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"We continue to be concerned about the rise... of malign influences on the continent."Lavrov has dismissed accusations of Russian government involvement, saying on Saturday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York that the Kremlin had "nothing to do with" the deal, which was negotiated between Mali's government and a "private military contractor."
On Friday, France recalled its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra after Australia scrapped a major submarine program with France in favor of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines with the help of the US and UK. Paris furiously protested the new arrangement between Australia, the US and UK, known as AUKUS. Le Drian called the ditching of French-Australian submarine program "a stab in the back."
Comment: No one will state the obvious: the lockdowns forced thousands with medical conditions to miss vital doctor visits or the mindless fear generated by the media caused many to stay away from their treatments, not to mention the despair caused by the lack of social contact.