UKRAINE WINS G7 SECURITY PLEDGES BUT CLEAR PATH TO NATO MEMBERSHIP REMAINS ELUSIVE

VILNIUS, Lithuania — At the NATO summit, the G7 countries introduced new security assurances for Ukraine, aimed at strengthening the country's defenses against Russia in the long term while Ukraine pursues NATO membership. This comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the refusal to offer an invitation or timeline for Ukraine's entry into NATO as "absurd." The G7 declaration establishes a framework for bilateral negotiations to provide military and financial support, intelligence sharing, and immediate action in the event of a Russian attack. President Biden emphasized the long-lasting commitment of the G7 to Ukraine's security.

Despite his disappointment regarding the absence of a membership timetable, Zelensky considered the outcome a meaningful success, particularly in light of the recent announcements of military aid for Ukraine. He viewed the initiative as a stepping stone towards eventual NATO membership and as a deterrent against Russia. The first meeting of the new NATO-Ukraine Council was also held, designed to bring Ukraine as close as possible to the alliance without formal membership. According to the summit's communique, Ukraine can join NATO when the allies agree and conditions are met. Under Article 5 of the NATO charter, member countries are obligated to defend each other, which could potentially involve direct conflict with Russia.

Deputy Secretary of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, expressed concern that NATO's increasing military aid was escalating the risk of a third world war.

Meanwhile, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said on Wednesday that he had warned Ukraine that its allies were “not Amazon”, referring to the giant US retail company. He said Kyiv needed to show gratitude for weapons donations to persuade Western politicians to give more.

CHINA LASHES BACK AT NATO CRITICISM

In response to NATO's accusation that China poses a challenge to the group's interests and security, Beijing strongly retaliated and expressed opposition to any efforts by the military alliance to extend its influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

In a strongly worded communique issued midway into a two-day summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on Tuesday (Jul 11), Nato said the People’s Republic of China (PRC) challenged its interests, security and values with its “ambitions and coercive policies”.

“The PRC employs a broad range of political, economic, and military tools to increase its global footprint and project power, while remaining opaque about its strategy, intentions and military build-up,” Nato heads of state said in their communique.

“The PRC’s malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation target Allies and harm Alliance security.”

The China-related content of the communique disregards basic facts, distorts China’s position and policies, and deliberately discredits China, the Chinese mission to the European said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We firmly oppose and reject this,” it said.

ERDOGAN SAYS YES, BUT NOT SO FAST, TO SWEDEN’S NATO MEMBERSHIP BID

President Recep Tayyip Erdoganon Wednesday tempered the expectation that his expression of support this week for Sweden joining Nato meant that he would swiftly push the approval through the Turkish parliament. In his first public comments on the issue since Nato announced his support for the proposal on Monday, Erdogan said the final decision rested with the parliament and that Sweden needed to take more steps to win parliamentary support, without giving specifics. He also said parliament would not take up the matter until October, even though it is in session until July 27.

Erdogan’s remarks, hinting that Sweden’s accession may not be a done deal, were bound to disappoint many of his Nato allies, who had hoped that Erdogan’s use of the issue to win concessions had finally come to an end. Erdogan also said that Sweden needed to continue working to address Turkiye’s security concerns, suggesting he was not yet ready to give up his leverage. Sweden and Finland applied to join Nato last year. Turkiye initially opposed allowing either, accusing them of harbouring dissidents that Turkiye considers terrorists.

PAK GETS FINAL IMF APPROVAL FOR $3BN BAILOUT

Islamabad : In a relief to cash-strapped Pakistan, the IMF on Wednesday gave a final nod to a much-awaited $3 billion bailout programme for the country to support the government’s efforts to stabilise the ailing economy. The development came two weeks after the two sides reached a staff-level agreement over the “stand-by arrangement”. “The executive board of the IMF approved a 9-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) for Pakistan for an amount of $3 billion to support the authorities’ economic stabilisation programme,” the global lender said in a statement. The Dawn newspaper reported that the approval allows for an immediate disbursement of $1. 2 billion. “The remaining amount will be phased over the programme's duration, subject to two quarterly reviews,” it added.

CHINESE HACKERS GAINED ACCESS TO US GOVT EMAIL A/CS, SAYS MICROSOFT

Chinese hackers targeted specific government email accounts in an attempt to collect intelligence on the US, according to Microsoft. The attack, which affected about 25 organizations, including government agencies, involved the hackers gaining access to individual email accounts using forged authentication tokens. The breach went undetected for at least a month. While no classified networks were affected, the targeted nature and sophistication of the attack suggest the involvement of a Chinese hacking group connected to Beijing's intelligence service. Microsoft assessed the adversary's focus to be espionage, indicating that the breach could provide valuable information to the Chinese government and its intelligence services. The vulnerability exploited by the hackers was detected by the US government, who promptly informed Microsoft. The incident occurs during a delicate period in US-China relations as the Biden administration aims to ease tensions that have been escalating due to various incidents, including the transit of a Chinese spy balloon across the US.

CANADA’S STARTUP VISA PLAN OFFERS MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH OPEN-WORK PERMITS OF A LONGER TENURE

Canada's startup visa (SUV) program is undergoing enhancements that are expected to generate increased interest among Indian applicants. The recent announcements by Immigration Minister Sean Fraser include extending the work permit duration under the SUV program to up to three years instead of one, offering an open work permit that allows entrepreneurs to work beyond their own startup, and making the three-year open work permit available to all members of the entrepreneurial team. The SUV program provides a clear path to permanent residence without requiring applicants to invest their own funds or meet a minimum net worth requirement. However, they must demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves and their family upon arrival in Canada. Support from designated partners such as venture capital funds, angel investor groups, or acceptance into a business incubator program is necessary. The program aims to streamline the pathway to work permits and permanent residency, enabling entrepreneurs to access the North American market. Even if a startup fails, the entrepreneur still retains permanent residence. The flexibility provided by the open work permit allows entrepreneurs to explore various opportunities, collaborate with other businesses, and gain exposure to the Canadian market. The SUV program is designed to support genuine entrepreneurs and manage business risks, but it should not be viewed as a passive investment program. Changes to the temporary work permit option and a new application prioritization plan will be implemented later this year, with the current process taking approximately 30-35 months for permanent residence under the SUV program.

IN A FIRST, A TRANS WOMAN IS CROWNED MISS NETHERLANDS

Rikkie Valerie Kolle, Miss Netherlands 2023, can still hardly believe she won her country’s annual pageant. She spent all day Saturday preparing forand enjoying every moment of the ceremony that night. The show flew by, “and 21/2 hours later I was Miss Netherlands,” Kolle, 22, said Tuesday, adding that her victory “had finally sunk in. ” Kolle’s win is historic: She is the first trans woman to win the pageant in the Netherlands, and she will be the second openly trans woman to compete in a Miss Universe competition when she represents her country in El Salvador later this year. Spain’s Angela Ponce, also a trans woman, was a finalist in 2018.

CERBERUS HEATWAVE: HOT WEATHER SWEEPS ACROSS SOUTHERN EUROPE

A severe heatwave is affecting southern Europe and north-west Africa, with temperatures expected to reach record-breaking levels in the coming days. Parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey are expected to exceed 40°C (104°F). Italy, in particular, is bracing for extreme heat, with temperatures potentially reaching as high as 48.8°C (119.8°F). A red alert warning has been issued for cities including Florence and Rome, where a man died after collapsing while painting zebra crossing lines in the town of Lodi. The heatwave, named Cerberus, is expected to bring extremely hot conditions over the next few days, with temperatures peaking on Friday. The Met Office warns that large areas of southern Europe could experience temperatures in the low to mid 40s°C, or possibly even higher. Tourists in Italy have already suffered heat stroke, emphasizing the need for precautions to prevent further tragedies.

IRAN PRESIDENT RAISI VISITS KENYA AND UGANDA TO DEEPEN RELATIONS

KAMPALA: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Kenya and Uganda on a mission to strengthen ties as he embarked on the first trip by an Iranian leader to Africa in 11 years. The visit comes as the Iran tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Raisi due to travel to Zimbabwe on Thursday.

NORTH KOREA FIRES NEW MISSILE IN RESPONSE TO U.S. MILITARY ACTIVITY

SEOUL: North Korea test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile in three months, days after it threatened “shocking” consequences to protest what it called provocative U.S. military activity near its territory. The Hwasong-18 ICBM flew about 1,000 km before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.