General announces France’s most immediate military enemy
France24, 7/11–The head of the French army, General Thierry Burkhard, said that France was Russia’s “main enemy in Europe” as he held a rare press conference in Paris on Friday in a context of what the Élysée Palace of described as "worsening international threats"... President Emmanuel Macron will make "major announcements" when he gives a planned speech to members of the armed forces in two days' time…Burkhard said Russia saw Paris as a primary adversary largely due to French support for Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion. “It was [Vladimir] Putin who said” this, the general added.
Israeli goals in conflict with Iran become clearer
Foreign Affairs, 7/11– The core objectives of Operation Rising Lion were to inflict significant and long-term damage on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, to create the conditions for a better nuclear agreement, and to further degrade Iran’s network of regional proxies. Israel also hoped that the attack would destabilize the Iranian regime, potentially facilitating its collapse…Israel began its operations with a precision decapitation strike that killed approximately 20 high-ranking military commanders…
Capitalist battle for DR Congo resources continues
BBC, 7/12–M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo recently allowed the BBC to visit a huge mining site under their control which is vital to the production of the world's mobile phones…"We usually have more than 10,000 or more people working here daily," Patrice Musafiri, who has supervised the Rubaya mining site since the rebels took control of it in April last year…lush Masisi Hills of North Kivu province…holds 15% of the world's coltan supply and half of the DR Congo's total deposits…a ceasefire deal was signed in Washington by DR Congo and Rwanda…The US's involvement in the process seems to hinge on getting access to DR Congo's mineral resources
Israelis continue to kill hungry and thirsty children
Al Jazeera, 7/13–At least 10 Palestinians have been killed at a water collection point in central Gaza, six of them children, as famine spreads in the besieged enclave and food and water supplies remain at critically low levels. Israeli forces on Sunday killed at least 92 Palestinians…The attack on the water distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp, which also wounded 16 people, came as the Israeli military steps up attacks as it prepares to force the entire population of Gaza into a concentration zone in the south.“Even though water is not suitable for drinking as most of the time it’s contaminated, thirst is … nearly 800 Palestinians have been killed since the GHF began distributing food parcels in Gaza at the end of May…
China and Russia meet to discuss next steps in Ukraine
Nikkei Asia, 7/14–Russia's and China's foreign ministers on Sunday discussed their relations with the United States and the prospects for ending the war in Ukraine, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement…"The parties also discussed relations with the United States and prospects for resolving the Ukrainian crisis"... China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. Putin has sometimes described China as an "ally." The U.S. casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat.
Philadelphia municipal union ends strike with agreement, giving workers tiny pay raise
New York Times, 7/9– Philadelphia’s largest public sector union reached a tentative labor agreement early Wednesday morning with the city’s mayor, ending an eight-day strike that had halted trash collection and other service. Philadelphia’s largest public sector union reached a tentative labor agreement early Wednesday morning with the city’s mayor, ending an eight-day strike that had halted trash collection and other services… a three-year contract that would mean a 14 percent pay increase for union members over the four years…The deal still has to be ratified by the union’s members. Its leader was among those with reservations about the deal right away. “I’m not happy or satisfied with the outcome,” Greg Boulware, the union’s president, told reporters early Wednesday morning.
