Informational Materials

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 08/09/2021 9:32:51 AM

08/06/21 Friday

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

IDF Strikes Targets in Gaza in Response to Incendiary Balloons After Unrelated Explosions Rock City by Morgan Artvukhina

Explosions were reported in Gaza early Saturday morning several hours after several brush fires in southern Israel, which the Israeli authorities said were caused by incendiary bombs launched from Gaza. While the Israeli Defense Forces denied responsibility for the explosions, real strikes soon began. Several unmanned aerial vehicles were reportedly operating over the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning. According to Quds News, there were explosions reported on agricultural land north of Beit Lahia, a city in the northern Gaza Strip, while another explosion was reported in central Gaza. Despite reports of IDF activity, conflicting reports also claim the explosions were the result of grenades. Additionally, the Times of Israel reported that the IDF wasn't conducting combat operations over the territory at that time. A reporter with Palestinian outlet Shehab News also reported the explosion in Beit Lahia was "internal." About an hour after the first explosions were reported, anti-aircraft guns were reported engaging Israeli Air Force aircraft as several explosions were reported in the central city of Khan Younis as well as at the civil administration building in Jabaliva in the northern Gaza Strip. Footage of anti-aircraft fire in northern Gaza was posted on social media. After another hour, another set of airstrikes were reported in Beit Hanoun in northeastern Gaza and the civil administration building in Jabaliya was reportedly struck for a second time by IAF jets. The IDF confirmed the strikes in a tweet on early Saturday, saying its fighter jets "attacked a terrorist base used by the Kfar Jabalya battalion of [Hamas], as well as the organization's rocket launching station near the village". On Friday, four brush fires in southern Israel were blamed on incendiary balloons launched from Gaza. Also on Friday, Hezbollah launched nearly two dozen rockets from southern Lebanoninto northern Israel and the Golan Heights, saying it was in response to earlier airstrikes by the IDF. However, an IDF spokesperson said the launches were not intended to be provocative as they were aimed at empty ground, so the risk of further escalation was low.

US Investor Calvey Receives 5 Years 6 Months of Suspended Sentence

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by Morgan Artvukhina

A Moscow court has given American investor Michael Calvey a suspended sentence of five-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty on embezzlement charges. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison in Russia. Calvey, who founded private equity group Baring Vostok, was arrested in 2019 alongside other executives on charges of embezzling 2.5 billion rubles (nearly $34 million) from Russia's Vostochny Bank. “The court found [the defendants] committed embezzlement, that is, theft of property entrusted to the accused, using their official position, on an especially large scale,” Judge Anna Sokova of Moscow's Meshchansky District Court announced on Thursday. When US President Joe Biden met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland, in June, he suggested Calvey's prosecution had put a damper on American businessmen's interest in doing business in Russia. US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan has also condemned Calvey's charges, saying it was "clearly a private business dispute." In addition to Calvey, French banker Philippe Delpal, a partner in the firm, was given a suspended sentence of four years and six months.

Videos: Lebanese Party Says Civilians Stopping Hezbollah Rocket Convoy Was ‘Misunderstanding’ by Morgan Artvukhina

After Hezbollah fighters fired rockets into Israel from southern Lebanon on Friday, their trucks were stopped by locals as they drove through a nearby town. The United Nations is urging calm, but the Israeli military seems to think the risk of escalation is low. On Friday morning, Hezbollah fired 19 rockets into northern Israel and the Golan Heights, 10 of which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. According to the Lebanese militant group, the launches were in response to Israeli airstrikes the day before. Those, in turn, were launched after an earlier round of rockets were fired into Israel from southern Lebanon. However, some time afterward, as the truck-mounted rocket launcher was driving through the town of Shouya, a group of several dozen residents mobbed the truck in the town square, pulling the crew members from the vehicle. According to the Times of Israel. Shouya is a town of Druze, an ethnoreligious group distantly related to Muslims, but who in Lebanon’s factional political structure are treated as one of five Muslim communities in the country. Video posted on social media shows the protesters yelling as one person filming the conflagration says “let the whole world see, Hezbollah is launching rockets next to our houses so that Israel hits us back.” After the incident, Hezbollah issued a statement verifying the incident occurred, but adding that the group “was, and is, and will always be the most careful about the security of civilians and not expose them to any danger during its work of resistance.”

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Separately, a spokesperson from the Lebanese Democratic Party, whose major constituency is Druze, was reported to have said, "There was a misunderstanding in Shwayya after some civilians thought that the truck belongs to fifth columnists, and the Resistance has the right to fire rockets from wherever they want." Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem told reporters later on Friday that the group was “prepared to respond” to another potential Israeli strike on Lebanese territory. “Israel must understand that it must stay deterred. Otherwise, we are prepared to respond,” he said, according to the Times of Israel. Hezbollah also released a video of the earlier rocket attack. After the Friday rocket launches, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is formally charged with keeping the peace between the Litani River and the Blue Line that forms the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon, said the force was coordinating a response with the Lebanese Army. “This is a very serious situation and we urge all parties to cease fire,” Gen. Stefano Del Col, an Italian commander at the head of UNIFIL, said in a statement. Samir Geagea, who leads the Lebanese Forces, a far-right Christian party descended from the fascist Kataeb and staunchly opposed to Hezbollah, said on Twitter that "what is happening in the south is dangerous, very dangerous, especially in light of the great tension emerging in the region.” However, it seems that for now, Israel has “no intention of going to war, but we do not want to turn the Lebanon border into a line of confrontation,” Ran Kochav, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces, told reporters. “The incident shows Hezbollah’s deterrence, as it fired at open areas,” he added, explaining that the rocket launches were primarily intended to make a point, not to destroy or kill. “This is a moderate response from Hezbollah, [so] as to not escalate the situation.” Nonetheless, Israeli Defense Ministry Benny Gantz told US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday that the country is "prepared for any scenario, and will continue to operate against Hezbollah or any of its proxies," according to Reuters. He added that "additional action must be taken in order to thwart Iranian malign activities, including its nuclear program and attacks in the region and in particular its use of UAVs and missiles." Later on Friday, the US State Department issued a statement condemning Hezbollah's rocket launches after Gantz asked Washington to do so. “The United States condemns in the strongest terms Hezbollah’s rocket attacks into Israel. This violence puts Israelis and Lebanese at risk and jeopardizes Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty,” spokesperson Ned Price said. “We call upon the Lebanese government urgently to prevent such attacks and bring the area under its control,” he added. “We also urge the Lebanese government to facilitate full access for UNIFIL peacekeepers in accordance with UNSCR [United Nations Security Council Resolution] 1701. We strongly encourage all efforts to maintain calm.” This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

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Tale of Two Responses: China Tests ‘Zero Tolerance’ to Delta Variant as US Dodges New Lockdowns by Morgan Artvukhina

China has adopted a “zero tolerance” approach to new cases of the highly infective Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. As the country faces its largest outbreak in a year, their response is sharply contrasted by the US government’s, which won’t even consider lockdowns amid its own Delta-driven surge. On Thursday, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) reported 124 new cases across the country, the most in a single day in more than a year, and three times what was reported on Wednesday. The largest number of cases were reported in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, where fully half of cases have been found this week, and another 20% were reported in Nanjing, the nearby provincial capital. However, new cases have been reported in at least 40 cities and in 17 of China’s 33 provincial level administrative divisions. In response to the rapidly rising cases, the Chinese government has cancelled most passenger travel into and out of certain hotspots, as well as the capital of Beijing, and implemented mass testing to track down all possible cases of the virus, according to Reuters. Lockdowns, Accountability Zhangjiajie, a city in Hunan province near a major tourist hub to which numerous cases have been traced recently, ordered a total lockdown on Tuesday, barring all 1.5 million residents from leaving their homes and travelers from leaving the city, providing all guests with free hotel stays. COVID-19 tests have been ordered for the entire city as well as many other cities where cases have been found, including the central transit hub of Wuhan, with a population of 11 million. As happened in Wuhan in early 2020, when the initial COVID-19 outbreak occurred, warehouses have swung into high gear, delivering essential goods such as food and medicine to locked-down residents’ homes, the Global Times reported. The lockdown policy is being called a “zero tolerance” approach, according to the South China Morning Post. In outlining the government’s approach to the outbreak, Chinese Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan said on Wednesday that COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control should be "the top priority" of governments at all administrative levels. The Global Times reported on Wednesday that 20 officials had been punished in Zhangjiajie for “slack response” to the outbreak, including Xu Xionghui, head of the Yongding district’s public health department. Meanwhile, authorities continue to push the vaccination campaign forward. According to the NHC. on Friday, a cumulative total of 1.72 billion shots had been administered. Unfortunately, the metric gives no indication by itself of how many people have been fully vaccinated versus receiving just the first of two doses, but the AP reported that more than 40% of the country’s 1.4 billion people were fully protected. Since the beginning of the pandemic, China has recorded a total of just 93,500 cases and 4,636 deaths, the vast majority of them during the first few months of the outbreak in 2019 and 2020, as a complete mass lockdown and rigorous tracing campaign totally snuffed out the virus in the country.

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The recent outbreak of the Delta variant in China has been traced to a single airliner flight from Moscow to Nanjing on July 10, which carried seven infected people on board. By comparison, the US has recorded 35.6 million cases of COVID-19 and 615,000 deaths, according to CDC data - the most deaths of any country, officially, although the uncounted dead in India from a massive outbreak earlier this year is believed to top 1 million and might be as many as 5 million, according to one estimate. US Relies on Vaccine to Blunt Outbreak An outbreak of COVID-19 driven by the Delta variant is also exploding in the United States, but the government’s response couldn’t be more starkly different from China’s. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 120,000 new cases of COVID-19 nationwide on Thursday, part of a sharp increase from just 11,000 cases a month prior. However, both federal and state governments have remained hostile to the idea of new lockdowns after the country opened up in the late spring amid rapidly declining cases and rising vaccination rates. Instead, officials have put their entire faith in vaccination, despite growing evidence that fully vaccinated people are still capable of being infected by and spreading the Delta variant, albeit at much reduced rates compared to unvaccinated people. On Friday, the CDC reported that 50% of the US population had been fully vaccinated and that since some moderate responses began last week, such as cities like Washington, DC, beginning new indoor mask mandates, and companies and government agencies introducing or considering vaccination requirements for employees, daily vaccination rates have increased somewhat. Still, in some of the hardest hit areas of the US, vaccination rates are as low as 35%, while the highest vaccination rates in states like Vermont approach 75% of the population. CDC Director Rochelle Walenskv warned of the problem’s danger last month, saying it was creating a “pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Despite the spike, on August 1, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert at the National Institutes for Health (NIH), totally dismissed the notion of a new lockdown, even while admitting that "things are going to get worse.” He said that enough people have been vaccinated that a lockdown was unnecessary, but added it wasn’t “enough to crush the outbreak, but I believe enough to not allow us to get into the situation we were in last winter," when at its worst, more than 300,000 new cases and more than 4,000 deaths were being reported daily and nearly 100.000 Americans died in January 2021 alone. "We have 100 million people in this country who are eligible to be vaccinated who are not getting vaccinated," said Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Contempt for Public Health In some areas of the country, public health measures become part of the partisan battlefield and conservative politicians, posturing against the liberal administration of US President Joe Biden, have not just expressed their contempt for mask mandates, vaccinations, and lockdowns, but taken formal legal and executive action to prevent them. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed the slogan “Don’t Fauci My Florida,” boasted of the money saved by ending lockdowns early, and issued an executive order blocking schools from requiring children to wear masks; in Texas, Governor Mark Abbott threatened to sue the

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city government in the capital of Austin if it attempted to extend a government mask mandate and later issued an executive order banning pandemic mandates altogether: in Arkansas, Governor Asa Hutchinson is now expressing rearetafter having signed an anti-mask law back in April. "The silver lining of this is that people are waking up to this, and this may be a tipping point for those who have been hesitant," NIH Director Francis Collins told CNN on Sunday. "That's what desperately needs to happen if we're going to get this Delta variant put back in its place, because right now it's having a pretty big party in the middle of the country."

Cuomo Aide Who Claimed NY Governor Groped Her Breast Files Criminal Complaint in Albany by Evan Craighead

New York Attorney General Letitia James' independent probe on sexual misconduct allegations leveled against NY Governor Andrew Cuomo concluded earlier this week, reporting numerous instances in which the 63-year-old made unwanted sexual advances toward women, including staffers. Despite the determination, the NY AG did not issue criminal charges. The Albany County Sheriffs Office confirmed on Friday that a female aide who accused Cuomo of groping her breast has officially filed a criminal complaint with authorities in New York's Albany County. Speaking to the New York Post. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple asserted the New York Governor could actually be arrested if the woman's allegations are substantiated by the jurisdiction's district attorney's office. "The end result could either be it sounds substantiated and an arrest is made and it would be up to the DA to prosecute the arrest," Apple said. "Just because of who it is we are not going to rush it or delay it." The Thursday filing comes as the first known criminal complaint in which a woman accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct. Per the 168-paae NY AG report, the aide - identified as "Executive Assistant #1" - testified to independent investigators Joon H. Kim and Anne L. Clark that Cuomo engaged in a "pattern of inappropriate conduct" with her since late 2019. The New York Governor's alleged misconduct included "close and intimate hugs," butt-grabbing and kisses on the cheek - with at least one of them being on the lips. Cuomo's misconduct rose to a new level in November 2020, when he reportedly "reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast" while hugging her at the Executive Mansion. The aide told investigators that she responded by pulling away from Cuomo, calling him "crazy." "And I remember thinking to myself who—I knew what just went on, I knew and he knew too that was wrong. And that I in no way, shape or form invited that, nor did I ask for it. I didn’t want it," she testified. "I feel like I was being taken advantage of."

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The New York Governor claims that it was the aide, not him, who initiated the "tight hugs," and he just went along with the interaction because he did not "want to make anyone feel awkward about anything." He denied groping the aide's breast. Though the aide planned to keep silent about the groping incident and take the story "to the grave," she made her colleagues aware of their interaction after the New York Governor claimed that he had "never touched anyone inappropriately." Despite calls for his resignation from state-level Democratic colleagues and even US President Joe Biden, Cuomo has maintained that he has done nothing criminal. "We take every complaint seriously," said Albany County Undersheriff William Rice, as reported by the Associated Press. The DA's office in Albany County is one of several New York jurisdictions to formally announce it is seeking evidence from both the NY AG and Cuomo's accusers in order to determine whether the 63-year-old's alleged conduct amounts to criminal charges. Additionally, members of the New York State Assembly plan to have discussions next week on whether to begin impeachment proceedings. A majority of Assembly lawmakers have expressed support for authorizing an impeachment trial if Cuomo refuses to resign.

Arizona State Senator Arrested on Charges of Molestation, Sexual Conduct With a Minor by Evan Craighead

Democratic Arizona State Sen. Otoniel "Tony" Navarrete announced earlier this week that he tested positive for COVID-19, and originally planned to self-isolate at home while recovering. Navarrete served as an Arizona state representative from 2016 to 2018, when he was first elected to the state senate. Navarrete, 35, made his first appearance in Arizona's Maricopa Countv Superior Courton Friday - one day after he was arrested on suspicion of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor in 2019. Commissioner Steve McCarthy announced aloud that Navarrete is facing a number of felonies: molestation of a child; sexual conduct with a minor; and attempted sexual conduct with a minor. Police first received the alleged victim's report on Wednesday, and developed probable cause for the arrest after interviewing the "juvenile victim," according to a release from the Phoenix Police Department. The judge also imposed a $50,000 secure bail bond on Navarrete, rejecting the defense attorney's argument that the 35-year-old is not a flight risk due to his lack of a criminal record. Navarrete may not have any contact with minors - including family members - amid the proceedings, and must wear an electronic device that monitors his location. The lawmaker is also expected to surrender his passport on August 12, the date of his next court appearance. A preliminary hearing on the case is scheduled for August 16, at 10:30 a.m. local time.

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Authorities have remained tight-lipped about certain details of the case. Phoenix Police spokesperson Sgt. Andrew Williams informed the Associated Press that details were limited out of respect for the alleged victim. Arizona Senate Democrats issued a news release on Friday asserting that they "stand with all survivors of sexual assault." "We are deeply disturbed by what we've learned from recent media reports about the arrest of Senator Tony Navarrete," wrote the Democratic state senators. "These allegations and [this] arrest are serious and deeply troubling. Right now, it's important to allow for due process to take place through our judicial system. We are closely monitoring the situation and are anxious for the facts of this ongoing investigation to be revealed." Meanwhile, Republican Arizona State Sen. Kelly Townsend tweeted that she views Navarrete as "innocent until proven guilty." "However," she continued, "if it's true then I don't ever want to lay eyes on you again, [Navarrete]. I pray for your victims and I demand justice be done to it's [sic] fullest extent."

Biden Appoints Envoy to Oversee US-Germany Deal on Nord Stream 2 - Reports

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden has appointed a special energy envoy Amos Hochstein to oversee the implementation of the July deal between Washington and Berlin on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, Axios reported Monday citing sources. Hochstein was formerly the US Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. He stepped down from the supervisory board of Ukraine's Naftogaz in October 2020 and has prominently expressed opposition to the Nord Stream 2 project. The new Biden appointee will focus primarily on the pipeline deal but will also play a broader global energy role in the administration, the report said. A source close to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that the Ukrainians remain open-minded about Hochstein and do not doubt his good faith, according to the report. A source cited in the report said that Germany had also established its own special envoy to deal directly with the US side. In July, Germany and the US struck a deal that implies the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline without the threat of American sanctions. Among the conditions stipulated in the deal, Germany vowed to prevent Russia from "using energy as a weapon" and to use all possible leverage to prolong Russian gas transit through Ukraine.

US Cannot Delay 'Ambitious'Action to Tackle Climate Change - State Department

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WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United States cannot delay the ambitious action to tackle climate change, the US State Department said on Monday commenting on the recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Earlier in the day, the IPCC released a report saying that the global temperature has increased by 0.99 degrees Celsius (1.78 degrees Fahrenheit) in the last 20 years, compared with the 1850-1900 period, and will keep rising and fueling highly destructive natural phenomena. "This is why the United States has committed to a 50-52 percent reduction in emissions from 2005 levels in 2030 and is marshaling the entire federal government to tackle the climate crisis. We cannot delay ambitious climate action any longer," the state department said. As countries prepare for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the report is a stark reminder that in the world we must let science drive us to action, according to the statement. "This moment requires world leaders, the private sector, and individuals to act together with urgency and do everything it takes to protect our planet and our future in this decade and beyond," it concluded. The IPCC also reported that the sea level increased within the last hundred years, and the land biosphere underwent changes due to global warming. The UN panel also predicted that the ice in the Arctic is likely to fully melt by 2050 due to the increasing global warming.

US Treasury Secretary Yellen Urges Congress to Raise Debt Limit - Statement

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a statement on Monday urged Congress to increase or suspend the debt limit on a bipartisan basis. "In recent years Congress has addressed the debt limit through regular order, with broad bipartisan support. In fact, during the last administration, Democrats and Republicans came together to do their duty three times," the statement said. "Congress should do so again now by increasing or suspending the debt limit on a bipartisan basis." Yellen warned Congress that failure to increase the debt limit would result in irreparable harm to the US economy and the lives of all Americans, the statement said. The secretary also noted that increasing or suspending the debt limit doesn’t automatically increase government spending but simply allows the US Treasury to pay for previously made expenditures. The total public debt of the United States has reached nearly $28.5 trillion in July, according to the last statement published by the US Treasury. In July, the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office said the US government will most likely run out of money between October and November unless the debt ceiling was raised.

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Few Undocumented Migrants on US Southern Border Tested for COVID-19 - Patrol Union

EL PASO, August 6 (Sputnik) - Few undocumented migrants are tested for the novel coronavirus after they are apprehended on the US southern border, National Border Patrol Council Vice President Chris Cabrera told Sputnik. "Very, very few people get tested, for the simple fact that, one, we don't test them but if they're showing signs or symptoms, we’ll send them to the hospital... and the hospital will test them," Cabrera, whose organization is the labor union that represents agents and support personnel assigned to the US Border Patrol, said. Illegal crossings on the US southern border have hit a 20-year high under the Biden administration, with another record-setting month in July, which saw about 210,000 migrant encounters, according to preliminary data from Customers and Border Patrol (CBP). The total number of apprehensions in the region since October - the beginning of the US government’s fiscal year - has now surpassed 1.3 million. Cabrera works in the Rio Grande Valley sector in south Texas, which is the busiest region along the southern border. Migrants who test positive are quarantined in a hotel or in some cases released into communities, Cabrera said. "Infected migrants who are quarantined, they put them in a hotel somewhere but they don’t notify anybody they're going to that hotel and they don't let us know so we can contact trace in case some of our agents may have come in contact with those folks to get tested," Cabrera said. US media reported this week that the Biden administration is planning to offer COVID-19 vaccines to migrants in US custody on the southern border, where illegal crossings have been at the highest levels in more than 20 years. US media reported, citing two Department of Homeland Security officials, that US health officials are struggling with soaring numbers of infections among migrants in federal custody. In mid-July, Axios reported that three in 10 migrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers were declining to take the COVID vaccine when offered to them. As of Tuesday, ICE data shows that 22,827 migrants have tested positive for COVID-19 while in custody and nine have died from the disease throughout the pandemic. At the moment, there are nearly 26,000 migrants in ICE detention centers, 1,120 of whom are infected with the disease, data shows.

US Must Shut Loophole That Releases Most Migrants Arrested at Border - Patrol Union

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EL PASO, August 6 (Sputnik) - US lawmakers must close a legal loophole that has forced authorities to release hundreds of thousands of migrants who were arrested for trying to enter the country illegally, National Border Patrol Council Vice President Chris Cabrera told Sputnik. Illegal crossings on the US southern border have hit a 20-year high under the Biden administration, with another record-setting month in July, which saw about 210,000 migrant encounters, according to preliminary data from Customers and Border Patrol (CBP). The total number of apprehensions in the region since October - the beginning of the US government's fiscal year - has now surpassed 1.3 million. Cabrera, who works in the Rio Grande Valley sector in south Texas, which is the busiest region along the southern border, said "hundreds of thousands" of those apprehended have been released because of current legal provisions. "The vast majority of people who are coming across [the border], regardless of what the reports say... are getting released one way or another," Cabrera, whose organization is the labor union that represents agents and personnel assigned to US Border Patrol, said. "\Ne have the manpower but it's just that it's tied up with this ‘catch and release’ system... what we need is for politicians to get on the ball here and close the loophole." The so-called catch and release system requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release certain asylum-seeking migrants from US custody pending their immigration court proceedings. Migrants released into the community pending their court hearings are usually considered low risk, such as children and families. "Had this been a tax loophole, this thing would've closed the first year," Cabrera said. "This thing has been going on since 2013, people exploiting the asylum system. So that's what needs to be done, people need to stop looking at these folks crossing as a political tool." Cabrera said nearly all the migrants arrested in the Rio Grande Valley sector are being released in the United States. "Very few, at least in this area, get sent back - it's only single adults that get sent back for the most part," he said. Overall, Cabrera said the situation has gotten progressively worse on numerous fronts, pointing to record number of border encounters that has continually spiked since January. "People are coming because of word of mouth advertising and then the dangers are worse right now with the heat," he said. "Then the criminal elements are seeing more and more ways to exploit these people and make money." Recently, CBP has had some 8,000 to 10,000 migrants in custody in the Rio Grande Valley sector that agents are trying to process, Cabrera said. "I’ve never seen it this busy. We still have tons of people that are just getting away from us that are trying to avoid detection because they know that they have a criminal history and if they get caught it's not going to go well for them here, but we don't have the manpower to go after them because our hands are tied with the people that are turning themselves in," Cabrera said. Within the past two weeks alone, he added, they apprehended more than 41,000, the same number seen nationwide in July of 2020. The border patrol agent also warned against making the trip in the first place, considering many have been murdered, beaten, and kidnapped for money. Meanwhile, migrant children, he added, suffer on the treacherous journey from Central America to the United States, exposing them to sexual predators and other dangers.

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"People with no heart have found a way - the criminal element - to exploit these people that are trying to make a better life and the United States has this sense of false hope that if you get here, if you run this gauntlet and if you survive we'll give you free stuff - the reward isn't worth a life," Cabrera said. Cabrera pointed out that migrants coming through the US-Mexico border are not just from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. There have been migrants apprehended who represent 160 countries from all over the world, including Asia, Africa, and Europe. He also opposed President Joe Biden’s decision to end construction of the southern border wail, a move which prompted Texas to begin building it themselves and trying to secure the border with state resources. Cabrera said the Biden administration should seriously consider building additional wall in areas along the US-Mexico border that will help deter migrants trying to sneak into the United States. "The border wall is good for [deterring] people that are trying to avoid detection," Cabrera said. "V\fe do have a big problem with people trying to avoid detection. The border wall works very, very well and that's something that needs to be continued on." Cabrera said the federal government should prioritize securing the border completely before trying to tackle comprehensive immigration reform. He also said it is unfortunate that the state of Texas has to step up and do what the federal government will not. "As a Texan, I'm glad to see that's done. As a federal agent, it's kind of sad that DHS has not taken the problem seriously but the people of Texas are serious about it," the border patrol union executive said. Local residents and ranchers are tired of migrants damaging crops or having their belongings robbed, Cabrera said. "They want some sense of normalcy and security in their life," Cabrera said.

US Perseverance Rover on Mars Fails to Collect Rock Sample on First Attempt - NASA

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The Perseverance Rover failed to collect a rock sample on Mars in its first attempt, NASA said in a press release. "Data sent to Earth by NASA's Perseverance rover after its first attempt to collect a rock sample on Mars and seal it in a sample tube indicate that no rock was collected during the initial sampling activity," the release said on Friday. The Perseverance mission is assembling a response team to assess and resolve the situation, the release said. In a separate statement, NASA said that the rover successfully drilled a hole. The failed attempt to seal a sample in the tube is something that did not occur when the equipment was tested on Earth, NASA said. The rover carries 43 titanium sample tubes and is equipped with a hollow coring bit and percussive drill at the end of tis 7-foot-long robotic arm to extract samples.

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The six-wheel rover that landed on Mars in February is now positioned at a site believed to contain the deepest and most ancient layers of exposed bedrock in a dry lake bed known as the Jezero Crater. The rover will collect two samples at this site, including a specimen for what NASA called "proximity science." The samples will then be sealed and stored for subsequent NASA missions, now in development in with the European Space Agency, that would send spacecraft to Mars to collect the sealed samples and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.

US Condemns Hezbollah Rocket Attacks Against Israel - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United States condemns Hezbollah’s recent rocket attacks against Israel, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. Earlier on Friday, Israel Defense Force spokesman Amnon Shefler said that 19 rockets were fired at Israel from Lebanon, 16 of which managed to cross the border. Shefler Israel managed to intercept ten of the rockets. "The United States condemns in the strongest terms Hezbollah’s rocket attacks into Israel. This violence puts Israelis and Lebanese at risk and jeopardizes Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty," Price said in a statement. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was asked by his Israeli counterpart Benny Gantz on Friday to demand that the Lebanese government stop firing rockets toward Israel, Gantz’s press service said. Price said the United States remains engaged with both Israeli and Lebanese officials. He also called upon the Lebanese government to prevent such attacks and "bring the area under its control," in addition to facilitating full access for peacekeepers of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.

Huawei Revenue Plunges by Nearly 30% as Company Fights to ‘Survive’ - Statement

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei saw its revenue plunge by 29.4 percent in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period last year, financial figures from the company showed. In the first half of 2021, the Shenzhen-based company reported revenues of $49.6 billion (CNY320.4 billion) compared to $64.2 billion (CNY454 billion), Huawei said in a statement on Friday following the release of its business results.

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The company’s biggest losses were in the consumer business division, which saw its year-over-year revenue nosedive by 47 percent from $36.2 billion in sales in the first half of 2020 to $21 billion in 2021. Huawei’s top executive said that the goal is to survive amid pressure from external factors. "Our aim is to survive, and to do so sustainably... despite a decline in revenue from our consumer business caused by external factors, we are confident that our carrier and enterprise businesses will continue to grow steadily." Eric Xu, Huawei's Rotating Chairman said in the statement noting that the company is experiencing "challenging times." Enterprise business was the only division to see positive growth compared to 2021 - 18 percent -while the carrier division declined by 14.2 percent from a year ago, according to the figures. Huawei’s troubles are in large part due to the ongoing US-China trade war, with Washington banning Huawei from obtaining crucial parts, such as semiconductors, and barring it from access to Google's Android operating system. The United States alleges the company is part of China’s intelligence apparatus, while Huawei disputes this assertion.

US States of Florida, Louisiana Hit Record Coronavirus Cases Due to Delta Variant

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The US states of Florida and Louisiana hit record numbers in new daily cases and hospitalizations as the coronavirus Delta variant spreads across the United States. "Louisiana, we remain in a dangerous situation with COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continuing to climb. Today is the fourth day in a row we have broken our own record for hospitalizations, threatening the ability of our hospitals to care for patients," Governor Bel Edwards said in a statement on Friday. As of Friday, the number of people hospitalized in Louisiana due to coronavirus infection is 2,421, according to the state's Health Department. Edwards said unvaccinated residents make up nine out of every ten new cases and 85 percent of deaths reported last week. The Miami Herald reported the state of Florida confirmed 22,783 new cases on Friday, the highest single-day count since the pandemic began last January. The state also reached record-breaking hospitalizations for a fifth consecutive day, currently standing at 13,427, the report added.

Cuomo Lawyers Say Harassment Charges Plot to Remove Him, Ask for Case Transcripts

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NEW YORK, August 6 (Sputnik) - Lawyers for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said there was a plot to drive him from office with unverified accusations of sexual harassment and called for transcripts of witness interviews in the case to be released so that the facts could be fully determined. "In our legal system, both sides are heard and given access to the evidence, but here, instead of acting as independent fact-finders, the investigators acted as prosecutors, judge and jury," Rita Glavin, one of Cuomo’s lawyers, told a media briefing on Friday. "There has been no open-minded fact-finding here in this case. This investigation was conducted in a manner to support a predetermined narrative." On Tuesday, New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced that the investigation into allegations against Cuomo concluded he harassed at least 11 colleagues in violation of state and federal law. The investigation also revealed that he and a senior aide attempted to retaliate against the victims. Since, President Joe Biden, a long-time political ally of Cuomo, has led a growing number of lawmakers and officials in the ruling Democratic party calling on the governor to resign. The New York State Assembly has told Cuomo’s lawyers to provide evidence they may have in his favor in the impeachment proceedings scheduled to begin next week against the governor. Paul Fisherman, a fellow counsel for Cuomo, told Friday’s media briefing that the Attorney General’s chambers did not provide the Cuomo legal team an advance draft of its finding to verify or rebut, prior to publicizing the outcome of the investigation. While that in itself was unusual, more surprising was the absence of full interview transcripts that allow unbiased scrutiny of what witnesses had said or were asked and the context of their responses, he said. "No one was given a transcript of the interviews, not even the witnesses, to verify what they said," Fisherman added. Cuomo denies any allegation of wrongdoing and has refused to resign. On Friday, Cuomo's lawyers contested the timing, venue and detail in the allegations against their client, whom they said was being vilified for normal, everyday interactions, including with his former executive assistant. Glavin said the governor deserves to be treated fairly like anybody else in the United States accused of something. "He is 63 years old. He has spent 40 years in public life. And for him to, all of a sudden, be accused of a sexual assault of an executive assistant that he really doesn't know doesn’t pass muster," she said. A Marist poll released this week showed that nearly two-thirds of New York State residents wanted Cuomo to step down.

US Statement on OSCE Refusal to Send Observers to Russian Elections 'Puzzling' - Antonov

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WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United States' reaction to the decision of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) not to send observers to the parliamentary elections in Russia is puzzling, the Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatloly Antonov said in a statement. On Thursday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the United States regrets the restrictions that prevented the OSCE from observing the parliamentary elections scheduled for September. "The statement by the State Department is puzzling, to put it mildly," Antonov said on Friday. "It seems that the official representative of the State Department is not fully familiar with the situation. \Ne are reminding that the Russian side was ready to receive a group of observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in a number no less than the organization sent to the US presidential elections in 2020. A refusal to send experts is solely the choice of the ODIHR. At the same time, we emphasize that independent and credible monitoring of the voting process should not be tied to the number of observers." Earlier this week, the OSCE ODIHR said it will not send observers to Russia to monitor the September parliamentary elections due to limitations on the number of observers. The OSCE said it believes that limitations were imposed "without any clear pandemic-related restrictions." Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexander Bikantov said on Thursday that Russia regrets the decision made by the OSCE ODIHR not to send observers to Russia to monitor parliamentary elections.

Pakistan Regrets Not Being Invited to UN Security Council Meeting on Afghanistan - Envoy

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Pakistan regrets that it was not invited to participate in the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan given that it has a direct stake in the stability of its neighbor, Pakistani Ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram said during a press briefing. Earlier on Friday, the UN Security Council held a special session to address the uptick in violence in Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of US and other foreign forces from the country. "I must express my regret that Pakistan's request for participation in the UN Security Council meeting today was not accepted," Akram said on Friday. "This is most unfortunate since Pakistan is a neighboring country of Afghanistan and has direct stakes in Afghanistan's peace and stability." Akram said Pakistan has suffered the most from the conflict and in Afghanistan and was deeply concerned by the recent spike in violence there. "We strongly believe that any military takeover or imposition by force of a government in Afghanistan will further aggravate and prolong the country," he said. Akram called on the participants of the upcoming peace talks, scheduled to be held in Doha on August 11, to contribute toward the peace and stability in Afghanistan.

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"Pakistan believes that peace is still within the grasp of the Afghan people. They must not squander this opportunity," he said.

SPUTNIKTOP STORIES OF THE DAY WASHINGTON, Auguste (Sputnik) -

US ECONOMY * US employers added 943,000 jobs in July and the unemployment rate stood at 5.4 percent in a job market still underperforming 17 months into the coronavirus pandemic, the Labor Department said on Friday. * The US Department of Education said in a statement on Friday that it will extend its pause on student loan repayment, interest and collections until February of 2022. * The US economy has not yet been impacted by the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus although supply chain disruptions are anticipated, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. * The accelerating inflation in the United States heading toward 6 percent from the target 2 percent has impact on the entire global economy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

MERCER STREET INCIDENT * The United States has concluded that the drone that attacked the Mercer Street vessel off the coast of Oman was made in Iran, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday. * US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz discussed Iran’s alleged use of drones in the Middle East and the incident with the Mercer Street marine vessel, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said. * Iran will not hesitate to defend itself and secure its national interests in light of Israel threatening to strike the Islamic Republic over its alleged involvement in the attack on the Mercer Street oil tanker, Iran’s Deputy Permanent Representative the United Nations Zahra Ershadi said. * Ershadi also categorically rejected the accusations made by Israel that Iran bears responsibility for the attack on the oil tanker.

AFGHANISTAN DEVELOPMENTS * Afghanistan is calling on the UN Security Council to utilize any possible tools, including a sanctions regime, to put pressure on the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) so that it enters in talks with the government, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai said on Friday. * The United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its Afghanistan travel advice, calling on all UK nationals to leave the country due to intensifying fighting between the Afghan government forces and the Taliban.

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* Pakistan rejects accusations by Afghanistan that terrorists use its territory as a safe haven as the country’s border is 97 percent fenced, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Munir Akram said. * China is willing to host intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiation in due course to support and facilitate the peace reconciliation process in Afghanistan, Ambassador Dai Bing, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, said. * The five Central Asian countries are concerned about the risk of terrorist fighters in Afghanistan infiltrating the region under the guise of being refugees, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council.

CORONAVIRUS VACCINES * The United States has reached a milestone in that a half of the country’s residents of all ages have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, White House COVID-19 Data Director Cyrus Shahpar said on Friday.

CALVEY CASE The Meshchansky Court of Moscow gave US investor, Baring Vostok investment fund founder Michael Calvey, a suspended sentence of five years and six months in the case of embezzlement of 2.5 billion rubles ($34.2 million), a Sputnik correspondent reported from the courtroom.

US ARRESTS MYANMAR CITIZENS US authorities have arrested two Myanmar citizens in the United States for allegedly plotting to kill the country's ambassador to the United Nations, the Justice Department said on Friday.

Wall Street's S&P, Dow Rewrite All-Time Highs After Upbeat July US Jobs NEW YORK CITY, August 6 (Sputnik) - \Na\\ Street’s blue-chip and industrial stocks hit historic highs on Friday after an upbeat US jobs report for July signaled the labor market was catching up with progress in other parts of the economy from the coronavirus pandemic. The S&P 500, which groups the top 500 stocks on the New York Stock Exchange, continued its record-setting streak for the week by rewriting Thursday’s peak with a new, all-time high of 4,440. The blue-chip index closed the day at 4,437 for a gain of 8 points or 0.2 percent. For the week, the S&P gained 0.9 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the broadest US equity barometer on the NYSE, made a historic peak at 35,247 points before finishing the session at 35,209 for a gain of 145 points or 0.4 percent. The Dow rose 0.7 percent for the week. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite, which includes Big Tech names such as Face book, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google, was the laggard of the day, sliding by 59 points, or 0.4 percent, to settle the day at 14,835. Nasdaq, however, outperformed the Dow and S&P for the week, rising 1.1 percent, after strong closes from Tuesday through Thursday.

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The US Labor Department reported earlier on Friday that employers in the country added 943,000 jobs in July, taking the unemployment rate down to 5.4 percent from June’s 5.9 percent. Economists polled by US media had forecast a jobs growth of just 870,000 in July, after the previous month’s gains of 850,000. "The US labor market recovery is entering high gear,” said Ed Moya, who heads Americas research for New York-based broker OAN DA. More than a year into the COVID-19 crisis, restoring job growth remains one of the main concerns of US policymakers. The United States lost more than 21 million jobs between March and April 2020, at the height of business lockdowns forced by the coronavirus. More than 7 million of those jobs have yet to return, officials say. The US economy itself shrank 3.5 percent in 2020. This year though, growth has been quite dynamic, with a 6.5 percent rebound in the second quarter though that still lagged the 8.5 percent expected by economists. The Federal Reserve has forecast a 6.5 percent economic growth for all of 2021. But Chairman Jerome Powell says he does not expect “full employment” — defined by a monthly unemployment rate of 4.0 percent or lower — to occur anytime soon.

Biden Nominates New US Ambassadors for Argentina, Guinea, Switzerland - White House

WASHINGTON August 6 (Sputnik) - President Joe Biden has named his three choices to serve as the next US ambassadors to Argentina, Switzerland and Equatorial Guinea, along with seven other administration posts, the White House announced on Friday. "Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following ten individuals to serve in key roles," the release said. Biden chose David Gilmour as envoy to Equatorial Guinea, Scott Miller as ambassador to Switzerland and Marc Stanley as his nominee to be US ambassador to Argentina, the White House said. Biden also named Sam Bagenstos to be general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services, Melissa Dalton as assistant secretary for homeland defense and global security affairs at the Department of Defense and Alexia Latortue as assistant secretary for international markets at the Department of the Treasury, the release said. The release also identified Brent Neiman as nominee to be deputy under secretary for international finance and development at the Treasury, Alice Albright to be Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Todd Harper to be chairman of the National Credit Union Administration and Owen Hernstadt to be a director on the board of the Ex port-Import Bank.

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US Education Department Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause Until February 2022

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The US Department of Education said in a statement on Friday that it will extend its pause on student loan repayment, interest and collections until February of 2022. "Today, the US Department of Education announced a final extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections until January 31,2022," the statement said. The Department of Education said the additional time will allow student loan borrowers to plan for the resumption of payments and reduce the risk of delinquency. The government will continue working to smoothly transition borrowers back into repayment and improve student loan servicing, it added. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called the payment pause a "lifeline" that allowed millions of Americans to focus on their families, finances and health during the coronavirus pandemic.

Two Men Plead Guilty to Assaulting Law Enforcement During US Capitol Riot - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Two male defendants on Friday pleaded guilty in federal court for attacking law enforcement officers during the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, the Justice Department announced on Friday. "A Washington State man and New Jersey man each pleaded guilty today to assaulting Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers during the breach of the US Capitol on January 6," the Justice Department said in a press release. The breach occurred during a joint session of the US Congress that was counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election, the release noted. The defendants are the first two of more than 170 charged to plead guilty to felony charges of assault on a police officer in the investigation, it said. "According to court documents, Devlyn Thompson, 28, of Seattle, \Afeshington, was among a crowd of individuals on the lower west terrace who were pushing against and assaulting MPD and US Capitol Police (USCP) officers in the tunnel leading into the Capitol," the release said. Scott Kevin Fairlamb, 44, of Stockholm, New Jersey, climbed the scaffolding on the west terrace of the Capitol where he recorded and posted a video to Instagram in which he said they are not leaving. He also admitted to being part of a large crowd that pushed through a line of police officers and metal barricades, the release added.

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Watchdog Seeks Records of China Conducting Anal Swab COVID-19 Tests on US Diplomats

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Judicial Wbtch said on Friday it filed a lawsuit against the State Department to obtain records that Chinese officials required US diplomats in China to do an anal swab test for the novel coronavirus. "Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the State Department for non-identifying records of U.S. diplomatic personnel being subjected to invasive COVI D-19 'anal swab' tests by the Chinese government," the watchdog group said in a press release. Beijing denies claims that US diplomats in China had to undergo anal swab coronavirus tests. A State Department spokesperson previously said that Chinese officials who required American diplomats to undergo an anal swab test did so in error. China started conducting the anal swab coronavirus test in January, claiming it's more accurate than the oral test. In March, Japan asked the Chinese government to stop conducting anal swab tests on Japanese citizens entering China after receiving some complaints.

Pakistan Rejects Accusations That Terrorists Use Its Territory As Safe Haven - Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Pakistan rejects accusations by Afghanistan that terrorists use its territory as a safe haven as the country's border is 97% fenced, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Munir Akram said in a press briefing on Friday. "We totally reject that,” Akram said when asked to comment on the accusation made earlier by the Afghan Ambassador to the United Nations. “Pakistan has eliminated terrorist groups from its soil. There are no safe havens in Pakistan. Our border with Afghanistan is 97% fenced and there is no free flow of people.”

Apple Checks on Child Abuse Imagery Online Wrong Vsfay to Go - WhatsApp Chief

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) -Apple’s newly announced plans to check online device photos for postings of child abuse imagery are the wrong approach to take and will not be co-adopted by WhatsApp, the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) announced on Friday.

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"I read the information Apple put out yesterday and I'm concerned,” WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart said in a Face book message. "I think this is the wrong approach and a setback for people's privacy all over the world. People have asked if we'll adopt this system for WhatsApp. The answer is no.” WhatsApp was taking a stand against the dangerous use of spyware, Cathcart said. He insisted it would be wrong for the government to force his company to build a backdoor into its products, and ultimately, he feared such a demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty the government was meant to protect. "NSO Group claims they responsibly serve governments, but we found more than 100 human rights defenders and journalists targeted in an attack last May. This abuse must be stopped," Cathart added. NSO Group Technologies is an Israeli technology firm whose spyware called Pegasus enables the remote surveillance of smartphones and was used to track human rights defenders, activists at journalists and the behest of governments and other actors. It was founded in 2010 by Niv Carmi, Omri Lavie, and Shalev Hulio.

NASA to Fund CAPSTONE Commercial Moon Mission From New Zealand This Year - Rocket Lab

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The National Aeronautics and Space administration (NASA) is sending a satellite to orbit the Moon in a new elliptical orbit later this year, the Rocket Lab launch and space systems company announced on Friday. "The CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) mission will be Rocket Lab’s first launch to the Moon,” the company said in a press release. “Rocket Lab... announced it will launch the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.” The mission will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2021 and will be Rocket Lab’s first launch to the Moon, Rocket Lab said. It will support NASA’s Artemis program, which includes landing the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon and establishing a long-term presence there, the company added. “Launching on an Electron launch vehicle and deploying from Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform, CAPSTONE is a 55-pound satellite created by Advanced Space that will serve as the first spacecraft to test a unique, elliptical lunar orbit,” the company said. As a precursor for Gateway and other Artemis elements, CAPSTON E will help reduce risk for future spacecraft by validating innovative navigation technologies and verifying the dynamics of its halo-shaped orbit, Rocket Lab added.

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US Indicts Three Puerto Rico Men for Shooting Transgender Woman - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Three Puerto Rico men have been charged by a US grand jury with assaulting a transgender woman because of her gender identity, the Justice Department said on Friday. "Afederal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, returned a three-count indictment charging Jordany Rafael La boy Garcia, Christian Yamaurie Rivera Otero and Anthony Steven Lobos Ruiz with hate crimes for assaulting a transgender woman because of her gender identity. Rivera Otero and Lobos Ruiz were also charged with obstruction of justice,” the Department said in a press release. It is alleged that on Feb 24, 2020, three defendants verbally harassed the victim and later used paintball guns to shoot at her while recording all their actions on their cell phones, the release said. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the hate crime charge, five years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and up to $250,000 a fine for each charge while Otero and Ruiz also face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for the obstruction of justice charge.

Canada Border Staff Begin Job Action, Last-Ditch Talks with Government Ongoing - Union

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be rescheduled for later in the day. The PS AC later scrapped the press briefing, saying that a press release would be forthcoming in the evening, he added. Meanwhile, Aubry said the work-to-rule actions are already having an impact on traffic at Canadian points of entry, including long lineups at the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan. The CBSA told Sputnik that “mediation is ongoing” and said travelers should brace for possible delays. "Travellers should plan for the possibility of additional processing time when crossing the border due in part to this labour action. The Agency thanks travellers and businesses for their patience,” CBSA spokesperson Jacqueline Callin said in a statement, noting that safety and security at the border remains the top priority. Should a deal not be reached, the current situation could be accentuated by the influx of Americans, who will be allowed to enter Canada for discretionary purposes as of August 9. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that he is hopeful that the strike by Canadian border agents and staff can be averted through negotiations at the bargaining table, citing the government’s ability to renegotiate contracts with several groups of public sector workers in recent years.

Families of 9/11 Victims Call on Biden to Probe Saudi Arabia’s Role in Attack - Letter

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) ~ A numerous group of 9/11 family members in a letter to US President Joe Biden on Friday have called to investigate Saudi Arabia’s role in the terrorist attack as well as to implement a new policy toward Riyadh. "We implore President Biden to: 1) authorize the release of all documents and information to the 9/11 community that our government has accrued in its investigation of the Kingdom of Saudi to allow us to rightfully obtain justice against the Kingdom. 2) Implement a policy toward the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that makes clear it must acknowledge its role in terrorist attacks against our citizens and residents [...] and, accordingly, immediately cease the Kingdom’s support for acts of terrorism,” the letter said. The authors of the letter promised to prevent Biden from participating in any memorial ceremonies at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City next month if he will not fulfill his campaign promise to appropriately investigate the attack. Earlier on Friday, Senator Bob Menendez announced that US intelligence officials would be required to review and declassify documents on any involvement by the government of Saudi Arabia or any Saudi individuals in the September 11,2001, terrorist attacks against the United States under the bipartisan 9/11 Transparency Act. Fifteen of the 19 terrorist hijackers who crashed four jetliners into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania were Saudi nationals.

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US Arrests 2 Myanmar Citizens in Alleged Plot to Kill Country's UN Envoy - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The US authorities have arrested two Myanmar citizens in the United States for allegedly plotting to kill the country's ambassador to the United Nations, the Justice Department said on Friday. "[Federal prosecutors] announced the arrests of PHYO HEIN HTUT and YE HEIN ZAWfor conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. HTUT and ZAW were charged in two separate complaints," the Justice Department said in a press release. Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kyaw Moe Tun had denounced the military takeover of the country and sided with the government in exile. The Justice Department said in the release that Htut and Zaw, both residing in New York, conspired their assassination plans from July to August 5. Htut, 28, was in contact with an arms dealer in Thailand linked to Myanmar's military, the release said. The two individuals discussed plans to hire people to hurt the ambassador to force him to resign from his post or to kill him if he refused, the release said. Zaw, 20, gave Htut about $5,000 to hire attackers to carry out the hit, the release added. Htut and Zaw have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon a foreign official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, according to the release.

UPDATE - China Using All Instruments of Power to Achieve Goals, US Behind - Air Force Chief

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - China is using all instruments of power to achieve its goals while the United States lags behind, US Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr. said on Friday. "I would say that China, the People's Republic of China is using all instruments of power to achieve their goal, and we are behind," Brown said during a speech at the National Press Club Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning and Programs Lt. Gen. David Nahom told Congress in late July that China is building up its offensive air capabilities far faster than US military planners anticipated when writing their National Defense Strategy three years ago. China has also transformed itself into a "strategic peer with world-leading, anti-access, area-denial capabilities” that is custom-designed to beat the US, Brown said. Brown, who served as the Air Component Commander for the US Indo-Pacific Command prior to becoming Air Force Chief of Staff, emphasized that without change, the US risks losing its

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competitive edge in the highly-contested global environment, its credibility with allies and partners, and its ability to defend the national interest.

US Hasn’t Seen Any Delta Variant Impacts on Economy Yet - White House

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) ~ The US economy has not yet been impacted by the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus although supply chain disruptions are anticipated, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Friday. “We haven’t seen to date a direct impact on the economy from Delta but we anticipate supply chain impacts and certainly know those will be factors,” Psaki said at a press briefing. Psaki added that the American Rescue Plan was designed to account for any potential ups and downs in the economy, including negative impacts from the coronavirus. On August 6, the US recorded nearly 110,000 new COVID-19 infections with the prevalence of the Delta variant reaching 93 percent, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

US Arrests 2 Myanmar Citizens in Alleged Plot to Kill Country's Envoy to UN - Justice Dept

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - US authorities have arrested two Myanmar citizens in the United States for allegedly plotting to kill the country's ambassador to the United Nations, the Justice Department said on Friday. "[Federal prosecutors] announced the arrests of PHYO HEIN HTUT and YE HEIN ZAWfor conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. HTUT and ZAW were charged in two separate complaints," the Justice Department said in a press release.

China Using All Instruments of Power to Achieve Goals, US Behind - Air Force Chief

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - China is using all instruments of power to reach its goals, while the United States is behind, US Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr. said on Friday. "I would say that China, the People's Republic of China is using all instruments of power to achieve their goal, and we are behind," Brown said at the National Press Club

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Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning and Programs Lt. Gen. David Nahom told Congress in late July that China is building up its offensive air capabilities far faster than US military planners expected in their National Defense Strategy three years ago.

US, Israeli Defense Chiefs Discuss Mercer Incident, Iran's Drone Use - Pentagon

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israeli Minister of Defense Benny Gantz discussed Iran’s alleged use of drones in the Middle East and the incident with the Mercer Street marine vessel, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a readout on Friday. "Secretary Austin and Minister Gantz expressed concern about Iran’s proliferation and employment of one-way attack UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] across the region and committed to continue cooperating closely on regional security," Kirby said. "They agreed to work together alongside allies and partners in condemning Iran’s aggression that undermines freedom of navigation, and they exchanged views on next steps." Late last month, the Zodiac Maritime operator, owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer, said that its Mercer Street tanker was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. On August 1, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett claimed there was evidence of Iran's involvement in the attack. The UK, as well as the United States, also claimed that Iran was responsible for the attack involving one or more drones. Tehran has dismissed the allegations as groundless.

US Looks Forward to Working With New UN Special Envoy on Yemen Grundberg - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United States is anticipating working with newly-appointed UN Special Envoy for Yemen, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Friday. "The United States welcomes the appointment of Hans Grundberg as the new UN Special Envoy for Yemen," Blinken said. "Grundberg brings considerable expertise on Yemen and the region, and we look forward to working closely with him to advance a durable resolution to the conflict in Yemen." Earlier on Friday, United Nations spokesperson Farhan Haq announced that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg to serve as new Special Envoy for Yemen.

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Blinken said now is the time for peace and noted that seven years of war and instability have devastated Yemen’s economy and eroded even the most basic services, leading to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. "There is unprecedented international and regional consensus on the need to end the Houthi offensive on Marib and other fighting, and on placing renewed emphasis on political talks to finally bring relief to the Yemeni people and allow them to determine a brighter future for their country," he said. Blinken also expressed gratitude to former UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths for his efforts aimed solving the ongoing conflict in Yemen, and stressed that Washington looks forward to continuing to work with him in his new capacity as the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Iran Will Not Hesitate to Defend Itself, Secure National Interests - Deputy Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Tehran will not hesitate to defend itself and secure its national interests in light of Israel threatening to strike the Islamic Republic over its alleged involvement in the attack on the Mercer Street oil tanker, Iran’s Deputy Permanent Representative the United Nations Zahra Ershadi said on Friday. On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said his country was ready to use force against Iran after it attacked the tanker in the Arabian Sea. "Iran warns against any such adventurism and miscalculations. Yet, Iran will not hesitate to defend itself and secure its national interests,” Ershadi said in a statement. Ershadi also “categorically” rejected the accusations made by Israel that Iran bears responsibility for the attack on the oil tanker.

UK Seeks Holding Iran Accountable Over Tanker Incident - Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United Kingdom will seek to hold Iran accountable over Tehran's alleged involvement in the attack on the tanker Mercer Street off the coast of Oman if the matter is not settled diplomatically, UK Ambassador to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said on Friday. "The door for diplomacy and dialogue remains open. But if Iran chooses not to take that route, then we would seek to hold Iran to account and apply a cost to that," Woodward said in a statement.

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The ambassador said the United Kingdom was confident Iran was behind what it considers to have been a deliberate and tactical attack on the tanker in which one British and one Romanian nationals lost their lives. "Based on the assessment of the data, the system used in the attack was an Iranian sharp-edge 136 UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle]... manufactured only in Iran," Wbodward said.

US Reaches Milestone as 50% Americans Fully Vaccinated Against Coronavirus - White House

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United States has reached a milestone in that a half of the country’s residents of all ages have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, White House COVID-19 Data Director Cyrus Shahpar said on Friday. "Friday just in: +821K [821,000] doses reported administered, including 565K [565,000] newly vaccinated. Seven-day average of newly vaccinated is up 11 percent from last week and 44 percent over past two weeks. 50 percent of Americans (all ages) are now fully vaccinated," Shahpar said via Twitter. The United States leads the world in the number of vaccinations as well as new coronavirus cases as the more transmissible Delta variant has become the predominant strain in the country and the world. Over the past seven-day period, an average 700,000 doses have been administered daily in the United States, while the number of new coronavirus cases has increased by 43 percent to about 90,000 cases per day.

UN Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to Avoid Escalatory Actions Over Border - Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United Nations continues to call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to exercise restraint and avoid any escalatory actions after the most recent flare-up on the border between the two countries, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Friday. "We continue to urge both sides to exercise restraint, refrain from any action that could escalate tensions and address related concerns through dialogue," Haq said during a press briefing. Last fall, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region that ended in a Russia-brokered ceasefire deal. The accord saw Azerbaijan take over some of territories controlled by ethnic Armenians. Tensions between the two nations flared up again last week after they accused each other of violating the truce.

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Funding Shortage Hits World Food Program as Millions More Face Famine in Myanmar - UN

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Major funding gaps are seriously hindering the UN World Food Program (WFP) as millions more people face the threat of food shortages and famine in Myanmar, the WFP warned on Friday. "The United Nations Wtorld Food Program today warned that its life saving operations in Myanmar are being held back by a major funding shortfall, with over 70 percent of its funding needs over the coming six months still unmet," the WFP said in a news release. The WFP said it has estimated that the number of people facing hunger could more than double to 6.2 million in the next six months, up from 2.8 million prior to February. "Subsequent monitoring surveys carried out by WFP have shown that since February, more and more families are being pushed to the edge," the release said. Starting in May, WFP launched a new urban food response, targeting 2 million people in Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar’s two biggest cities. The majority of people to receive assistance are mothers, children, people with disabilities and the elderly. To date, 650,000 people have been assisted in urban areas, the release said. More than 220,000 people have fled violence since February, and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. In total, 1.25 million people in Myanmar have received WFP food, cash and nutrition assistance in 2021 across urban and rural areas and $86 million is required in the next six months, the release added. This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

US Concludes Drone That Attacked Mercer Street Tanker Made in Iran - CENTCOM

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United States has concluded that the drone that attacked the Mercer Street vessel off the coast of Oman was made in Iran, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday. "US experts concluded based on the evidence that this UAV was produced in Iran," CENTCOM said in a press release. On July 30, the Mercer Street tanker was attacked by a drone equipped with a military-grade explosive, killing two crew members; the master of the ship, a Romanian citizen, and a United Kingdom national who was part of the ship's security team, the release said. CENTCOM added that the tanker had been targeted by two unsuccessful drone attacks on July 29. The United Kingdom and Israel support the United States' findings in its investigation of the attack, the release said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that the three countries have been consulting with each other to determine an appropriate response against Iran.

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Israel, the United Kingdom, Liberia and Romania in two separate letters to the UN Security Council said they believed Iran was responsible for the attack. Iran, in turn, said it received no proof of its involvement in the attack.

UN Chief Appoints Swedish Diplomat Hans Grundberg as Special Envoy for Yemen - Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg to serve as new Special Envoy for Yemen, United Nations spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Friday. "UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today announced the appointment of Hans Grundberg of Sweden as his Special Envoy for Yemen," Haq said during a press briefing. "Mr. Grundberg succeeds Martin Griffiths... who has been appointed as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs."

Global Security Company Says 22% of Leaked Bank Card Info Came From India

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Global security company Group-IB said in a report published on Friday that a plurality of the 1 million leaked bank card information, 22 percent, came from customers of Indian banks. "According to Group-IB's Threat Intelligence team, more than 200,000 (22%) of compromised payment cards were from the Indian banks, followed by Mexican (9%), US (9%), and Australian (8%) financial institutions,” Group-IB said. Reports emerged on Thursday that All World Cards, a new online marketplace where cybercriminals can illegally purchase other people’s bank card information, released information from 1 million cards from around the world as part of an underground ad campaign for their website. The database with the info for the 1 million cards contains info from cards issued by over 1000 banks from more than 100 countries. Group-IB’s analysis determined that 77 percent of the cards were debit and 23 percent were credit. The company added that even though the All World Cards claimed that the leaked card info was compromised back in 2018 and 2019, 97 percent of the records in the database are still valid.

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Afghanistan Expects UNSC to Take Immediate Action to Deter Violations by Taliban - Envoy

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Afghanistan expects the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to deter further human rights violations committed by the Taliban in the country, Afghan Ambassador to the UN Ghulam Isaczai said on Friday. "\Ne expect the Council to step in and take immediate action to avert further violation of the rights of our people," Ghulam told reporters. Ghulam said the Taliban are executing Afghan citizens, sometimes stoning them to death or cutting their hands off. The violence against the citizens of Afghanistan are violations of international humanitarian laws and amount to war crimes, Ghulam said. Fighting in Afghanistan has intensified in the past several months since US and allied troops began to withdraw from the country. The troops pullout was a premise of the agreement reached by the Taliban and the United States in Doha in February of last year, conditional upon the radical group ceasing violence and cutting ties with terrorist organizations.

Afghanistan Ready to Provide UN Evidence That Pakistan Supporting Taliban - Ambassador UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Afghanistan is prepared to provide the United Nations Security Council with material evidence supporting its claims that Pakistan is providing a supply chain to the Taliban (banned in Russia), Afghan Ambassador to the UN Ghulam Isaczai said on Friday. "Should members of the Security Council want that evidence, we are ready to provide them," Ghulam told reporters. Ghulam added that the Afghan government has been in constant contact with the Pakistani government about the matter and has provided Islamabad with the evidence. Pakistan's National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf said on Thursday Islamabad is disappointed at Afghanistan's accusations. Fighting has surged in Afghanistan in recent weeks as the Taliban has intensified the offensive to recapture Afghanistan since foreign forces began to withdraw from the country. Meanwhile, Kabul has repeatedly accused Islamabad of supporting the Taliban and preventing the Afghan forces from carrying out military operations against the terror group.

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Afghanistan ‘Absolutely Confident’ It Will Withstand Extra Taliban Pressure - Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Afghanistan is confident its army will be able to withstand additional pressure from the Taliban (banned in Russia) and defend itself, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai told reporters on Friday. "\Afe're absolutely confident that our army will be able to withstand the additional pressure,” Isaczai said. "We will be defending ourselves.”

Canada Border Staff Begin Job Action, Last-Ditch Talks with Government Ongoing - Union

TORONTO, August 6 (Sputnik) - Canadian border agents and staff have commenced job action, while trade unions and Ottawa work to reach a last-minute deal to avert a protracted standoff, the union representing thousands of disgruntled employees told Sputnik on Friday. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) served the government of Canada a strike notice on Tuesday, according to a joint statement from the trade organizations, citing the lack of redress for ''toxic" working conditions and the absence of contracts for unionized workers for over three years. "WDrk-to-rule actions have started at border crossings and airports across the country,” PSAC spokesperson Michael Aubry said in a statement. Throughout the strike, border services employees will be operating on a work-to-rule basis - only carrying out duties they were trained and mandated to do - at all Canadian airports, land borders, commercial shipping ports, postal facilities and headquarters locations. The trade union’s bargaining team was engaged in mediation with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Treasury Board throughout Thursday night into Friday morning and negotiations continue to this moment with the union providing additional time for the government to negotiate, Aubry added. The trade organizations had scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. EST (14:00 GMT), however, the situation remains fluid and it will likely be rescheduled for later in the day, PSAC Communications Officer Jeffrey Vallis noted. Meanwhile, according to Aubry, the work-to-rule actions are already having an impact on traffic at Canadian points of entry, including long lineups at the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan. The CBSA did not immediately respond to Sputnik’s request for comment on the state of ongoing negotiations and the impact on Canada’s points of entry. Should a deal not be reached, the current situation could be accentuated by the influx of Americans, who will be allowed to enter Canada for discretionary purposes as of August 9. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that he is hopeful that the strike by Canadian border agents and staff can be averted through negotiations at the bargaining table, citing the government’s ability to renegotiate contracts with several groups of public sector workers in recent years.

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Canadian Economy Adds 94,000 Jobs in July Slashing Unemployment Rate - Statistics Agency

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The Canadian economy added 94,000 jobs in July, lowering the unemployment rate by 0.3 percent, the state statistics agency said on Friday. "Employment rose by 94,000 (+0.5 percent) in July, adding to an increase of 231,000 (+1.2 percent) in June,” Statistics Canada said in its monthly Labor Force Survey. The unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percent to 7.5 percent, Statistics Canada also said. The employment increase recouped the job losses the economy experienced in April and May - at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The private sector led job creation in July, the report said. The majority of new jobs were full-time positions, the first such increase since March. However, the number of employed Canadian remains 246,000 -1.3 percent - below pre-pandemic levels observed in February 2020, which means that the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau again missed its target to restore the employment levels by June.

China to Provide 1Mln Doses of Vaccines to Afghanistan in Near Future - Deputy Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - China will deliver 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Afghanistan soon, Ambassador Dai Bing, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the UN said on Friday. "China has actively supported the Afghan government in fighting the pandemic; 700,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, ventilators and anesthesia machines and other medical supplies arrived in Kabul not long ago. We will provide an additional one million doses of vaccines in the near future,” Bing said.

China Willing to Host Intra-Afghan Talks - Deputy Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - China is prepared to host intra-Afghan peace negotiations, Ambassador Dai Bing, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the UN said on Friday.

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"China is willing to host intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiation in due course to support and facilitate the peace reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” Bing said.

Trump Supporters to Return to US Capitol on September 18 for Protest - Statement

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The pro-Trump group Look Ahead America said on Friday that it will return to the US Capitol on September 18 to hold a protest. "Look Ahead America is eager to announce that our next rally will take place at the US Capitol on Saturday, September 18, at noon," the group said in a statement. The group did not make available any additional details in the announcement posted on the organization's website. Former President Donald Trump's aide Matt Braynard said in an interview last week that the protest has been arranged in order to support political prisoners arrested for taking part in the events at the US Capitol on January 6. On that day, a group of Trump supporters entered the US Capitol in a bid to protest the lawmakers certifying the 2020 election results in several states that Trump said were fraudulent. One protester was shot dead during the incident and federal law enforcement authorities have charged more than 500 people for their participation in the unrest.

Central Asian States Warned By Fighters in Afghanistan Infiltrating as Refugees- Nebenzia

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - The five Central Asian countries are concerned about the risk of terrorist fighters in Afghanistan infiltrating the region under the guise of being refugees, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council on Friday. "The risk of fighters infiltrating the region under the guise of being refugees cannot fail to cause concern among our Central Asian neighbors," Nebenzia said. "We are in regular contact with all five Central Asian states like never before."

Afghanistan Can Slip Into Full-Scale Protracted Civil Wbr - Russian Envoy to UN

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UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Afghanistan risks slipping into full-scale protracted civil war amid the absence of progress on peace negotiations, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said in a Security Council meeting on Friday. "It is clear that there is no military solution to the Afghan situation, but, in the current situation, given the absence of progress on the negotiation track, the prospect of Afghanistan slipping into full scale and protracted civil war, unfortunately, is a stark reality,” Nebenzia said. "Therefore, the most important goal today is to swiftly launch substantive negotiations,” the diplomat added.

Russia Hopes Doha Talks on Afghanistan Will Give Impetus to Political Process - Nebenzia

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Russia believes the upcoming talks on Afghanistan in Doha as well as the extended Troika plus Pakistan format will give an additional impetus to the political settlement process, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said after the UN Security Council meeting on Friday. "\Ne trust that the meeting in Doha on August 11 and the Troika plus Pakistan format will give an additional impetus to the political settlement process," Nebenzia said. "We are convinced that now it is more important than ever to consolidate all international and regional efforts and every measure should be taken to find a sensible solution taking into account the interests of

Russia Concerned by 'Horrific' Reports of Escalating Violence in Afghanistan - Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Russia is concerned about reports of escalating violence and deteriorating situation in Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of foreign forces, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said in a Security Council meeting on Friday. “The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan is of increasing concern. Wth the withdrawal of foreign forces, the outlook looks grim. \Afe have received horrific reports of an escalation of violence,” Nebenzia said.

RPT - International Community Not to Accept Afghanistan’s Military Takeover - Senior US Diplomat

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WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The international community will not accept the Taliban's (banned in Russia) takeover of Afghanistan and return of the Islamic Emirate, the US Senior Advisor for Special Political Affairs Jeffrey DeLaurentis said on Friday. "The Taliban must hear from the international community that we will not accept a military takeover of Afghanistan, or return of the Taliban's Islamic Emirate,” DeLaurentis said during the United Nations Security Council meeting.

Afghan Envoy to UN Urges Security Council to Use Sanctions to Pressure Taliban Into Talks

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Afghanistan is calling on the UN Security Council to utilize any possible tools, including a sanctions regime, to put pressure on the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) so that it enters in talks with the government, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai said on Friday. "It’s high time for the Council to use every mean at its disposal to compel the Taliban to end their campaign of violence and terror against our people and to prevent further bloodshed and urge them to return to talks. We ask the Council to use existing tools, including effective implementation of the sanction regime... to pressure the Taliban to engage in meaningful peace talks with the government negotiating team," Izacsai said. "We request the Council to discharge its responsibilities under the United Nations Charter and talks all necessary measures to stop Taliban’s attacks on big cities and population centers." Isaczai noted that six cities in Afghanistan such as Herat and Kandahar are under Taliban attack and soon other cities, including Kabul, are expected to be targeted. "\Ne ask the Security Council and call on the international community to take preventive measures, including convening of the special session of the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, to avert a catastrophic situation of human rights violations and large scale displacement of civilian population, which we’ve witnessed in the Middle East and other conflicts around the world. We have an opportunity to stop this now," he said. Violence in Afghanistan has been on the rise since foreign troops began to withdraw from the country in the past several months. The troop pullout was a premise of the agreement reached by the Taliban and the United States in Doha in February of last year, conditional upon the radical group ceasing violence and cutting ties with terrorist organizations.

International Community Will Not Accept Military Takeover of Afghanistan - US Envoy to UN

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WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The international community will not accept the Taliban’s (banned in Russia) takeover of Afghanistan and return of the Islamic Emirate, the US Senior Advisor for Special Political Affairs Jeffrey DeLaurentis said on Friday. "The Taliban must hear from the international community that we will not accept a military takeover of Afghanistan, or return of the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate,” DeLaurentis said during the United Nations Security Council meeting.

New Documents Show How Trump Diverted $3.6Bin from US Military to Build \Na\\ - Reports

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) ~ New Pentagon documents obtained by Politico made it shed light on the practices used by the Trump administration to redirect $3.6 billion of military construction funds to build a wall on the border with Mexico in 2019, the outlet reported on Friday. The funds which had been initially destined for overseas military improvements were skipped past Congress and made immediately available to the Army Corps of Engineers for building the wall, the report said. In 2019, then-President Donald Trump used a statute from 1982 to declare a national emergency over the immigration crisis which, in turn, allowed the Department of Defense to proceed with funds diversion bypassing any procedural requirements, including omitting Congressional committees hearings. As an example of such diversion practices, the documents showed that about $205.8 million was realigned with a new project line for the wall and added into the US Navy's construction budget under “CONUS UNSPECIFIED,” according to the report. "If we should have another situation where a president wants to take money away from the military and put it into a domestic, personal, political agenda, then we should be able to stop that,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed said as cited by the report. In June, US Defense Department said it was redirecting $2.2 billion the Trump administration took away from the military to build new border wall to use it for other construction projects this year. The Trump administration was able to construct 400 miles of the large steel wall structure despite lengthy court battles and opposition from Democrats in Congress.

Pelosi Says Confident Democrats Can Hold US House Majority in 2022 Midterm Elections

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WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The Democrats will be able to hold on to their razor-thin majority in the US House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress, in the midterm elections scheduled for November 2022, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday. "I am very confident we can win the House," Pelosi told a Capitol Hill press conference. AQuinnipiac Poll released on Wednesday showed 45 percent of likely voters across the United States supporting Democrats and 44 percent supporting Republicans. President Joe Biden’s approval ratings have dropped in recent weeks amid new concerns about the recovering economy, the migrant crisis on the US border with Mexico and the surge in Delta variant cases of the novel coronavirus.

US Concerned About ’Rapid Growth' of China's Nuclear Arsenal - Blinken

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Friday expressed Washington's concern over the "rapid growth" of China's nuclear arsenal, the State Department said. "The Secretary ... noted deep concern with the rapid growth of the PRC’s [the People's Republic of China] nuclear arsenal which highlights how Beijing has sharply deviated from its decades-old nuclear strategy based on minimum deterrence," the department said in a statement about Blinken meeting with the ASEAN Regional Forum a day prior.

US Restricts Visas of 50 Nicaraguans Linked to Ortega-Murillo Government - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The United States has imposed visa restrictions on 50 Nicaraguans linked to the government of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Friday. "The Department of State has imposed visa restrictions on 50 immediate family members of Nicaraguan National Assembly representatives and Nicaraguan prosecutors and judges. As these actions demonstrate, the United States is committed to promoting broad accountability for anyone responsible for or benefiting from the Ortega-Murillo regime’s attacks on democratic institutions," Price said in a statement.

Taliban Attacks Launched with Direct Support of Over 10,000 Terrorists - Afghan UN Envoy

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UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - The attacks by the Taliban (banned in Russia) on Afghanistan have been launched with the direct support of more than 10,000 foreign fighters from 20 groups, including Al-Qaeda (outlawed in Russia), Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai told the UN Security Council on Friday. "These attacks have been launched with the direct support of more than 10,000 foreign fighters, representing 20 groups, including Al Qaeda,... and ISIL [Islamic State terror group, banned in Russia], who entered our country and are fighting alongside Taliban against our population and security forces,” Isaczai said. "The link between Taliban and these inter-transnational terrorist groups is stronger today than at any point in recent times.” "In fact, these links are unbreakable, as they have been cultivated and built on shared ideology interests in goals and intermarriages, which have been translated into joint attacks, logistical and material support,” the diplomat added.

Afghan Envoy to UN Urges Security Council to Use Sanctions to Pressure Taliban Into Talks WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Afghanistan is calling on the UN Security Council to utilize any possible tools including sanctions regime to pressure the Taliban to enter into talks with the government, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai told the UN Security Council on Friday. "It’s high time for the Council to use every mean at its disposal to compel the Taliban to end their campaign of violence and terror against our people and to prevent further bloodshed and urge them to return to talks. We ask the Council to use existing tools, including effective implementation of the sanction regime... to pressure the Taliban to engage in meaningful peace talks with the government negotiating team,” Izacsai said. "We request the Council to discharge its responsibilities under the United Nations Charter and talks all necessary measures to stop Taliban’s attacks on big cities and population centers.”

Scale of Taliban Offensive Akin to Invasion Not Seen in Last 30 Years - Afghan Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - The scale and scope of the ongoing Taliban offensive in Afghanistan are akin to an invasion unparalleled in the last 30 years of the conflict, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai told the UN Security Council on Friday. "The scale, scope and timing of their [Taliban's] military offensive [are] akin to an invasion unprecedented in the last 30 years of our conflict,” Isaczai said. "Since mid-April, the Taliban

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and their affiliate foreign terrorist groups have launched more than 5,500 attacks in 31 of 34 provinces of Afghanistan."

Travel Ban Exemption on Taliban Members Attending Peace Talks Must be Renewed - UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - The travel ban exemption on the members of the Taliban opposition movement (banned in Russia) to attend peace negotiations must be renewed next month, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons said at a UN Security Council meeting on Friday. “The travel ban exemption on Taliban members exists to allow them to travel for the sole purpose of peace negotiations. The exemption has to be renewed on September 20,” Lyons said. “A further extension must be predicated on real progress on peace,” she added.

Afghan Violence Leaves 460 Civilians Casualties in Kandahar, 104 Dead in Lashkar Gah - UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Fighting in Afghanistan has led to 460 civilian casualties in Kandahar with 104 killed in Lashkar Gah, UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons on Friday. "Fighting has been especially severe in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province. Since July 28, just a mere 10 days ago at least 104 civilians were killed and 403 wounded as registered by the two main hospitals,” Lyons said at a United Nations Security Council meeting. "In Kandahar, since the start of the offensive there on July 9, a month ago, more than 460 civilians casualties have been registered.” The representative went in to say that Further, to the west, in and around Herat, UN AM A has credible reports of over 135 civilian casualties from the onset of the Taliban offensive. “Just in these three cases, I am talking of over 1000 casualties just in this last month,” she said. She went in to say that homes, his totals, bridges and other infrastructure are being destroyed, saying the nature of the conflict in the country has changed. "This is now a different kind of war, reminiscent of Syria recently," she said. “To attack urban areas is to knowingly inflict enormous harm and cause massive civilian casualties." Violence in Afghanistan has been on the rise since foreign troops began to withdraw from the country. The troop pullout was a premise of the agreement reached by the Taliban and the United States in Doha in February of last year, conditional upon the radical group ceasing violence and cutting ties with terrorist organizations.

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Countries Meeting Taliban in Doha Should Insist on Ceasefire, Talks Resumption - UN

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 (Sputnik) - Countries that will meet with the representatives of the Taliban opposition movement (banned in Russia) in Doha next week should push for a general ceasefire and a resumption of the negotiations, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons said at a UN Security Council meeting on Friday. "Next week, there will be meetings in Doha of some of the Special Representatives key countries, including a meeting of the so-called Extended Troika," Lyons said. "Those countries that meet with the Taliban Political Commission should insist in these meetings on a general ceasefire, a resumption of the negotiations, as well as reiterate the position of the Security Council and that of the regional and international community that a government imposed by force will not be recognized."

SpaceX Completes Assembling World’s Biggest Booster-Spacecraft at Texas Base

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - SpaceX successfully attached its Starship spacecraft to the top of its new Super Heavy booster, making it the largest spacecraft/launch vehicle of all time at Starbase in Texas. "Starship prototype Ship 20 has been mated with Super Heavy Booster 4," a commentator said during a live-stream broadcast of the mounting. SpaceX plans to use the Super Heavy booster and Starship to send missions to the Moon and further out into the Solar System. Starship 20 is now attached to the Super Heavy Booster 4, which had all of its 29 Raptor engines installed by Monday morning. The procedure marks the completion of the first stacking of a complete SpaceX Starship Super Heavy launch system, the company said. The first test orbital flight of the combined system is not imminent, both SpaceX and NASA have said. Construction of the Orbital Launch Site has also yet to be completed, the space agency and company said.

Afghanistan Fighting Leaves Some 460 Civilians Dead in Kandahar, 104 in Lashkar Gah - UN

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US Embassy in Kabul Slams Killing of Head of Afghan Government's Media Center by Taliban

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - The US embassy in Kabul has slammed the killing of Dawa Khan Menapal, the head of the Afghan government’s media and information center, by the Taliban (banned in Russia) gunmen in Kabul, Ross Wilson, the US Charge d’Affaires to Afghanistan said on Friday. "We are saddened & disgusted by the Taliban’s targeted killing of Dawa Khan Meenapal, a friend and colleague, whose career was focused on providing truthful information to all Afghans about #Afghanistan. These murders are an affront to Afghans’ human rights & freedom of speech," Wilson tweeted. Shortly after the attack, the Taliban movement claimed responsibility for the assassination. Violence in Afghanistan has been on the rise since foreign troops began to withdraw from the country. The troop pullout was a premise of the agreement reached by the Taliban and the United States in Doha in February of last year, conditional upon the radical group ceasing violence and cutting ties with terrorist organizations.

Senate Approves Bill to Increase Sanctions on Nicaragua

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - US Senate has approved a bill to boost sanctions against Nicaragua over what it perceived as anti-democratic activities of its longtime leader Daniel Ortega, the US Senate Committee on Foreign relations announced on Friday. "Senate approves bipartisan legislation to bolster U.S. engagement in Nicaragua as crisis deepens. Renacer act requires heightened efforts to confront blatant anti-democratic activity by Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega," the statement said.

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The legislation introduces new initiatives to "monitor, report on, and address corruption" by Ortega’s government and family, "as well as human rights abuses perpetrated by Nicaraguan security forces," it continued. "The RENACER Act also requires the United States government to increase sanctions on key actors in the Ortega regime and expand coordination with Canada and the European Union. The bill calls for the executive branch to review Nicaragua’s participation in the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)," the statement said. The US has repeatedly voiced its concern about the situation with alleged violations of human rights and the restriction of civil society activities in Nicaragua and vowed to continue to work in a multilateral format with its regional partners, including Costa Rica, to change the situation. On November 7, Nicaragua will hold presidential and parliamentary elections, including a vote for representatives for the Central American Parliament. Incumbent Ortega is running for another term in office. Earlier this week, Nicaraguan opposition party Citizens Alliance for Liberty (CxL) announced that its vice-presidential candidate, former beauty queen Berenice Quezada, was put under house arrest. Quezada, who won the 2017 Miss Nicaragua beauty pageant, is the running mate of the CxL presidential candidate, former Contra commander Oscar Sobalvarro, who fought against the Ortega's government back in the 1980s. The incident with Quezada follows the arrests of seven other presidential hopefuls running against Ortega, including Cristiana Chamorro, daughter of former Nicaraguan President Violeta Chamorro. The last of them, Noel Vidaurre, was arrested by the police on July 25 for allegedly undermining the country's sovereignty.

Pompeo Insists He Never Saw Missing Whiskey Worth $5,800 Gifted to Him by Japan

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - Former US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said that he never saw the missing whiskey bottle worth $5,800 which was given to him by Japan and hinted that the case was linked to the current State Department's "incompetence." Earlier this week, the US State Department announced an inquiry into the disappearance of a whiskey bottle worth $5,800 that Pompeo received as a gift from Japan in 2019. As it appears from the list of gifts received by the US federal employees from the foreign sources in 2019, the bottle was gifted to Pompeo on June 24 and its current location is unknown. "The great case of the missing whiskey bottle. Look, a couple of facts. I have no idea. I assume it wasn't ever touched. It never got to me," Pompeo told Fox news. Pompeo stated that he had no idea how the State Department "lost this thing." "Although I saw enormous incompetence at the State Department during my time there. Had it been a case of Diet Coke, I'd have been all over it. I had no idea that they were this was missing, that there was an investigation I hear about this is this is all just crazy talk ... I'm happy to if they want to give me a holler and help me give me a holler, I'm happy to try and help them find it," he said.

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US officials can keep gifts that are worth less than $390 and must pay for gifts that are above this amount. Moreover, the US Constitution does not permit accepting gifts from a foreign government under threat of penalty or impeachment.

US Adds 943,000 Jobs in July, Unemployment Rate Dips to 5.4% - Labor Dept.

WASHINGTON, August 6 (Sputnik) - US employers added 943,000 jobs in July, the Labor Department announced on Friday, beating forecasts, while the unemployment rate stood at 5.4 percent in a job market still underperforming 17 months into the coronavirus pandemic. "Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 943,000 in July, and the unemployment rate declined by 0.5 percentage point to 5.4 percent," the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a unit within the Labor Department, said in a statement. "The department announced 850,000 job additions for June, and an unemployment rate of 5.9 percent." Economists polled by US media had forecast an average jobs growth of 870,000 for July. "Overall, a strong report across the board," noted economist Greg Michalowski in a post on ForexLive. "Unemployment rate lower, underemployment rate lower, nonfarm payroll beats... (with) average hourly earnings higher." More than a year into the COVID-19 crisis, restoring job growth remains one of the main concerns of US policymakers. The United States lost more than 21 million jobs between March and April 2020, at the height of business lockdowns forced by the coronavirus. More than 7 million of those jobs have yet to return, officials say. The US economy itself shrank 3.5 percent in 2020. This year though, growth has been quite dynamic, with a 6.5 percent rebound in the second quarter though that still lagged the 8.5 percent expected by economists. The Federal Reserve has forecast a 6.5 percent economic growth for all of 2021. But Chairman Jerome Powell says he does not expect "full employment" — defined by a monthly unemployment rate of 4.0 percent or lower — to occur anytime soon.

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