary in April.

At a Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ meeting in London on April 26, 1949, the London Declaration said that republics and other independent countries could be equal members of the Commonwealth. Thus, the modern Commonwealth of Nations was born.

King Charles III said in his Commonwealth Day video message: “The Commonwealth family is strongest when we are connected through friendship. As I have said before, the Commonwealth is like the wiring of a house, and its people, our energy and our ideas are the current that runs through those wires.

“Together and individually, we are strengthened by sharing perspectives and experiences, and by offering and borrowing the myriad ways we have each tackled the challenges of our time.”

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland KC, emphasised the value, power, and potential of the Commonwealth family in her Commonwealth Day address.

“Together, we have built a Commonwealth which is fit for the times we live in — stronger, more connected and more influential than ever; capable of rising to the world’s challenges, innovating to seize new opportunities, and working together to shape a more peaceful, resilient and prosperous common future.”

Throughout the world, civic events, educational activities, and cultural gatherings will take place to celebrate Commonwealth Day.

The Commonwealth nations will come together later this year in October for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, which will be the first small island developing state from the Pacific to host the CHOGM.

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EU fights anti-Ukraine propaganda ahead of vote

Another theme with particular potency in countries closest to the conflict is that refugees receive higher state benefits than locals….reports Asian Lite News

As the European parliamentary elections in June move ever closer, experts warn that pro-Russian players are flooding social media with false claims about the war in Ukraine to boost support for far-right and nationalist parties.

Pro-Russian accounts have been pumping out posts on Facebook, X and TikTok that depict Ukrainian refugees as violent criminals or claim that Kyiv’s government officials siphon off financial aid sent by the West to buy luxury yachts and villas for themselves.

Another theme with particular potency in countries closest to the conflict is that refugees receive higher state benefits than locals.

The aim of such propaganda is to weaken the EU’s resolve and benefit anti-immigration parties like Germany’s AfD, France’s National Rally or the Party for Freedom in the Netherlands, said Jakub Kalensky, an analyst at the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) in Helsinki, Finland.

Such disinformation will “definitely play a role” in the June 6-9 vote, when more than 400 million Europeans choose a new five-year parliament, he said.

“When you exaggerate the risk of Ukrainian immigrants, you boost anti-immigration parties,” Kalensky said.

“I’m convinced that if it weren’t for the Russian propaganda, movements led by leaders like Marine Le Pen (in France), Geert Wilders (in the Netherlands) or Robert Fico (in Slovakia) would have significantly lower election results.”

Dietmar Pichler, disinformation analyst at the Center for Digital Media Literacy in Vienna, Austria, believes that anti-Ukraine disinformation is likely to intensify ahead of the June vote as Russia tries to promote Kremlin-friendly European parties.

He has identified two main topics that have already surfaced in EU campaigns — the sanctions against Russia and financial aid to Ukraine.

“Actors aiming to halt this support for Ukraine are employing disinformation and Russian propaganda narratives to ‘justify’ this anti-Ukrainian position,” Pichler told AFP.

But pro-Russian narratives also affect the policies of mainstream parties, sometimes silencing those who might otherwise throw their support behind Ukraine, according to the analyst.

“Some politicians are now afraid to address topics like Ukraine or Russia altogether because they fear attacks by Russian trolls, bots, and pro-Russian actors on the domestic level,” he said.

The pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign may find particularly fertile ground in countries such as Hungary and Slovakia, whose governments actively stoke anti-immigration sentiment and urge Brussels to make peace with Russia, according to Kalensky.

On the second anniversary of the Russian invasion on February 24, Slovak premier Fico — who has repeatedly compared Ukrainians to Nazis, echoing Moscow’s justification for the assault — accused the EU of “hating the Russian Federation” and urged it to “come up with a peace plan for both countries.”

Hungarian state media often suggest that the Ukraine conflict could lead to World War III or make unsubstantiated claims about the forcible recruitment of Ukrainian men for the battlefield.

Even Kyiv’s staunchest allies, such as Poland, are not immune to the propaganda flooding the Internet since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Angry Polish farmers have protested about cheaper Ukrainian grain imports and claims are rife on Polish social media that refugees flood the labor markets, undercut wages, or receive welfare payouts that locals can only dream about.

“The message is ‘this is the Ukrainian gratitude for your help’, ‘they are using us’ and ‘they don’t respect us’,” said Andrzej Kozlowski, cybersecurity and disinformation expert at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation in Warsaw, Poland.

Farmers’ protests across Europe in early 2024 have been weaponized by Russian propagandists and far-right parties in many European countries.

These protests “have become a top priority for the Russian disinformation machine” ahead of upcoming elections in Poland in April and the EU vote in June, Kozlowski told AFP.

According to an Ipsos poll from February 2024, the far-right Confederation — the only party in the Polish parliament not to unequivocally condemn the Russian invasion — is gaining support the fastest and could get 12 percent at local elections on April 7.

“At the beginning, we were laughing at Russian disinformation, but statistics show that support for Ukrainian refugees and immigrants in Poland is getting lower, and so is support for sending ammunition and weapons to Ukraine,” Kozlowski said.

Hybrid CoE’s Kalensky believes the biggest challenge for Europe will be to remain united and resist the flood of disinformation.

“The Russians are experts at playing the long game,” Kalensky said. “They know that if they repeat a lie 100 times it will eventually become the truth.”

ALSO READ: Ukraine should negotiate to end Russia war, says Pope

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Ukraine should negotiate to end Russia war, says Pope

The pope made his appeal during an interview recorded last month with Swiss broadcaster RSI, which was partially released on Saturday….reports Asian Lite News

Pope Francis said in an interview that Ukraine, facing a possible defeat, should have the courage to negotiate an end to the war with Russia and not be ashamed to sit at the same table to carry out peace talks.

The pope made his appeal during an interview recorded last month with Swiss broadcaster RSI, which was partially released on Saturday.

“I think that the strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people and has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates,” Francis said, adding that talks should take place with the help of international powers.

Ukraine remains firm on not engaging directly with Russia on peace talks, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said multiple times the initiative in peace negotiations must belong to the country which has been invaded.

Russia is gaining momentum on the battlefield in the war now in its third year and Ukraine is running low on ammunition. Meanwhile, some of Ukraine’s allies in the West are delicately raising the prospect of sending troops.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Saturday that Francis picked up the “white flag” term that had been used by the interviewer. He issued a statement of clarification after the pope’s “white flag” comments sparked criticism that he was siding with Russia in the conflict.

Throughout the war, Francis has tried to maintain the Vatican’s traditional diplomatic neutrality, but that has often been accompanied by apparent sympathy with the Russian rationale for invading Ukraine, such as when he noted that NATO was “barking at Russia’s door” with its eastward expansion. Francis said in the RSI interview that “the word negotiate is a courageous word.”

“When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate,” he said. “Negotiations are never a surrender.”

The pope also reminded people that some countries have offered to act as mediators in the conflict.

“Today, for example, in the war in Ukraine, there are many who want to mediate,” he said. “Turkiye has offered itself for this. And others. Do not be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — whose NATO-member country has sought to balance its close relations with both Ukraine and Russia — has offered during a visit Friday from Zelensky to host a peace summit between the two countries.

ALSO READ: Cameron urges Israel to open more aid crossings  

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Iran, EU To Continue Talks On Sanctions Removal

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Ali Bagheri Kani and EU’s deputy foreign policy chief, Enrique Mora had recently met in the Qatari capital Doha, reports Asian Lite News

 Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Ali Bagheri Kani, has said that consultations would continue with the EU on issues of common interest, including the removal of sanctions on Tehran.

He made the remarks on Friday on social media platform X while elaborating on his recent meeting in the Qatari capital Doha with the EU’s deputy foreign policy chief, Enrique Mora, and the bloc’s Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans, without specifying the date of the meeting.

Bagheri Kani said, “I had a useful meeting with Mora and Koopmans,” noting that such consultations would continue to further address matters of mutual concern, such as lifting the sanctions on Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mora also wrote in a post on X that he had met Bagheri Kani in Doha, listing their meeting’s topics as “Iran-Russia military cooperation, Gaza war and regional dimension, nuclear commitments and sanctions lifting in JCPOA framework, and bilateral issues”.

The JCPOA, short for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, is a nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers in July 2015. Under the deal, Iran agreed to put some curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. The US, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed its unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments.

The talks on the revival of the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna, Austria. Despite several rounds of talks, no significant breakthrough has been achieved since the end of the last round in August 2022.

ALSO READ: US urges Iran to dilute all its weapons-grade uranium

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EU Launches Gaza Aid Project

The European Commission has launched the project to establish a maritime aid corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, reports Asian Lite News

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced the immediate launch of a project to establish a maritime aid corridor from Cyprus to Gaza.

“We are now very close to opening this corridor, hopefully this Saturday-Sunday, and I’m very glad to see an initial pilot will be launched today,” she told journalists on Friday after visiting Cyprus’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in the port city of Larnaca, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We are launching this Cyprus maritime corridor together: the EU, the UAE and the US,” she added.

In a joint statement endorsed by the European Commission, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Cyprus, the UAE, the UK, and the US, the European Commission said: “Together, our nations intend to build on this model to deliver significant additional aid by sea, working in coordination with UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag — who is charged with facilitating, coordinating, monitoring and verifying the flow of aid into Gaza under UN Security Council Resolution 2720.”

The Amalthea Initiative was proposed by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides due to Cyprus’ proximity to Gaza. It was coordinated by the UAE, aiming for shipment before the start of the Muslim month of Ramadan.

The US has pledged to construct a floating platform off the coast of Gaza for the unloading of aid, while Israeli officials have vetted the aid to address concerns about potential military equipment.

The death toll of Palestinians from the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,878, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Friday.

Five months ago, Israel began a large-scale military campaign against Gaza in response to a surprise Hamas attack on Israeli towns adjacent to the enclave, in which Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and took more than 200 others as hostages.

ALSO READ: UAE Condemns Israel’s Approval Of New Settlements

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Biden knocks Trump over NATO, democracy

Speaking before a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Biden opened his remarks with a direct criticism of Trump…reports Asian Lite News

President Joe Biden declared democracy under threat at home and abroad and called former President Donald Trump’s position on NATO unacceptable on Thursday in a State of the Union speech designed to contrast visions with his 2024 Republican opponent.

Biden, speaking before a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate, opened his remarks with a direct criticism of Trump for comments inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade other NATO nations if they did not spend more on defense.

“Now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, ‘Do whatever you want,’” Biden said. “I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous and it’s unacceptable.”

Biden, who has been pushing Congress to provide additional funding to Ukraine for its war with Russia, also had a message for Putin: “We will not walk away,” he said.

The president drew a contrast with Trump, his Republican challenger in the Nov. 5 election, over democracy, abortion rights and the economy during a speech that Democrats see as a high profile chance for Biden to press his case for a second term in front of a rare TV audience of millions of Americans.

Biden, suffering from low approval ratings, faces discontent among progressives in his party about his support for Israel in its war against Hamas and from Republicans over his stance on immigration.

Some lawmakers wore ceasefire pins to signal their protest, but many chanted, “Four more years!” as he entered the chamber.

Multiple women lawmakers in the audience wore white to promote reproductive rights.

Biden highlighted the threats to democracy he argues Trump poses as the former president repeats false claims about his 2020 election loss and proposes jailing political enemies.

“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, equality,” Biden will say, according to speech excerpts released ahead of time. “Now some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That’s not me.”

Trump, who is facing multiple criminal charges as he fights for re-election, says he plans to punish political foes and deport millions of migrants if he wins a second White House term. Representative Troy Nehls, a Republican, wore a shirt with Trump’s face and the words “Never surrender” on it.

Age, economy at issue

Opinion polls show Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, closely matched in the race. Most American voters are unenthusiastic about the rematch after Biden defeated Trump four years ago.

The president’s reference to “other people my age” is an attempt to underscore that the two men are both old. Biden, who has faced concerns about his mental acuity, was not expected to mention Trump, who also makes regular gaffes and verbal slip-ups, by name.

The speech may be the Democratic president’s biggest stage to reach voters weighing whether to vote for him, choose Trump, or sit out the election. Nikki Haley, Trump’s last remaining rival for his party’s presidential nomination, dropped out on Wednesday.

Biden sought to burnish his reputation with Americans about the strength of the US economy and renew his quest to make wealthy Americans and corporations pay more in taxes, unveiling proposals including higher minimum taxes for companies and Americans with wealth over $100 million.

Any such tax reform is unlikely to pass unless Democrats win strong majorities in both houses of Congress in the November vote, which is not forecast.

Biden also proposed new measures to lower housing costs, including a $10,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers — an acknowledgement of consumers’ distress over high mortgage interest rates — while boasting of USeconomic progress under his tenure.

“I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history. And we have. It doesn’t make the news, but in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told,” Biden will say of his economic record since 2021, according to excerpts.

The US economy is performing better than most high-income countries, with continued job growth and consumer spending.

However, Republican voters tell pollsters they are deeply dissatisfied with the economy, and Americans overall give Trump better marks in polls for economic issues.

“Joe Biden is on the run from his record … to escape accountability for the horrific devastation he and his party have created,” Trump posted before the speech on his Truth Social platform.

Gaza port, Ukraine funds

Biden was expected to try to cool anger among many Democrats over his support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. He will announce during the speech that the US military will build a port on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast to receive humanitarian assistance by sea, US officials told reporters.

Biden used the speech to push, again, for a $95 billion aid package for weapons to Ukraine and aid to Israel that has been blocked by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson.

The president’s wife’s guests for the speech include Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who was in Washington as Sweden formally joins NATO on Thursday, two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — indicating Biden will speak on his support for the security alliance, another contrast with Trump.

Other White House guests included people affected by in vitro fertilization or abortion restrictions, a veteran of the 1965 Bloody Sunday attack on Black marchers in Selma, Alabama, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain and others.

US Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, who will deliver Republicans’ formal response to Biden’s speech, planned to attack him over immigration and the economy.

ALSO READ-Biden Fires Back at Trump, Challenges Putin

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Leaders Targeted: Missile Scare in Odesa

The strike resulted in the loss of five lives, with numerous others sustaining injuries…reports Asian Lite News

A Russian missile struck close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis while they were visiting the Black Sea port city of Odesa on Wednesday, CNN reported.

The shocking incident unfolded with the group feeling the impact of the strike and witnessing a disconcerting “mushroom cloud” of smoke, placing the location of the explosion merely 500 meters from the convoy.

The strike resulted in the loss of five lives, with numerous others sustaining injuries, as reported by Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, however, both Zelenskyy and Mitsotakis emerged unscathed despite the proximity of the missile explosion, according to CNN.

Zelenskyy, known for his daring trips to the front lines and hosting numerous world leaders amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, faced what could be considered one of his closest calls yet.

Expressing the intensity of the situation, Zelenskyy, who was close enough to witness and hear the strike, emphasised the indiscriminate nature of the attacks.

“We saw this strike today. You can see who we are dealing with; they don’t care where they strike,” he declared solemnly from Odesa. The gravity of the situation was underscored by Mitsotakis, the leader of a NATO member state, acknowledging the dangers inherent in such visits and the potential global repercussions of the escalating conflict.

Reflecting on the near-miss, Zelenskyy called for a robust air defence system to safeguard against future attacks. “We need to defend ourselves first and foremost. The best way to do that is with an air defence system,” he asserted, emphasising the urgency of bolstering the nation’s defences.

Mitsotakis shared his account of the incident, recounting a tour of the beleaguered southern city provided by Zelenskyy. The city, ravaged by months of Russian strikes, bore witness to yet another reminder of the ongoing war.

“Shortly after, as we were getting into our cars, we heard a big explosion,” Mitsotakis stated, acknowledging the stark reality that war isn’t confined to the front lines but impacts innocent civilians daily, as reported by CNN.

Strategically located at the mouth of the Danube River, Odesa holds crucial importance for Ukraine’s grain exports, a target that Russia has persistently sought to disrupt since the onset of its invasion. Additionally, Odesa serves as the main base for Ukraine’s navy, making it a focal point in the conflict.

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the missile strike at 11:40 am (Moscow time), targeting a hangar in the industrial port district where preparations for the combat use of unmanned boats were underway.

While Russia’s intensified strikes on the region have raised concerns, Saturday’s drone attack on an apartment block in Odesa resulted in the tragic loss of 12 lives, including five children. Zelenskyy, in response to these incidents, emphasised the critical need for reinforcing the country’s air defences, urging the international community to provide additional support.

As the situation escalated, the White House seized on the opportunity to press for urgent military assistance to Ukraine. With President Joe Biden’s USD60 billion aid request stalled, a National Security Council spokesperson highlighted the strike as another stark reminder of Russia’s relentless attacks, urging House Speaker Mike Johnson to expedite a vote on the aid package.

European Council President Charles Michel condemned the strike as a manifestation of Russia’s “cowardly tactics,” asserting that they were “below even the Kremlin’s playbook.” Michel, who himself experienced the impact of Russian aggression in Odesa back in May 2022, emphasised the gravity of the situation, calling for a united front against Russia’s belligerence, as reported by CNN. (ANI)

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