🇺🇸 The US State Department said in an advisory that it ordered the departure of non-emergency government employees and their family members from the American Embassy in Niger

Wednesday marks Russian Airborne Forces Day, the professional holiday dedicated to Russia’s paratroopers. On the occasion, Sputnik decided to reach out to Soviet and Russian Airborne Forces veteran Major-General (ret.) Oleg Fedyaev for unique insights into Russian paratroopers’ critical role in the proxy war with NATO in Ukraine.

Read his full analysis

Former US Justice Department prosecutor Ronald Sievert told Sputnik that the new indictment against former President Donald Trump is not solid and criminalizes his constitutional right of free speech.

"As a DOJ [Justice Department] prosecutor for 25 years, I am very disturbed by this indictment," Sievert said.

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US stocks suffer worst losses in six months following Fitch’s credit rating downgrade

US stocks posted big losses on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq suffering its worst loss in six months after losing 2.17% of its value, or 310.47 points, closing at 13,973.45.

Other indices suffered as well, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 348.16 points, or 0.98% of its value, to close at 35,282.52. The S&P 500 lost 1.38% of its value, dropping by 63.34 points to close at 4,513.39.

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A newly surfaced report has detailed that former US President Barack Obama warned current US President Joe Biden of the political strengths of 2024 contender Donald Trump and vowed that he would do all he could to bring about a second Biden presidential term.

The report noted that Obama raised concerns over Trump's close following, his iron grip on the Republican party, the polarization of the country, as well as the conservative media storm that follows and props up Trump.

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The credit downgrade of the United States by Fitch Ratings does not dilute the standing of the country’s Treasury instruments as the world’s most dependable assets for investment, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday.

"At the end of the day, Fitch's decision does not change what all of us already know," Yellen said in a speech delivered at an event hosted by the Internal Revenue Service.

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Devon Archer, a former associate of Hunter Biden, said on Wednesday that the calls between then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son during the latter’s foreign business calls constitute an "abuse of soft power."

Earlier this week, Archer provided testimony to lawmakers on Joe Biden’s connection to his son's foreign business deals. Lawmakers provided split opinions on Archer’s testimony, with some claiming it exonerated Joe Biden while others claimed it was further evidence of wrongdoing.

Archer testified that Joe Biden joined Hunter and his business associates at least 20 times either in person or via speakerphone.

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☣️ Illegal Medical Lab Found in US With Bioengineered Mice, Infectious Agents on Site

😷 According to reports, the lab, allegedly run by Prestige BioTech, but not registered in California, was working with at least 20 dangerous viruses, bacteria, and parasites, including COVID-19, E. Coli, malaria, HIV, hepatitis, and herpes.

🔍 The authorities allegedly removed the hazardous materials from the site, however the origin of the lab remains unknown, and a criminal investigation is underway.

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Spending on conventional oil and gas exploration could exceed $50 billion this year, reaching the highest figure since 2019, but despite rising investment, the number of discovered fields is decreasing, Norwegian energy research and business intelligence company Rystad Energy said on Wednesday.

The statement added that companies discovered 2.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) in the first half of 2023, which is 42% lower than during the same period last year. In particular, 55 fields were discovered, compared to 80 in the first six months of 2022.

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The approval rating of the US Supreme Court has dropped to a record-low 40%, according to a Gallup poll published on Wednesday.

Since 2000, the level of confidence in the top court in the country has decreased by 22 percentage points. In the last three years, it has dropped by 18 percentage points, according to the pollster.

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Two-thirds of UK citizens (66%) have disapproved of the Conservative Party's work in managing the country's topical issues, while only 14% of respondents have supported the party's policies, a YouGov weekly tracker showed on Wednesday.

The survey showed that fewer than half (44%) of the Conservative Party's 2019 voters considered them to be "the best party" to fix the UK economy, while one in 11 (9%) said the Labour Party was the most suitable for tackling the economic issues.

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🇷🇺🇸🇾 Russian Air Force, Syrian special forces hold drills in Hama

In the mock battle, an enemy attacked Syrian troop deployment sites and seized a civilian community.

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🗣️ On how China’s investment has changed the geopolitical game for the US:

“If China is making economic investments, why is the US concerned about this in security terms?… What the United States is not happy about is that Chinese investment means that it no longer has a monopoly on power that it currently has in the region in keeping those states dependent,” Dr. Tamanisha John, professor at Clark Atlanta University and Caribbean regional analyst, told Sputnik.

🎧 Listen to more of John’s analysis in our podcast By Any Means Necessary

❗️Russian air defenses thwarted a Ukrainian UAV attack on the Kaluga region, leaving six drones downed; no injuries or damage reported, the MoD says

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📹 “Unwarranted”: Magic mushroom maven Yellen downplays Fitch downgrade as US economy gets a black eye

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🗣️ On why the US is seeking to get more involved in the Eastern Caribbean:

“China’s making economic and infrastructural investments in the Caribbean region. So you see the US now saying 'Wait a minute, we took our presence out of these Eastern Caribbean region because we didn't view them as strategically beneficial to us anymore, but because China is gaining influence… this could become a security problem for us,” Dr. Tamanisha John, professor at Clark Atlanta University and Caribbean regional analyst, told Sputnik.

🎧 Listen to more of John’s analysis in our podcast By Any Means Necessary

🇺🇸🇫🇷 France moves to block US buyout of reactor parts supplier amid covert energy war

French authorities are reportedly brainstorming ways to prevent nuclear reactor equipment and parts supplier Velan SAS from being bought out by US interests.

💬 “If the US gains control over a maker of equipment for Electricity de France, they could be able to prevent the export of French nuclear reactors to China,” French Senator Marie-Noelle Lienemann said of the US company’s takeover bid. “It’s not just defense industries that are strategic –the nuclear industry is key for France’s economic recovery and its transition,” the lawmaker said.

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🇨🇳🇺🇸 China's rare earth metals ban hits US chip trade restrictions where it hurts

Beijing's new restrictions on the export of eight gallium and six germanium products, on the basis that they have dual civilian and military uses, came into force on Tuesday.

Since other nations reportedly only have enough stockpiles to last two or three months, Beijing's measures could cripple semiconductor production in the rest of the world just when demand is on the rise as Western nations struggle to ramp up production of guided missiles and other arms.

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🌳💀 Russia's secret weapon? 'Bushes of doom'

According to a UK 'intelligence' report, Ukraine’s ‘counteroffensive’ is stuck in the mud because of Russia’s secret weapon - shrubs and weeds. British spies claim that these ‘warrior weeds’ are assisting “small stealthy infantry assaults” by providing cover and helping to “camouflage Russian defensive positions. Also, these ‘battlefield bushes of doom’ have been making “defensive mine fields harder to clear”.

Is British intelligence hinting that Mother Nature is a “Russian agent”?

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