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Middle East and North Africa

Decision on Mubarak’s release to be made August 22

Egyptian court rules absolves Mubarak of charges brought against him by ousted regime

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

CAIRO, August 21 (Itar-Tass) - The Egyptian court on Wednesday, August 21, ruled to absolve former President Hosni Mubarak of the latest corruption charges brought against him by the ousted regime.

His defence counsel Fareed El-Deeb told journalists after the court meeting that Mubarak, 85, could be released in the evening.

However, the superintendant of Torah prison where the former president is being held told the Egyptian television channel Al-Hayat that he would discuss the issue of Mubarak’s release with the prosecutor’s office on Thursday morning, August 22.

Mubarak was sentenced to life imprisonment after a court had convicted him on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during last year's uprising that forced him quite office.

Rumors of Hosni Mubarak's released surfaced earlier this week.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

Afghan Foreign Ministry condemns terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall outside Moscow

The ministry’s Spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said, that considers it a blatant violation of all human standards

Lavrov states West’s growing concern about BRICS plans to develop own financial tools

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

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Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

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G7 seeks to accelerate supplying air defenses to Ukraine — sources

The Kiev regime has long insisted on Western partners supplying it with more effective air defenses

Hamas grateful to Erdogan for his support — TV

The Turkish leader also announced talks with Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Turkey on April 20

Annual inflation in Russia gearing up to 7.83% over week — Economy Ministry

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The Turkish leader slammed Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and said that the only way to ease tension in the region is to stop it

Ukrainian president signs law tightening mobilization rules

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

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Russian PM signs off on plan for regions to accommodate evacuees from Palestine

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Slovakia to oppose Ukraine’s NATO membership bid — PM

Meanwhile, Slovakia supports Ukraine’s accession to the European Union

Former Ukrainian PM points to motive behind mobilization exception for law enforcement

Nikolay Azarov noted that currently, law enforcement’s main job in Ukraine was to tighten the screws on the country’s population

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EU vows new sanctions against Iran, calls on Mideast conflict parties to show restraint

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Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

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India's new ambassador to Russia discusses high-level bilateral visits with Lavrov

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Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

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Roscosmos chief notes high quality of Vostochny space center’s construction

Yury Borisov said that the space facility’s launch pad bore practically no visible signs of the recent Angara-A5 carrier rocket’s launch

EU leaders urge to adopt proposal on using incomes from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

The EU, the US, Japan and Canada have frozen Russian assets worth a total amount of around $300 bln

Iran may break through Israel’s air defenses in major attack by drones, missiles — expert

Iran has the region’s largest arsenal of ballistic missiles, estimated to number in the low thousands, Behnam Ben Taleblu noted

Almost 3,000 shots fired at Russia’s Kursk Region during military operation

The region's governor Roman Starovoit said 50 apartment buildings, 975 single-family homes, two stores, seven social and cultural buildings have been restored in the region since the beginning of the special operation

New US bill calls for $26 bln in assistance to Israel

The bill also includes a proposal to earmark $2.4 billion to fund US Armed Forces operating in the Middle East in response to threats against Israel

Russian security chief urges measures against 'ethnic enclaves' in Russia

The Russian president has ordered that migration policy be overhauled taking into account the national interests and security of the population, and the importance of preserving Russia’s culture and language, Nikolay Patrushev reiterated

Russia says its forces repel four Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area

The Ukrainian army losses were up to 70 servicemen, three motor vehicles, a D-30 howitzer, 2 Plastun-3000 electronic reconnaissance stations and a Nota electronic warfare station

US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

Anatoly Antonov emphasized that such steps were another powerful blow to strategic stability

US deliberately fuels tensions in Asia — Russian envoy to Washington

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Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

The report said that the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement is also reducing the number of its officers in Syria

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Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

Iran says it won’t prevent return of Russian sailor from seized ship — MFA

The Russian Embassy in Tehran keeps the issue under special control, Maria Zakharova said

Russia assumes that Security Council will soon return to Gaza ceasefire issue — diplomat

"Ramadan has passed, and the question of a long-term ceasefire is once again very acute," Vasily Nebenzya said

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The ministers expressed their willingness to find a way for the center to continue to operate beyond 2025

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Anti-tank guided missiles hit an artillery battery in Al-Samak in the Kfarchouba hills

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Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

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After Truss’ statements urging Moscow to move its forces, located on Russia’s soil, away from the border with Ukraine, Sergey Lavrov asked his British counterpart if she recognized Russia’s sovereignty over the Voronezh and Rostov Regions

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Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

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The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019

No snap elections before delimiting borders with Azerbaijan, Armenian PM says

Nikol Pashinyan said about it, replying to a question from a resident of the borderline village of Berkaber about the necessity to hold snap elections before delimiting the border with Azerbaijan

Turkish foreign minister urges West to stop Israel, prevent war in region

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Ukraine to lose at least 10 mln citizens over mobilization law — political scientist

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VTB CEO calls for SWIFT to be fully abandoned in payments

The banker stressed that VTB is working as part of a pilot project for the digital ruble, including in the field of cross-border settlements

G7 countries to continue examining possible ways of using frozen Russian assets

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EU summit urges to provide air defense systems and all necessary military aid to Kiev

The document also says that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian support and civil protection assistance to Ukraine

Former Ukrainian MP sees Zelensky turning into 'usurper' after his term expires

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Russian artillery thwarts Ukrainian army’s rotation near Kupyansk — underground resistance

The Ukrainian army used the outbuilding as an ammunition depot, which accommodated about 15 fighters at the time of the air strike, spokesman Sergey Lebedev specified

Israel says its jets attacked Hezbollah air defense site in eastern Lebanon

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Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

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Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

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Shoigu calls to urgently launch production of medical robots

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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

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Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov earlier reported to President Vladimir Putin that the spring flood wave had passed Orsk and Orenburg, the water level was dangerous but decreasing

DPR leader reports heaviest fighting near Avdeyevka, Chasov Yar

According to Denis Pushilin, it is too early to say when the city could be liberated

Ukrainian military under constant gunfire by Russian troops near Urozhainoye, says POW

Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

Russian Aerospace Forces destroy three militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

No shelling attacks on Syrian troops were registered over the past 24 hours

Iran tells US about April 13 attack on Israel, it does not want escalation — top diplomat

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian added that prior to the attack, Tehran said that it would not target US military infrastructure in the Middle East "except in a situation where the United States wants to take military measures in support of Israel"

Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

"The meeting focused on the situation in the region," said in the statement

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

The IDF also said that its soldiers were forced to open fire in the area in order to "remove an imminent threat"

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

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Russia, CIS partners to hold air defense exercise in 2024

The participants in the exercises will practice interaction in getting ready for and conducting combat operations by aviation and air defense forces that are part of the unified regional air defense system of Russia and Belarus

Russian software sales soaring over last four years — Minister

The number of employees in IT companies increased by 1.5 times over four years, Maksut Shadaev said

Russia maintains constructive dialogue with both Iran, Israel — Kremlin

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Shoigu tests commando vehicle, calls for additional machineguns

The Russian defense minister "personally tested the special transportation vehicle and its running qualities"

EU isolated in its 'blossoming garden,' reluctant to let strangers in — Russian diplomat

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Press review: Iran fires back at Israel and Russia, West spar over AI rulebook

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, April 15th

Press review: US throws Russia New START curveball and Washington's aid balancing act

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, April 17th

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The statistics service does not provide the year-on-year dynamics of gasoline production

US deploying missiles in Philippines to endanger global security — Russian envoy

Anatoly Antonov has urged the US "not to open Pandora's Box" and follow Russia’s suit "by taking all necessary steps to ensure global stability and predictability"