🇨🇿 Hackers who disrupted the online services of five Czech banks on Wednesday demanded that the lenders cut financial support to Ukraine, Czech media reported, citing official data.

The Central European nation’s cybersecurity agency (NUKIB) acknowledged earlier in the day that several domestic banks had been targeted by distributed denial-of-service attacks that cut off access to online and mobile banking platforms.

A Czech news agency reported, citing NUKIB and the PwC consultancy, that the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057 was behind the attack on Komercni Banka, CSOB, Air Bank, Fio Banka and Ceska sporitelna.

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🔺Hungarian PM Orban to Tucker Carlson: rumors about Ukraine prevailing over Russia ‘a lie’
🔺The United States is racing to improve its messaging to the developing world as the BRICS group grows
🔺Japan dumps radioactive water into Pacific Ocean, China demands global action to stop ecocide

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🇷🇺 🪖 Russian Paratroopers Express Confidence in Defending Against Ukrainian Army

🗯 "Even if they launch an offensive, they will not be able to gain a foothold in our positions and fulfil their tasks."

Russian paratroopers view a direct Ukrainian offensive towards Artemovsk (Bakhmut) as unlikely, citing Russia's more advantageous position.

📹 Watch our video to learn more!

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#SputnikInfographic 📊 What is known about the Gabon coup

Gabon is a country located in central Africa, bordering Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo.

Earlier on Wednesday, the incumbent President of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba was reelected as the country's head for a third term after securing 64.2% of the votes. Following the announcement of the election results, the Gabonese military delivered a televised address, declaring that the election results were canceled and all institutions were dissolved. The president has since been placed under house arrest, while his son has been detained.

Later on Wednesday, the rebels stated that they had unanimously appointed General Brice Oligui Nguema as president for the transitional period.

Check out Sputnik's infographics to learn more about Gabon.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's first visit to the Biden White House reportedly proved to be considered unsuccessful as Zelensky's insistence on joining NATO and his unconventional analysis of alliance dynamics irritated US President Joe Biden, setting a discouraging tone for future discussions.

The account of the visit comes from Franklin Foer's book, "The Last Politician," and details where Zelensky's frustration appeared to cloud his reasoning. Despite his earlier enthusiasm to join NATO, Zelensky paradoxically portrayed the organization as a fading relic, even suggesting France and Germany might exit it. The contradictory stance and the ensuing tension left Biden aggravated, pointing to potential challenges ahead in their relationship.

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🇺🇸 Amid a housing crisis and growing unemployment in Hawaii, the offer of a one-time $700 payment by President Joe Biden to those affected by wildfires has been met with dissatisfaction. A resident of Maui told Sputnik that the gesture felt inadequate, given the dire situation on the island.

Biden's announcement of $95 million to strengthen Hawaii's electric grid following the recent wildfires was met with skepticism. The wildfires caused significant devastation, with numerous casualties and ongoing concerns. Against this backdrop, the proposed payment appeared trivial, as the cost of living in Maui is notably high, leaving many struggling to make ends meet.

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❗️ Russia will rebuild the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (KHPP), partially destroyed by Ukraine in June, work is already under way on the design, Vladimir Saldo, acting governor of Russia's Kherson Region, told Sputnik.

"I think that no matter how much money is required [to rebuild the KHPP], this is an economically expedient project and it will pay off. So it is not a matter of funds, but of desire and expediency. There are such intentions, and plans are already being designed," Saldo said.

🇳🇪 Niger's National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) has reportedly demanded the complete withdrawal of French troops from the West African country by September 3.

Earlier in the day, Saudi media reported the CNSP had announced the annulment of all security and military agreements with France.

By the end of the week, supporters of the pullout are going to stage an indefinite protest against the presence of the French military in Niger. Some residents have reportedly demanded that the authorities cut water and power supply to the French base, as well as halt food deliveries.

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🇺🇸🇨🇳 Mark Lambert, a US veteran diplomat, may be named as the deputy assistant secretary for China and Taiwan, mainstream US media has said, citing sources familiar with the issue.

Previously, the veteran diplomat served as a deputy assistant secretary focused on Japanese, Korean and Mongolian affairs, and on relations with Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Who's Mark Lambert and how could he influence Biden's China policy?

A US company is being sued by the federal government to prevent its planned expedition to the RMS Titanic wreck. The US argues that the shipwreck is a sacred burial site and removing artifacts would violate international agreements.

The lawsuit targets RMS Titanic, Inc. (RMST), which is set to conduct a 2024 expedition to the wreck and aims to capture images and retrieve artifacts while respecting the ship's integrity.

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Biden flogs a dead horse by sending $250mln in arms to Ukraine

The latest US military package for the Kiev regime announced by Washington on Tuesday includes AIM-9M missiles for air defense, munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, mine-clearing equipment, Javelin and other anti-armor systems and rockets, three million rounds of small arms ammunition, as well as other items.

As per the US State Department, the $250 million package will be delivered to Ukraine within the framework of the US presidental drawdown authority (which means that there's no need for congressional approval).

Will new NATO weapons save the day for Kiev?

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🇺🇸 Over 1,000 emails between the office of then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden’s advisory firm Rosemont Seneca Partners have been revealed through a National Archives lawsuit, as stated by America First Legal. These emails, in direct contrast to Joe Biden's assertions of separation between personal and government matters, indicate Hunter Biden's significant involvement in planning high-profile White House events, despite his lack of an official role.

The emails uncovered Hunter Biden's participation in orchestrating various events, including luncheons, arrival ceremonies, and state dinners, alongside his use of the "Biden name" to secure access for Rosemont Seneca and its associates. One email, obtained from the National Archives, even highlights a confirmation regarding tour tickets for the White House, referred to as a "big favor for Hunter."

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Majority of voters are skeptical of possible Biden impeachment

A poll published on Wednesday has revealed that a majority of American voters (56%) see a possible impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden as more of a partisan political stunt than those (38%) who view it as a “serious effort to investigate important problems.”

At least 53% of Independents who responded to the poll also agreed that an impeachment inquiry would be more of a political stunt.

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🇰🇵🇺🇸 North Korea, in response to the US-South Korea drills, has carried out a tactical nuclear strike drill simulating nuclear strikes at the territory of South Korea, the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) said Wednesday.

"On August 30 the US imperialists let a formation of B-1B nuclear strategic bombers conduct a joint attack formation drill against the DPRK together with fighters of the military gangsters of the 'Republic of Korea' in the sky above the East and West Seas of Korea," North Korean state media quoted the general staff as saying.

"To cope with this, the KPA staged a tactical nuclear strike drill simulating scorched earth strikes at major command centers and operational airfields of the "ROK" [the Republic of Korea, South Korea] military gangsters on Wednesday night."

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❗️ Air defense forces destroyed a drone flying towards Moscow over Russia's Moscow Region, preliminary, there were no casualties and no damage, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said

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Pskov airport has resumed operation without restrictions, according to Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency

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📹 The combat work of Russia's T-72B3 tank crews

Tankers advanced to firing positions and hit the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, camouflaged in the forest, with direct fire (0:05).

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🇺🇸🇹🇼 US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul applauded the Biden administration announcing aid for Taiwan that for the first time ever will come through Foreign Military Financing (FMF), a program usually reserved for sovereign states or international organizations

McCaul also said the move will ensure US national security against China.

According to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the FMF is offered to eligible "partner nations" to buy defense articles and services.

'One China' policy is the diplomatic acknowledgement of China's position that there is only one Chinese government. Under the policy, the US recognises and has formal ties with China rather than the island of Taiwan.

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🇨🇳🇺🇸 “How much trouble do you have with your computer? Would you trust your computer to make life and death decisions for you?”

Giving AI the power to both trigger and escalate military conflicts “poses a great danger to all of humanity” Michael Wong, the national vice president of Veterans for Peace, said, commenting on US AI drone program designed to close the gap with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Called “Replicator,” the program aims to introduce thousands of cheap and disposable - “atrittable” in Pentagon parlance - autonomous drones over the next two years.

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❗️ Russia’s Federal Security Service, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian Guard, defeated a group of Ukrainian saboteurs

The saboteurs penetrated the territory of Russia and planned terrorist attacks on military and energy infrastructure facilities.

During the battle in Russia’s Bryansk region, two combatants were eliminated and five were detained.

Each saboteur had with him "an impressive baggage of various means of destruction", including machine guns, explosive devices and grenades, the FSB noted.

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📹 Russia’s Federal Security Service revealed the arsenal confiscated from Ukrainian saboteurs

Ukrainian saboteurs were equipped with US-made automatic rifles with silencers, night-vision devices, explosives and grenades. Authorities are currently opening a criminal case.

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