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Middle East and North Africa

UN Secretary-General voices deep concern over plight of Syrian nuns

UNITED NATION, December 10, 3:19 /ITAR-TASS/. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is deeply troubled by the situation around the twelve Eastern Orthodox nuns adducted from the world-famous St Tecla convent in the Syrian village of Ma’aloula, a spokesperson for the Secretary General said in a statement issued Monday.

“The Secretary-General remains deeply troubled by the targeting of places of worship and religious representatives in Syria's conflict,” the spokesperson said. “These concerns are most recently underscored by the situation of the twelve nuns who went missing from Saint Tecla Orthodox Convent in Ma’aloula.”

“The Secretary-General joins in the appeals for their safety and well-being, and that of all persons who may be detained against their will in Syria,” the statement indicated.

“The United Nations rejects any targeting of persons based on their religion, community or ethnic affiliation,” the spokesperson said. “Civilians throughout Syria are at risk and must be protected.

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Middle East and North Africa

Palestinian envoy says Israel plans to destroy Palestine

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UK imposes sanctions against leading Iranian military figures — Foreign Office

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Germany fails to present evidence in case of espionage suspects — Russian embassy

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"Without noticing it themselves, they spoke the language of an ultimatum," Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underlined

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EU summit calls to continue work on duties on Russian, Belarusian agricultural produce

The European Commission suggested introducing duties on agricultural products from Russia and Belarus earlier

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Sergey Ryabkov said that "very soon, Russia and Iran will have new additional opportunities to discuss the situation in the Middle East in general, as well as details of what is going on there at this point"

Russia expects Armenia to clarify 'military, political accords' with US, EU — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turned out that the US and the EU had imposed their plans on Yerevan

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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State trials of S-500 are under way at a testing range in southern Russia

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Sergey Aksenov noted that the increase in budget revenues helped use a large amount of funds on the development of priority areas, including environmental protection, education, health care, and road construction

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

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

Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian Prosecutor General

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Argentina applies for status of NATO’s global partner

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EU plans to invest first profits from Russian assets in military aid to Kiev

"I think that the decision has been taken by the member-states - all 27 have agreed that we use the windfall profits following our proposal," Ursula von der Leyen said

Nord Stream AG's refusal to pay compensation destroys Western insurance system — diplomat

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Press TV reports all of Iran's hypersonic missiles hit intended targets in Israel

The report did not specify which facilities in Israel had been attacked with hypersonic missiles

Russian Railways to triple tourist passenger flow to 3 mln people by 2030

The country faces the task of doubling the flow of passengers in excursion trains by 2030 compared with 2023, while Russian Railways sets tripling the number of passengers as a goal, Ivan Kolesnikov noted

Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

According to Grigory Karasin, many BRICS members share the opinion that the association should be in no hurry to adopt a strict charter, "seeing how counterproductively and even provocatively the European Union is acting"

US blackmails other countries at United Nations — Russian mission

Dmitry Polyansky said "this shameful neocolonial tactics are fully exposed now in the context of Gaza War"

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

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

Chief prosecutors of Russia, Venezuela sign cooperation agreement in Caracas

The agreement allows "Venezuelan prosecutors to participate in training sessions free of charge and paves the way for Venezuelan students to receive higher education in our university," Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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Kazakhstan to sign new agreement with Russia on border checkpoints

The previous intergovernmental agreement dated December 23, 1998 on checkpoints through the Kazakh-Russian state border will cease to have effect on the effective date of the new document

Agents in Ukrainian, Poland foil attempt to kill Zelensky, security officials in Kiev say

The agency said it and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine informed their Polish counterparts about the alleged assassination attempt

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

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

Georgian protests against foreign agent bill reek of US influence — Medvedev

"The experienced and all-too-familiar Hollywood touch can be seen behind these rallies," the politician pointed out

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

Evacuation campaigns are regularly organized by the Kiev government, under the pretext of security issues

US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

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 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

Russian Aerospace Forces strike five militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

Yury Popov said that aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorism coalition, led by the United States, continue to set dangerous precedents in skies above Syria

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

Investigators have established that the funds that were received through commercial organizations, such as the oil and gas company Burisma Holdings operating in Ukraine, have been used to carry out terrorist acts in Russia and abroad

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

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

The Russian president pointed out that Moscow’s "program of assistance to the African countries in sanitary and epidemiological well-being provides for the delivery of ten mobile high-containment biological laboratories"

Ukraine convicts 12th world chess champion for recognizing Donetsk, Lugansk republics

The two other State Duma members mentioned in the verdict alongside Karpov are Viktor Kazakov and Georgy Karlov

MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

Another source said MiG-31I differs from previous MiG-K option by "different engines, avionics and missiles"

German MFA summons Russian ambassador after detention of espionage suspects — newspaper

Commenting on the men's arrest, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: "Our security services have prevented possible explosions aimed at undermining our military assistance to Ukraine"

Humanitarian efforts in Gaza doomed without durable ceasefire — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya is convinced that the work of the UNRWA is indispensable under these circumstances

Number of applications in RuStore surpasses 37,000

According to the RuStore press service, over the past six months the number of applications from Chinese developers has grown fivefold

Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

According to the official, the investigation established that Mikhail Maurov planned to travel to Ukraine to join the ranks of a right-wing Ukrainian organization called the Freedom of Russia Legion

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army counterattack in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 590 troops over the past day, the ministry reported

At least 16 Syrian troops killed in terrorists’ ambush in east Syria — TV

According to the Al Hadath television, a military bus was ambushed by members of the Islamic State terrorist group

Iran to review nuclear doctrine in case of Israeli aggression — IRGC

Ahmad Haghtalab pointed out that the Iranian Army and other security forces protect Iranian nuclear facilities using the most advanced equipment, so "national nuclear centers are completely safe"

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

The Russian defense minister has given his instructions to speed up the introduction of promising weapons that have been tested in the special military operation zone into service with the Russian Army

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

According to the minister, Russia is interested in increasing the role of the BRICS states in the international monetary, financial and trading systems, developing interbank cooperation, expanding the use of national currencies and creating its own exchange

Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

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