According to Xinhua News Agency, on July 6th, military leaders from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso held the first summit of the member states of the "Sahel State Alliance" in the capital of Niger, Niamey, and announced the establishment of the "Sahel State Confederation". The military leaders of the three countries praised the achievements of the alliance in regional coordinated counter-terrorism operations and affirmed the formation of the "Sahel State Alliance" joint force announced in March this year, which aims to combat terrorist organizations, transnational organized crime, and other threats faced by the alliance. In addition, the three countries also decided to establish an investment bank and a stabilization fund within the Confederation, while establishing a mechanism aimed at promoting the circulation of personnel, goods, and services.

In September 2023, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso signed the Liptako Gourma Charter in Bamako, the capital of Mali, agreeing to establish the "Sahel Alliance of States". According to the Charter, any contracting party must provide assistance, including military support, to other contracting parties in the event of an attack. In January of this year, the three countries issued a joint communiqu é announcing their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States.

02Zuo Ke hinted to support his young son Kazan's participation in local elections

According to Jakarta, on July 8th, Indonesian President Joko Widodo gave the same answer as when asked in October last year if his eldest son Jibran would nominate him for the presidential and vice presidential elections, when asked if he supported his young son Kassan's participation in the upcoming elections: "The responsibility of parents is to pray and support." In response, Kassan said that if he ran, he would be in Central Java Province or Jakarta Special Administrative Region, calling on the outside world to patiently wait for the nomination process at the end of next month.

Indonesian polling agencyThe latest data released by "Political Indicators" shows that Kazan received 17.7% support in a simulated match of 20 candidates in Central Java Province, ranking among the top 20 candidates. Currently, some political parties are considering nominating Kasan for the position of Chief or Deputy Chief of Jakarta Special Administrative Region. Most of these parties belong to the camp of Prabowo and Jibran in the February presidential election this year. And Kazan himself has also been running around, including attending several prayer meetings at the church, visiting the homes of supporters of Zoko, and visiting leaders of various political parties.

military

01North Korean elite military students visit Russia

On July 8th, a delegation of military training officers led by the president of Kim Il sung Military University in North Korea departed for Russia for a visit, according to the Korean Central News Agency. This is the first military exchange between North Korean leader Kim Jong un and Russian President Putin since they signed an agreement promising to strengthen military cooperation between the two sides. But the Korean Central News Agency did not disclose other details, including the purpose of the visit and the delegation's itinerary.

It is reported that Kim Il sung Military University is a university that trains elite military officers. After studying abroad in Switzerland, Kim Jong un also studied military knowledge such as artillery at this university, preparing him to become the third leader of North Korea. The highly publicized development of military relations between North Korea and Russia has raised concerns among South Korea and the United States. Officials in Seoul and Washington say there is evidence that North Korea is transporting weapons to Russia for the Ukraine conflict, and South Korea and the United States also believe that Pyongyang may have received unknown assistance from Moscow. Both North Korea and Russia deny any arms trade between the two countries.

01Vietnam's aquatic product exports generate $4.4 billion in foreign exchange in the first half of 2024

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, Vietnam's seafood exports are expected to reach 875 million US dollars in June 2024, a year-on-year increase of 14%. Most of the major export commodities have experienced significant growth. Among them, the export volume of fish increased by 22%, tuna increased by 40%, and crabs increased by 59%; Shrimp products saw a slight increase of 7%. Overall, in the first six months of 2024, Vietnam's seafood exports generated over 4.4 billion US dollars in foreign exchange, an increase of nearly 7% compared to the same period in 2023.

In terms of the market,In the first half of 2024, Vietnam's exports of aquatic products to EU countries reached 513 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 12%. In addition, the export value of Vietnam's two largest water product export markets, the United States and China, surged by 14% and 18% respectively in June. Vietnamese seafood export companies believe that the Vietnamese seafood export market will become more stable and accelerate growth in the third and fourth quarters. The export value of aquatic products is expected to increase by about 15% year-on-year in the second half of 2024, reaching over 5.5 billion US dollars; The annual export value of aquatic products is expected to reach 10 billion US dollars in 2024.