🇨🇳 China has decided to impose sanctions against the US-based Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin defense technology companies over an alleged arms supply to Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday.

🗣 "Lockheed Martin Corporation, St. Louis, MO directly participated in the US arms sale to Taiwan announced on August 24 as the principal contractor. Northrop Grumman participated in several US arms sales to Taiwan. In accordance with the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the People’s Republic of China, China decides to impose sanctions on these two above-mentioned US defense corporations," the spokeswoman told a briefing, adding that Beijing calls on the United States to respect China's sovereignty and stop arms sales to Taiwan so as not to provoke "China's resolute response."

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🚀 The Soyuz-2.1, a rocket with the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft, launched into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the ISS. It included two Russians and an American.

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Trump says ready to testify under Oath he didn't order Mar-a-Lago security tapes deleted

"Sure, I’m going to — I’ll testify," Trump told an American news agency in an interview.

He further insisted that the tapes were not deleted, highlighting that he voluntarily shared them with investigators even though they are his property.

"In other words, there was nothing done to them. And they were my tapes. I could have fought them. I didn’t even have to give them the tapes, I don’t think," Trump stated.

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‘Upyr’: advanced Russian drone wreaks havoc on Ukrainian army across frontline

Moscow is intensively using various modifications of drones in the special military operation zone in Ukraine, amid Kiev’s futile efforts to break through the Russian army’s defensive lines.

The Russian military has started launching the first-person view (FPV) drone Upyr (loosely translated into English as “vampire”) in the Donetsk area of the front line.

Where has this unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) already been used and what about its efficiency?

Sputnik runs a check to find out.

In honor of International Democracy Day, #AfroVerdict features two political experts to explain Africa's take on the myth of the West's one and only "true" form of neoliberal democracy.

https://t.iss.one/sputnik_africa/8635

📌 WATCH LIVE: Approaching, docking and opening of the hatch of the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the International Space Station

❗️Three European countries prolonged a ban on Ukrainian grain imports

🇵🇱 Poland will introduce a ban on the import of Ukrainian grain from midnight, despite the European Commission’s refusal to extend the embargo, the prime minister said

🇭🇺 Hungary's government announced on Friday it would maintain restrictions on Ukrainian grain, defying a decision by the European Commission to end the import ban.

🇸🇰 Slovakia will unilaterally extend the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain from Ukraine, Slovak broadcaster Markiza reported on Friday, citing the Slovak Agriculture Ministry.

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Europe snubs Ukraine's demand to extradite draft dodgers

Ukrainian officials believe that tens of thousands of "draft dodgers" have fled to Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany and other European countries to obtain refugee status there.

The nation's law enforcement agencies have been reportedly instructed this month to request the extradition of men of military age who earlier sneaked out of the country in order to prosecute them, as per the Ukrainian press. Avoiding conscription is a criminal offense in Ukraine, which could be punished by prison time from three to five years.

What is Europe's response?

Check out Sputnik's article to find out

🇧🇦 The repercussions of the US-led bombing of the former Yugoslavia with depleted uranium munitions are still felt in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Ambassador to Russia Zeljko Samardzija stated on Friday.

"Our stance [on shells] is absolutely clear - it has been 30 years since the bombings of Yugoslavia with [depleted] uranium and we still feel the consequences of this weapon. Our citizens continue to die today, while new citizens, children, are born with disabilities - the consequence of bombings with such munitions," Samardzija told journalists.

Based on its own experience, Bosnia and Herzegovina "stands against the use of such shells," the ambassador stressed.

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❗️ The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft carrying Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub and American Loral O'Hara have docked at the International Space Station, just three hours after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome

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US President Joe Biden will host Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on September 21, national security adviser Jake Sullivan detailed during a press briefing.

Biden will host Zelensky the same time the high-level General Debate will take place at the UN General Assembly in New York City.

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🌍 West's understanding of democracy undermines and belittles African norms and values, says South African analyst

🗣 "They make maximum benefits in terms of advancing this democracy as part of the package at a global level, led mainly by companies which they see as globalization. Globalization, in their view, is westernization and the advancement of Western norms and values globally," Dr David Monyae, director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies and the Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg, told Sputnik Africa on Democracy Day.

According to him, Africa has "no problem with globalization or democracy" if they are "people-centered" and have "African characteristics".

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You can also download the Sputnik Africa app to stay up to date with the most interesting news from Africa and around the world!

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🌍 🇨🇳 🇷🇺 Africa could "draw on" from Russia, China in terms of government systems, says South African analyst

🗣 "There are countries that have been working with Africa for a number of years and decades. And the irony is that even within the Western world, there are progressive forces that are pro-Africa and are working in solidarity with Africans to resist this hegemonic Western neoliberal democracy," Dr David Monyae, director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies and the Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg, told Sputnik Africa on Democracy Day.

Africa can gather the experience of the whole world, but the process should be "led by Africans with African norms and values and tradition of governance," he noted.

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You can also download the Sputnik Africa app to stay up to date with the most interesting news from Africa and around the world!

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Auto workers strike 'natural result' of Biden administration's policies

The Biden administration's pro-union policies are to blame for the nationwide United Auto Workers (UAW) strike that now threatens the US economy, US Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark stated on Friday.

🗣 "The decision by the United Auto Workers (UAW) to initiate a strike will have far reaching negative consequences for our economy, for the American workers directly employed by the Detroit Three, their suppliers and dealers, as well as the thousands of small businesses and families whose livelihoods will also be put at risk," Clark said.

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Biden persists in selling mugs with his image in an attempt to convince US voters to reelect him 🫠

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🇮🇳 Probably Modi: Joe, snap back to reality 😵‍💫

Indian PM Modi had to intervene in 🇺🇸 US President Joe Biden's "love games" as he got a tad too close to 🇮🇹 Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.

Joe, wake up, you're married.

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The US Army has admitted that its plan to deploy the ground-launched missile by the end of September is off schedule

Earlier this month, the Army canceled its planned test of the weapon ahead of its planned entry into active service in late September, based on unstated problems encountered during “pre-flight checks.”

The Army has been developing the LRHW with Lockheed Martin since 2019 as one of several hypersonic weapons programs after Russia and China debuted their own hypersonic weapons.

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The United States is on track to produce 100,000 155mm artillery shells each month by 2025, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante stated on Friday.

LaPlante noted that the United States was producing 14,000 shells each month six to eight months ago, but is now producing 28,000 shells per month.

The United States ramped up production of 155mm artillery shells after stocks began to run low as they were sent to Ukraine from US stockpiles.

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