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Lavrov meets Serbia’s ex-foreign minister Vuk Jeremic

According to Russian Foreign Ministry, the sides discussed how to make the United Nations work more effective and exchanged views on elections of a new UN secretary general

Vuk Jeremic, Serbia’s former foreign minister and a candidate to the post of U.N. Secretary General AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

Vuk Jeremic, Serbia’s former foreign minister and a candidate to the post of U.N. Secretary General

© AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

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New UN Secretary-General may be elected for 7 years for first time — UN General Assembly

MOSCOW, September 7 /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Vuk Jeremic, Serbia’s former foreign minister and a candidate to the post of U.N. Secretary General, in Moscow on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The sides discussed how to make the United Nations work more effective and exchanged views on elections of a new UN secretary general," the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

The outgoing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (South Korea) has headed the United Nations since 2007. His post will be vacant as of January 1, 2017. Under the existing rules, a candidate who wants to be appointed to the post is to gains 9 votes, including from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. After that, his name will be submitted to the UN General Assembly for approval. There are ten candidates running for the post, including Jeremic.

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Military operation in Ukraine

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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It has reached 911 centimeters

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

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Ukrainian POW exposes poor battlefield performance of NATO-supplied Javelins, NLAWs

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Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

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According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

Armenia has to define CSTO’s zone of responsibility on its territory, says Lavrov

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Russian Cabinet expands list of perfumery, cosmetic products subjected to import duty

"The effect of the customs duty totaling 35%, renewed in December 203 in respected of imported perfumery, cosmetics and home care products will cover certain new positions of these products from unfriendly countries," the ministry said

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

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According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

The tragedy occurred near the village of Priyutnoye located on the border of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region

Chinese analyst sees US veto on Palestine as reflection of arrogance, double standards

Wang Wen stated that it’s still very hard to achieve a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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Vasily Anokhin urged local residents to remain calm and refrain from filming air defenses in operation.

Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

According to Al Jazeera, air strikes hit the towns of Deir al Balah and Rafah

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"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

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Earlier, the "Columbine" movement was recognized a terror group

Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

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The top Russian diplomat referred to a swindling trick used by a thimblerigger who puts a small round object, such as a ball or pea, under one of three thimbles or cups and asks the player to guess under which the object is, while unfairly manipulating this object

Press review: Biden backs aid to Israel, Ukraine and Russia assets giving West legal fits

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

According to the news agency, one PMF fighter was killed and six were wounded

Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

Global economy’s condition improving — Russian Deputy PM

The process is largely driven by increasing contribution of developing countries, Alexey Overchuk said

FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

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Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Josep Borrell may made the statement in a moment of weakness

US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

It cannot be ruled out that the House of Representatives may pass this package as early as Saturday

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

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Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

"This military whirlpool can drag Europe to the bottom. Brussels is playing with fire and angering God," the Hungarian prime minister said

Ukraine’s new ethnic minorities law insufficient to protect Magyars — Hungarian president

According to Katalin Novak, Hungary’s call for the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia to be respected should be viewed as a common European demand

Israeli troops continue raids in West Bank — TV

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli security forces have killed at least five people over the past 24 hours

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 13 times in past day

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G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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Russian industrial producers’ prices up 2.4% in March — statistics

In chemicals production, prices edged up by 26.8% for ethers, organic peroxides, epoxides, acetals and semiacetals and their derivatives

Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

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Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

KazMunayGas, Sibur, Sinopec sign protocol on plant construction in Kazakhstan

Construction of the plant in the Atyrau region is planned to be completed by 2029

Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

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Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted