WASHINGTON, August 4 (Sputnik) -
* The leaders of seven African countries and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to continue discussing the peace initiative on Ukraine, according to the joint statement published by the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday.
* The leaders of seven African countries and Putin urge to the international community to take concrete steps to remove the obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports, according to the joint statement published by the Office of the South African President.
* Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik that the approval of the Russia-Africa joint statement on Ukraine required some editorial changes, and the document will be published on the Kremlin website on July 4.
* Former US President Donald Trump has arrived at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse to appear before a magistrate judge in the January 6 case, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Thursday.
* Trump said he is on his way to Washington to be arrested later in the day over federal charges accusing him of trying to overturn the 2020 US presidential election.
* The United States will help to ensure the safe export of Russian food and agricultural products through the Black Sea if Moscow decides to return to the Black Sea grain agreement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.
*�Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar have discussed the Black Sea Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports during a phone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
* Blinken told ABC he is hopeful that the Black Sea grain deal can be resuscitated.
* Russia remains a stable grain supplier and does not use grain exports to make importers dependent on it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's remarks alleging that Russia supplies cheap grain to developing countries to make them dependent.
* Saudi Arabia will extend its voluntary cut in oil production by 1 million barrels per day through September, the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Thursday.
* Russia will continue to voluntarily cut oil exports in September but this time by 300,000 barrels per day, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.
* There are no changes to the US military force posture in Niger during the departure of non-emergency embassy employees and their family members in the wake of the military coup in the country, Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder said on Thursday.
* US forces stationed in Niger are largely remaining on military bases but continue to cooperate with Nigerien soldiers following a military coup in the country, Ryder said.
* Russian First Deputy Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky rebuked the United States, United Kingdom and France for spewing "benevolent slogans" but threatening to halt assistance to Niger after the coup in that country.
* The Pentagon is working to award about $40 billion worth of contracts to supply Ukraine and resupply the US military, a Politico journalist reported on Thursday.
* The Russian forces have engaged in counterattacks in the Donetsk area where the Ukrainian military lost up to 380 soldiers in the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
*� Russia has always been aware of Kiev's involvement in the attacks on the Crimean bridge , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on statements by Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.
* The US-led coalition drones breached deconfliction protocols 14 times in Syria over the past 24 hours, Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria deputy hea Vadim Kulit said on Thursday.
* The leaders of illegal armed formations are increasing the number of gangs in the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria, more militants are accumulating in training camps, Kulit said.
