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Middle East conflict

Hamas releases 4-year-old American-Israeli hostage – TV

According to CNN, her parents were killed

NEW YORK, November 26. /TASS/. Hamas has released a four-year American-Israeli girl, the first US hostage to be released under Hamas’ deal with Israel, CNN reported.

The girl, Abigail Edan, was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. Her parents were killed.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said earlier that the Biden administration hopes that on Sunday Hamas would release at least on US national from among those held hostage in the Gaza Strip.

Since November 24, Hamas has released two groups of hostages but there were no American nationals in either of them. The first group included 13 Israelis, ten Thais, and one Philippine national. The second group consisted of 13 Israelis and four Thais.

Hamas announced on November 22 that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The agreement stipulates the release of 50 women and children under the age of 19 who are held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 women and children under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons.

A four-day ceasefire came into force in the Gaza Strip from 8:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT) on November 24.

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United States Palestine Israel

Middle East conflict

Israeli air force attacks 290 Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon in 24 hours

According to IDF, 180 targets were hit

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Ukraine puts pressure on FIDE General Assembly over admission of Russians — source

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Strikes at Beirut and shelling of Lebanon: escalation on Lebanese-Israeli border

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Russia’s Emergencies Ministry sapper dies in Kursk Region during mine clearance

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Putin has no plans to attend Mexican president's inauguration — Kremlin

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Some 101 Ukrainian drones intercepted in Russian regions, Azov Sea overnight — ministry

Air defenses eliminated UAVs over eight regions, Defense Ministry said

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Theft of Russian assets to nullify trust towards EU — MFA

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the European Union had lost independence

Russia fully ready to defend its interests in Arctic — Lavrov

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Russia wants no nuclear war — Lavrov

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Ukrainian forces create concentration camps in Russian border areas — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed out that one of the Ukrainian prisoners of war reported an attack on a passenger train being prepared in the Kursk Region

US carries out mock electronic launch of Minuteman III ICBM

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IAEA inspectors briefed on consequences of Ukraine’s attack on Zarya substation — ZNPP

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Zelensky may be overthrown if Ukraine fails to hold elections — Ukrainian MP

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German Chancellor emphasized the need to explore ways in order to peacefully resolve the Ukraine conflict

Press review: Hezbollah pagers attack threatens wider war and Russia ready to test nukes

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Russia-Africa summit to be held in 2-3 years on African continent — Lavrov

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MFA calls UN resolution on Palestine important step to recognize Israel's illegal actions

The Russian diplomats pointed out that it would also help develop concrete measures to uphold international law, end the longest occupation in modern history and implement a two-state solution

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According to the MTV television channel, they were taking part in an operations headquarters meeting held by Hezbollah military leader Ibrahim Aqil

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"The devastation resulting from such a confrontation would be catastrophic," the Cabinet’s spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said

Russia, Belarus remain faithful allies and partners, Russian deputy defense chief says

I would like to note that we and our Belarusian counterparts have been and remain faithful allies and reliable partners

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Two unmanned aerial vehicles have been downed near Tikhoretsk

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Russia’s air defenses repel massive attack on Bryansk region, taking down over 50 drones

Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense forces intercepted or destroyed 53 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles

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UN General Assembly adopts resolution on Golan Heights — results of vote

Kremlin slams Poland's idea to revise Crimea's status 'absurd'

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The IDF said that it had conducted a targeted strike in Beirut, adding that Ibrahim Aqil, a military commander of Hezbollah’s militia, was killed along with other top brass

Over 30 foreign leaders invited to BRICS summit in Kazan, 18 RSVP — Kremlin

"We have not organized such a large-scale international event in quite a long time," Yury Ushakov underlined

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"Most positions around the city, including those at the most important sites and heights are Russian, the whole city is exposed to fire," the sources explained

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This is quite obviously a positive development for us in some respects, Kovalchuk said

Russia cautions Chisinau against involvement in Ukrainian conflict — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova drew attention to the speculations about Romania's plans for redirecting to Moldova the mobile maintenance stations for F-16 fighter jets received by Bucharest for their subsequent deployment at the Marculesti airbase

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Russian troops repulse ten Ukraine’s counterattacks near Kremennaya in LPR in one week

The enemy is being actively knocked out as it acts near Chervonaya Dibrova, Ternov

Hezbollah handing out pagers hours before their detonation — agency

The sources said that the Shiite movement did not have any specific suspicions about these pagers and their "checks had been part of a routine 'sweep' of its equipment to find any indications that they were laced with explosives"

Russia keeps balance in relations with Muslim countries — Muslim Board

Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin added that Russia was originally formed in the bosom of three monotheistic religions and for more than 1,000 years has continued and consolidated the tradition of communion, good-neighborliness and brotherhood of religions

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In the spring, the US deployed an intermediate-range missile system in northern Japan as part of a Philippine-US exercise. Beijing strongly objected to the move

BRICS countries may present instruments for mutual settlements at summit in Kazan

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PREVIEW: Russian cosmonauts to set record for longest single ISS spaceflight

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Russia ready for talks with Turkey on Su-35, Su-57 fighters

Russia earlier noted its readiness to participate in the program of developing the Turkish TF-X fifth-generation fighter

Russia to boost defense procurement 50% to ensure 97% troop provision with weapons

Sergey Shoigu pointed to the importance of keeping production at its full capacity and ensuring early deliveries to the troops

Russian units strike energy facilities of Ukrainian military-industrial complex

Russia’s battlegroup Center has continued to advance into enemy defenses and wiped out more than 500 Ukrainian servicemen over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said

As many as 1,200 people evacuated from municipality in southern Russia after drone attack

Two unmanned aerial vehicles were downed outside Tikhoretsk this morning

Gas reserves in European UGS facilities exceed 93.2%

Total LNG supplies from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system in August hit the lowest level since October 2021, though they have returned to growth in September

Russia develops single-use combat drone to intercept enemy UAVs

It is noted that before destroying an enemy UAV, the Vogan must get a corresponding command from an operator who makes a decision based on the image from the drone’s video camera

Press review: Russia moves to boost its army and Zelensky to present victory plan to Biden

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, September 17th

Stoltenberg's statements on use of long-range missiles against Russia senseless — MFA

According to the outgoing NATO Secretary-General, Ukraine's use of long-range missiles will not lead to the alliance being drawn into a conflict with Russia

West’s attempts to turn UNGA into pro-Ukrainian show doomed to fail — Russian MFA

"The UN General Assembly always encompasses a very broad agenda," Sergey Ryabkov stressed

Top brass proposes specifying state borderline in Russia’s westernmost region

"This will alter the Russian state maritime border due to a change in the territorial sea’s external bounds," it says

Kerimov transfers his stake in Polyus to Foundation for Support of Islamic Organizations

Polyus ranks first among the world's gold mining companies in terms of gold reserves and fourth in terms of production

Only Lebanese hospitals, kindergartens used exploded pagers — Iranian ambassador

Multiple explosions of communication devices occurred in Lebanon on September 17 and 18

Israeli army declares strikes on 180 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon

"The Israel Defense Forces have completed a series of strikes on southern Lebanon," the army’s press service said in a statement

UN human rights commissioner slams blasts in Lebanon as war crime

The UN official called for bringing those behind these blasts to responsibility under international law and protecting civilians in conflict zoes

Hollywood action star Jackie Chan says he loves Russia, thanks his fans

The actor wished that the friendship between China and Russia would last forever

Battlegroup North liberates two settlements in Kursk Region this week

Apart from that, according to the report, Russian aircraft struck areas of deployment of manpower and weapons of the Ukrainian army’s three mechanized, one tank, and two assault brigades

Report on alternative payment systems will be prepared by BRICS summit in Kazan — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister also drew attention to the growth of trade in national currencies between Russia and other countries

Senior Russian lawmaker warns that calls for long-range strikes open way to nuclear war

Vyacheslav Volodin commented on a recent resolution of the European Parliament to allow strikes inside Russia with Western weapons

Bundestag members address Cabinet with query regarding Ukraine’s attack on Kursk Region

The legislators are asking whether German weapons are used by the Ukrainian forces in their incursion into the Kursk Region

Iran's supreme leader calls on Islamic countries to sever economic ties with Israel

"The Zionist regime is committing crimes shamelessly and without hiding it," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said

Israel wants to drag whole region into war, engages in terrorism, says Erdogan

The Turkish President said he would address the UNGA to ask the participants to remember "the need for taking action against genocide in the Gaza Strip and Israel's aggressive policies"

Russian prime minister approves list of countries imposing destructive attitudes

It includes the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and other states

Russian science remains open despite CERN’S unfriendly stance — science ministry

"At its 214th session, held on December 15, 2023, the CERN Council decided to discontinue CERN agreements on international cooperation with Russia upon their expiration in November 2024. We believe that this decision was taken under political pressure," the press service said

Press review: US shifts rhetoric on Ukraine and walkie-talkie explosions rock Lebanon

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, September 19th

Putin highlights importance of efforts to develop relations between Russia, Armenia

The Russian President congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Armenia’s Independence Day

EU will grant loan to Kiev that will be paid from frozen Russian assets — EC president

Ursula von der Leyen stressed that 35 billion euros is the part which the European countries will contribute to the 45 billion euro loan approved by the G7 in Italy in the summer

Russia is committed to Israel’s security, but not at others’ expense — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat noted that he had good relations with many of his Israeli counterparts

Russia, China do not need to create military alliance — Lavrov

Those relations are the best in the whole history of ties that existed between two countries, Foreign Minister added

Russia to push for multipolar world order jointly with global majority — diplomat

The event will be held in New York on September 22-23 in the runup to the 79th session of the UN General Assembly

Harris dismisses Trump’s proposal to hold September 4 debate on Fox News

Trump needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on 10 September, Harris’ campaign said

Erdogan says ready to meet with Syria’s Assad, waiting for response from Damascus

We have said that we would like to hold a meeting with Bashar Assad to normalize relations between Turkey and Syria, Erdogan said

Russian Baltic Fleet's patrol ship ends visit to Dar es Salaam

The ship's crew replenished water, fuel and food supplies and conducted technical examination of the ship