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Coronavirus pandemic

Minsk partially suspends provision of planned medical care due to coronavirus, reports say

BelTA news agency reports that planned medical treatment for chronic health conditions as well as surgical and gastroenterologist care is temporarily suspended

© AP Photo/Sergei Grits

MINSK, October 28. /TASS/. Authorities of the Belarusian capital have decided to partially suspend provision of planned medical care to free up resources to fight the COVID-19 epidemic, city health official Dmitry Cherednichenko said Wednesday.

"The situation with COVID-19 in Minsk is predictable. We were expecting a second wave," BelTA news agency quoted him as saying. "We specifically did not take down constructions in hospitals: airlock gates, sealing, etc. Now all wards are ready to continue working as COVID ones," he added. The official noted that Minsk set up 2,086 hospital beds to treat coronavirus patients and more than 100 beds equipped with ventilators.

BelTA reports that planned medical treatment for chronic health conditions as well as surgical and gastroenterologist care is temporarily suspended.

Riot police detaining protesters near parliament building in Tbilisi

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Russian forces strike Ukraine’s Operational Command South headquarters

The enemy’s troops and military hardware had been hit in 112 districts

WHO chief warns Israel would set off disaster with Rafah operation

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Ukrainian troops shell DPR 6 times over 24 hours, wounding two civilians

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Russia's gas production down 5.5% in 2023

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China holds objective, fair position on Ukraine — embassy to US

Liu Pengyu said that China had "never provided lethal weapons or equipment to any party"

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Nikolay Patrushev cited recent research showing that a simulated eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera, which has shown increasing signs of active volcanic status over the years, and what consequences such a natural disaster could potentially leave in its wake

Police using tear gas against protesters in Tbilisi

Police are trying to push the protesters off the building

West bears responsibility for Afghanistan’s plight — Russian delegation

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Zelensky cannot be legitimate president after May 21 — Medvedchuk

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Russia says battlegroup East eliminated up to 100 Ukrainian soldiers, 4 ammunition points

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The anti-Russian sanctions imposed by Washington affected 21 chinese companies

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Syrian diplomats explained to TASS that a relevant platform will issue visas online, obliterating the need to visit an embassy or a consulate

Press review: US tries to strong-arm China and Zelensky's bid to bring men home

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Leader of Georgia’s largest opposition party beaten by police at rally — report

Levan Khabeishvili is a chairman of the party called United National Movement

Jordan condemns Israeli settlers’ attacks on humanitarian aid convoys

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Thousands of students in Venezuela march in support of Palestinian people

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Georgia's ruling party intends to pass law on foreign agents despite protests

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that "in the long run we will make the country secure from polarization and radicalism for years"

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Several dozens of protesters are still staying in front of the parliament building, a TASS correspondent reported

West plans to give Kiev not only F-16s, but also weapons for them — Pentagon

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Russia calls for investigating mass graves in Gaza — Russian diplomat

"An independent international investigation in needed to bring the criminals to responsibility," Vasily Nebenzya said

Kremlin announces creation of blockchain-based payment system in BRICS

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Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah outposts in southern Lebanon

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Houthis attack two commercial vessels, two US destroyers

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The yuan was up by 0.4 kopecks, reaching 12.743 rubles

Police detain 63 people at protest rally in Georgian capital

Six operatives of the Interior Ministry sustained various serious injuries

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The Ukrainians used several ATACMS ballistic missiles in an attempt to attack civilians on the peninsula

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It will be another round of bilateral consultations, a Russian foreign ministry official said

Exhibition of captured NATO military hardware kicks off in Moscow

In all, there are 32 items

Almost 34,600 Palestinians killed in Gaza since last October — Health Ministry

77,765 people have been injured

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"Significant resources will be channeled to buy grain from the domestic market", Information Minister Jenfan Muswere said

Chinese diplomat comments on Blinken’s warning on support to Russia

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian pointed out that the US was supplying Ukraine with arms and ammunition and at the same time making unfounded accusations regarding trade between China and Russia

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Severnaya Verf and the Amur Shipbuilding Plant will continue serial production of ships from Project 20380 and Project 20385

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Musk responded that he saw eye to eye with billionaire David Sacks, who said on the social network X that Kiev probably should have agreed to a deal in Istanbul

Ukrainian troops use over 10 drones in 24 hours to attack borderline Belgorod Region

There were no injuries, five private residences, two cars and two sheds were damaged

Russia’s Battlegroup East improves positions in DPR, hits roughly 100 Ukrainian troops

Ukrainians lost two pickup trucks and two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers

Russia fighting puppet regime in Kiev, people to win from its defeat, security chief says

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Russian flag hoisted over northern outskirts of Rabotino in Zaporozhye — politician

Rogov remarked that there were no houses left in the village now, for which reason it made no sense to fortify positions there

US court sentences Binance founder to four months in prison — Bloomberg

A judge handed down a much lighter sentence than the three years sought by the prosecution, the agency reported

Soros family makes deal with Kiev to use Ukrainian land as toxic waste dump — journalist

"This agreement authorizes the disposal of chemical waste from companies linked with financier George Soros in the black soil of Ukraine," he said

UNSC becomes hostage to US Middle East policy — Russian envoy

"The actions of our American colleagues do not reflect the principled position of the rest of the UN Security Council members," Vasily Nebenzya said

Police arrest over 200 people at protest rallies in Columbia University

According to the TV channel, police officers used flash-bang grenades to enter a university building where the protesters had barricaded themselves

Russian forces use Kornet anti-tank system to hit heavy Ukrainian drone

According to the Russian defense ministry, man-portable anti-tank missile systems are widely used in coordination with drone operators to hit the enemy positions

Georgia’s riot police fire rubber bullets at protesters near parliament building

At least one person was injured

Majority of Germans against sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine — poll

37% favored such supplies

Russian defense ministry reports losses among Russian troops during special operation

Konashenkov also said that several Russian soldiers have been taken prisoner

Kremlin spokesman says Zelensky’s fate is sealed

The comment concerns both the fate of Zelensky and the outcome of the Russian special military operation

Russian aerospace forces hit two terrorists base in Syria’s Homs governorate

Deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria Yury Popov also said that during the day, no shelling attacks on the positions of government forces were reported in the Idlid de-escalation zone

Unaware of decline of its military industry US gets trapped in Ukraine — French historian

Emmanuel Todd believes that "one of Washington's goals is to prevent a rapprochement between Russia and Germany"

Ukrainians to reunify with Russia in ten years — Medvedchuk

Ukraine is "genetically linked with Russia," leader of the Other Ukraine movement said

Russia’s UN envoy calls on UNSC to prevent conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Vasily Nebenzya said that the situation in the country was getting worse

Kiev openly flaunts involvement in murder of Russian journalists — Russian mission to UN

Dmitry Polyansky noted that Russian journalist Daria Dugina, military reporter Vladlen Tatarsky, Tavriya broadcasting company editor-in-chief Rostislav Zhuravlyov, Rossiya-24 TV reporter Boris Maksudov were killed by Ukrainian intelligence agencies and their agents

Snowden says shot down UFOs meant to divert attention from Nord Stream sabotage

According to him, "it’s just the old engineered panic" to ensure that national security reporters "get assigned to investigate balloon" nonsense "rather than budgets or bombings"

Ukrainian suicide drone attacks village in Belgorod Region

Two passenger cars were damaged

Over 140 people detained at Istanbul rally for resisting police — TV

Local authorities banned any May Day rallies of trade unions and political parties blocking off the square and engaging over 42,000 police officers to ensure security

Blast in Moscow City district shatters glazing, people are evacuated

There are no casualties and no fire has started

US authorizes energy-related transactions with Russian banks until November 1

According to the document, the banks in question include the Central Bank of Russia, VTB, Alfa Bank, Sberbank, Vneshekonombank, Otkrytiye, Sovkombank, Rosbank, Zenit and Sankt-Peterburg

Russian Defense Minister attends meeting on special military operation

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu gave instructions to take measures to reduce the maintenance and repair time for military hardware, increasing supplies of spare parts in combat zones and support areas

At least eight hurt during protests in Tbilisi on May 1 — health ministry

They were taken to hospitals, the Georgian health ministry said

Mexico buys 30 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft from Russia — ambassador

According to the Ministry of Economy of Mexico, in 2014 the volume of trade between Mexico and Russia amounted to $1.78 billion

Iran authorizes 130 IAEA inspectors — AEOI chief

Mohammad Eslami emphasized the continuous interaction and dialogue between Iran and the IAEA under the comprehensive safeguards agreement

US, NATO countries intensify military activity in Arctic — Admiral Yevmenov

The practice of regular single and group cruises by ships and supply vessels of the US Navy and NATO countries has been introduced

Gas supply by Gazprom for Europe through Ukraine totals 42.4 mcm via Sudzha

The nomination for the Sokhranovka gas pumping station has been rejected

Protesters in Tbilisi tear Russian flag

At first, protesters flocking around the staff entrance to the parliament building put the flag on the building’s gate and attempted to set it on fire, a TASS correspondent reported

Palestine deserves a say in UN — Mozambique's ambassador

The Mozambican ambassador also added that his country supported a two-state solution of the Palestinian issue

Protesters in Tbilisi toss smoke grenade into parliament building’s window

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Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list