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Wagner’s armed rebellion is said to be moving closer to Moscow after the mercenary group’s vehicles were seen driving past a second Russian city. A Reuters witness said they saw they saw a column of Wagner’s vehicles in the Russian city of Voronezh on Saturday afternoon. One of the vehicles was a flatbed truck carrying a tank. It comes after Wagner group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin called for an armed rebellion overnight and warned in a video that he and his troops had taken control of the military headquarters in key Russian city, Rostov-on-Don. Vladimir Putin said an “armed mutiny” by Yevgeny Prigozhin was treason and a “mortal blow” to Russia’s troops. In an emergency televised address, the Russian president said anyone who had taken up arms against his military would be punished. Putin said he would do everything to protect Russia, and that “decisive action” would be taken. Prigozhin demanded Mr Shoigu and Russia’s top general Valery Gerasimov meet him in Rostov-on-Don, otherwise threatening to “blockade the city of Rostov and head for Moscow.” Read More Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? The Wagner mercenary chief urging a ‘civil war’ against Putin Furious Putin calls Wagner coup ‘treason’: ‘This is a stab in the back to everyone in Russia’ Military vehicles on streets of Rostov-on-Don as Wagner chief claims control of HQ Who are Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group

Tension between Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia’s Wagner private militia group, and the nation’s defense establishment exploded in

Rogue Russian mercenary fighters from the Wagner group have had their efforts labelled as “treason” by Vladimir Putin after seizing military centre Rostov-on-Don. The escalation marks one of the most explosive episodes in the country’s war saga yet after the group’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Kremlin of deliberately bombing Wagner troops. However, Britain’s Ministry of Defence have now called the instalment “the most significant challenge to the Russian state” in a series of events that’s set to put the city firmly on the map. Rostov-on-Don, also known as simply Rostov, is the largest city in southern Russia and sits about 100km from the eastern Ukraine border. The population is about one million people and Rostov also houses Russia’s southern military district command and the 58th Combined Arms Army, which is currently engaged in major counteroffensive efforts against Ukraine. Rostov sits almost directly south of Moscow with approximately 1161 km separating the two cities. Despite the distance, a triumphant Prigozhin said on Saturday that the Wagner fighters’ sights were firmly set on the Russian capital. In one video, Prigozhin said he was at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov and demanded Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the country’s top general Valery Gerasimov come meet him. “We have arrived here, we want to receive the chief of the general staff and Shoigu,” Prigozhin said. “Unless they come, we’ll be here, we’ll blockade the city of Rostov and head for Moscow. Prigozhin said in another video multiple military sites in Rostov, including the airfield, were under the Wagner’s control. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Furious Putin calls Wagner mutiny ‘treason’ and ‘mortal blow’ to troops Military vehicles on streets of Rostov-on-Don as Wagner chief claims control of HQ Who are Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

The Bank of England stepped up efforts to beat back the worst inflation since the 1980s by boosting

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a televised address, accusing the Wagner group of a ‘stab in the back’ and saying Russia is ‘facing treason’. Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has said he wants to oust the leadership of the Defence Ministry over its purported incompetence and has posted videos of himself in the southern Russian city of Rostov where the Russian army has one of its headquarters. An audio message on the social media app Telegram detailed Prigozhin’s fighters had crossed the border and were “ready to die” in confrontation with those in their way. “All of us are ready to die. All 25,000, and then another 25,000,” he said, after earlier accusing the Russian top brass of launching strikes against his men,” he said. “We are dying for the Russian people.” However, Putin was quick to double-down on those working outside his regime and warned of “inevitable punishment” for anyone dividing Russian society. Putin went on to say some of his countrymen had been “tricked into a criminal adventure” without specifically referring to those under Prigozhin. He also said “high treason” was the result of certain “ambitions” that are underway. “This is a criminal campaign. It is equivalent to armed mutiny,” Putin said. “Russia will defend itself and repel this move. We are fighting for the life and security of our citizens and our territorial integrity. “In the face of those who are fighting on the front, this is a stab in the back of the troops and the people of Russia.” Putin acknowledged the situation was “very complicated” and unfolding at speed. “Those who mutiny have betrayed Russia and I urge anybody involved in it to cease any kind of participation in armed conflict,” he said. “These people will be brought to justice on behalf of our people.” Prigozhin currently claims to have more than 25,000 fighters under his command. In one video, Prigozhin said he was at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov and demanded Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the country’s top general Valery Gerasimov come meet him. “We have arrived here, we want to receive the chief of the general staff and Shoigu,” Prigozhin said in the video. “Unless they come, we’ll be here, we’ll blockade the city of Rostov and head for Moscow.” He earlier accused the Kremlin of deliberately bombing Wagner troops in a series of explosive claims. The alleged attacks include the bombing of a training camp in Bakhmut, Ukraine, which killed dozens. Prigozhin said in another video multiple military sites in Rostov, including the airfield, were under the Wagner’s control. In a statement, Russia’s Defence Ministry said the Wagner mercenary fighters had been “deceived and dragged into a criminal adventure” by Prigozhin. Wagner fighters have played a central role in Russia’s efforts so far, including taking the Bakhmut which involved some of the longest war battles taking place. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Furious Putin calls Wagner mutiny ‘treason’ and ‘mortal blow’ to troops Furious Putin calls Wagner coup ‘treason’: ‘This is a stab in the back to everyone in Russia’ AP News Digest 3:55 a.m. Wagner group rebellion call marks ‘most significant challenge’ to Russia – MoD Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? The Wagner chief urging a ‘civil war’ against Putin

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan. Get an early look at weekend coverage with the Weekend-Lookahead-Digest. ———————————— TOP STORIES ———————————— RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Russian President Vladimir Putin has addressed the nation and vowed to defend the country and its people from an armed rebellion declared by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. Putin said the mutiny amounted to “a deadly threat to our statehood” and vowed “tough actions” in response. SENT: 1,290 words, photos, audio. TRUMP-MISINFORMATION-ANALYSIS — Donald Trump continues to shatter the norms of American politics. No president has ever scorned the truth as regularly as Trump, who continues to lie about his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. As the 2024 race heats up, the nation faces the prospects of another campaign marred by falsehoods and misinformation. An AP News Analysis by David Klepper. SENT: 1,180 words, photo. TITANIC-TOURIST-SUB — Authorities from the U.S. and Canada began the process of investigating the cause of the fatal Titan submersible implosion even as they grappled with questions of who was responsible for determining how the tragedy unfolded. A formal inquiry has not yet been launched because maritime agencies are still busy searching the area where the vessel was destroyed, killing all five people aboard, the U.S. Coast Guard says. By Patrick Whittle and Jennifer McDermott. SENT: 980 words, photos, video, audio. With TITANIC-TOURIST-SUB-WHY-IT-RESONATED — What the Titanic submersible saga and the Greek migrant shipwreck say about our reactions to tragedy; TITANIC-TOURIST-SUB-PAST-EXPERIENCES — Previous passengers recall ill-fated Titan: ‘I 100% knew this was going to happen;' TITANIC-TOURIST SUB-TICK TOCK — Follow the timeline of the Titan submersible’s journey from departure to discovery; TITANIC-TOURIST-SUB-COSTS — How much did Titan search cost? US Coast Guard’s bill alone will be in the millions, experts say (all sent). AIRLINES-SUSTAINABLE-FUEL — When it comes to flying, going green may cost you more. And it’s going to take a while for the strategy to take off. Sustainability was a hot topic this week at the Paris Air Show, the world’s largest event for the aviation industry, which faces increasing pressure to reduce the climate-changing greenhouse gases that aircraft spew. By Airlines Writer David Koenig. SENT: 900 words, photos. IRAN-RESTORING-CADILLACS — A restorer in Iran is bringing back the Cadillac Sevilles once assembled in the country. The Seville represented the height of luxury in Iran just before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. General Motors had partnered with an Iranian firm to build the sedans, selling them for two-and-a-half times the price in America at the zenith of the country’s oil wealth. By Amir Vahdat. SENT: 950 words, photos. HOMELESS-PETS-STREET-VETERINARIAN — A California veterinarian is caring for the pets of the state’s homeless population. Dr. Kwane Stewart calls himself the Street Vet. He started caring for homeless pets nearly a decade ago after first helping a flea-infested dog outside a convenience store. He regularly walks into the heart of infamous Skid Row in Los Angeles in his work for his nonprofit, Project Street Vet. California is home to nearly a third of the country’s homeless population. Advocacy group Pets of the Homeless says about 10% of homeless people nationally have pets. But Stewart believes that number is higher, and says his goal is to help as many of the pets as possible. By Janie McCauley. SENT: 900 words, photos. ——————————————————- MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR —————————————————— RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR-IRAN DRONES — The United States, Britain and France demands that the United Nations urgently investigate Russia’s reported use of hundreds of Iranian-provided drones in the war in Ukraine, which would violate U.N. sanctions. But it’s unclear whether the U.N. will do so in the face of strong opposition from Russia. SENT: 410 words, photos. RUSSIA-WAGNER-GROUP-EXPLAINER — The head of the private military contractor Wagner called Friday for an armed rebellion aimed at ousting Russia’s defense minister. Russian security services reacted immediately by opening a criminal investigation into Yevgeny Prigozhin. SENT: 1,200 words, photos. RUSSIA-PRIGOZHIN — Once a low-profile businessman who benefited from having President Vladimir Putin as a powerful patron, Yevgeny Prigozhin moved into the global spotlight with Russia’s war in Ukraine. As the leader of a mercenary force who depicts himself as fighting many of the Russian military’s toughest battles in Ukraine, the 62-year-old Prigozhin has now moved into his most dangerous role yet: preaching open rebellion against his country’s military leadership. SENT: 970 words, photo. ——————————————————- SPOTLIGHTING VOICES ——————————————————- HAWAIIAN-DRAG-QUEENS — The concept of gender fluidity — or “mahu” — has existed easily in Hawaii for hundreds of years, the hallmark of a culture that offers space between the concepts of male and female and uses a language that lacks gendered pronouns. Now, as anti-LGBTQ rhetoric inflames the country, Native Hawaiians are making a move to remind modern generations of the respected place gender fluidity holds in their own culture. SENT: 1,120 words, photos. —————————— MORE NEWS —————————— MCCARTHY-TRUMP IMPEACHMENT — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said he supports the idea of expunging the two impeachments of Donald Trump as hard-right Republican allies of the former president introduce a pair of proposals to declare it as though the historic charges never happened. SENT: 500 words, photo. TRUMP-CLASSIFIED-DOCUMENTS — The Justice Department has asked a judge on to postpone until December the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump for retaining classified documents. SENT: 200 words, photo. OBIT-SAROKIN — H. Lee Sarokin, the federal judge who freed boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and in a landmark case famously said tobacco companies engaged in a “vast” conspiracy to conceal the dangers of smoking, has died in California, news outlets report. He was 94. SENT: 430 words, photos. PEOPLE-JULIAN-SANDS — The family of actor Julian Sands has released its first statement five months after he disappeared while hiking in California. SENT: 200 words, photos. ———————————————————- WASHINGTON/ POLITICS ———————————————————- INTELLIGENCE-COVID-ORIGINS — U.S. officials have released an intelligence report that rejected some points raised by those who argue COVID-19 leaked from a Chinese lab, instead reiterating that American spy agencies remain divided over how the pandemic began. SENT: 570 words, photo. HUNTER BIDEN-GARLAND — Attorney General Merrick Garland has pushed back against claims from IRS whistleblowers that the Justice Department interfered with the investigation into Hunter Biden, saying more broadly that attacks on the department’s independence are corrosive. SENT: 620 words, photos, audio. ——————————- NATIONAL ——————————— PHILANTHROPY-ABORTION-FUNDING — The ″ rage giving ″ did not last. Abortion access groups who received a windfall of donations following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade one year ago say those emergency grants have ended and individual and foundation giving has dropped off. SENT: 1,170 words, photos. TRANSGENDER-BIRTH-CERTICATES-KANSAS — Transgender people born in Kansas could be prevented from changing their birth certificates to reflect their gender identities if the state’s conservative Republican attorney is successful with a legal move he has launched. SENT: 940 words, photo. FOUR-KILLED-UNIVERSITY-OF-IDAHO-GAG-ORDER — An Idaho judge has denied a request from roughly two dozen news organizations to lift a gag order in the criminal case of a man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death. The judge did, however, significantly narrow the gag order in response to the news organizations’ concerns. SENT: 730 words, photo. BOOK-BAN-WEEKEND — Book bans and how to fight them will be a major focus of the American Library Association’s annual meeting this weekend in Chicago. Librarians may attend sessions aimed at helping them confidently counter book challenges, fight legislative censorship and ensure “access to information and the freedom to read.” All day, attendees are invited to climb atop a giant chair to read their favorite banned book. SENT: 520 words, photos. DRAG-SHOW-LAW-FLORIDA — A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Florida law targeting drag shows that was championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. SENT: 350 words, photo. FENTANYL-SUPPLY CHAIN — The U.S. Justice Department has filed criminal charges against four Chinese companies and eight individuals for allegedly trafficking the chemicals used to make the highly addictive painkiller fentanyl in the United States and Mexico. SENT: 500 words, photos. BORDER-PATROL-FATAL SHOOTING — U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released body camera footage that shows Border Patrol agents were concerned that a tribal member they fatally shot last month may have been carrying a handgun during an encounter on a remote corner of the Tohono O’odham Nation in southern Arizona. SENT: 430 words, photo. ————————————— INTERNATIONAL ————————————— BRITAIN-BATTLE-OF-BAMBER-BRIDGE — The village of Bamber Bridge in northwestern England is marking the 80th anniversary of what’s now known as the Battle of Bamber Bridge. When an all-Black U.S. Army regiment rolled into town during World War II, residents refused to accept the segregation ingrained in the U.S. military. But simmering tensions between Black soldiers and white military police exploded in June 1943 when a dispute outside a pub escalated into a night of violent confrontations. Now residents are telling the story of what happened that night and how it changed the treatment of Black soldiers in the United States. SENT: 1,470 words, photos. GREECE-ELECTIONS-THE-FRINGES — With the formerly ascendant, Nazi-inspired Golden Dawn party broken, its leadership in prison, and the anti-Western left defanged, Greece’s political fringes are looking more gauche than sinister. Still, up to five small parties — three on the far right and two on the far left — could conceivably reach the 3% support needed to enter Parliament in Sunday’s repeat elections, despite a swing back to mainstream politicians as the scars of Greece’s 10-year financial crisis gradually heal. SENT: 830 words, photos. ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — A Palestinian assailant has opened fire at an Israeli military checkpoint in the occupied West Bank before being shot and killed, Israeli police said, the latest incident in months of escalating violence. SENT: 360 words, photo. UNITED-NATIONS-SUDAN — The U.N. Security Council has called for a halt to fighting in Sudan and the protection of civilians. The brief press statement followed closed consultations by the U.N.’s most powerful body. SENT: 270 words, photos. ————————————————— BUSINESS/ECONOMY ————————————————- FORD-BATTERY-PLANTS-TENNESSEE — Massive battery plants planned in Tennessee and Kentucky for Ford’s electric vehicles are on track to receive up to a $9.2 billion federal loan in what would be the biggest award under the U.S. Department of Energy’s loan program since President Joe Biden took office. SENT: 790 words, photos. HEAT DOME-FOSSIL FUEL-LAWSUIT — Oregon’s most populous county is suing more than a dozen fossil fuel companies to recover costs related to extreme weather events. SENT: 410 words, photo. ————————- SPORTS ————————— BKN--SPURS-WEMBANYAMA ARRIVES — The chants from hundreds of fans, some of whom waited outside for hours in nearly 100-degree heat, started at the very moment Victor Wembanyama stepped out of the private plane that carried him to his new NBA home. And the NBA’s newest No. 1 draft pick reveled in his first San Antonio moment, waving at the fans and letting them know how much he was enjoying it all. SENT: 740 words, photos. ——————————————- HOW TO REACH US ——————————————- At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide UK village marks 80th anniversary of fight against US Army racism in World War II UK village marks struggle against US Army racism in World War II Want a climate-friendly flight? It's going to take a while and cost you more

Once a low-profile businessman who benefited from having President Vladimir Putin as a powerful patron, Yevgeny Prigozhin moved into the global spotlight with Russia’s war in Ukraine. As the leader of a mercenary force who depicts himself as fighting many of the Russian military’s toughest battles in Ukraine, the 62-year-old Prigozhin has now moved into his most dangerous role yet: preaching open rebellion against his country’s military leadership. Prigozhin, owner of the Kremlin-allied Wagner Group, has escalated what have been months of scathing criticism of Russia’s conduct of the war by calling Friday for an armed uprising to oust the defense minister. Russian security services reacted immediately, opening a criminal investigation and urging Prigozhin’s arrest. In a sign of how seriously the Kremlin took Prigozhin’s threat, riot police and the National Guard scrambled to tighten security at key facilities in Moscow, including government agencies and transport infrastructure, Tass reported. Prigozhin, a onetime felon, hot-dog vendor and longtime associate of Putin, urged Russians to join his “march to justice.” ‘PUTIN’S CHEF’ Prigozhin and Putin go way back, with both born in Leningrad, what is now known as St. Petersburg. During the final years of the Soviet Union, Prigozhin served time in prison — 10 years by his own admission — although he does not say what it was for. Afterward, he owned a hot dog stand and then fancy restaurants that drew interest from Putin. In his first term, the Russian leader took then-French President Jacques Chirac to dine at one of them. “Vladimir Putin saw how I built a business out of a kiosk, he saw that I don’t mind serving to the esteemed guests because they were my guests,” Prigozhin recalled in an interview published in 2011. His businesses expanded significantly to catering and providing school lunches. In 2010, Putin helped open Prigozhin’s factory that was built on generous loans by a state bank. In Moscow alone, his company Concord won millions of dollars in contracts to provide meals at public schools. He also organized catering for Kremlin events for several years — earning him the nickname “Putin’s chef” — and has provided catering and utility services to the Russian military. In 2017, opposition figure and corruption fighter Alexei Navalny accused Prigozhin’s companies of breaking antitrust laws by bidding for some $387 million in Defense Ministry contracts. MILITARY CONNECTION Prigozhin also owns the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-allied mercenary force that has come to play a central role in Putin’s projection of Russian influence in trouble spots around the world. The United States, European Union, United Nations and others say the mercenary force has involved itself in conflicts in countries across Africa in particular. Wagner fighters allegedly provide security for national leaders or warlords in exchange for lucrative payments, often including a share of gold or other natural resources. U.S. officials say Russia may also be using Wagner’s work in Africa to support its war in Ukraine. In Ukraine, Prigozhin’s mercenaries have become a major force in the war, fighting as counterparts to the Russian army in battles with Ukrainian forces. That includes Wagner fighters taking Bakhmut, the city where the bloodiest and longest battles have taken place. By last month, Wagner Group and Russian forces appeared to have largely won Bakhmut, a victory with strategically slight importance for Russia despite the cost in lives. The U.S. estimates that nearly half of the 20,000 Russian troops killed in Ukraine since December were Wagner fighters in Bakhmut. His soldiers-for-hire included inmates recruited from Russia’s prisons. RAGING AGAINST RUSSIA’S GENERALS As his forces fought and died en masse in Ukraine, Prigozhin raged against Russia’s military brass. In a video released by his team last month, Prigozhin stood next to rows bodies he said were those of Wagner fighters. He accused Russia’s regular military of incompetence and of starving his troops of the weapons and ammunition they needed to fight. “These are someone’s fathers and someone’s sons,” Prigozhin said then. “The scum that doesn’t give us ammunition will eat their guts in hell.” A ‘BAD ACTOR’ IN THE US Prigozhin earlier gained more limited attention in the U.S., when he and a dozen other Russian nationals and three Russian companies were charged in the U.S. with operating a covert social media campaign aimed at fomenting discord ahead of Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory. They were indicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference. The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned Prigozhin and associates repeatedly in connection with both his alleged election interference and his leadership of the Wagner Group. After the 2018 indictment, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Prigozhin as saying, in a clearly sarcastic remark: “Americans are very impressionable people; they see what they want to see. I treat them with great respect. I’m not at all upset that I’m on this list. If they want to see the devil, let them see him.” The Biden White House in that episode called him “a known bad actor,” and State Department spokesman Ned Price said Prigozhin’s “bold confession, if anything, appears to be just a manifestation of the impunity that crooks and cronies enjoy under President Putin and the Kremlin.” AVOIDING CHALLENGES TO PUTIN As Prigozhin grew more outspoken against the way Russia’s conventional military conducted fighting in Ukraine, he continued to play a seemingly indispensable role for the Russian offensive, and appeared to suffer no retaliation from Putin for his criticism of Putin’s generals. Media reports at times suggested Prigozhin’s influence on Putin was growing and he was after a prominent political post. But analysts warned against overestimating his influence with Putin. “He’s not one of Putin’s close figures or a confidant,” said Mark Galeotti of University College, London, who specializes in Russian security affairs, speaking on his podcast “In Moscow’s Shadows.” “Prigozhin does what the Kremlin wants and does very well for himself in the process. But that’s the thing — he is part of the staff rather than part of the family,” Galeotti said. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary Who is the head of the mercenary group calling for an armed rebellion in Russia? Who are Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group Russia opens criminal case against Wagner chief over ‘call for armed mutiny’

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Russia accused the powerful head of the Wagner mercenary group of mounting an armed uprising as the growing

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