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Military drills

US, Australia, Japan hold military drills in South China Sea — news agency

Associated Press did not specify whether the exercises took place near islands claimed by China

WASHINGTON, February 8. /TASS/. The warships of the United States, Australia and Japan took part in joint drills in the waters of the South China Sea, Associated Press (AP) reported.

According to the news agency, the US guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn and combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords took part in the maneuvers. "This multinational sail fortifies our relationship between the US, Japan and Australian allies," the news agency quoted a senior US Navy official as saying. He pointed out that Washington, Tokyo and Canberra "promote transparency, rule of law, freedom of navigation and all principles that underscore security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific."

Associated Press did not specify whether the exercises took place near islands claimed by China.

China has been locked in a decades-long dispute with several countries in the region over territorial ownership of a number of islands in the South China Sea, where significant hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered offshore.

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Japan United States Military drills Australia

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Putin ends talks with Pashinyan, starts meeting with Uzbekistan’s president — spokesman

Putin’s meeting with Pashinyan lasted a little more than an hour

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Belgium explains absence of ambassador at Russian president’s inauguration ceremony

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There are no dates for the event on its official website

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Press review: Russia flexes nuclear muscle and Israel signals imminent offensive in Gaza

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, May 7th

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Israeli forces eliminate commander of Hamas' naval unit in Gaza City

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Russian embassy expresses regret over London’s new restrictions

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Russian diplomat accuses EU spokesman of 'inciting terrorism' with Crimean Bridge remarks

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State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller had no specific announcements to make

Putin to participate in EAEU summit — his first international event of new term

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Kiev forces view journalists wearing 'press' vests as primary target — war reporter

Christelle Neant recommended using small "press" labels in order to help Russian troops identify media workers

US war veteran says he would like go to Victory Day parade in Moscow

"If I were 10 years younger, I’d go right away," 98-year-old Frank Cohn said

London blatantly lies to justify anti-Russian steps, including expulsion of attache — MFA

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Cosmonauts congratulate Russians on Victory Day from onboard space station

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Grossi says IAEA concerned about Russia’s plans to hold nuclear exercises

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Ukrainian army leaving positions near Avdeyevka over Russia’s incessant gunfire — POW

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Russia to join ranks of top four global economies — presidential decree

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Multiple documents adopted during EAEU summit in Moscow

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Next EAEU summit to be held in St Petersburg in December — official

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Annual inflation in Russia speeds up to 7.81% over week — Economy Ministry

In the food products sector in the reporting week, price growth slowed to 0.02%

Kremlins spokesman calls for vigilance over deepfake technology

Dmitry Peskov noted that it was impossible to combat the deepfake technology

Ukraine loses several hundred servicemen near DPR’s Novopokrovskoye due to lack of defense

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Belarusian president urges faster implementation of decisions within EAEU amid sanctions

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