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📈 Top News

🪦 Prigozhin’s private funeral in St. Petersburg. Wagner’s boss, who led an uprising against Putin, is finally laid to rest. The funeral was held “in a closed format,” according to a Telegram channel associated with Prigozhin. The Kremlin has rejected accusations that Putin ordered a hit on Prigozhin.

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👮‍♂️ Coup d’etat staged by military officers. Gabonese military officers have announced on national TV that they have seized power from President Ali Bongo, who just won a third term in a disputed election. Gunfire was apparently heard in the capital after their declaration.

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🚨 Putin’s daring visit to China planned. The Russian president is planning to visit China this fall, despite being wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. He’s even skipped the recent BRICS summit in South Africa, but it seems he feels safe enough to visit China in the company of his friend, Xi Jinping.

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🦵 Mali kicks out UN peacekeepers. Mali’s military junta has ordered the UN to pack up and leave by the end of the year, ending a decade-long peacekeeping mission in the war-torn country. Instead, they have brought in the Wagner Group to help fight Islamic insurgents. The UN says the withdrawal is “unprecedented” and “extremely challenging”, while France and the US warn of the dangers of Wagner’s activities.

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🇨🇦 Canada warns travelers of US “anti-LGBT laws.” Canada has issued a travel advisory for its rainbow citizens visiting the US, citing some states’ laws. The warning comes as anti-LGBT protests and hate crimes surge in the US, as protesters believe certain bills target the rights of transgender people.

One such law is Tennessee’s banning of drag performances in front of children. Critics say just as sexually suggestive movies are inappropriate for children, these drag performances are overtly too lewd for their consumption. Meanwhile, the LGBT community believes this is suppressing their freedom.

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✍️ In-Depth

Russia
Ukraine’s Drone Blitz: Kyiv Strikes Back at Moscow

🇺🇦 Ukraine’s drones strike back. The war between Ukraine and Russia has taken a new turn on Wednesday, as Ukrainian drones launched a massive attack on Russian territory, hitting six regions and damaging four military planes.

🔥 Pskov airport in flames. The most serious damage was reported at the Pskov airport, where four Il-76 transport planes were hit by drones and caught fire. The airport is located near the border with Estonia and Latvia, far from the front lines of the war. The above are few clips of the bombing.

🛫 Moscow airspace also closed. The Russian Defense Ministry said it intercepted drones over five other regions: Oryol, Bryansk, Ryazan, Kaluga, and the Moscow region. Moscow briefly closed its airspace and halted all flights at three major airports. Some residents reported hearing loud explosions and seeing smoke.

🚀 Kyiv under fire. Kyiv was hit by a barrage of missiles and drones that killed two security guards and set buildings ablaze. It was described as the “most powerful strike” on the capital in months. Some of the debris landed on homes, but most of it went up in smoke. The above is the aftermath of the attack.