Prologue Journal – Page 36184 – Understanding current events through the lenses of the past and future.

If war breaks out, Lukashenko says he has enough authority to make decisions

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. The Belarusian leader earlier said that Minsk would get engaged in a military conflict only if it’s faced with direct aggression against Belarus https://tass.com/world/1631991

Messi wishes Chinese fans ‘happy Dragon Boat Festival’ on Alibaba’s Taobao Live show before Argentina-Australia football match

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Messi’s mid-afternoon appearance brought over 2.5 million viewers to the site, which is locked in fierce competition against ByteDance and PDD. https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3224081/messi-wishes-chinese-fans-happy-dragon-boat-festival-alibabas-taobao-live-show-argentina-australia?utm_source=rss_feed

Activists slam New Taipei police’s arrest of migrant worker

Taipei, June 14 (CNA) Labor and human rights advocates have condemned officers from the New Taipei City Police Department for entering a church in pursuit of migrant workers suspected of a crime, saying they infringed on churchgoers’ rights and the church’s role as a spiritual sanctuary. https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202306140018

German national security strategy views China as ‘partner, competitor, systemic rival’

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. The strategy also points out that “China deliberately uses its economic power to achieve its political goals” https://tass.com/defense/1631989

Russia upbeat about Algerian president’s state visit, says senior diplomat

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. Mikhail Bogdanov highlighted the prospects for cooperation between the two countries’ business communities and companies, as well as for technical cooperation https://tass.com/politics/1631987

Why didn’t Ukrainian forces enter Crimea by late spring as the country’s spy chief promised? Military intelligence spokesman Andrii Yusov explains

Pravda Ukraine https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/articles/2023/06/8/7405933/

Vegas Golden Knights Win the Stanley Cup

Wall Street Journal The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers in five games to win the expansion franchise’s first Stanley Cup title in just its sixth season. https://www.wsj.com/articles/vegas-golden-knights-stanley-cup-510f0229

Nevada approves funding to replace crumbling tribal school following widespread community outcry

Fox News A crumbling tribal school that was the subject of widespread community outcry is set to be replaced after Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed into law funding for a new facility on Tuesday. Flanked by tribal leaders and dozens of students who traveled to the state Capitol from a reservation in a remote swath…

Ukrainian forces went on offensive near Kamenskoye, were repelled — Russian officer

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. It is noted that an infantry platoon was beaten back with heavy losses https://tass.com/politics/1631981

MA launches ‘green bank dedicated to affordable housing’ in effort to address climate change, housing market

Fox News Massachusetts is launching what Gov. Maura Healey described Tuesday as the nation’s “first green bank dedicated to affordable housing” — an effort to address two of the state’s top challenges: grappling with the effects of climate change and easing a dire housing market. The goal of the $50 million Massachusetts Community Climate Bank…