Senate Majority Leader John Thune Moves to Advance Crypto Clarity Act 
Bezalel Smotrich Faces Election Battle as Israel’s Far-Right Vote Fractures 
SEC Moves to Dismiss Insider Trading Case Against Trump-Pardoned Terren Peizer 
U.S. Unseals Charges Against Five Alleged CJNG Leaders, Raises Reward for New Cartel Chief 
North Korea May Deploy 120 Missiles to Russia 
Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Democratic Senate Primary, Sets Up Key Midterm Showdown 
Germany Warns of Daily Hybrid Warfare Threats 
Colombia President Abelardo De La Espriella Pledges Drug Crackdown, Economic Reforms 
Canada, US Hold Constructive Trade Talks as Tariff Negotiations Continue 
ICE to Complete Nationwide Body Camera Rollout by End of August 
US Expands Social Media Vetting to Foreign Journalists Seeking Visas 
Taiwan Tests Penghu Defense, Mobile Internet Limits in War Drills 
Iran-Oman Near Strait of Hormuz Deal as Shipping Tensions Persist 
Russian Strikes Kill Six in Eastern and Northern Ukraine, Dozens Injured 
Houthi Attack on Yemen’s Mocha Port Kills Seven, Injures 30 
Trump Orders Probe Into Pentagon Munitions Stockpile Leaks After Iran Conflict 
New Zealand MMP Electoral System Faces Fresh Referendum Debate 
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the risk of Russian leader Vladimir Putin resorting to nuclear weapons has lowered now. Scholz said that the diminished risk was a result of international pressure as the war in Ukraine continues.
In an interview published Thursday by Funke media that marked Scholz’s one year in office, Scholz said that the risk posed by Russia resorting to using nuclear weapons in Ukraine has lowered due to international pressure. However, Scholz noted that Russia continues to bombard Ukraine with “undiminished brutality”, but that dialogue must be maintained with the Kremlin.
“Russia has stopped threatening to use nuclear weapons. As a reaction to the international community marking a red line,” said Scholz, who also told Putin to stop the war but afterwards prepare for arms control negotiations with Russia, an offer that has existed before the war.
Scholz also defended his country’s support for Ukraine, which has been criticized by Kyiv and other European countries for being too reserved. Scholz said that Germany is one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine after the United States, including military assistance with weapons.
“We are doing everything we can to prevent a direct war between Russia and NATO. Such a conflict would only have losers – all over the world,” said Scholz, adding that he expected Europe’s biggest economy to be able to make it through the winter months and to remain a strong and successful nation in reducing its reliance on Russian energy.
Scholz said that they are making all the “necessary decisions” to become energy independent in the long run, adding that they are hoping for Germany to become “climate-neutral” and to be able to produce its own energy without natural gas or oil by 2045.
The British defense ministry, in its intelligence bulletin on Friday, said that Iranian one-way attack drones were being used by Russia in its strikes across Ukraine. The ministry noted that this was the first report in three weeks that Russia has used such drones and that it meant Russia likely exhausted its initial supply of Iranian drones and has since restocked.
“It is likely that Russia exhausted its previous stock of several hundred Shahed-131s and 136s and has now received a resupply,” said the ministry.
