🇪🇺 Soros’ Open Society Foundations plans to limit EU funding as it shifts focus to other regions of the world, Western media says.

"Ultimately, the new approved strategic direction provides for withdrawal and termination of large parts of our current work within the European Union, shifting our focus and allocation of resources to other parts of the world," an email sent by Open Society Foundations to the media said.

According to an OSF spokeswoman, the organization, which directs an estimated $1.5 billion in global grants every year, will also continue to fund programs in Europe, including Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans, through national foundations.

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❗️ Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️Russian forces repelled two attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) in the Zaporozhye direction.

▪️The Russian Armed Forces repelled nine UAF attacks in the LPR and the Kharkov region.

▪️Russian air defense systems shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 jet in the DPR.

▪️The UAF lost up to 85 servicemen in the Kupyansk direction.

▪️The Russian Armed Forces repelled five attacks, and the UAF lost up to 250 soldiers in the Donetsk direction.

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 140 servicemen in the South Donetsk direction.

▪️The UAF lost up to 55 servicemen in the Krasny Liman direction.

▪️Russian air defense systems destroyed four HIMARS missiles, two Uragan projectiles, and 26 APU drones.

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to 170 servicemen in the Zaporozhye direction.

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🇷🇺 Product-53: What are сapabilities of next-gen variant of Russia’s Lancet Kamikaze Drone?

Over the past two-and-a-half months, the Lancet loitering munition/kamikaze attack drone has wreaked havoc on Ukrainian forces attempting to mount a counteroffensive. Now, Russian drone designers have unveiled a next-gen variant.

What are its characteristics? What new additional capabilities will it provide Russian troops?

👉Sputnik explores

❗India Reveals Why It Didn't Invite Ukraine to G-20 Leaders' Summit

🇷🇺 🇮🇳 Responding to a Russian journalist, India's EAM S. Jaishakar said India’s decision to not invite Ukraine was made taking into consideration the that #G20 stood for growth and development and not conflict resolution, which should be done at the United Nations Security Council.

💬 Regarding Vladimir Putin's participation in the September summit, Jaishankar replied that ''all G-20 members are invited."

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🇷🇺 Semyon of "Craftsmen to the Front" talks about the organization’s volunteer activities to create models to be sent to the front. Ammunition is subsequently built from these models, and Russian fighters use it on the front line.

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🇺🇸⚖️ Over half of Americans doubt Trump can get a fair trial in Georgia - poll

31% of respondents do not believe that Trump will have a fair trial, and another 27% are not sure, according to a YouGov America poll released on Tuesday.

A total of 42% think that Trump has a chance for an impartial hearing. Republicans (61%) are more likely to say Trump will not get a fair trial, while Democrats (70%) tend to trust the judicial system in the former president’s case.

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📹☣️ Full video of Russian MoD’s Let. Gen. Igor Kirillov report on how the US has started preparing for a new pandemic, new information about Pentagon's biological warfare program and documents uncovered during the special operation in Ukraine.

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🇷🇺🌍 West's desire to control Russia-friendly Africa explains MI-6 plot to send Ukrainian mercs

A military-diplomatic source revealed to Sputnik and other Russian media Wednesday that Britain’s foreign intelligence service, the MI6, had prepared a 100 militant-strong “sabotage hit squad” to send to Africa on missions against Russia-friendly governments.

Sputnik reached out to a Russian special forces vet to dissect the details of these plans

🇺🇸🤐US hints of 'plea bargain' for Julian Assange only meant to placate media

Author and journalist Kevin Gosztola and John Kiriakou, co-host of Sputnik Radio's Political Misfits webcast, said that the US ambassador to Australia's recent comments regarding the Wikileaks founder could not be taken as gospel.

Speculation around a plea bargain for jailed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange may just be a way to appease the media while a deal is negotiated in secret, say two journalists.

👉Follow the link for more details

❓BRICS 2023: Who are participants & guests of the summit?

All eyes this year will be on the 15th summit of the BRICS group, uniting the world's leading developing economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - at a time when they are leading the drive towards a multipolar world order, showcasing potential to influence the global economy and challenge traditional Western dominance.

Sputnik takes a look at who is participating in BRICS 2023, who have been invited as guests, and what countries are currently knocking on the door of the bloc

🔺West is making money on Ukraine conflict, does not need peace — Medvedev
🔺US negotiating behind the scenes with Saudi Arabia, pressuring the country to keep selling its oil in dollars
🔺Niger and African countries continue to struggle against neo-colonialism

The Critical Hour will cover these and more stories! Tune in to Radio Sputnik at 6pm EST|3pm PST|12am CET via the website or app

📻 Also in the United States at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM

🇷🇺 Russia is actively exploring alternatives to the Black Sea Grain Initiative in cooperation with partners, Russian Ambassador to Turkiye Aleksei Erkhov said on Wednesday.

The ambassador also stressed that there was no alternative to reconnecting a Russian bank to the SWIFT payment system as a way to resume the grain deal.

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🇨🇳☢️ China is against putting geopolitical interests above nuclear nonproliferation, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.

The official stated that possessing a nuclear arsenal has never been a tool for hegemony but a means of deterring nuclear war, adding that China has always adhered to the policy of no first use of nuclear weapons.

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🌍 BRICS Bank Could Give Africa Autonomy Amid Political Moves by Western Financing Bodies: Expert

In a recent interview with Dr. Tafadzwa Ruziwe, an expert from Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, Sputnik Africa shed light on the extent of Western financial institutions' involvement in African economies and the potential economic problems arising from the ongoing backlash.

The expert examined the implications of the World Bank's decision to suspend loans to Uganda in the wake of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

👉 Read the full article!

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Deployment of elite 82nd brigade ‘won’t turn the tide’ of Ukraine’s flagging counteroffensive

US media reported this week that Ukraine’s 82nd Air Assault Brigade, dubbed the “most powerful unit” in the nation’s military (and among the last of its reserves), had been thrown into battle against Russian forces.

In an exclusive commentary for Sputnik, veteran Russian war correspondent Evgeny Poddubny explained what’s really going on

📈🇦🇺 Gas prices spike 40% after workers at Australia’s two largest lng facilities vote to strike

The path toward a strike was cleared last week by Australia’s Fair Work Commission, which ruled that workers at Woodside’s North West Shelf and Chevron’s Wheatstone and Gorgon LNG facilities could ballot for a strike action. Chevron workers are expected to vote by next week.

Following the FWC’s decision, LNG prices spiked around the world. In Europe, where fuels are in short supply thanks to the European Union’s boycott of Russian energy exports, prices rose by 40%. They jumped another 10% on Monday in the wake of the union vote.

👉Follow the link for more details

🇺🇸 'It's a joke': US Navy retires $362 million warship after less than 5 years of service

In a move that highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the US Navy's Littoral Combat Ship program, the Navy has officially decommissioned the USS Sioux City, a Freedom-class LCS. Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott expressed frustration, highlighting the pride his community felt in having a ship named after their city.

💬 "Well, I think it's a joke. I mean, they mobilized our community; we went out and raised a lot of money... This is unacceptable to spend $350 million, knowing that they're supposedly a problem and wasting taxpayers' money... I've lost all confidence, and in the way the government does things, I didn't have a lot of confidence to begin with,” said Scott.

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Ukraine won't be receiving F-16 fighter jets this year, Air Force spox says

Ukrainian pilots would be trained for the aircraft in the near future because "the issue has moved forward," Ukrainian Air Force Command spokesman Yuriy Ignat said. At the same time, Ignat noted it was necessary to strengthen Ukraine's means of defense against drone attacks, adding that, in his opinion, Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defenses.

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🌊 Wafaa El-Nil: Celebrating the Nile's Blessings in Egypt

As the Nile has been the backbone of the Egyptian civilization since ancient times, Egyptians celebrate the annual Wafaa El-Nil or Nile Flooding Festival, an ancient tradition that honors the river and its life-giving floods.

🎉 The festival begins every year on August 15 and lasts for two weeks. It features various cultural activities along the banks of the world's longest river.

👉 What is unique about this year's Wafaa El-Nil? Click here to learn!

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No amount of spin will change outcome of Ukraine’s last-grasp failed offensive, former US army officer says

💬 “Hope was high heading into 2023 that these wins would pave the way to ultimate victory in the war. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian senior leadership suffered from a combination of bad decisions, an overestimation of their own capacity, and – sadly – an overestimation of the efficacy of Western military gear,” Daniel Davis, a US Army veteran. says.

The West gave Ukraine a chance, but it’s now time to consider other options, including a negotiated settlement, Davis added.

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