Two French diplomats detained in Iran 'for hours', secretive Russo-German talks held in Baku and Germany greenlights Franco-Russian nuclear project

While the Alpine region might not steer geopolitics, it cannot help but be at the mercy of others who do. As a consequence of the current reality in Europe, air defense is front and center. The current obsession with drones in Europe comes after watching their spectacular evolution as instruments of warfare by Ukrainian forces.

The Ukrainians have been able to strike deep inside Russia after weapons with such strike capabilities were denied them, beginning with the former administration of then US President Joe Biden and becoming far more pronounced under current US President Donald Trump. Ukrainians have shown the whole world that where there is a will there is a way—but there has to be a will.

As someone old enough to remember sitting in an office in a frontline state at NATO's Centre of Excellence for Strategic Communications in Riga, Latvia, there was a time in the not so distant past when NATO countries were supposed to be the ones teaching the Ukrainians. Certainly then, I advocated we reverse course and have them teach us but this was a nonstarter inside a NATO institution amid more urgant and immediate concerns like a pandemic. Now, even Lockheed Martin is "to build cheaper Patriot missile to counter drone threat," according to The Financial Times.

As the distance grows to the frontline and enters the European imagination, drones have become a sort of ephemera that can compensate for the need for a ground army. As preposterous as it is, because drones cannot hold and take territory, again Europe has entered an era of fantasia around conflict where the sky is quite literally the limit and war can be bloodless. Air superiority is but a dimension of modern conflict, and the Ukrainians lack control of their own skies. They hold their territory with their army. Ground forces cannot be substituted for.

At the same time, this week, we see for the first time after four long years, the Germans and the French signalling clear lines of rapprochement to Russia. First, with German officials meeting in Baku with Russian counterparts for talks of undiscernible nature and quality but happening repeatedly and second, with German approval for a controversial Franco-Russian nuclear deal that will permit a French company to produce fuel rods for use in Russian-designed reactors. Come again? 

If I was a betting woman, and I very much am, I will bet that the German government will be the first to beeline to Russia like supplicants begging for cheap energy again before the dust settles and the ink is even dry on whatever agreements come at the end of this war. In fact, with these Baku meetings, one imagines the preparatory groundwork is already underway.

So now we enter a new phase of the conflict. Allies who do not behave like allies are not allies. In this case, we can say, such efforts are only extending the war, showing weakness in what could have been a united coalition, supposedly of the willing. Further, it is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of Russia, a country that only understands strength. Ergo, if one lacks strength, stand down and permit those who have it to deal with Russia.

As former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote on LinkedIn this week, what is needed is "A coalition not only of the willing, but also the ready and able."

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TEHRAN, IRAN – Two French diplomats detained by Iranian security for hours

• Reuters reports Wednesday that "two French diplomats were mistreated by Iranian security personnel who detained them for several hours in Tehran."
• Iran's chargé d'affaires was summoned to the French Foreign Ministry Tuesday "over the incident, in which it said two French embassy staff had been detained and physically intimidated by Iranian security services." While Iran denied what it wished to, "Paris said the diplomats had their phones taken, were forbidden to contact the embassy and were verbally intimidated in a breach of diplomatic conventions" and the French cultural attaché was "subjected to physical violence."
• One Iranian Foreign Ministry official, Mohammad Tanhaei, let reality slip in between Iran's official statements, and said the two embassy officials were questioned "after they met individuals who are being investigated for security reasons." The embassy by contrast said the individuals were "a supplier for the embassy".

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – Azeri President announces Russo-German talks were held in Baku

• Reuters reports Tuesday Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed a joint report by German outlets Die Zeit and ARD while speaking after a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that "Former senior German officials Ronald Pofalla and Matthias Platczek have been holding secret meetings with high-ranking allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin, including Gazprom board chair and former prime minister Viktor Zubkov and EU-sanctioned figures, in Baku since 2024".
• Aliyev played coy and said "flight records suggested that former and current German and Russian officials had held a clandestine meeting in Baku this month". Further, according to the media reports, "German politicians including senior Social Democrat Ralf Stegner as well as Pofalla, and Russians including Zubkov and Valeriy Fadeyev, chair of Russia's human rights council," which is presumably concerned with neither humans nor their rights, were present. That meetiing "triggered concern" from members of the Bundestag, as it should, with "four German participants including Pofalla and Stegneer confirmed attending a 'private' event in Baku."
• Of course while Aliyev reportedly told Bloomberg, "Our territory was used for such a meeting without our knowledge," adding, "we were not present at the meeting," he is of course playing coy. Azerbaijan still has a KGB called as such and these visits certainly would not have escaped official notice (or eavesdropping) even if not made public due to a muted press and largely jailed and exiled opposition.  At the very least, "German security agencies say these gatherings are a Russian influence operation designed to shape German policy" and if no one else, all this valued intelligence likely went to the Turks and/or the Israelis. Bravo to all the German and other turncoats involved.

LINGEN, GERMANY – Germany gives greenlight to French-Russian nuclear project

• France24 reports Wednesday that the German Economy Ministry "approved a French-Russian project to produce fuel rods used in Russian-designed reactors in the northwestern German town of Lingen."
• A subsidiary of the French company Framatome and Russian state-owned Rosatom  naturally sparks "fears of Russian spying", but the German government says its hands are tied as there is "no legal possibility to reject" it.
• The Framatome subsidiary Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF) "applied for permission for the project in March 2022, just weeks after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine." At the same time, "Germany is Ukraine's biggest backer".

REGENSBURG, GERMANY – Suspect detained following hostage situation at bank

• Reuters reports Thursday that a 20 year old knife-wielding man was detained after he fatally stabbed a man while holding other customers of a bank hostage.
• The German national had detained people at the bank over several hours when police intervened. The sole victim died later in the hospital after being severely injured during the incident.
• Police units, emergency services and hostage negotiators all deployed as a police helicopter circled overhead.

BREMERVÖRDE, GERMANY – Suspect in mass shooting found dead in prison cell

• The Associated Press reports Tuesday that the suspect accused of killing six people in a mass shooting at a shelter for young mothers and pregnant women in the northern German town of Stade near Hamburg was found dead in his cell in prison in nearby Bremervörde.
• The suspect, a Turkish national born in Germany, is believed to have been involved "in a custody dispute over the 3-month-old daughter of the suspect".
• The unnamed suspect was found dead from strangulation early Tuesday in his cell.

FRANKFURT, GERMANY – Mother of Uyghur man says Germany deported son to China

• The Associated Press reports Wednesday that Germany deported "Arafat Adil, 21, a dual Chinese-Turkish national" from the Frankfurt Airport to Beijing, according to his mother.
• Amid "concerns he could be detained as a member of an ethnic group that has been targeted by the Chinese government," namely the Uyghurs, Adil landed Wednesday in the Chinese capital Beijing "where he was taken into custody and interrogated."
• His mother said she hoped he could be on a flight to Turkey late Thursday evening, though whether that occurred is unclear.

BERLIN, GERMANY – Deutsche Bahn bans alcohol sales at rail stations

• The Associated Press reports Tuesday that Deutsche Bahn (DB) "is banning alcohol sales at all stations on the network in an effort to improve security" following a spate of attacks on DB's employees as well as to reduce the customary gathering of vagrant drunks outside many German rail stations.
• The ban will be introduced "step-by-step" by October 15 "at all 15,000 stations in Germany". Bans are already in place at 30 stations, including Cologne, Hamburg and Munich.
• Just last week, a "brutal and senseless attack" took place against staff during a ticket check which resulting in the employee falling "out of the moving train's door", resulting in injury.

COLOMBES, FRANCE – French modeling scout connected to Epstein found dead at home

• The BBC reports Wednesday that French modeling scout linked to the late financier and sex trafficker "Daniel Siad, 69, was discovered on Monday in Colombes, north-west suburb of Paris, the Nanterre prosecutor's office confirmed."
• The investigation into his death was opened Monday and an autopsy has yet to be carried out. The Paris prosecutor's office "defended an investigation it launched in February," into human trafficking and conspiracy, "saying there had been insufficient evidence to justify arresting Said." In France, Said was previously "the subject of several complaints" which included "allegations of rape."
• While Said's lawyer emphasized his client's innocence, a woman named "Anya" reportedly told the BBC how she was trafficked to Epstein by Said. During a recent CNN interview with Said, he said "he had not known the women were being abused by Epstein", saying, "I trusted him, I believed this guy is a professional person".

PARIS, FRANCE – France bans social media for children

• CNN reports Tuesday that the French legislature voted "to ban social media use for children under the age of 15", becoming the first European country to do so.
• Australia was responsible for the first such ban late last year and the UK imposed similar restrictions last month. Countries including, Denmark, Greece and Spain also plan to impose a minimum age on social media apps.
• It remains unclear "how the social media sites will verify user's ages." In Australia, all this means is "take reasonable steps".

BOLOGNA, ITALY – Death of Moroccan man under police restraint draws protests

• The Guardian reports Tuesday that "Police have clashed with demonstrators" following the death of a Morrocan-born man, Abderrahim Fakir, 42, who was under restraint by police while an ambulance waited nearby—an incident that has been compared to George Floyd's 2020 death in Minneapolis within Italy.
• Fakir had been a resident of Italy since he was five years old and "ran a small removal and cleaning business." Video posted to social media showed him calling out for help "as two officers sit on him and ambulance workers look on" and "shows him face down" in his final moments, "calling for help and saying he could not breathe before his movements gradually stop." Prior to the incident, residents in the neighborhood had called police after seeing "Fakir's aggressive and erratic behavior."
• On Tuesday, Reuters reports Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a "full investigation", which prosecutors have opened in addition to requesting footage from the police officers' body cams.

POLLINO NATIONAL PARK, ITALY – Arsonists used cats to spread wildfires, authorities say

• CNN reports Wednesday that authorities probing the origin of wildfires in Italy found "cats 'with flammable-soaked rags tied to their tails" as well as "candles lit among flammable rags and delayed ignition devices."
• Around Calabria's Pollino National Park, firefighters "have completed more than 160 missions" in just "the past 24 hours."
• Italy's Association for the Defense of Animals and the Environment "filed a criminal complaint and offered a 1,000 euro reward for information on who may have set the cats alight."

VENICE, ITALY – Protesters and riot police clash over US Ambassador's yacht tour

• CNN reports Saturday that "Around 300 protesters clashed with riot police in Venice on Friday evening over the arrival of US ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta's $450 million", or €394 million, "mega yacht Boardwalk during the city's annual Redentore (Redeemer) festival," according to police.
• Ambassador Fertitta, who is considered "a close ally of and donor to US President Donald Trump," has spent the summer "cruising around Italy" on his private yacht with family and some staff "as part of what he calls 'coastal diplomacy'".
• In Venice, police pushed back protesters "who were trying to reach the ambassador's ship." Reports suggest it was "the same organized group of demonstrators" who were protesting "last summer against the celebrity wedding of Amazon bilionaire Jeff Bezos and former journalist Lauren Sanchez".

DÄNIKEN, SWITZERLAND – Drones buzz nuclear power plant triggering police response

• Swissinfo reports last Thursday that "Several drones have triggered a police operation at the Gösgen nuclear power plant" in Däniken, Switzerland.
• The incident happened a week ago last Sunday when "A resident alerted police" after they saw "at least seven drones flying towards the power plant." The cantonal police in Solothurn "have confirmed an investigation" is underway "to determine the exact number of drones."
• In addition to the local police, the police in neighboring cantons as well as the Federal Office of Civil Aviation and the Federal Police are involved in the investigation. A spokesperson for the nuclear plant said "the plant's security was never compromised".

BERN, SWITZERLAND – Neutral Swiss join NATO ammunition purchasing pact

• Swissinfo reports last Friday that very neutral "Switzerland has joined a NATO partnership for the joint procurement of ammunition."
• Switzerland's state procurement agency Armasuisse said in a press release the country is now participating in what is known as the Ammunition Support Partnership with a NATO agency that has "a portfolio of over 2,000 types of ammunition for land, air and naval forces."
• A country which refused to permit German battletanks traverse its territory from Italy to Germany to get refurbished not so long ago now realizes Europe has a security dilemma and wants protection at limited to no expense while providing nothing more than "good offices" that have not delivered much in over a decade.

Summer of love racism…

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Burqini ban in pools 'provisionally suspended'

• Swissinfo reports Wednesday that Geneva's Constitutional Chamber of the Court of Justice provisionally suspended a ban on the women's full Islammic bathing dress, known as the burkini, after an appeal was lodged "pending a decision on the merits of the case."
• The Geneva cantonal parliament passed the provision in May without putting "forward any specific reason for its immediate application." In fact, "The sole argument cited was the desire to standardise the rules" and in fact had nothing to do with disdain for others who are different. In addition to a coalition of organizations calling itself "the Coordination for Inclusive Swimming," several towns and Geneva have launched appeals against the law.
• Some perspective: the ability to swim has often been closely linked to class and race, meaning the poorer often lack the ability and not being able to swim has a deeply racialized history and context. So consider which sheikhas are lounging poolside in the summer in Geneva and reflect, as is always fun, that these Muslim ladies are likely to be wealthy, living their best lives and probably belonging to families who already own half of the canton if not the country. What fun for them to have to struggle a bit in the weeds of parochialism and hate, builds character. For everyone else, it's merely a continuation of the status quo of normative prejudice.

BRUNAU AM INN, AUSTRIA – Hitler's birthplace reopens as a police station

• The Associated Press reports Wednesday the Austrians have opted to deal with their national socialist past and the legacy of one of the two most famous Austrians in the world (the other being Arnold Schwarzenegger) by transforming the birthplace of genocidal dictator Adolf Hitler, who seduced millions of Europeans to act on their prejudices and slaughter more than six million of their neighbors, into a police station.
• Allegedly this is to deter the site from being a place of pilgrimmage for all manner of neo-Nazis and anti-Semites as it has been over the years and will not in any way promote such values within Austria's police. Critics charge the "current presentation lacks context" and "A commission of experts" instead advocated for "a redesign that would not be easily recognizable." How does one not address the murder of millions of human souls at the root of the problem? Take notes, the Austrians are inadvertantly delivering a masterclass.
• While Austria has never fully reckoned with its national socialist past, the fanfare of inviting the international media at the height of summer suggests their reckoning will come in the form, as it has elsewhere, of a reminder of what the nation is truly capable of—however one might judge or even be encouraged by that fact.

And finally…

TÄGERWILEN, SWITZERLAND – 40 year old Polish driver stopped for illegal bee imports

• Swissinfo reports last Friday that a 40 year old Polish driver "was fined several hundred Swiss francs by customs officials in Tägerwilen, near to the border with Germany," after he was stopped for driving "a delivery van carrying 40 bee colonies."
• Lacking an import license, "the insect cargo was refused entry into Switzerland". The bees were "in wooden crates in the load compartment of a delivery van with Swiss number plates," according to a Swiss customs press release.
• Certain bees were "worth thousands of francs," yet despite their value were found "flying around freely in the back of the van." Ergo, if you plan to import a bee colony to Switzerland, be sure and have everything "declared in advance to the relevant cantonal veterinary office."

Stay safe and will requires fortitude!

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