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Middle East conflict

UN urges to collect $294 for humanitarian aid in Gaza, West Bank

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, such an amount is needed to meet the most urgent needs of 1.26 million residents

UNITED NATIONS, October 13. /TASS/. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) issued a flash appeal to the international community to collect $294 for meeting basic needs of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

According to the report, the organization "calls for approximately US $ 294 million for 77 humanitarian partners to address the most urgent needs of 1,260,000 people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank."

"Over the past years, the international community contributed generously to the Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP) to address the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people. However, funding in 2023 has been a challenge and the humanitarian needs compounded," the organization added.

The organization also reported that the number of internally displaced persons, forced to flee their homes as a result of hostilities, has reached 423,378. Their number grew by 25% over the past 24 hours. Two thirds of them have been accommodated at schools of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Tensions in the Middle East flared up again after Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian movement described its attack as a response to the actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Israel declared a state of readiness for war, announced a total blockade of Gaza and started carrying out strikes on the Palestinian enclave, as well as on certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank. Over 1,500 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,200 have suffered wounds; in Israel, the death toll stands at about 1,500 and almost 4,000 people have been wounded.

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Putin, Turkish president hold phone talks — Kremlin

The leaders also discussed some international issues

Putin appoints envoy for international criminal and legal cooperation

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Russia’s Progress MS-28 cargo spacecraft diverts ISS from collision with space debris

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US gives Ukrainian servicemen guidance on selecting targets for ATACMS — White House

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US did not contact Russia after use of Oreshnik missile — Deputy Foreign Minister

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Cargo plane crashes near Vilnius Airport in Lithuania

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Ukrainian officer says 90% of fellow servicemen have no desire to fight

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US needs Ukraine's rare earth metals, including lithium — Lavrov

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Kremlin explains why Oreshnik missile came as surprise

"I am sure that neither of us is even aware right now of any new future developments," Dmitry Peskov said

Russia’s launch of new missile illustrated assured retaliation capability, lawmaker says

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US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

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Potential deployment of intermediate-range missiles depends on US moves — Russian diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov stressed that "any escalation scenarios, if they start to materialize, will be a direct consequence of the reckless" and "inhumane policy that is pursued by Washington and leading European countries"

French politician calls for protests against deployment of Western troops to Ukraine

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Netanyahu may accept ceasefire in Lebanon to stop Hezbollah bombings — diplomat

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Kremlin spokesman says missiles like Oreshnik are developed in secrecy

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US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

US officials believe that ramping up weapons supplies to Ukraine is unlikely to change the situation in the combat zone short term, but it may help Kiev strengthen its stance in case a truce is reached

Western countries to ignore ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu — expert

Asked whether the ICC warrant might cause a rift among Western countries with different approaches to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Andrey Baklanov replied he was skeptical this might ever happen

'Western vector' leaves Ukraine poorest country in Europe — politician

Ukrainians have never seen the promised freedom, Viktor Medvedchuk noted

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Commenting on the motivation of Colombian fighters to join the hostilities in Ukraine, Alexander Stepanov explained that it is linked to the situation in the South American drug trafficking market

Russian diplomat doesn’t rule out missile deployment in Asia as response to US’ actions

Sergey Ryabkov warned Russia’s adversaries against settling into a "false sense of security"

NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

Scholz vows to continue supporting Ukraine following his chancellor nomination

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Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who leads the Social Democratic Party, ended up third with 19.15% of the vote

Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

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The captive explained that he had served as a private in a battalion for four months

Putin has high hopes for cancer vaccine being developed in Russia

Head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency Veronika Skvortskova briefed the Russian President on the vaccine's development

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According to the sources, this is driven by the fact that Washington may scale back support for Ukraine after Donald Trump returns to office as US president on January 20, 2025

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Sergey Ryabkov stressed that Russia has its underlying security interests "that will be ensured by every means that we have at our disposal"

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Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, November 19th

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Kirill Lysogorsky noted that "the Kiev regime continues to systematically use toxic chemicals and chemical riot control agents"

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The realization of the impending failure of the ‘Ukrainian project’ London has been staking on in hopes of capitalizing on plans to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on our country by proxy is now as clear as ever," the embassy said

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Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko called on South Korean to soberly assess the situation and refrain from "reckless steps"

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According to preliminary information, the incident occurred at about 8 p.m. (local time)

Timing for commissioning entire Akkuyu NPP needs to be clarified — Russian ambassador

Alexey Erkhov also recalled Russia's interest in participating in the implementation of the second NPP in Turkey

Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

"Based on the tasks and the range of this weapon, it can hit targets across entire Europe, which sets it apart from other high-precision long-range weapons," Sergey Karakayev said

Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

According to the politician, Western nations need to understand that they are fighting on Ukraine’s side

Defense contractor delivers new batch of Su-34 bombers to Russia’s Aerospace Forces

The new fighter-bombers have undergone necessary testing and have been sent to the places of their operation, Vadim Badekha noted

Ukraine abandons Selidovo, laying mines in wells — security services

The Ukrainian armed forces used various modified Western-made mines and improvised explosive devices during the process

Citizens of Poland, Germany, Italy apply for residence permit in Lugansk Republic

The decisions will be made in response to these applications in the near future

Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Russia to develop bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan — Shoigu

He pointed out that to this end, Russia will continue to support Kabul's integration into regional structures and associations

Press review: Russia to mass-produce Oreshnik missiles and EU gas prices reach record high

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, November 25th

Fire at Tupras oil refinery extinguished

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Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

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Russians liberate about 8 square kilometers east of Velikaya Novosyolka in Donbass region

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France, UK may deploy troops to Ukraine following ceasefire — expert

According to Elie Tenenbaum, European countries may send troops to east Ukraine to ensure the observation of a ceasefire regime and guarantee Kiev’s security

Conflict in Ukraine no longer regional war — German defense minister

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that strikes on Russian territory with Western long-range missiles had made the conflict in Ukraine a global one

Guterres condemns supply of anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine

The UN Secretary-General urged world leaders to join the Ottawa Convention

Kiev has ‘no chance’ of retaking lost territories — Blackwater founder

Erik Prince noted that it was necessary to end the Ukrainian conflict as soon as possible

Russia acted responsibly in warning US about Oreshnik missile launch, Kremlin says

The US was notified automatically 30 minutes before the launch by Russia's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center

Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

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No existing missile defense system can counter Oreshnik — US expert

Theodore Postol also vehemently rejected suggestions that the Oreshnik system represents previous outdated developments of Moscow

France, UK will have to pay for their helping Ukraine strike inside Russia — diplomat

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said that what has been done by the White House is very dangerous

UK mercenary taken prisoner in Russia’s Kursk area — source

"A mercenary from Britain has been taken prisoner in the Kursk area," the person said

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Veronika Skvortsova noted that parallel studies are being conducted on vaccines for various cancers, including melanoma, skin cancer, and glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor

Independent candidate Georgescu leading first round of presidential election in Romania

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Protest rally near Georgian parliament ends

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German activists demand compensation from Ukraine for Nord Stream explosion

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Moscow to announce new Russian ambassador to US after relevant decree is signed — Kremlin

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Large number of Ukrainians to lose mobilization exemption after February 28 — deputy

In recent months, the number of Ukrainian employees with exemptions from military service has increased from 900,000 to 1.6 million

No int’l restrictions on deployment of Oreshnik systems — senior Russian diplomat

When asked if the 1998 Russian-US memorandum of understanding on notifications of missile launches remained in effect, Sergey Ryabkov answered in the affirmative

Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, energy sites over day — top brass

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Russian forces eliminate Ukrainian MiG-29 on ground

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Diplomat mocks US Senator for talking about invading Netherlands

Maria Zakharova quoted the US Senator, who called the ICC a "Kangaroo court" and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan a "deranged fanatic"

Erdogan vows unwavering support for Palestine

According to the Turkish leader, Ankara is backing Palestine at all international venues

US 'stains' reputation by vetoing UNSC resolution on Middle East — Russian diplomat

Russia "will continue insisting on the most resolute measures to stop the bloodshed in Gaza," Dmitry Polyansky added

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Twelve local residents have been evacuated from the scene

Kremlin refrains from predicting outcome of Romanian elections

Dmitry Peskov noted that Russia is well aware of Romania’s current government’s policy

US-led coalition aircraft violate Syrian airspace 16 times in past day

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