WASHINGTON, 21 July 2022, (TON): White House said “Russia is laying the groundwork for the annexation of Ukrainian territory and is installing illegitimate proxy officials in areas there under its control as it seeks to exert total control over its gains in the east.”

Unveiling what he said was US intelligence, John Kirby, the chief National Security Council spokesman, told a White House news briefing that the Russians are preparing to install proxy officials, establish the rouble as the default currency and force residents to apply for citizenship.

Kirby said “we have information today, including from downgraded intelligence that we’re able to share with you, about how Russia is laying the groundwork to annex Ukrainian territory that it controls in direct violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.”

Kirby said “the same tactic was used in 2014 when Russia announced its annexation of Crimea after taking over control from Ukraine.”

DAMASCUS, 21 July 2022, (TON): The European Union has lifted sanctions on Syrian airline Cham Wings, representatives for the EU and the airline said, after the privately owned company was blacklisted over accusations it was helping smuggle migrants into the bloc.

The EU imposed the sanctions in December, accusing it of flying people to Belarus so they could then illegally cross the EU's external borders in what flared up into a migration and humanitarian crisis

The airline had already been blacklisted by the United States, who said the Syrian government had used the airline to transport militants, weapons, and other equipment during the conflict raging in the country since 2011.

According to a statement by an EU spokesperson “the EU decision to remove it from the sanctions list was signed on July 18 by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.”

RIYADH, 21 July 2022, (TON): Saudi Press Agency reported “Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, the acting governor of the Riyadh region, celebrated the National Day of Egypt at the Egyptian embassy.”

Saudi Press Agency reported “he was received by Egyptian ambassador Ahmed Farouk and embassy officials upon his arrival.”

The ceremony was also attended by the deputy interior minister, Dr. Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood, the undersecretary for protocol affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Khaled bin Faisal Al-Sahli, and other members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Kingdom.

WASHINGTON, 21 July 2022, (TON): A big Democratic Party fundraising group on Wednesday filed a complaint against the Federal Election Commission, accusing it of allowing Donald Trump to break campaign finance law by spending political donations on a 2024 presidential bid he has yet to launch.

The group, American Bridge, complained in March to the FEC about Trump's Save America fund.

Under U.S. law, the fund can pay for political activities such as Trump's travel, hotel stays and contributions to political allies, but it cannot be used to fund the former Republican president's own election campaign.

American Bridge says Trump is flouting campaign finance laws by dropping frequent hints that he is planning to seek the White House again while having Save America pay for rallies nationwide and digital advertising promoting him.

CAIRO, 21 July 2022, (TON): Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the presidential palace.

El-Sisi headed to Belgrade after concluding an official visit to Germany.

At a joint press conference with Vucic, El-Sisi said they discussed issues of common interest, particularly developments in the Middle East, including Palestine and Libya.

He said they also discussed ways to combat terrorism and illegal immigration, as well as the war in Ukraine and its global economic consequences, including food and energy insecurity.

They discussed Egypt’s efforts to mobilize the international community to combat climate change in light of its hosting in November of the UN Climate Change Conference.

KYIV, 21 July 2022, (TON): Russian missiles struck cities and villages in eastern and southern Ukraine, hitting homes, a school and a community center as Russian President Vladimir Putin won strong support support from Iran for his country’s military operation.

Regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said “in Kramatorsk, a city in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province considered a likely Russian occupation target, one person was killed and 10 wounded in an airstrike that hit a five-story apartment building.”

Fresh blood stained the concrete amid green leaves that were torn off trees as nearby apartments on at least two floors burned. Shrapnel was placed in a small pile near an empty playground.

Halyna Maydannyk, a resident of one burned apartment said “there was no one here. Everything is ruined.”

RIYADH, 21 July 2022, (TON): Saudi Press Agency reported “the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council has emphasized the importance of promoting economic growth and the strategic partnership between the bloc and the UK to serve common interests.”

The statement was made by Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf during a meeting with British ambassador to Saudi Arabia Neil Crompton on Tuesday in Riyadh.

Several topics were discussed during the meeting including recent developments in the GCC-UK Free Trade Agreement negotiations, as well as the importance of promoting trade in goods, services, advanced technologies, and other fields for the benefit of both sides.

The officials also discussed the most recent regional and international developments, as well as topics of mutual interest.

DAMASCUS, 21 July 2022, (TON): Syria announced Wednesday that it was severing ties with Ukraine in support of its close ally Russia, saying the move was a response to a similar move by Kyiv.

A foreign ministry official, who was not identified, told “the Syrian Arab Republic has decided to break diplomatic relations with Ukraine in conformity with the principle of reciprocity and in response to the decision of the Ukrainian government.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky already announced he was severing ties with Syria late last month after Syria recognized the Russian-backed breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky said at the time “there will no longer be relations between Ukraine and Syria.”

BERLIN, 21 July 2022, (TON): Germany’s State-owned rail company Deutsche Bahn said “it was planning to transport grain by freight train from Ukraine to Germany’s ports.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two major global wheat suppliers has sent prices for grains and other food products soaring. It has stalled Kyiv’s exports, leaving dozens of ships stranded and some 20 million tons of grain stuck in silos at Odesa.

Deutsche Bahn said it will transform its network that was set up to transport humanitarian aid to bring grain from Ukraine to the German ports of Rostock, Hamburg and Brake near Bremerhaven.

The railway operator plans to run several trains per week and a large part of the grain would be transported via Romania and Poland, the company said, adding “the company couldn’t yet quantify how much grain it could transport.”

RIYADH, 21 July 2022, (TON): The secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation met with Pakistan’s permanent representative to the inter-governmental organization in Jeddah.

Hissein Brahim Taha and Rizwan Saeed Sheikh discussed the implementation of resolutions adopted by the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in Islamabad in March.

They also discussed existing areas of cooperation and their desire to enhance dialogue and bilateral cooperation on topics and issues of common interest.

Sheikh highlighted the importance of the OIC’s role at the international and regional levels, especially with regards to issues such as the Kashmir conflict, Islamophobia, and developments in Afghanistan.