🇷🇺 #SPIEF2023: Watch a video from the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum from first day

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Russia has been developing several types of combat laser systems for both air and ground use. These include anti-drone systems, weapons capable of disabling enemy equipment, and laser ammunition for anti-personnel and anti-vehicle purposes.

The Sokol-Eshelon as well as Peresvet combat laser systems disable spacecraft at altitudes up to 1,500 km and UAVs in the atmosphere. The Zadira destroys drones at a range of up to 5 km.

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🎙First ever 'Africa Category' added to Grammy Awards

The 2024 Grammys ceremony will now have a category for "Best African Music Performance," the Recording Academy stated on social media

🗣 "Today, we’re proud to announce a new category for the 66th Grammy Awards – Best African Music Performance," the organizer stated. "This track and singles category recognizes recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent."

The event's organizer, said that the newly introduced category would include 19 different music genres from around Africa that highlight the continent's melodic, harmonic and rhythmic musical traditions

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Which Russian weapons systems have built-in AI?

Russia’s minister of industry confirmed to Sputnik on Tuesday that an S-350 Vityaz missile system operating in “automatic mode” had been successfully used in the ongoing Russia-NATO proxy war in Ukraine.

How has Russia incorporated AI in its military equipment? What is it used for? And which specific systems have it?

Sputnik explores

Black Sea grain deal: No talk of extension if 'Istanbul package' does not work until July 17, Lavrov says

💬 “Unfortunately, the Istanbul package signed on July 22, 2022 is still being implemented only in terms of Ukrainian food exports. The part of the package regarding Russian ammonia is not valid. Now the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline has also been blown up,” Lavrov said.

He said there is still no progress in the implementation of the Russia-UN Memorandum, designed to ensure the real exemption from illegal unilateral Western sanctions for Russian agricultural products and fertilizers.

💬 "I have to state again: if the 'Istanbul package' does not work, as it was initiated by the UN Secretary General, by July 17, then there can be no talk of any further extension," Lavrov said.

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Nine Ukrainian UAVs eliminated over Crimea

Six of them were shot down by air defense forces and the other three were disabled by electromagnetic pulse, local authorities said.

One of the drones detonated in the Krasnogvardeysky district and there were no casualties reported. The blast shattered windows in a number of houses.

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🇺🇸🇮🇱 Biden administration reportedly weighing ‘Israel model’ for Ukraine instead of NATO membership

The deal that would be a limited commitment and not include a collective defense guarantee. US media reports have indicated the Biden White House would pledge to continue providing more military aid to Ukraine, regardless of the outcome of its ongoing counter-offensive. The deal would likely be for a shorter period than the commitment to Israel, which typically runs in 10-year intervals.

Kiev and some European allies have been advocating for Ukraine's full NATO membership, including a collective defense guarantee. However, opponents of the initiative argue it would escalate the Ukraine conflict and confirm Russia’s justification for the special operation, one of which was NATO's encroachment across Europe since the start of the century.

Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly threatened to boycott the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, next month if he is not given a roadmap for Ukraine joining the military alliance as a full member.

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🥴 US mainstream TV channel calls Biden “wannabe dictator” but changes mind

The onscreen caption appeared during a section about the federal indictment of Donald Trump below split-screen footage of the former US president and present incumbent, Joe Biden.

When contacted by another US media outlet, the channel commented that “the [electronically generated caption] was taken down immediately and was addressed.”

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#SPIEF2023 hosts the “Dedollarization: The Future of Money” panel, where experts are focusing on the world’s gradual shift from the US dollar-centric financial and economic system towards multipolarity as the greenback wanes.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Vladimir Putin congratulates President Xi on his 70th birthday

💬 "It is difficult to overestimate the efforts that you have been making for many years to strengthen the relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between our countries ... I look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue and close joint work on topical issues on the bilateral, regional and international agenda for the benefit of the peoples of Russia and China," the congratulatory telegram, published by the Kremlin, read.

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