➡️ German Chancellor Scholz Arrives in Kiev for First Time in 2.5 Years

His arrival coincides with an announcement by Berlin of an additional €650mn in military aid - to be delivered by the end of the year.

It is not clear at this time whether the cash aid was in Scholz’s suitcase.

@RiseGS

❌ Iranian militias enter Syria to help Assad fight western-backed uprising

“These are fresh reinforcements being sent to aid our comrades on the front lines in the north,” a senior Syrian army source said, adding the militias included Iraq’s Katiab Hezbollah, Fatemiyoun and Hashd al Shaabi fighters.

Moscow’s air force has come to Assad’s aid once more, after “rebels” drove the Syrian army out of Aleppo and Idlib on Sunday.

The conflict also appeared to be widening, with Turkish-backed forces reportedly attacking the PKK/YPG group.

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⚠️ Marine Le Pen issues ultimatum to French PM

The National Rally leader has threatened to back a motion of no confidence against the government if the prime minister does not negotiate a budget deal with her party.

“All Mr Barnier has to do is agree to negotiate,” Le Pen said to La Tribune Dimanche. Adding: “If he doesn’t want to do that, he is the one who is taking the decision to trigger a vote of no confidence.”

Le Pen acknowledged that talks between the National Rally and the conservative prime minister had been going on for two weeks, but noted: “This is not progressing as we would wish.”

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❌ NEW. Summit between Turkey, Iran and Russia must be convened ASAP, at foreign ministerial level to discuss Syria situ - Iranian FM

Aragchi said talks with Turkey’s Fidan in Ankara were “very direct, transparent, constructive and friendly.”

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📉 French stock market plunges as Macron’s govt faces collapse

The Cac 40 index dropped as much as 1.2% to 7,146.02 points, with the euro stuck around 14-month lows.

French PM Michel Barnier is set to present a social security financing plan later Monday that has faced widespread opposition from across the political spectrum.

Lacking a majority, Barnier could use executive powers to force through the legislation without a vote.

Such a move would expose him to a vote of no confidence within days, with the left wing and Le Pen’s RN willing to back a motion to bring down the govt.

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🤔 NEW: OpenAI discussing plans to introduce advertising to its artificial intelligence products - FT

The ChatGPT maker is seeking new revenue sources as it restructures as a for-profit company.

Next up… the big data sell off?

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🇺🇦💬🇰🇵🇷🇺 Zelensky knows that there are dead and wounded North Korean soldiers but he can't provide any exact numbers - or proof!

🔴@DDGeopolitics

🤥 “No One is Above the Law” - Joe Biden, Less than Six Months Ago

Ol’ Joe even explained how the US was “founded on the principle that there are no kings in America…” - but there is a ‘Big Guy’ and nobody will stop him keeping his 10%.

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⚠️ JUST IN: Unknown Person Fires Tear Gas in Berlin Elementary School - at Least 22 Children Hospitalized (Berliner Zeitung)

One child is seriously injured, while 43 in total suffered respiratory issues.

Police are searching the Weißensee school area for a suspect - it is unclear whether an adult or a child is responsible for the incident.

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😮 French Centaur Vehicles Sent to New Caledonia Protests Rendered Useless as Electrics Fail in Heat & Humidity

The security vehicles cost €500k a pop - with 16 of them unusable and unable to be returned.

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🤔 Poland Shutters Russian Oil Pipeline after Leak

Poland has closed a branch of the Druzhba pipeline after detecting a leak, Bloomberg reported.

The Druzhba pipeline carries Russian crude to Central Europe. Germany buys it in Poland for two of its refineries, one of them formerly owned by Russia's Rosneft.

The cause of the incident is currently unknown, and an investigation is underway.

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⚠️ JUST IN: French PM Michel Barnier forces budget bill through parliament - the move is expected to trigger vote of no-confidence

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❌ Kiev Post concedes Ukraine has trained Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Al-Nusra and many other terrorist factions

Nothing says the good guys like training terror cells.

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💰 NEW: US preparing to send further $725mn in military aid to Ukraine (AP)

The taxpayers gift includes controversial anti-personnel mines as well as counter-drone systems.

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⚠️ Israeli soldiers shot 9-year-old Kareem in the neck while he was en route to the shops - paralysing him for life from the waist down (Sky News)

The IDF has murdered 170 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank over the last year and injured some 1,400 more.

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🅰️ NEW: Motion of no-confidence filed against French PM Michel Barnier - with a vote expected on Wednesday (CNN)

The French minority coalition govt appears to be on the verge of collapse.

@RiseGS