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US to skip Moscow conference on Afghanistan — Department of State

However, Washington plans to work with Russia to enhance dialogue on Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, April 14. /TASS/. Washington is planning to skip consultations on reconciliation in Afghanistan to be held in Moscow on Friday, acting US Department of State Mark Toner told reporters.

"We don’t plan to participate in these regional talks," he said at a briefing on Thursday.

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Russian expert says Moscow conference on Afghanistan may help solve crisis

"We do generally support regional efforts that work with the Afghan Government to build support for a peaceful outcome in Afghanistan, and I think we - going forward, we do plan to work with Russia and other key regional stakeholders to enhance dialogue on Afghanistan," the spokesman added.

Moscow invited 12 states, including from the European Union and Central Asia, to take part in consultations devoted to the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan and the start of direct talks between the country’s government and the radical Taliban movement.

According to earlier reports, Taliban announced its readiness to take part in the Moscow talks.

Last December, Moscow hosted consultations between diplomats from Russia, Pakistan and China to discuss the start of the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan. The format was expanded in mid-February to involve Afghanistan, Iran and India.

Middle East conflict

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Ukraine intensifies shelling of Kremennaya fourfold due to Russian successes — expert

As Andrey Marochko noted, the enemy's indiscriminate attacks on Kremennaya's civilian targets are ruled out, since Ukraine is attacking the city with drones, and "drone operators see the target"

Group of foreign mercenaries taken out in Velikaya Novosyolka in Donbass region

The military said that a conversation in a foreign language was intercepted by radio intelligence before visual control over the group was established

Situation with gas supplies from Russia to Europe difficult — Kremlin

"You have heard the Ukrainian side’s statement and you know the position of the European countries that continue purchasing Russian gas and that consider it necessary for normal operation of their economy," Dmitry Peskov said

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Over 40 were killed, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik said

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Russian Defense Ministry identifies over 30 more people connected to US biolabs in Africa

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Russia considers launching direct flights with Brazil, Malaysia, Pakistan — Minister

Roman Starovoyt noted that Russia is holding negotiations with many airlines from friendly countries

IDF eliminates chief of Hamas Security Mechanism directorate

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Russian Olympic champ Nagorny welcomes ISU’s decision to clear Russian athletes

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Four Ukrainian UAVs destroyed over Russia’s Rostov and Voronezh regions overnight

According to the report, three UAVs were shot down over the territory of the Rostov region

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Another issue discussed was cooperation in the oil sector amid illegal Western sanctions, the ministry said

Ebola virus samples were smuggled from Africa to US — Russian Defense Ministry

"According to a report by an international panel of experts involved in fighting the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, company personnel concealed the fact that Pentagon employees were involved in the work," Major General Alexey Rtischev said

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Israel attacks Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza with suicide robots

There are about 400 civilians in the medical facility, including newborn babies Al Jazeera reported

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US system on biological risks tested in Ukraine works in Africa — Russian ministry

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Georgian president demands appointing snap elections within week

Salome Zourabichvili also promised to announce her further plans on Monday

Russian Defense Ministry names those who worked on bioweapons in Ukraine

The chief of Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological protection force, Igor Kirillov, told a news briefing that one of the key figures was Robert Pope, the Director of the US Defense Department's Cooperative Threat Reduction Program at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency

Russia and Pakistan to be connected by direct railway line — minister

"By the end of March, we are planning the first train - the first cargo train to leave Russia for Pakistan," Awais Leghari said

Germany's new chancellor may lead the West in standoff with Moscow — expert

At the same time, Oleg Bondarenko said, without affordable energy resources, the decline of the German economy will continue with no chance of stopping in the foreseeable future

Russia’s FPV drone Gortenzia with fiber-optic cable control used in military operation

The design bureau added that the drone is also equipped with a universal payload attachment system

Shelling on Donetsk decreases as frontline shifts — DPR head

Denis Pushilin noted that shelling in Donetsk’s Kirovsky and Petrovsky districts is expected to diminish further once Kurakhovo is liberated

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According to the latest data, two people were killed

Putin holding talks with visiting Slovak PM

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50,000-year-old mammoth calf carcass revealed in Yakutsk

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CIA station in Kiev targeted in recent Russian attack, military expert reveals

According to Alexander Stepanov, strikes are systematic efforts to gradually wipe out the military capabilities of Ukraine

Moldovan president plans military operation in Transnistria — Russian intel agency

According to the SVR, Maia Sandu recently convened a meeting on energy security issues with senior government officials

Ukrainian army launches long-range missiles at Donetsk

Air defenses are in operation, and at least six aerial targets have been shot down

Russia not closing its border with Estonia — MFA

Russian border crossings near the Estonian border are functioning as usual, Maria Zakharova said

Skoda, Volkswagen to recall over 55,000 cars in Russia — regulator

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Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

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US ramping up biological warfare presence in Africa — Russia’s top brass

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More than 20 countries show interest in BRICS — Kremlin aide

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Serious conflict between Israel, Turkey possible — Russian expert

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Biden refuses to commute Boston Marathon terrorist's death sentence — media

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Ukraine’s military attempts six UAV attacks on Melitopol in Zaporozhye Region overnight

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Russian forces liberate one more settlement in Donetsk People’s Republic

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Russia bans cryptocurrency mining in 10 regions until 2031, restricts in three more

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Israeli Defense Minister admits his country's involvement in assassination of Hamas Leader

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Biden signs $895 bln US defense budget for 2025

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Countries involved in US bio-control system become dependent on US — Russian military

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Kiev to face more destruction after its UAV attack on Kazan, Putin warns

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Russia, Iran talk four points for Rasht-Astara project implementation — Deputy PM

According to Vitaly Savelyev, the Iranian side has taken on commitments to provide a land buyout schedule

Russian cargo ship sinks between Spain, Algeria — newspaper

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Top German officials pressured by Biden to strengthen anti-Russian coalition in EU — Dodik

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Fico’s visit to Russia perfect slap in Zelensky’s face, Slovak politician says

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Syria’s Interior Ministry calls on members of former regime to hand over their arms

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Netanyahu says ordered IDF to attack Houthi strategic targets

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Putin travels to St. Petersburg for informal CIS summit

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Roscosmos, NASA synchronize timeframes for completion of ISS — CEO

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Houthis say they attacked targets in Israel with drones

The movement struck military targets in Ashkelon and near Jaffa

Russia’s Ursa Major ship sinks in Mediterranean with 14 out of 16 crew members rescued

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Russian gas imports by Czech Republic soaring — news agency

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South Korea’s opposition threatens to impeach acting president on December 24

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NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

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Twelve people killed in blast at explosives manufacturing plant in Turkey — TV channel

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Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

It is planned to launch it in general circulation in early 2025

Russian forces take control of Severny neighborhood in Chasov Yar — Donbass region head

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Hostilities in Ukraine to end in 2025 — Hungary’s Orban predicts

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Direct flights between Pakistan and Russia expected soon — Energy Minister

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Trump's plan to seize Panama Canal to cause migration, poverty — Colombian president

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Russian drone operators use air ramming to down 4 Ukrainian copters in Kharkov Region

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Ukraine shells city hosting Zaporozhye NPP — politician

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