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Riyadh is exploring options to build its first nuclear plant, with bids from China, Russia and France under consideration. While the China National Nuclear Corp has presented a proposal, there are concerns over France's capability and sanctions related to Russia. Saudi Arabia's nuclear aspirations are influenced by Iran’s nuclear pursuits and diminishing oil export values. The push for nuclear energy also addresses the kingdom's desire for sustainable energy for its growing population. A potential deal with China, whose bid is 20% cheaper than competitors, could signify a significant geopolitical shift for the Saudi kingdom. The US and Israel have expressed concerns over potential weaponisation, and while Riyadh hopes for US involvement, Washington's stringent conditions could pave the way for a stronger Saudi-Chinese partnership in the nuclear sector.

Moscow reported multiple drone incursions on its territory, with drones flying towards the capital and others attacking Russian assets. Ukrainian authorities reported casualties from Russian artillery attacks, while reports claimed Ukrainian drones targeted and damaged Russian fighter jets and missile systems. Controversy surrounds the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner mercenary group, with speculations of internal conflict and the role of the group moving forward. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed a desire to hold elections despite ongoing conflicts, calling for international financial assistance and legislative changes to ensure a fair voting process for millions, including refugees and military personnel.

Supporters of Niger's military leaders flooded the country's national stadium on August 26 to celebrate one month of military rule. Niger’s junta recently expelled French ambassador Sylvain Itte, but France has refused to accept its diktat. The demonstration on Saturday saw a fresh wave of anti-France sentiment, sparked by the latest stand-off over the French ambassador. Ahead of Saturday's rally, the junta ordered its armed forces to go on highest alert, citing an increased threat of attack by ECOWAS. Watch the video to know the latest updates on Niger coup.

Niger’s military administration has cut off water and electricity to the French Embassy in the capital Niamey. Not even food deliveries to the French embassy are allowed, as per reports on August 27. The Nigerien coup leaders have reportedly taken similar action at the French consulate in Zinder. ECOWAS Chairman told Islamic clerics who met Niger’s junta that the 3-year transition proposed by the coup leaders was unacceptable. Meanwhile, Pro-coup Nigeriens have threatened to storm the French Embassy and the French military base, if French troops and its envoy did not leave the country.

It was a week of 'weak' offensives for Ukraine against Russian armed forces. According to the Russian defence ministry, Ukrainian forces faced a series of defeats throughout the last 7 days, in which they lost as many as 4,800 troops. Ukraine's offensive is set to enter its third month but has yielded no major results yet.

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The Ukrainian intelligence agency claimed it had destroyed a critical Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system in occupied Crimea. It would be another embarrassing blow for Moscow, as Ukraine increasingly targets Russia's assets far behind the front line in southern and eastern Ukraine.

Moscow claimed its forces prevented a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia-annexed Crimea, destroying nine drones and jamming 33 others with radio-electronic warfare. An alleged missile attack from Ukraine targeting civilian locations in Russia was also reported. The US announced plans to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 jets in October, following a decision by Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark to donate such jets to Ukraine. A plane crash believed to have killed Yevgeny Prigozhin, a key figure with links to Putin, is suspected by US intelligence to have been caused by a deliberate explosion. Speculation persists around the true fate of Prigozhin, who has previously been rumoured dead only to reappear.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences to the family of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin after confirming his death. Putin said Prigozhin was a "talented man" but "made mistakes" - alluding to Prigozhin's failed coup attempt on Moscow earlier this year. U.S. President Joe Biden has pointed the finger at Putin and Russian forces, as locals near the crash site said the plane exploded in mid-air before it crashed between Moscow and St Petersburg.

Russia's defence ministry has claimed its forces destroyed 73 Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours. The Kremlin said the Wagner Group has no formal legal existence after a plane crash that was reported killed its founder. This comes as Belarus's President Alexander Lukashenko has said Putin was likely not behind the death of Prigozhin. Lukashenko also said he warned Prigozhin during the revolt that he would die, to which the Wagner chief replied: "'To hell with it - I will die'". Meanwhile, President Putin has signed a decree that said Russian paramilitary fighters will have to swear an oath to the Russian flag

Saudi Arabia is reportedly mulling over purchasing a record number of French jets. The move would go against Saudi Arabia's age-old tradition of using American and British jets. Riyadh's interest in purchasing Rafale jets indicates it's losing trust in previous suppliers. The decision is expected to widen the rift between Riyadh and Washington

Russia has just unveiled a new type of weapon. Nicknamed the Death Ray, Moscow wants to use this 'directed energy weapon' to fry Ukrainian drones and knock them out of the skies. Especially in the aftermath of the events of the last few weeks, where Ukraine has managed to pierce the Russian defences and has staged some audacious attacks on Russian infrastructure. Moscow has been on the hunt for new and cheaper ways to knock out the Ukrainian drones. Shooting down drones that could be as cheap as 20,000 dollars with anti-air defence missiles worth several times the cost of a drone, is one way of running out of resources and losing the war. So, Russia has now begun using its 'Directed Energy Weapons' to take the sting out of Ukraine's drone warfare. Mohammed Saleh gets you all the details.

Russia launched a missile strike on the Southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Kyiv officials said that at least seven people were injured in the Russian attack. Governor Serhiy Lysak stated that the attack damaged the transport infrastructure and properties including a bank, a hotel, and an administrative building. The Russian air strike comes after Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow

Ukraine reported successful military offensives near Melitopol and Bakhmut, while the Bryansk region experienced its first cluster munitions attack from Ukraine. On Ukraine's 32nd Independence anniversary, President Volodymyr Zelensky extolled Ukrainians as free and strong, commending their resistance against Russian forces. Three US senators visited Kyiv, expressing robust bipartisan support for Ukraine against Russia. The UK's Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, pledged prolonged support for Ukraine, contrasting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's dissatisfaction over the inefficacy of sanctions against Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded medals to a tank crew recognised for their exceptional battlefield performance, marked by a viral video depicting their combat against Ukrainian forces.

Russia is confirming that Wagner Boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was on board of a plane that crashed today, Wednesday, 08/23. And a Wagner-linked social media channel issued a statement saying that Prigozhin is dead. The state media certainly is reporting about this in a very matter of fact way. But what I've done so far is actually texted the spokespeople, both of the Kremlin and of Russia's Foreign Ministry as well, and have not gotten a response yet. And I think it's also quite telling to see what Vladimir Putin has been doing on this evening. In fact, he would have at a ceremony in the city of Kursk, which, of course, is in southern Russia tonight where he held a moment of silence, but that had absolutely nothing to do with Yevgeny Prigozhin, that was a moment of silence for fallen Soviet soldiers of World War II. Putin, not saying anything yet about the crash, not saying anything about the investigation. We've also been in touch with some pro-Kremlin figures, including a former adviser of Vladimir Putin, who was also quite close to the Wagner private military company and to Yevgeny Prigozhin, he's sort of pushing that narrative saying that they believe that Ukraine might have actually been behind all this saying, look, it is Ukrainian Independence Day and they point to some other assassinations that the Russians have pointed towards the Ukrainians, even though the Ukrainians have not acknowledged. Again, none of this is confirmed or is in any way possible to confirm at this point in time. But if we're looking at the coverage of Russian state media and of course also by Russian authorities as well, they are saying that the investigation is ongoing, they have of course come out and said that Yevgeny Prigozhin was definitely on that plane as were large parts of Wagner's leadership.

The final two months of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin’s life were full of speculation about his whereabouts and status.

Ukraine’s push to retake territory back from Russia has been slow, as its forces face a deadly problem: landmines. Russian troops spent months fortifying the 900 mile-long front line with anti-tank ditches, concrete obstacles, trenches and minefields. How is the Ukrainian military adapting to account for these mines?

Russia said it intercepted two drones over the Black Sea on August 22, and on the following night, three drones targeted Moscow, with one crashing into an under-construction building. Ukrainian officials claimed civilian casualties from Russian strikes, with three deaths in the Torske region and injuries from explosive drones in Seredyno-Buda. Russian President Putin fired Army General Sergey Surovikin, the Air Force Commander, amid rumours of his involvement in a rebellion against the Kremlin. To safeguard the Crimean Bridge, Russia is allegedly sinking ferries in the Kerch Strait after Ukrainian attacks targeted the bridge. Contradicting perceptions of a stagnant conflict in Ukraine, a US official asserted that the situation was dynamic and Ukraine continued to gain territory.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 has made a historic landing on the moon on August 23, after beating Russia’s Luna 25. After a 41-day-long journey, Chandrayaan 3’s successful landing makes India the only country to have reached the south pole of the lunar surface. ISRO Chiarman said the lander and rover will have to withstand the freezing temperatures of -238°C of a lunar night at the south pole. Now that Chandrayaan has landed, the real mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) begins now.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive is reportedly struggling because it has too many troops in the wrong places. Punching through Russian supply lines in southern Ukraine is seen among the main goals of the counteroffensive.However, Ukraine has deployed more forces near Bakhmut and other cities in the east than Melitopol and Berdiansk in the south. Western officials admit that both the fronts are strategically significant but Kyiv needs to prioritize the Southern front. Ukraine’s continued focus on Bakhmut has perplexed US intelligence and military officials, as per a New York Times (NYT) report. Ukraine has invested huge amounts of resources in defending the surrounding Donbas region, as per US officials. Analysts say that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, does not want to appear as though he is giving up on trying to retake lost territory. However, US officials told the Times that politics must, at least temporarily, take a back seat to sound military strategy.

President Yoon Suk Yeol visited a bunker complex for the US-South Korea combined forces amid growing tensions with North Korea. Yoon Suk Yeol visited the Command Post Tango as the two countries conducted annual military drills. The bunker complex serves as the primary command and control centre for South Korean and US forces in the event of an armed conflict. Yoon’s trip to CP Tango in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, came on the third day of the ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise. The bilateral drills commenced on Aug. 21 and are designed to enhance joint responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Meanwhile, North Korea has informed Japan it plans to launch a military satellite amid the ongoing US-South Korea drills. The launch window overlaps with the UFS, as North Korea denounced the allies' military drills as a rehearsal for nuclear war

On August 23, a Russian drone strike on a school in the Ukrainian city of Romny resulted in the death of two teachers. Ukraine announced the destruction of key Russian missile systems in Crimea, severely impacting Russia's air defence capabilities in the occupied region. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, has been absent after a controversial statement regarding the legitimacy of the upcoming Russian presidential election, leading to speculations about his whereabouts. A local Russian political candidate, Yulia Trukhmanova, faces expulsion from her party over derogatory comments she allegedly made about Putin. The Russian president asserted that Russia's actions in Ukraine aim solely to end a war that he claims was instigated by Western nations.

Discover the Totalitarian State of Belarus and its Role in Russia's Attack on Ukraine