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UN Security Council to gather at Russia’s request on Friday

The meeting was scheduled to begin at 10:00 New York time

© AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

UN, April 13. /TASS/. The UN Security Council will gather at Russia’s request on Friday to discuss the situation in Syria, Russia’s permanent mission to the UN said.

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Russia to convoke Security Council meeting soon, UN Secretary General to attend — envoy

"An open session of the UN Security Council, requested by Russia and headlined ‘Threats to international peace and security: situation in the Middle East,’ will be held on April 13," the mission’s spokesman, Fyodor Strzhizhovsky, said.

He said the meeting was scheduled to begin at 10:00 New York time (17:00 Moscow time).

Russian UN envoy, Vasily Nebenzya, earlier said that Moscow planned to convoke a UN Security Council meeting with the participation of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to discuss the situation in Syria and US threats against the Damascus government. He expressed hope that Washington will demonstrate "wisdom and self-control" and abstain from the use of force.

On Monday, Trump said that Washington had "a lot of options militarily" on Syria following an alleged chemical weapons attack in the Syrian town of Douma, Eastern Ghouta.

A number of non-government organizations, including the White Helmets, allege that a chemical weapons attack took place in Douma on April 7. The Russian Foreign Ministry slammed the statement as a bogus story, while Russia’s Defense Ministry pointed out that the White Helmets were not a reliable source of information as they were notorious for spreading fabricated news.

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According to the minister Gergely Gulyas, the North Atlantic Alliance "wants to provide financial assistance, as well as supply weapons and train Ukrainian soldiers"

French neo-Nazi ringleader liquidated near Avdeyevka — sources

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Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu underlined that this is being done by strengthening "military-political structures such as QUAD, AUKUS and the US-Japan-Philippines triad"

Senior security official points to rising tensions on Belarus’ western border

Tensions "have reached a peak where the slightest imbalance can lead either to a serious, high-profile and large-scale provocation or a conflict," Pavel Muraveiko stressed

Bank of Russia keeps key rate at 16% per annum again

"The return of inflation to target and its further stabilization close to 4% assume that tight monetary conditions will be maintained in the economy for a longer period than previously forecast," the regulator said

Fatah accuses Hamas of actions that led to Israeli control of Gaza — report

Fatah also said Hamas is currently seeking to become part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, but is doing this "only to preserve itself and survive"

Radioactive cloud from Ukraine’s eliminated munitions drifts to Europe — Security Council

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Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

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IAEA chief to have working contacts with Rosatom, no meeting with Putin is planned

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Beijing sticks to the principle of non-alignment with any blocs, the Chinese leader said and called on Washington "to refrain from teaming up in small groups"

China vows decisive response to US move to deploy intermediate missiles in Asia-Pacific

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Abrams tanks easy targets for drones — Russian expert

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Russian diplomat accuses US of coordinating Ukraine’s terrorist attacks

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Houthis say they attacked MSC Darwin vessel in Gulf of Aden

The Houthis also confirmed that the movement will "continue its military operations, impeding the navigation of Israeli vessels in the Red Sea, the Arab Sea and the Indian Ocean"

Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

The Russian forces also foiled a counterattack of an assault group of the Ukrainian 80th mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the Krasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic

Global community condemns use of terrorists in geopolitical struggle — Russian official

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev noted that the heads of foreign delegations expressed sincere condolences to the Russian people over the casualties of the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow

Russian defense chief points to West’s double standards on right to self-defense

In this regard, Sergey Shoigu mentioned the operation that Tehran carried out "in retaliation for a blatant attack on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus"

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The United States should not cross the red lines with regard to China’s sovereignty and security, Wang Yi added

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Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

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Iran calls on BRICS states to facilitate ceasefire in Gaza Strip

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani called for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza

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SCO expects Belarus to join the organization very soon — Shoigu

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Ukraine turns into testing ground for future world order, says Belarus president

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US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

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