‼️Sputnik exclusive : Preliminary conclusions from international observers of the referendums of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions on becoming part of the Russian Federation:

▪️International observers registered a high level of activity of citizens, their interest in participating in the referendum, and full understanding of the significance of their choice and its consequences;

▪️Participation in the referendum and voting were based on the free expression of citizens' will, no acts of coercion, pressure or bribery were observed;

▪️Referendums were organized in accordance with generally accepted standards and were assessed by the observers as good;

▪️All conditions for the free expression of the will of the citizens were created in accordance with the international principles and standards - universal, equal, direct right to participate in the referendum, secret ballots, openness and publicity of referendum procedures.

▪️In some local districts during the referendum, actions by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to intimidate residents were recorded, depriving them of the opportunity to exercise their right.

▪️There were no acts of multiple voting, voting without an identity document and no cases of refusal to issue ballots or any other irregularities.

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❗️Latest data from polling stations based in Russia:

▪️97.81% voted for the entry of the Zaporozhye region into Russia;

▪️97.93% voted for the entry of the LPR into Russia;

▪️98.69% voted for the entry of the DPR into Russia.

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⚡️The head of Catalonia announced his intention to hold a new independence referendum.

❗️Ukraine can use US-provided weapons to launch attacks on territories where referendums on joining Russia are being held, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says.

She [Giorgia Meloni] is very conservative, she is pro-traditional values, she is pro-family, she is Christian, Catholic. Gerald Olivier, an editor and writer at Atlantico, explained in relation to the result of the elections in Italy.

💬“If you want to kind of define Giorgia Meloni's full program, you cannot just look at foreign policy. I think the number one issue is anti-immigration, especially anti-illegal immigration. Connected to that issue is she wants the EU to do something against the rise of Islam because most of the immigration coming into Europe and Italy is of Muslim origin and that is changing the culture and the nature of Italian society. She is very conservative, she is pro-traditional values, she is pro-family, she is Christian, Catholic, she doesn't hide it. She was born in Rome herself, and that aspect of her program is very important to Italians.”

🎧Listen to more of Olivier’s analysis in our podcast: Elections in Italy, Referendums in Donbass, First Amendment & Big Tech

🔺What’s next for Cuba after the historic vote on same-sex marriage?
🔺What a student debt relief: Dr. Margaret Flowers joins us to discuss the cost of Biden's plan (spoiler - it's a fortune)
🔺For the greater good: Action4Assange organizer Steve Poikonen shares details about the upcoming October 8 rally

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⚡️Saudi Arabia's King has appointed his Crown Prince as the country's prime minister.

French Foreign minister Catherine Colonna said “Russia is sinking more and more into isolation”...

😏Oh, really?

❗️92.81% voted for the entry of the Zaporozhye region into Russia, according to the region's Electoral Commission after processing 84.52% of ballots.

98,53% voted for the entry of the LPR into Russia, according to the republic's Electoral Commission after processing 82,8% of ballots.

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⚡️Danish energy minister says leaks on 'Nord Streams' provoked by 'explosions,' did not happen accidentally

“This referendum is everything for me. I want to go to Russia… Russia is a homeland for me.”

📹Watch how women feel about the referendum on joining Russia.

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⚡️93,11% voted for the entry of the Zaporozhye region into Russia, according to the head of the region’s electoral commission after processing 100% of ballots

“We have been waiting for this moment”

📹Watch how a LPR resident speaks about the referendum on joining Russia at the polling station.

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❗️ With all referendum ballots in the Lugansk region accounted for, 98.42% of voters are in support of accession to Russia

With all ballots in the Kherson region counted, results show 87.05% of voters are in support of accession

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💉😷US sees only 4.4 million vaccinated with new Covid booster.

The latest campaign to offer a second Covid booster shot has seen 4.4 million vaccinations delivered in the United States in the past three weeks. However, the number of vaccinations received remains below the government's targets.

The US government has said it shipped 25 million vaccinations that provide comprehensive protection against contracting the covid Omicron variant. Pfizer primarily manufactured the first group of vaccinations. A similar vaccination is being produced by Moderna, which has been slower to arrive due to quality control issues, reports the US Food and Drug Administration.

Meanwhile, Dr. Amesh Adalja of Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security told Reuters he expects demand for the updated shots to remain low, "as has been the case with boosters from the very beginning."

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‼️ JUST IN | US May Announce Another $1Bln in Military Aid for Ukraine in Coming Days

The United States is expected to announce another $1 billion in military assistance for Ukraine in the coming days, Reuters reported citing US officials.

Meanwhile, Congress is working to approve up to some $12 billion in the additional military and economic assistance to Ukraine by the end of the month.

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💸🇬🇧UK pound hits record low against US dollar.

The value of the United Kingdom's pound slumped to an all-time low against the United States dollar on Monday after markets reacted with horror to unexpectedly aggressive British tax cuts that critics fear will fuel inflation.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng's 45 billion pounds ($48.3 billion) of tax cuts unveiled on Friday, the largest the UK has seen for 50 years, consigned the pound to slump 4 percent, to $1.03, in early trading in Asia's money markets.

The weak pound will immediately impact imports of commodities paid for in US dollars, including oil and gas, which have risen to record highs and fueling a cost-of-living crisis in the UK. Rachel Reeves, the opposition Labour Party's shadow chancellor, said the tax cuts were exactly what the nation did not need.

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