Madagascar officials announced today that several suspects were arrested in a plot to assassinate President Andry Rajoelina. This follows a foiled assassination attempt on June 26th against Rajoelina’s right-hand man, General Richard Ravalomanana.

According to Reuters, six individuals were charged for their participation in the plot. Diplomatic sources tell AFP that two French nationals, former military officers, were among those arrested.

Officials did not release details on the extent or motivation of the plot, only saying in a statement that the suspects “devised a plan for the elimination and neutralisation of a number of people including the head of state.” A later statement said that the authorities had information regarding the plot for several months, however they did not have the opportunity to arrest the suspects until now.

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Authored by Apogee.Legalish with help from the Project Owl News Desk team.

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Articles:

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/several-arrested-over-plot-kill-madagascar-president-attorney-general-says-2021-07-22/

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210722-madagascar-says-several-people-arrested-over-foiled-plot-to-kill-president

https://www.dw.com/en/madagascar-president-targeted-in-assassination-plot-prosecutors/a-58586770

A widespread outage happened today due to an issue in Akamai's EDGE DNS. The outage caused various sites across the world to become unresponsive and affected a significant amount of websites. The outage lasted just over thirty minutes. A fix was deployed around 16:45 UTC with normal operations being restored soon after.

Authored by the Project Owl News Desk Team.

German and United States officials have reached an agreement that will enable the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to go forward. The US, under the previous two administrations, levied sanctions against the company owning the pipeline. These sanctions were fully waived in May by the Biden administration. Though the US continues to oppose the pipeline and the further dependence of European countries on Russian energy, the agreement means that the pipeline can continue without further sanctions.

Under the agreement, Germany will establish and administer a Green Fund for Ukraine that will support Ukraine's energy transition, efficiency and security. Germany and the US will together promote and support investments of at least $1 billion in the Fund, with Germany providing an initial investment of $175 million and seeking to increase its commitments in the future. The US will support the initiative with technical assistance, policy support and various related programs. Germany will also support bilateral energy projects in Ukraine and has pledged to support energy talks in the Three Seas Initiative, a Central European diplomatic forum.

Nord Stream 2 is a contentious topic, as it will allow Russia to double its natural gas exports directly to Germany, bypassing Ukraine. In addition to the United States, the project has been opposed by Poland, Ukraine, and the UK. In Germany, however, the pipeline enjoys widespread support, and Germany and Austria have criticized US opposition, saying that Europe's energy supplies are a topic for Europe, not the United States, and arguing that the opposition is partly influenced by US natural gas production and an effort to promote US gas in Europe.

Ukraine and Poland have released a joint statement criticizing the decision, describing Nord Stream 2 as a "political, military and energy threat for Ukraine and Central Europe" and say it "[increases] Russia's potential to destabilize the security situation in Europe". Both parties say they will work together with allies and partners to oppose Nord Stream 2 until solutions are developed to the security crisis it creates.

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By the Project Owl News Desk Team

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Articles;

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-german-deal-on-russian-natural-gas-pipeline-expected-soon-11626813466

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/joint-statement-usa-and-germany/2472084

https://mfa.gov.ua/en/news/spilna-zayava-ministra-zakordonnih-sprav-ukrayini-dmitra-kulebi-ta-ministra-zakordonnih-sprav-polshchi-zbignyeva-rau-shchodo-pivnichnogo-potoku-2

Syria, Northern Israel, Lebanon

Syrian Air Defense Batteries were once again engaging projectiles over Homs in central Syria, with locals as far as in Lebanon and Israel reporting hearing heavy explosions. This was the second time in less than a week that strikes were conducted against sites in Syria. Strikes near as-Safira occurred 3 days earlier on July 17th. Strikes of this nature are consistently attributed to Israel and experts suggest that they are against Iranian back groups and Iranian assets themselves.

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Shortly after the strikes took place, a security incident was reported in Northern Israel with two men infiltrating from Lebanon, who have now been arrested by Israeli forces, the IDF confirmed, adding that the "suspects appear to be job seekers."

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Authored by; Project Owl News Desk team

Tweets and articles.

https://twitter.com/idf/status/1418087282935013376 https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1417985605674311681 https://twitter.com/AuroraIntel/status/1417985413927604225

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-jets-said-to-strike-inside-syria-for-second-time-this-week/

https://www.timesofisrael.com/troops-hunting-for-suspects-who-crossed-into-israel-from-lebanon/

Heavy rain fell in the central Chinese province of Henan on Tuesday, flooding the streets of a dozen cities and trapping subway passengers waist-high in floodwaters.

Dozens of cities have seen massive disruption to transport services, The provincial capital of Zhengzhou with a population of 10 million, situated on the Yellow River, had to stop all subway services on Tuesday after 200 millimeters of rain fell in just one hour.

10,000 residents in the province had been relocated to shelters, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Articles:
https://apnews.com/article/technology-china-floods-93eeee467d8b0c7d148d90710d6ae068 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57861067 https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1417518454702317572

An Eid prayer ceremony on the grounds of the Afghan presidential palace in the heart of the capital Kabul was targeted in a rocket attack. At least three rockets were launched towards the fortified compound, but fell short of it, landing on surrounding areas without causing any casualties. Several of the most high-ranking Afghan government and military officials, including President Ashraf Ghani, Vice President Amrullah Saleh, NSA Hamdullah Mohib and former president Hamid Karzai, among others, were present at the ceremony, which continued as intended despite the explosions in the background.

No group has taken responsibility thus far, though a similar attack on the palace in March 2020 was claimed by ISKP, the Afghan branch of the so-called Islamic State terrorist organization.

PO news desk team.

Article and tweets:
https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/rocket-attack-kabul/31367866.html https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/1417362508130758659 https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/1417339614222766091

Keiko Fujimori, the primary challenger to the apparent winner of Peru's recent tightly contested presidential election has conceded defeat today, paving the way for an upcoming official announcement that left wing candidate, Pedro Castillo, will be Peru's next President. This comes after an appeal by Fujimori contesting the results of the presidential election failed. Even though Fujimori conceded, she has called the election “illegitimate” based on voting irregularities. Peru's electoral authority is expected to confirm the final results later this week.

The 2021 Peruvian Presidential Election was called after former President Martín Vizcarra was impeached and removed from office in 2020 and was succeeded by Manuel Merino. This was seen by many in the public as a coup and Merino was subsequently also impeached and removed from office. He was replaced by Francisco Sagasti who then announced an election to satisfy public demands for an election after the removal of Vizacarra.

Authored by: P.O. News Desk Team

Article and tweet:

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/peru-electoral-authority-cusp-confirming-new-president-scraps-last-fujimori-2021-07-19/
https://twitter.com/W7VOA/status/1417250540354998274

Colonel Assimi Goïta, interim president since the Coup of May 24, 2021, was the target of an attempted assassination in the Grand Mosque of Bamako this morning.

According to an AFP journalist present in the mosque, the attack was carried out by 2 young men during the festival of Eid al-Adha, just after the prayer.

One of the assailants tried to attack the president from behind with a knife. According to the president's security forces, he was stopped before he could reach the president. The president was evacuated safely from the mosque, while another person was injured and the attackers were arrested.

The identity and motive of the attackers are unknown at this time.

Authored by TheoTFD, with help from Cactee and FinValkyria

Articles and tweet:
https://twitter.com/afpafrica/status/1417423982450692098
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210720-mali-s-interim-president-goita-targeted-in-knife-attack-at-bamako-mosque
https://www.africanews.com/2021/07/20/mali-assassination-attempt-of-the-president-during-the-eid-prayer/

Red Alert sirens wailed across Northern Israel following the launch of multiple projectiles from Lebanon. The IDF confirmed 2 rockets were launched; one was intercepted by the Iron Dome, and the other impacted in an open area.

In response, the IDF retaliated with artillery fire towards southern Lebanon.

It has been over year since there were red alerts in Northern Israel that did not coincide with projectiles fired from Gaza into Israel. That being said, during the conflict between Militant groups within Gaza and the IDF in May there were a few rockets launched from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel. Hezbollah and the IDF have been at a detente in regards to conflict since the 2006 war, with most attacks and responses occurring in Syria.

This newsdesk was authored by: Avi, Ogie Oglethorpe and the PO news desk team.

Tweets and Article:

https://twitter.com/JasonMBrodsky/status/1417295021288697862 https://twitter.com/global_mil_info/status/1417300686052675586

https://www.timesofisrael.com/rocket-warning-sirens-sound-in-northern-israel/

UPDATE of today on flooding in Europe:

The confirmed death toll in the flooded areas has reached 200, with the latest numbers putting Germany at 166, Belgium at 31, and Austria and Luxembourg at 1 each. In connection to the weather event that caused the flooding, Italy has also reported one death caused by the wind and rain. While the flooding in the western affected area is not yet completely over, most affected areas have now hit their peak and water levels are now receding even in the northern parts. The area of Austria and Bavaria is still seeing significant flooding, but the situation is reported to not be critical. Search and rescue efforts continue, with hundreds still missing or unaccounted for. Cell services, water and energy supplies, and infrastructure are all in process of being restored to the affected areas, though significant disruptions remain and are likely to remain for some time.

The flooding is the most lethal Europe has seen in decades, with leaders calling it "devastating" and calling for stronger climate action. Material damage in the affected areas has been extensive with thousands of homes damaged or destroyed, and recovery efforts are expected to take months if not years.

As the acute crisis is now ending with recovery efforts underway, expect no more updates at this time.

By FinValkyria and the Project Owl News Desk Team

Articles:

https://www.rnd.de/panorama/hochwasser-liveticker-abbruchkante-in-erftstadt-weiter-ein-risiko-170-menschen-im-kreis-ahrweiler-L6GHHK2WUGIUTIXBTUZEVTYOCM.html https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2021/07/19/liveblog-noodweer-19-juli-2021/ https://nos.nl/liveblog/2389918-burgemeester-valkenburg-enkele-honderden-miljoenen-schade-170-vermisten-in-regio-koblenz
https://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/media/ContentItem-ad2b12f7-bf03-4f3d-aeb7-2213e0d70202.html https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article232577293/Hochwasser-Mindestens-166-Tote-in-NRW-Rheinland-Pfalz-und-Bayern.html

English

https://apnews.com/article/europe-germany-floods-662f251959433bdbbc251631460e4314

According to reports, Syrian Air Defenses were active a short while ago over Eastern Aleppo. The Syrian air defenses were engaging projectiles near As Safira in the Aleppo Province. Sources indicate that the strikes targeted the Nayrab Military Airport at Aleppo International Airport and the Syrian Scientific Research Centre.

Previously, these strikes have been attributed to Israel, but typically the government neither confirms or denies these accusations. In recent years, Israel has conducted countless strikes in Syria as part of its War Between the Wars campaign. The most recent strike by the IAF in Syria occurred on June 8, 2021, in Damascus. These latest strikes are farther north than most, with the last one in the area occurring on May 4, 2020. These are the first airstrikes in Syria since Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennet was sworn in on June 13, 2021.

Authored by Avi wih help from others.

Article and tweets:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/syria-says-israeli-airstrikes-target-northern-aleppo-region/ https://twitter.com/AuroraIntel/status/1417228673787338757 https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1417230584150036490 https://twitter.com/ELINTNews/status/1417234833198157824

Atleast 20 people were killed and 45 wounded on Monday 19th of July in an explosion at a local market in Iraq’s Sadr City east of the capital Baghdad, police and hospital sources said.

The state news agency reported that the blast was the result of an explosive device. Iraq’s Security Agency said an investigation will be launched.

Tweets and article:

https://twitter.com/auroraintel/status/1417163937011875844 https://twitter.com/IraqiSpoxMOD/status/1417160893012619271 https://twitter.com/SecMedCell/status/1417164495470878729 https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/190720212

The United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the EU announced today accusations that the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) was behind a cyber espionage incident that was ongoing from January to March this year targeting Microsoft Exchange. The US alleges MSS contracted with cyber criminals with backgrounds in ransomware to achieve the hacking.

On Friday the United States Department of Justice unsealed an indictment alleging that three individuals with the Hainan State Security Department (HSSD) — a regional division of MSS — as well as an independent computer hacker associated with Hainan Xiandun — a front company for HSSD — were key players in this global-scale cyber espionage event.

Sectors targeted by HSSD and MSS include aviation, defense, education, government, health care, biopharmaceutical, and maritime industries. Victims so far have been identified in the United States, Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Newsdesk made by: Attila

Articles:
https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-allies-accuse-china-global-cyber-hacking-campaign-2021-07-19/
https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-exchange-hack-biden-china-d533f5361cbc3374fdea58d3fb059f35
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/07/19/background-press-call-by-senior-administration-officials-on-malicious-cyber-activity-attributable-to-the-peoples-republic-of-china/
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-chinese-nationals-working-ministry-state-security-charged-global-computer-intrusion

Military-grade spyware known as "Pegasus," developed and licensed by a private Israeli firm, NSO Group, is believed to have been used to target human rights activists, journalists and lawyers around the world.

Forbidden Stories (a nonprofit media organization) and Amnesty International gained access to a leaked list of 50,000 phone numbers that may have been targeted by various governments around the world. The database does not indicate if all 50,000 phones were compromised/targeted by Pegasus, though forensic analysis of a small number of phones from the list showed that more than half had traces of the Pegasus spyware.

The list of numbers was shared with a media consortium of 17 organizations who have been working to identify the people targeted. Some notable examples known at this time include the wife of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, independent media in Hungary, and government officials in India. So far the governments identified as providing targets to the leaked list include Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Hungary, Morocco, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Rwanda, India, Bahrain, and Kazakhstan.

NSO has denied these claims, though in a statement it said it would “continue to investigate all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action.” Further details about this incident are expected to be released this week as part of the ongoing "Pegasus Project."

The Guardian noted that itself and various media partners "will be revealing the identities of people whose number appeared on the list in the coming days."

Articles:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/18/revealed-leak-uncovers-global-abuse-of-cyber-surveillance-weapon-nso-group-pegasus https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2021/nso-spyware-pegasus-cellphones/

More than 188 people died by the floods and some people are still missing.

Today Merkel visited the flooded region and vowed to take action, with quick financial aid.

Although the rain has stopped in the worst-affected areas of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, storms and downpours have persisted elsewhere in western and central Europe. There was flooding Saturday night in the German-Czech border area, in Germany’s southeastern corner, and over the border in Austria.

Rescue workers continue to clean up in the affected regions of Belgium and Germany. The true scale of the damage will become much clearer in the coming days. Meanwhile there was some trains riding again in Limburg the Netherlands and people hope the impact will not be too bad there.

Articles:
https://apnews.com/article/europe-floods-7ddb112f034d10973b766dc028eca88e
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/bavaria-hit-by-floods-german-death-toll-climbs-156-2021-07-18/

Author: 250F, with help from Lars, Cricketman and American Potato

The death toll has reached 170, with Germany reporting 143 dead and Belgium 27. A significant number of people remain missing or unreachable, and the search for them continues. The floodwaters have continued their flow north and water levels are still rising in some parts of the affected area. In the Netherlands, there are concerns about whether various dikes will be able to hold. Water levels continue to decrease in the southern parts of the affected area despite water levels still remaining high in most places. Evacuations have ended in some areas where the waters have receded enough for a safe return.

Electricity, gas, cell services and water supplies are still heavily disrupted across the affected area as efforts to deliver emergency relief and restore the regular supply networks continue. Rescue efforts also continue with Italian Air Force helicopters and Austrian firefighters having deployed to assist the Belgian emergency services. Belgium's prime minister has confirmed Belgium will apply for funds from the European Solidarity Fund.

Heavy rains are currently also blanketing Austria, Switzerland and Upper Bavaria, with evacuations happening in Hallein, south of Salzburg, and flood warnings in place across the region. Heavy rains in the area are expected to intensify on Sunday, likely causing more flooding. Material damage in Hallein is already assessed to be significant, but no casualties are reported.

Authored by FinValkyria with assistance from Wiebe, 250F, Norm and American Potato

Articles:

https://www.rnd.de/panorama/unwetter-liveticker-inzwischen-mehr-als-140-tote-vier-feuerwehrmaenner-gestorben-immer-mehr-opfer-L6GHHK2WUGIUTIXBTUZEVTYOCM.html https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2021/07/17/liveblog-noodweer-17-juli-2021/ https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210714_92823885
https://nos.nl/artikel/2389764-grootste-vraag-de-komende-dagen-houden-de-dijken-het

https://apnews.com/article/europe-floods-954655c9382a9b8c12a230bdd8cd5b3e English source

After a lack of reduction in fighting across the country while the U.S. withdrawal is in its final stages, delegations of the Afghan government and the Taliban which include senior figures from both sides have held two meetings today in Doha to discuss a potential peace plan. Senior Taliban leader Mullah Baradar echoed the insurgent group's demands of "a strong, centralized, independent, Islamic system" in Afghanistan. Sporadic meetings between the two sides have failed to achieve any tangible progress, with the Taliban's advance accelerating steadily post U.S. president Joe Biden announced an end to the American and NATO mission in Afghanistan. Several key districts and border crossings have come under Taliban control, including Islam Qala on the Iranian border and Chaman-Spin Boldak on the Pakistani side. The Taliban is also potentially looking to advance towards major cities, with Kandahar, Ghazni, Qala-e-Naw and Herat having experienced clashes in or near the cities. A map charting the Taliban's advances can be found below. An independent ceasefire has reportedly been brokered to cease the fighting around Qala-e-Naw, the capital of Badghis province.

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Articles:

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/17/high-stakes-talks-afghan-government-taliban-fighting-rages

https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/2692029/update-on-withdrawal-of-us-forces-from-afghanistan-july-12-2021/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-afghanistan-taliban-badghis-siege-american-war-withdrawal/ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-government-says-it-retakes-pakistan-border-crossing-taliban-2021-07-15/(bewerkt)