Demonstrators were caught throwing stones at the French embassy in Beirut, breaking the glass of its gates during an angry protest against the bombing of the Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip

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❗️ UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on a Gaza hospital, underscoring that medical facilities are "protected under international humanitarian law."

🇮🇷 Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi calls strike on hospital in Gaza a war crime, noting "the flames of American-Israeli bombs" will soon consume Israel

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BRICS Nations Unite for Scientific Progress at Astronomy Working Group Meeting in South Africa

The BRICS Astronomy Working Group Annual Meeting is currently underway in Cape Town, bringing together astronomic communities from the five BRICS countries. This marks the ninth meeting of its kind, with South Africa hosting the event for the third time, to foster collaboration and advancement in the field of astronomy.

In an interview with Sputnik Africa, Takalani Nemaungani, Chief Director of Astronomy at the Department of Science and Innovation of South Africa and Secretariat of the BRICS Astronomy Working Group, shed light on the significance of the event.

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❗️ The capacity to treat the wounded in the Gaza Strip will run out in a few hours, the enclave's health ministry said

📹 Think independently, don’t believe anti-Russian propaganda’: Russian artillery commander makes appeal to ordinary Americans.

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As Israel prepares for a ground assault on the Gaza Strip, the Pentagon has quietly ordered roughly 2,000 troops to prepare for deployment to Israel for non-combat roles.

According to Defense Department officials, the troops are expected to be tasked with missions such as medical support and advisory roles for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). They have not indicated from which units the troops would be pulled, only that they are currently deployed in the Middle East and in Europe.

The news comes after a second aircraft carrier strike group was ordered to the region and as US President Joe Biden prepares to visit Israel on Wednesday.

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Israeli invasion of Gaza far from certain, risks wider conflict involving Iran

There remains a general expectation across the Middle East that Israel still plans to launch a full scale invasion of Gaza. However, former United Kingdom Ambassador to Syria, veteran diplomat and Middle East expert Peter Ford advised that this was still far from an inevitable outcome.

Tehran's role in either resolving the crisis or escalating it in response to Israeli actions remained crucial, Ford said.

"Iran is not bluffing. If Israel invades Gaza it had better be ready for full scale war on at least three fronts and probably four - Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, West Bank. Iran will never have a better chance to puncture the myth of Israeli deterrence power," Ford said.

Check out his full analysis

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Beijing is preparing for talks between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping

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❗️ Russian air defense forces shoot down 6 drones in Belgorod region, preliminary data shows no injuries or damage - governor

In just 10 years, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has helped to connect underdeveloped parts of the globe like never before, building multilateral partnerships for projects that are centered on the host nation's needs, not the interests of a far-away European ruling government, experts told Sputnik.

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Joint photographing of the leaders of the countries before the Belt and Road Forum

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Watch LIVE: China’s president Xi Jinping speaks at 3rd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing

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Participants of the Belt and Road Forum greet Vladimir Putin

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❗️ China rejects bloc politics and opposes unilateral sanctions - Xi Jinping

❗️ China has become a major trading partner for 140 countries and regions, and a major source of investment for a significant number of countries, Xi Jinping said

Xi Jinping: China can only do well when the world is doing well. When China does well, the world will get even better

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❗️ China does not pursue isolated modernisation for itself alone, is willing to make efforts to modernise all countries in the world, Xi Jinping said

❗️ China's foreign trade in goods and services will exceed $32 trillion and $5 trillion respectively in the next 5 years - Xi Jinping

Vladimir Putin came on stage to deliver his speech at the Belt and Road Forum and was greeted with thunderous applause

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❗️ Russia and China are striving for long-term economic progress and social well-being, Vladimir Putin said.

He stressed that the two states share the desire for equal mutually beneficial cooperation in the world.