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Developments in Afghanistan

Taliban political leader arrives in Kabul for government talks — agency

Other details of the visit are not disclosed

© AP Photo/Rahmat Gul

MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the leader of the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) political wing, travelled to Kabul on Saturday to discuss the issue of creating a government, AFP news agency reports.

"He will be in Kabul to hold meetings <…> to create an inclusive government," a Taliban high-ranking official told AFP. Other details of the visit are not disclosed.

Reports about the Taliban negotiations on forming a new inclusive government in Afghanistan emerged earlier. It is also known that the head of High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, and former President Hamid Karzai on August 18 had a meeting with Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani, nephew of the leader of the Haqqani network, a Taliban ally.

After the US announced it was withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and wrapping up its military operation, the Taliban launched a rapid offensive on government forces, entering Kabul without a fight on August 15. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Western countries are evacuating their nationals and embassy staffers.

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Power transfer in Afghanistan

Finland invites NATO to deploy reconnaissance drone base on its territory — yle

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Multipolar world to embrace all countries, peoples on equal footing, says Putin

The countries’ aspiration for cooperation already helps overcome the most acute situations, the Russian president stressed

China hopes for peaceful coexistence with US — Foreign Ministry

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US received $12 trillion lately owing to dollar’s role as global currency — Putin

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Americans were on the Moon but footage may have been filmed in advance — Russian cosmonaut

Sergey Prokopyev pointed out that the fact that US astronauts did land on the Moon "is confirmed by automatic probes and cannot be subjected to doubt"

US likely to withdraw from Paris Agreement under Trump’s reign — expert

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Russia has repeatedly stopped those who pressed for world domination — Putin

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US aims to shift Armenia toward pro-Western path using Ukraine, Moldova strategies — SVR

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Trump to focus on China, leaving Europe to deal with Ukraine — analyst

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He also pledged to prevent World War Three

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The Belarusian president did not rule out that in the future, the EU might unite and begin collaborating with Belarus and Russia

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According to the US Space Force Vandenberg base, the ICBM test launch validated the readiness, reliability and effectiveness of the US nuclear deterrent

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Ukraine’s army chief preparing troop retreat from Kursk area — lawmaker

Maryana Bezuglaya also proposed that Syrsky himself stay in the Kursk Region

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The Russian president noted that the US agency had achieved its goal of changing the government but failed to see what it would evolve into

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The aircraft will take part in the airshow’s flight demonstration program while visitors will also be able to see the aircraft at the show’s static display

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Alexander Shokhin touched upon the formula that Russian big business follows in relation to improvement of relations with the West

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The United States held its presidential election on November 5

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IN BRIEF: Congratulations on Trump's victory in US election

TASS has compiled congratulatory messages and reactions to Donald Trump's apparent win

Putin orders to launch Chukotka nuclear-powered icebreaker

Chief executive of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Andrey Puchkov reported to the president that the ice-breaker is ready

Putin's speech at Valdai Discussion Forum this year lasts twice as long as last year's one

On average, the plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club, including Vladimir Putin's speech and answering questions, lasts about three hours

West’s attempts to ban Russian diamonds may destroy entire global industry

The ban of G7 countries to import Russian raw and polished diamonds may completely ruin chain of supplies existing for decades, Russian Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev said

Russian, Turkish deputy foreign ministers discuss outcome of BRICS Summit — statement

"The sides stated their mutual readiness to ramp up efforts in the interest of increasing the efficiency of the abovementioned formats and deepening of the mutually beneficial cooperation," the statement reads

Democrats blame Biden for Harris’ election loss — report

The party "needs a complete reboot," hedge fund manager Bill Ackman said

Trump to offer deal on Ukraine unacceptable to Russia, conflict to go on — expert

In his comments on the results of the US presidential election, Dmitry Suslov noted that Trump "will indeed try to quickly resolve the conflict in Ukraine"

Press review: BRICS membership may triple and German radical 'coup plot' foiled

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, December 8th

Putin calls racist stereotyped ideas of 'civilized West,' 'barbarism' of other peoples

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Russian missile-armed Ufa submarine makes call to Indonesian port

The Ufa is heading from the Baltic Sea to join the Pacific Fleet

OSCE faces deep crisis It may not overcome — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat emphasized that as long as the organization exists, Russia and Kazakhstan will continue to "closely coordinate their actions there"

Lukashenko congratulates Trump on winning US presidential election

The US held its general election on November 5, with the voting having concluded when it was Wednesday morning in Moscow

Kremlin names two reasons preventing Putin from congratulating Trump

Earlier, Dmitry Peskov also said the Russian president had no plans for congratulating Donald Trump

Putin announces era of radical, revolutionary changes

As the Russian leader noted, the society gets "to not only comprehend, but be direct participants of the extremely complex processes"

Finland invites NATO to deploy reconnaissance drone base on its territory — yle

The media notes that due to the nature of the operations, the reconnaissance base needs strong military protection around it, both from attacks using conventional weapons and from electronic warfare

Zelensky says he needs no help to arrange talks with Russia

The Ukrainian president mentioned that Kiev had prepared its own settlement plan and intended to continue pushing for its implementation

Western plot to strategically defeat Russia failed — Shoigu

It is noted that the countries where color revolutions, supported by the West, took place had experienced "decreased living standards, weakened economic potential, the uncontrolled drain of capital and resources, and, in the worst-case scenario, the country becoming an instrument for implementing the interests of Western elites"

US can stop conflict in Ukraine quickly because it is involved in it — Kremlin spokesman

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Russia not rejecting dollar use — Putin

Russia is not struggling with the US currency but is thinking of creating new instruments in response to new trends of global economic development, he added

Kremlin calls reports on Trump team's alleged Ukraine plan 'abstract'

"It looks just like The Wall Street Journal's plan for Ukraine," Dmitry Peskov pointed out

Harris calls on Democrats to accept election results, congratulates Trump on his victory

America, we will never give up the fight for our democracy, for the rule of law, US presidential candidate and Vice President said

Israel's new defense minister meets with chief of staff — news outlet

On Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister announced the decision to dismiss Gallant as defense minister and appoint Foreign Minister Israel Katz in his place

Residents of Kursk Region border areas describe living under rubble with no food

The resident of the borderline Kursk Region explained that her family was rescued by Russian troops

Russia ready for talks, immune to pressure — Putin

"This is what we have called and are still calling on all participants in international communication to do," the president went on to say

Russian troops eliminate over 40 Ukrainian servicemen near Krasny Liman, top brass says

Three armored personnel carriers and two pickups destroyed in the Russian artillery attack

Russia waging financial wars with states that imposed sanctions on it — Finance Minister

Anton Siluanov noted that Russia turned out to be ready for such challenges

Russia does not perceive West as enemy through 'either-us-or-them' lens — Putin

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Medvedev says any new uprising in Ukraine would seek to execute current leaders

The Russian politician said the goal of Zelensky and his team is to stay in power in the country as long as possible

Kiev conceals true casualties from Russian strike on Motor Sich Factory

Vladimir Rogov emphasized that all the victims were involved in the production of drone components

Russian troops liberate Kremennaya Balka community in Donbass region — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 430 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Western failure, Kiev's terrorism: what Shoigu told top security officials at CIS meeting

The Russian Security Council secretary pointed out that Kiev's aggression in the Kursk Region was aimed at seizing the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant

Ukraine admits number of deserted soldiers from Armed Forces of Ukraine surpasses 100,000

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