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Middle East conflict

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Palestinian leader blames US for lack of political solution to Middle East crisis

Mahmoud Abbas vowed to "prosecute war criminals in international courts"

CAIRO, November 11. /TASS/. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas laid the blame for the lack of a political solution to the Middle East conflict on the United States as he addressed an extraordinary joint summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the League of Arab States (LAS), currently discussing the situation in the Middle East and the Gaza Strip in Riyadh.

"America is responsible for the lack of a political solution [to the Middle East conflict]. <…> We will prosecute war criminals at international courts, and the United States will be held responsible for the failure to resolve [the crisis]," Abbas insisted.

The Palestinian president called on the United States to "work to end the Israeli occupation. Abbas pointed out that "Gaza is an integral part of the state of Palestine and a political solution must be comprehensive."

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 200 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.

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Palestine Israel Mahmoud Abbas

Middle East conflict

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More than 107,600 people received wounds

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Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also emphasized that Moscow is outraged by the hypocritical silence of the West and its media on the terrorist attacks in Russia

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Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Rylsk damages 12 buildings — governor

Three of them are not subject to restoration, Alexander Khinshtein said

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Embassies of 12 countries closed in North Korea amid shortage of goods

All foreign personnel of international humanitarian organizations have also left, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said

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Ukrainian lawmaker slams Zelensky for trying to bribe Slovak PM

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According to Al Watan newspaper, Abu Qasra was the commander of the military wing of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement

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

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Assad allegedly hands list of military targets over to Israel before leaving Syria — media

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Andrey Marochko noted that Russian forces had "slightly advanced" in the northern and southern parts of Chasov Yar

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Israel’s Ynet media outlet reports that at least 30 people suffered injuries after a missile fired from Yemen fell in central Israel

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"All international mechanisms need to be effectively employed in order to prevent Israel from exploiting the situation in Syria," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said

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According to Andrey Kelin, the UK’s official reaction to the launch of the Oreshnik missile was rather vague

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Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov also stressed that the recent developments had shown that the US policy of establishing a system of increasingly layered missile defenses was wrong

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According to John Mearsheimer, Russia has become much stronger over the past two to three years because it has managed to become "a truly sovereign country"

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Damage to Portuguese Embassy in Kiev caused by Ukrainian air defense — Russian diplomats

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Ukraine’s General Staff admits tense situation along entire frontline

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Kremlin spokesman clarifies Putin’s statement about Oreshnik 'duel'

"It is very important to talk about these statements by the president in the context of the question he was asked," Dmitry Peskov pointed out

Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

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

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Syria's new authorities appoint Asaad Hassan al-Shibani as foreign minister

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Russia to raise issue of Ukrainian strikes on Rylsk at UNSC meeting on Friday — diplomat

Acting Kursk Region Governor Alexander Khinshtein said earlier that the town of Rylsk, located some 120 kilometers west of Kursk, had come under Ukrainian fire

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

The president noted that Russia had become much stronger over the past two or three years as it became a truly sovereign country

Brazil unveils BRICS logo for 2025

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BRICS is approaching G20 format, Brazilian foreign minister says

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Russian sleeper agents open up about secret trip to 2018 World Cup

The married couple, Artyom Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, returned home as a result of an exchange

Press review: Who benefits from Russian general's murder as Trump lacks Kremlin strategy

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, December 18th

Putin sends greetings on Russia’s Energy Industry Worker’s Day

Russian leader stressed that, thanks to their dedication, 'the industry is becoming more and more high-tech with every new year'

Eight people killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip — TV

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli forces shelled a residential building in Deir al-Balah and a downtown Khan Yunis

Slovak PM to visit Moscow for talks with Putin, Serbian president says

"Robert Fico will travel to visit Putin as a European countries leader," Aleksandar Vucic said

Almost 20 drones downed over four Russian regions, Black Sea last night

According to Russia's Defence Ministry, attempts to conduct attacks against facilities on Russian soil were thwarted

Russian missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov to become world’s strongest warship after upgrade

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov has been under repairs at the Sevmash Shipyard since 1999; real work on the warship has been carried out since 2013

Moscow lets US media freely work in Russia, despite opposite situation in US, Putin says

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Airborne troops from Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr wipe out enemy position in Kherson region

A Russian airborne crew hit the target by firing a 120-mm mortar gun on a Ukrainian temporary position

Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocks South Africa

No injuries or damage were reported

IN BRIEF: What is known about drone attack on residential buildings in Kazan

TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

Two freight trains collide at Trans-Baikal Railways, traffic suspended

Both freight trains loaded with coal collided at the Bushulei-Zhireken railway section

Russia’s international reserves up by $3.8 bln to $618.2 bln over week — Central Bank

Russia’s international reserves are highly liquid foreign assets available with the Bank of Russia and the Russian government

US confirms strikes on Houthi command posts in Yemen

CENTCOM forces also shot down several Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea

Strike on SBU control center response to Russian general’s assassination, expert says

The ministry clarified that Ukraine launched a missile strike against the Kamensky Integrated Plant in the Rostov Region using six US-made ATACMS missiles and four Storm Shadow cruise missiles

Perm sub with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles to enter service with Russian Navy in 2026

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Three of eight drones that attacked Kazan targeted defense industry facilities — head

The Tatarstan head Rustam Minnikhanov also noted that all operational services worked well when dealing with the aftermath of the drone attack