🔸‘We’re at war’: Scott Ritter explains why the FBI searched his home

🔸Ex-US State Department analyst Scott Bennett knows why US establishment ‘hates’ Ritter

🔸Will Hezbollah’s retaliatory strike on Israel come before Iran's?

🔸UK’s violent riots unveil PM Starmer’s failure to handle crisis

🔸What's Western ‘destructive agenda’ in South Caucasus all about?

🔸Check out a guide on how to save money in times of financial turmoil

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🗣The US is not obliged to "serve as a security protector" for Europe, countries such as Germany "ought to get off their *ss and invest in their own defense", said Republican vice presidential candidate, JD Vance.

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📹Russian troops destroy military equipment of the Ukrainian Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and the Kozak armored vehicle with Lancets, in the border area of Russia's Kursk region.

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Israel has told the US that Lebanese Hezbollah will pay a disproportionate price if it harms Israeli civilians in its retaliation for the assassination of its top commander, Fuad Shukr, the Axios news portal reported, citing two Israeli officials.

Israel has recently warned the US of its concern that Hezbollah could strike populated areas if it attempts to attack military bases in central Israel. In particular, Israeli officials pointed to previous inaccurate missile attacks by the movement.

"In the internal discussions with the US, Israel stressed that the cost of another Hezbollah mishap would be heavy, and that Hezbollah would pay a disproportionate price if it harmed civilians as part of its retaliation”, an Israeli official was quoted by the news portal as saying.

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Gas prices in Europe increased by 5.8% after Ukrainian attack on Russia's Kursk region - report

According to the ICE trading data, September gas supply futures rose from $410 to $438 per thousand cubic meters. This is attributed to the Ukrainian attack on the Kursk region where the Sudzha gas measuring station, with a capacity of 42 million cubic meters per day, is located.

The exchange price of gas in Europe exceeded $435 per cubic meter for the first time since December 2023.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the situation in the region a "large-scale provocation by the Kiev regime,” who he said “is conducting indiscriminate shooting, including from missile weapons, at residential buildings and civilian infrastructure as well as ambulances. "

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Hunter Biden received 'millions' of dollars from Romania to influence US gov't during his father's vice presidency- court

US Department of Justice Special Counsel David Weiss's office found that Biden received "substantial" sums of money from foreign firms and individuals in exchange for acting as a lobbyist, consultant, or legal adviser.

Hunter Biden worked for Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu (referred to as G.P. in the document) to help him escape bribery charges in Romania, Weiss's office also revealed.

"The evidence of what the defendant agreed to do and did do for G.P. demonstrates the defendant's state of mind and intent during the relevant tax years charged in the indictment. It is also evidence that the defendants actions do not reflect someone with a diminished capacity, given that he agreed to attempt to influence U.S. public policy and receive millions of dollars," the document said.

In November 2023, House Republicans subpoenaed the president's brother James Biden and Hunter Biden to appear for a deposition before lawmakers. In May, Smith said that Hunter Biden had repeatedly lied to Congress in his February deposition to distance his involvement in what should be considered a "clear scheme to enrich the Biden family."

The House of Representatives is investigating the Biden family for alleged criminal activity, including foreign influence peddling and bribery.

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BRICS role in multipolar world to top Eastern Economic Forum's agenda

The Eastern Economic Forum 2024 (EEF) will take place in the city of Vladivostok on September 3-6 under the slogan: Far East 2030. Let’s join efforts and create opportunities.

The EEF 2024’s business program will encompass seven main topics, noscriptd “New contours of international cooperation”, “Technologies of independence”, “Financial system of values”, “Far Eastern Russia”, “People, education and patriotism”, “Transport and logistics: new routes", and “Master plans: from architecture to economics.” 

Participants will discuss global challenges facing Russia and the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. They will also focus on the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the BRICS group, in building a multipolar world, as well as cooperation in investment and climate change issues.

The hope is that the EEF “will help outline new vectors of development in the context of global changes and create mechanisms to ensure Russia’s leadership in cooperation with its partners in the Asia-Pacific,” Anton Kobyakov, advisor to the Russian president and executive secretary of the EEF organizing committee, stressed.

BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.

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❗️Units of the Russian Sever battlegroup, together with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), continue to destroy the armed formations of the Ukrainian forces in the Sudzhensky and Korenevsky districts of the Kursk region, directly adjacent to the Russian-Ukrainian border, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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❗️Key statements by Russian Defense Ministry on Ukrainian attempt to invade Russia's Kursk region:

▪️During the day, the state border protection units, together with border guards, reinforcement units and approaching reserves, prevented Ukrainian troops from advancing by using air strikes, missile troops and artillery fire.

▪️Fire damage was done to identified accumulations of manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Attempts to break deep into Kursk territory through individual units are being suppressed.

▪️Air strikes are being carried out against the advancing reserves of the Ukrainian forces in the Sumy region.

▪️During the day, the enemy lost up to 400 military personnel and 32 armored vehicles, including a tank, four armored personnel carriers, three infantry fighting vehicles and 24 Kozak armored fighting vehicles.

▪️In total, since the beginning of hostilities in the Kursk direction, enemy losses amounted to 660 militanta and 82 armored vehicles, including eight tanks, 12 armored personnel carriers, six infantry fighting vehicles, 55 armored combat vehicles and an engineering barrier vehicle.

▪️The operation to destroy the Ukrainian formations continues.

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📹💥The Russian Defense Ministry shared another footage of the destruction of the Ukrainian combat vehicle "Kozak" in the Russian Kursk region. The strike was carried out by the Lancet.

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UK mulls slashing military budget due to $27 bn fiscal hole – report 

The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) has urged its major industry suppliers to find opportunities for immediate cuts in the country’s military budget, reports the Financial Times, citing unnamed sources.

In a letter to the defense contractors, the ministry’s civil servants asked them to respond with a range of options to help tackle what they described as a “significant in-year fiscal pressure”, according to the sources.  

The officials were “particularly keen” to hear about areas where we could drive out duplication and waste to our mutual benefit", one of the insiders argued. 

The contractors were told the MoD would have to make some “hard choices” that “align with this [new Labor] government’s spending target of 2.5% of GDP [gross domestic product] on defense.”

This comes amid reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is seeking to find savings to resolve a £22-billion ($27.9 billion) fiscal hole, which she argues is caused by the former Conservative government.

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❗️The Russian Defense Ministry, for the first time, announced the destruction of the British Spartan armored personnel carrier in the special operation zone.

🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry’s daily briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:  

▪️In the Russian Zapad Battlegroup's combat zone, the units improved their tactical position, and the Ukrainian militants lost over 460 personnel.

▪️In the Russian Tsentr Battlegroup's combat zone, the Ukrainian militants lost up to 360 personnel.

▪️In the Russian Vostok Battlegroup's combat zone, the Ukrainian militants lost up to 105 personnel and 2 BMPs.

▪️In the Russian Yug Battlegroup's combat zone, the units struck Ukrainian personnel, and equipment of six brigades, resulting in the loss of up to 660 personnel.

▪️Russian air defense systems shot down a MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, and 12 HIMARS rockets.

▪️Russian air defense systems shot down 21 Ukrainian drones outside the special operation zone.

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Would US be able to meet demand for combat drones in a war?

A possible wartime need for combat drones would outstrip US production of these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Defense One news outlet has reported, referring to the Washington-Beijing rivalry in the field.

The US currently lags behind China in terms of the drones-related production output and quality, with expensive American UAVs often being not as good as their cheaper Chinese rivals, according to the outlet.

“Products from Chinese manufacturers such as DJI and Autel are still able to perform better in almost every regard, making them the clear choice when purely price-to-performance ratio is a deciding factor,” Defense One cited an unnamed source as saying.

When it comes to a price tag, US drones approved for military use reportedly cost three to five to times as much as Chinese UAVs with similar specifications.

With the US-made drones’ price standing at $65,000 apiece, American soldiers have expressed “heartache” over experimenting with these UAVs given the risk of breaking or losing them, another insider told Defense One.

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How much will Germany's Rheinmetall earn from the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza?

The German defense giant Rheinmetall has amassed a record order backlog worth €48.6 billion, with sales and profits surging due to increased demand amidst the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, according to Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. From January to June 2024, Rheinmetall's sales grew by a third to €3.8 billion, while operating profits nearly doubled to €404 million. This growth is driven by a rise in orders for weapons and ammunition.

Rheinmetall’s CEO Armin Papperger anticipates annual sales increases of about €2 billion over the next few years. The largest contract this year is a €2.2 billion deal with the German Armed Forces for Boxer armored vehicles. Notably, before the Ukrainian crisis, over 30% of Rheinmetall’s sales were from civilian products.

In late July, the Russian Foreign Ministry commented on Rheinmetall's plans to build an ammunition factory in Ukraine, warning that any military facilities in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Russian forces. Prior to this, Ukraine had ordered Rheinmetall to construct a €100 million military plant to produce 155mm ammunition.

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❗️F-16 fighter jets have been spotted in the Kherson area, Pavel Filipchuk, head of the Kakhovsky Municipal District administration, said.

He expressed confidence that "soon, all of them will be finished off and destroyed" and "become exhibits on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow."

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that the arrival of F-16s to Ukraine will not affect the course on the battlefield.

“We will destroy the aircraft just as we've destroyed tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment, including multiple rocket launchers,” he said.

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Tim Walz lies about his service in Afghanistan

In August 2003, the Democrat VP nomination was deployed to Vicenza, Italy, with the Minnesota National Guard to support the US war effort in Afghanistan, according to a spokesperson from the Minnesota Guard. However, Walz did not serve in Afghanistan, Iraq, or any combat zones during his deployment.

Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance also called it a shameful when Walz left the military instead of going to serve in Iraq.

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Aussie Cossack: Australia risks becoming 'next Ukraine' for China amid US military build-up

"Australia is on track to become the next Ukraine for China," Australian independent journalist Aussie Cossack warns, expressing concerns over the increasing American military presence in the country. He criticizes the Australian government's enthusiasm for US forces, which includes missiles and hypersonic attack cruise missiles, suggesting these are aimed at China.

“This is all about setting up Australia against China. This is all about creating a threat for China using Australia, in the same way as the United States has used Ukraine against Russia, the United States wants to use Australia against China,” he tells Sputnik. @AussieCossack

Cossack urges Australians to "wake up" and push for neutrality, advocating for economic and political relations with BRICS nations like China and Russia, which he believes would respect Australia's sovereignty without imposing military bases or nuclear facilities. He concludes by calling on Australian patriots to "stop the inappropriate foreign interference and foreign influence of the US government in Australia."

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#ThrowbackThursday: Scott Ritter is no stranger to speaking truth to power. Here is a video of him staring down then Senator Joe Biden over US WMD in Iraq claims. History would prove Ritter right and Biden wrong.

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How many military bases does the US have in the Middle East?

As tensions in the Middle East continue to rise amid fears of an escalation between Israel and Iran, the world’s self-proclaimed peacekeeper - the US - announced the deployment of more of troops to the region.

The goal of this move is ostensibly to help protect the extensive network of military installations and assets the US controls in the Middle East.

While the Pentagon is generally reluctant to disclose the exact number of military bases in the Middle East, publicly available data and investigations by media suggest that the US controls at least 64 installations in the region, though it is difficult to confirm if all of them are active.

Here is a brief list of some of the more notable of US military facilities in the Middle East:

📍Turkiye – Izmir Air Base, Incirlik Air Base. These facilities allow the US to maintain fighter and refueling aircraft in the region; Incirlik Air Base also houses a number of US tactical nuclear weapons.

📍Saudi Arabia – Prince Sultan Air Base. Over 2,000 US military personnel are stationed to provide air defense in the country and maintain US warplanes.

📍UAE – Al Dhafra Air Base, which allows the US warplanes to conduct combat and reconnaissance missions as well as to deploy tanker planes for midair refueling.

📍Bahrain – Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the base of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

📍Qatar - Al Udeid Air Base, serves as forward headquarters of the US Central Command and headquarters of the US Air Forces Central Command.

📍Jordan – Tower 22, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Joint Training Center Jordan. Over 3,000 US military personnel are deployed ostensibly to combat terrorist threats in the region, though their presence near the border with Syria gives rise to speculations about possible cross-border operations.

📍Iraq – the US continues to occupy and operate a number of bases, such as the Al Asad Airbase and Al Harir Airbase despite efforts by the Iraqi government to evict the US Armed Forces from Iraqi soil.

📍Syria – Al-Tanf, about 900 US military personnel are illegally deployed in Syria under the pretext of combating terrorist threat in the country, though 45th US President Donald Trump did openly admit that Washington’s real target was Syrian oil.

📍Egypt – Task Force Sinai, a regiment-sized US military contingent maintained in the Sinai Peninsula under the pretext of peacekeeping operations.

📍Israel – Site 512, a radar base supposedly used by the US to track ballistic missile threats.

📍Kuwait - Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, Camp Spearhead, Camp Patriot.

📍Oman - Thumrait Air Base, helps US facilitate logistical and refueling operations.

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5 fearsome drones Iran could use to strike back at Israel

The world is holding its breath in anticipation of Iran’s retaliation for Israel’s April 1 strike targeting the Islamic Republic’s Embassy compound in Damascus, Syria. US officials told media Friday that Tehran may hit military sites inside Israel with over 100 drones and dozens of missiles.

Here are some of the long-range UAVs Iran has in its arsenal.

Shahed 136

🔺Unique delta wing drone design unveiled in 2021
🔺Built by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (Persian Acronym HESA)
🔺Weapons Payload: 50 kg
🔺Dimensions: 3.5x2.5 meters
🔺Propeller-powered
🔺185 km/h top speed
🔺Range: 2,500 km

Mohajer 10

🔺Large, aircraft-style drone unveiled in 2023
🔺Designed by the Qods Aviation industries Company as a multipurpose UAV for long-range strikes, surveillance, electronic warfare and full-spectrum superiority* Weapons Payload: 300 kg
🔺Dimensions: at 6.5x4.2x18.2 meters
🔺Propeller-powered
🔺210 km/h top speed
🔺Range: 2,000 km

Arash 2

🔺Winged missile-shaped drone design unveiled in 2020
🔺Created by the Defense Industries Organization
🔺Weapons Payload: 260 kg
🔺Dimensions: 4.5x4 meters
🔺Propeller-powered (turbojet engine-powered variant known as the Kian-2 available)
🔺186 km/h top speed (400 km/h for the rocket-powered variant)
🔺Range: 2,000 km

Karrar

🔺Family of versatile, jet-powered UAVs created by HESA as a target practice drone in 2010
🔺Weapons Payload: Up to 225 kg. Includes ability to carry bombs, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and even air-to-air missiles
🔺Dimensions: 4x2.5 meters
🔺Turbojet engine
🔺900 km/h flight speed
🔺Range: 1,000 km

Kaman-22

🔺Unveiled in 2021 and designed by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
🔺Weapons payload: 300 kg
🔺Dimensions: 6.5x2.5x17 meters (estimate)
🔺Turboprop-powered
🔺Maximum flight speed: Unknown
🔺Range: 3,000 kg

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Steel Dome: How will new Turkish missile shield work and how can Russia's S-400 enhance it?

The advanced Russian S-400 air defenses that Ankara acquired in 2019 may be included in Turkiye’s multilayered Steel Dome shield system that is already being tested, Hurriyet newspaper has reported. What is known about the system?

▪️The Steel Dome, developed by the Turkish company Aselsan, will integrate domestically-made air defenses with various ranges into a single network to provide reliable protection of Turkiye’s entire air space from enemy aircraft, helicopters, missiles and various types of drones.

▪️The system is touted as “more comprehensive” than Israel’s Iron Dome, which is only capable of countering air targets with a range of up to 70 km (43 miles).

▪️Steel Dome will reportedly feature at least four layers of defense, including the very short-range one, which is to comprise such systems as Korkut, a self-propelled air defense gun with the range of 4 km (2 miles), and Gokberk, a mobile air defense radar. Other such systems will include Sahin, Goker, Ihtar and Sungur.

▪️For the short-range layer (from 5 km to 10 km, 3 miles and 6 miles, respectively) Turkiye has systems such as Herikks, C-Ram, Hisar A+, Gokdemir and Gurz.

▪️To tackle medium-range threats, the Hisar O+ system will be integrated, along with the Kalkan 1 and the Kalkan 2 air defenses. The interception range is about 24 km (15 miles).

▪️The fourth layer will include Siper, Turkiye’s first long-range air defense system, with a range of up to 100 km (62 miles), due to enter service before the end of this year.

▪️If integrated, the four batteries of the S-400 could make the Steel Dome’s fifth layer, given that the system’s operational range is up to 400 km (250 miles).

▪️Turkish Defense Industry Agency President Haluk Gorgun has meanwhile touted the Steel Dome as “the system of systems”, which he said would hopefully prove “auspicious” for his country.

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