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Gaza has no safe zones, even UN-flagged shelters can be attacked - UN chief’s office DEFENSE: UN-ISRAEL-GAZA-SAFETY UNITED NATIONS, December 6. /TASS/. Currently, no safe zones have left in the Gaza Strip, since even UN-flagged facilities are being attacked, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General Stephane Dujarric has told reporters. "There are no UN-designated safe zones in Gaza. I think all my senior colleagues have been very clear, including the Secretary-General, saying there are no safe places in Gaza," he said. "There are shelters that fly the UN flag that are sheltering thousands and thousands and thousands of people, men, women and children who are trying to stay alive and get some food, get some water. We have seen, since the beginning of this conflict, that those places that fly the UN flag are not safe either." On December 1, the Israel Defense Forces published a map of the Gaza Strip divided into zones to facilitate evacuation of residents from unsafe areas. A few hours earlier, Israel resumed its military operation in Gaza, accusing Hamas of disrupting the ceasefire. US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said earlier that the US believes Israel was right to publish maps of the Gaza Strip showing which areas are dangerous for civilians and which are not. He said Israel posted the map online to show Gazans where they should not go and where they could go with a certain degree of safety. He added that Israel is obviously making an effort to act with greater empathy and caution. The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated following an incursion of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7, accompanied by killings of residents of Israeli settlements near the border and taking more than 200 hostages, including children, women and elderly people. Hamas has cast the attack as a response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel has declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip and started a military operation there. Israel also strikes parts of Lebanon and Syria in retaliation for bombardments originating from these countries. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank. ТАСС 06.12.2023, 00:40 MSK

Zelensky’s video address to US senators cancelled at last minute UKRAINE: US-ZELENSKY-SENATE WASHINGTON, December 5. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky cancelled his planned video linkup with US senators, scheduled to take place during a closed briefing on allocating funds for additional aid to Ukraine, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. "Zelensky, by the way, could not make it to our briefing," he said. "Something happened at the last minute." On Monday Schumer announced that the US government had asked Zelensky to address senators during a closed briefing, adding that he expected all senators to visit the event. Within the next few days, the US is to vote on the issue of allocating additional funds, including for military aid to Kiev. US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on December 4 that the US administration had used 97% of the Congress-approved funds earmarked for assistance to Ukraine. On the same day, Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Biden administration, issued a letter to Congressional leadership warning that the US would run out of resources to help Ukraine by the end of the year, if the lawmakers turned down the administration’s financing draft. In October, the US administration asked Congress to set aside extra budgetary funds for the 2024 fiscal year, which began in the United States on October 1, in assistance to Israel and Ukraine, as well as to contain China and Russia in the Asia Pacific region. In all, the US plans to spend around $106 billion for these purposes. Several House and Senate Republicans have spoken out against continuing financial assistance to Kiev. The Politico newspaper said on Monday that the Senate’s vote on assistance to Kiev, which is due on December 6, is likely to fail due to the Republicans’ position. ТАСС 06.12.2023, 01:32 MSK

Death toll from conflict escalation in Gaza Strip exceeds 16,000 - health ministry DEFENSE: PALESTINE-GAZA-ISRAEL-CASUALTIES-1 /updates/ CAIRO, December 5. /TASS/. The death toll from the escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 15,200, Gaza’s health ministry said. According to the ministry, as many as 16,248 people, including 7,112 children and 4,885 women, have been killed in Israeli bombardments. More than 42,000 Palestinians have been wounded. As many as 262 people have been killed as a result of Israel’s actions in the West Bank since October 7, Hamas claims. Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 after militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise incursion on Israeli territory, killing many Israeli kibbutz residents living near the Gaza border and abducting more than 200 Israelis, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ aggressive actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria, as well as a ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank. ТАСС 05.12.2023, 21:25 MSK

2024 will be an interesting year because the EU is dismantling itself at an ever-increasing rate, says Thomas Röper. «The EU has already transferred its budget to Ukraine until 2027, but the member states are not prepared to add the 60 billion requested by the EU Commission. As well as?The EU's largest paymaster is itself effectively bankrupt, because the federal government is faced with the question of how it can quickly put together a sustainable budget - at least on paper - for next year.And these are by no means all of Berlin and Brussels’ self-inflicted problems.[...]Germany actually has problems with gas. Not only have the Americans blown up the gas pipelines from Russia and the Germans are so intimidated that they can't even raise their voices, but relations with Russia are worse than ever. Putin commented on it these days: «Firstly, they limit their own opportunities to work with us. Europe is cutting itself off from the source of cheap energy, or that is what their allies in the USA are doing and cutting them off from our cheap primary energy sources for political reasons, or they are simply blowing up gas pipelines or closing them. Poland simply shut down the Yamal-Europe pipeline that leads to Germany. Ukraine simply closed one of the systems, one of which is still operational. Ukraine gets money from Europe, from Germany, for weapons, pensions, social benefits and salaries, among other things, but they are cut off from the Russian gas that the Germans need. And the Germans swallow all of this because they have no sovereignty and some members of the government obviously do not have sufficient professional training to make high-quality professional decisions.» Read about this too 700,000 Ukrainians receive citizen's benefit in Germany | TimingSocial clear-cutting: Italy abolishes citizens' benefit | TimingNo more citizen's benefit for newly arriving Ukraine refugees | Timing Source(s)Left newspaper: Europe is drifting into economic and political chaos , 12/4/20…websiteLinke Zeitung

Israeli intelligence services have information on the presumed location of the remaining hostages, reserve Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Jonathan Conricus said at a briefing. "The short answer would be yes, we have [data]," Conricus said when asked by reporters if the IDF had any information on the purported whereabouts of the remaining hostages. "But as you said, as you correctly suggested, I'm not free to share those details because of the sensitivity of the issue, and of course that would jeopardize our efforts in the future. But I can say that this is a key priority," he added. Conricus pointed out that the release of the hostages is a top priority for Israeli intelligence, including IDF Military Intelligence. He also noted that Israel intends to return all hostages. "If it can be done through negotiations, that's great. And if it can't be done through negotiations, then we will act in other, kinetic ways," the spokesman emphasized. Earlier, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Hamas militants continue to hold 137 Israelis hostage. Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, 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. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, 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.

The Instrument Design Bureau within High Precisions Systems Holding Company (part of the state tech corporation Rostec) has fulfilled the 2023 defense procurement plan for the delivery of Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missile/artillery systems to Russian troops ahead of schedule, the Company’s press office reported on Tuesday. "The Design Bureau of Instrument-Making within High Precision Systems has fulfilled the 2023 defense procurement plan for the delivery of Pantsyr-S air defense systems ahead of time. Today the Tula-based enterprise keeps rolling out Pantsyr systems ahead of schedule," the press office said in a statement on its Telegram channel. The Pantsyr surface-to-air missile/gun system engineered by the Shipunov Design Bureau of Instrument-Making is designed to shield military, administrative and industrial facilities and areas from enemy aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and precision weapons and to boost air defenses in repelling massive air strikes. The Russian Army operates the Pantsyr-S1 modification with a multi-channel system of locking on and tracking targets. It is capable of striking aerial targets flying at a speed of up to 1,000 m/s and at a distance of 200 meters to 20 km.

Supplies of depleted uranium rounds to Ukraine may violate IAEA safeguards - diplomat UKRAINE: US-IAEA-SHELLS-URANIUM VIENNA, December 4. /TASS/. The United States and the United Kingdom seem to be ignoring the fact that they are violating the IAEA safeguards procedure when they supply Kiev with depleted uranium rounds, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said. "The US and the UK are supplying depleted uranium shells to Ukraine. Both they and Kiev seem to care little that this does not comply with the IAEA’s safeguards regime. But under the IAEA Safeguards Agreements, depleted uranium in its metallic form or in the form of alloy or a chemical compound is ‘nuclear material subject to safeguards,’" he wrote on his Telegram channel. According to the Russian diplomat, depleted uranium can be withdrawn from safeguards only after being declared. "The Agency (International Atomic Energy Agency - TASS) must check such a declaration for its comprehensiveness. In this context, during the November session of the IAEA Board of Governors, the Russian delegation asked the agency’s secretariat what had been done on this track. How honestly is the Ukrainian side cooperating with the secretariat? The question hung in the air. Neither the agency’s secretariat, nor Ukraine’s representatives could answer it," Ulyanov added. The United States said in September 2023 that its new $175-million package of military aid to Ukraine included depleted uranium rounds for Abrams tanks. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 22:19 MSK

TASS news roundup, 9.45 p.m. Moscow time, December 4 NEWS-ROUNDUP TASS has summarized the key events in Russia and around the world at this hour. PUTIN ACCEPTS CREDENTIALS FROM NEW AMBASSADORS MOSCOW - Times are difficult now, crisis manifestations keep growing across the world, but the unipolar system is being replaced by a fairer world order, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a ceremony of accepting credentials from new ambassadors to Russia. Russia is open to a constructive partnership with any country and is hostile to none, Putin said. MOSCOW - Developing the Greater Eurasian Partnership is a major Russian foreign policy project, Putin said. Russia is ready to develop close partnership cooperation with all the countries that "respond with reciprocity," he said. Putin promised that Russia will keep ramping up its activity in global affairs. MOSCOW - Russia will continue its efforts to settle pressing global problems, Putin said. "As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we will continue contributing to the resolution of pressing regional and global problems, persistently defend approaches geared to ensure equal and indivisible security, to form a fair system of international economic relations free from unfair competition, unilateral sanctions and politically-motivated restrictions," he said. *** ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT TEL AVIV - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is close to achieving the goals of the ground operation in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, IDF Armored Corps Commander Brigadier General Hisham Ibrahim told Israel Army Radio. CAIRO - The death toll in the Gaza Strip since the escalation of the conflict with Israel began on October 7 has exceeded 15,800, 42,000 people have been injured, the Palestinian enclave's Health Ministry said. GENEVA - Nearly 1.9 million people in the Gaza Strip, or more than 80 percent of its population, have been displaced, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said. CAIRO - Fifty-two people have been killed as a result of Israel’s strike on the Salah al-Din school in Gaza City, the Ash-Sharq television channel reported, citing the Al-Ahli Hospital administration. MOSCOW - A plane of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations with 120 Russian citizens evacuated from Gaza on board is on its way to Moscow, the ministry’s press service told TASS. CAIRO - The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, has claimed that it destroyed 28 Israeli combat vehicles during the past day. *** RUSSIA’S SPECIAL OPERATION IN UKRAINE VORONEZH - Deputy Commander of the Northern Fleet’s 14th Army Corps Major-General Vladimir Zavadsky was killed in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine, Voronezh Region Governor Alexander Gusev said. TASS - Crews of the Black Sea Fleet’s minesweepers practiced searching for and destroying mines in Black Sea waters, including shipping lanes during drills, the Fleet’s press office reported. TASS - Units of the expeditionary volunteer assault corps have blocked off the last highway used to deliver supplies to the Ukrainian forces near Artyomovsk and Soledar, the unit’s spokesman Alexey Selivanov has told TASS. *** UKRAINE CONFLICT LONDON - The UK has shipped to Ukraine an additional batch of Martlet missiles, used to combat drones, The Times reported. SOFIA -Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has vetoed an agreement for the donation of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry’s surplus armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, which had been approved by the Bulgarian parliament on November 22, the presidential press service reported. *** RUSSIA’S DEFENSE EXPORT MOSCOW - African countries’ combined share of Russian weapons systems exports has exceeded 30% of the total volume of deli... ТАСС 04.12.2023, 21:59 MSK

Israel strikes Hezbollah weapons depot in Lebanon after shelling attack DEFENSE: ISRAEL-LEBANON-HEZBOLLAH-STRIKE TEL AVIV, December 4. /TASS/. Israel has delivered a strike on a Hezbollah weapons depot in Lebanon in retaliation for mortar shelling of its territory, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. "In response to mortar shell launches toward an IDF post in the area of Arab al-Aramshe, IDF soldiers struck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in Lebanese territory a short while ago," it said. "In addition, a number of launches toward Tel Hai, Kiryat Shemona, and an IDF post in the area of Shtula were identified. In response, the IDF struck the sources of the fire in Lebanon. Apart from that, according to the IDF, Israeli artillery shelled several targets in Lebanese territory. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 22:11 MSK

INTERVIEW: EVM Pro maker plans to produce components for other firms starting 2024 ECONOMY: ELECTRIC-TRUCKS-COMPONENTS-PLANS MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. The Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Rus company, which manufactures the EVM Pro make of electric trucks, plans to develop the production of components for other car makers in 2024, Chief Executive Officer Ilya Rashkin said in an interview with TASS. "This may become another direction that will be actively developing starting next year. And now the company is working on the start of our cooperation in 2024 and the production of components for other companies," he said. Components will be produced concurrently with EVM Pro electric trucks, Rashkin said, adding that production volumes might rise to 3,000-5,000 vehicles per year by 2025. Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Rus manufactures electric light trucks under the EVM Pro make and assembled based on the chassis of the Profi SUV produced by off-road maker Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant (UAZ). Serial production of the vehicle was launched in April 2023. The company also plans to launch production of auto components and supply them to other automakers. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 22:31 MSK

US presidential contender calls to decide about participating in pointless wars POLITICS: US-CONDIDATE-ELECTION NEW YORK, December 4. /TASS/. Pointless wars the United Sates was involved in cost it trillions of dollars and millions of lives and now the Americans need to choose whether they want to send their children to die fighting others’ wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy said. "After 9/11, [US President] George Bush and [Vice President] Dick Cheney sent America’s sons and daughters - people my age - to die in the Middle East and racked up $7TN in debt for pointless wars that hurt this country. No-win wars that cost trillions, killed millions & made corrupt politicians billions," he wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account. He noted that some of today’s presidential hopefuls, in particular Ronna Romney McDaniel, seem to want "to rack up trillions more in debt & send our sons and daughters to die fighting someone else’s war in places like Ukraine and the Middle East." "Now is our moment for choosing. We can choose the past. Or we can choose the future," he stressed. Ramaswamy warned against sending military assistance to Israel, calling on the US administration to confine itself to diplomatic support. Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 after militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise incursion on Israeli territory, killing many Israeli kibbutz residents living near the Gaza border and abducting more than 200 Israelis, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ aggressive actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria, as well as a ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 22:48 MSK

West effectively prepared Ukrainian counteroffensive plan - The Washington Post UKRAINE: US-COUNTEROFFENSIVE-PREPARATION WASHINGTON, December 4. /TASS/. The Ukrainian counteroffensive plan was effectively prepared by the West during a number of staff exercises, but Washington and Kiev engaged in fierce arguments regarding the timeline of this operation, says the Washington Post article on the failed Ukrainian counteroffensive, based on conversations with "senior officials from Ukraine, the United States and European nations." According to the Washington Post, "Ukrainian, U.S. and British military officers held eight major tabletop war games to build a campaign plan." "But Washington miscalculated" the extent to which the Ukrainian armed forces could be transformed into Western-style forces within a short timeframe. According to the article, US and Ukrainian officials "sharply disagreed at times over strategy, tactics and timing." "The Pentagon wanted the assault to begin in mid-April to prevent Russia from continuing to strengthen its lines. The Ukrainians hesitated, insisting they weren’t ready without additional weapons and training," the Washington Post says. The Pentagon reportedly believed that "a mechanized frontal attack on Russian lines was feasible with the troops and weapons that Ukraine had." "The simulations concluded that Kyiv’s forces, in the best case, could reach the Sea of Azov and cut off Russian troops in the south in 60 to 90 days," the Washington Post says, noting that the US intelligence did not share the optimistic view of the US Armed Forces, estimating Kiev’s chance for success as 50-50. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 23:46 MSK

Washington aims to halve Russia's oil and gas revenues by the end of this decade, Geoffrey Pyatt, US assistant secretary of state for energy resources, told the Financial Times. Western sanctions against Russia's oil came into force on December 5, 2022. The International Energy Agency has predicted that its oil and gas exports could fall "by at least 40-50 percent by 2030" if Western sanctions on Russia's energy industry are maintained. FT said. “We have to stick with this for many years to come,” said Pyatt, as long as the Ukraine conflict continues. “We will do everything we can to help make this come true,” he was quoted as saying. "The aim of these sanctions is to change Russia's behavior," the official added. Maintaining sanctions against Russia "has enormous geopolitical implications for Russia's ability to use its energy as a strategic asset," Pyatt noted. In December 2022, the European Union stopped receiving Russian oil delivered by sea, while the G7 countries, Australia and the EU introduced a price cap for it, set at $60 per barrel. It is forbidden to deliver or insure more expensive oil.

Medvedev notes high recruitment rates for contract soldiers in Sevastopol, Moscow and Chechnya MOSCOW, December 1st. /TASS/. Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev noted high enrollment rates for contract service in the Russian army in Sevastopol, Moscow and Chechnya. “I would like to note the systematic approach of the authorities in numerous regions of Russia, in particular in Moscow, Sevastopol and the Chechen Republic, in staffing the combined force group with contract personnel,” Medvedev said in his opening speech at a meeting during his meeting Working trip to the Siberian Federal District. He cited Defense Department statistics showing that more than 452,000 contract soldiers were recruited into the combined force nationwide from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1. Medvedev noted that Moscow immediately introduced many useful services that soon served as a model for other regions. “Moscow clearly has its own options and its own rules. Nevertheless, the work is well established, which we repeatedly mentioned at a similar meeting in the Central Federal District,” he noted. Speaking about Sevastopol, Medvedev emphasized that it is indeed a front-line city. “This work is progressing well there despite extremely adverse conditions. Many soldiers have signed contracts there and generally know exactly what such service looks like. “They know firsthand what’s happening and how,” he said. As for Chechnya, Medvedev said that thanks to the efforts of his leadership, more than 30,000 men were sent to the front. “An extensive campaign is underway in Chechnya to train personnel for combat operations. Over 15,000 volunteers have completed training at the Russian Special Forces University in Gudermes,” he said. At the meeting, Medvedev proposed to discuss what was being done to recruit contract soldiers and volunteers in the Siberian Federal District. During his work trip, he inspected a local recruitment center. ТАСС December 1st, 2023, 7:21 p.m. MSK

TASS delegation holds talks with foreign partners on sidelines of World Media Summit SOCIETY: CHINA-MEDIA-FORUM-TALKS GUANGZHOU /China/, December 4. /TASS/. A TASS delegation has held talks with counterparts from foreign news agencies on the sidelines of the 5th World Media Summit in Guangzhou, Southern China. Ali Naderi, managing director of Iran’s IRNA news agency, thanked TASS for their support for the program of exchanges between the two agencies. Apart from that, Naderi, who is also President of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), hailed TASS’ initiatives within this organization. A meeting with Director General of Japan’s Kyodo agency Toru MIzutani also focused on cooperation within the OANA. Mizutani invited the TASS delegation to take part in the 52nd meeting of the OANA Executive Board in Tokyo on March 6-8, 2024. The Board’s 53rd meeting is expected to be convened in Moscow in the fall of 2024 with TASS as its organizer. In talks with Director of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Luis Morente, the discussion centered around developing cooperation on various platforms. TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman, who led the Russian delegation, suggested the two agencies sign a memorandum of cooperation next year. The Russian delegation also met with representatives of Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency, for the first time after a long break. Bakhtar Director General Zia ul-Haq Haqmal said that his agency is interested in resuming cooperation with TASS, including within international media alliances. It is planned that participants in the summit will sum up its results on December 5. China’s Xinhua news agency is the organizer of the World Media Summit. The event is being attended by delegations from 197 media outlets across 101 countries. A TASS delegation is taking part in the summit. Apart from that, TASS is a member of the OANA Executive Board. The first World Media Summit was held in Beijing in 2009. The second summit was held in 2012 in Moscow at TASS’ initiative. Doha, Qatar, hosted the third summit in 2016. The fourth summit was held online in 2021. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 17:59 MSK

Global market to see nickel surplus this year - Norilsk Nickel ECONOMY: NICKEL-MARKET-SURPLUS-1 /Update/ MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. The surplus on the nickel market can stand at 250,000 metric tons in 2023 and 190,000 metric tons in 2024, the Russian mining and metals company Norilsk Nickel says in its review. "We have revised the market surplus forecast in 2023 to the increase from more than 200,000 metric tons to over 250,000 metric tons of nickel, with the bulk of it accounted for the low-grade nickel. This is explained in the first instance by lower-than-expected nickel consumption in the batteries sector," the company informed. Furthermore, the forecast of the palladium market shortage was increased to0.9 mln Troy ounces in 2023 because the secondary production market was revised to drop by 15% instead of growing by 9%. "In 2024, we expect the deficit in the palladium market will contract to 0.4 mln Troy ounces amid secondary production recovery, while the platinum market will remain with the deficit at approximately the same level of 0.3 mln Troy ounces, because the secondary processing volumes’ recovery will be leveled by the increase in industrial consumption in glass industry and electronics sectors," Norilsk Nickel said. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 18:03 MSK

Hamas military wing claims several IDF servicemen killed in northern Gaza SECURITY: PALESTINE-ISRAEL-HAMAS-GROUP CAIRO, December 4. /TASS/. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said it opened fire at an Israeli tank in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring several IDF servicemen. "The al-Qassam Brigades attacked a Zionist tank, surrounded by several servicemen near Al-Faluja, killing and injuring several soldiers," the group said on its Telegram channel. It also reported "shelling of enemy forces south of the city of Gaza with heavy mortars." The Palestinian group also reported rocket strikes at cities of Sderot and Netivot in southern Israel. The situation in the Middle East has escalated abruptly after an armed infiltration of HAMAS militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel. The HAMAS movement considers this attack a response to the actions of Israeli authorities towards the Al Aqsa Mosque at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Israel announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip and started carrying out strikes on the enclave and certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 18:06 MSK

UK ships Martlet missiles to Ukraine to combat drones - The Times UKRAINE: UK-MISSILES-DRONES LONDON, December 4. /TASS/. The UK has shipped an additional batch of Martlet missiles, used to combat drones, to Ukraine, The Times reported. The British authorities has not made an official announcement about the shipment of Martlet missiles, but they were first mentioned as being used in Ukraine back in 2022. In September, UK Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps claimed that, in the coming months, London would provide assistance to Ukraine in key areas, including air defense, long-range missiles and training of Ukrainian servicemen. The laser-guided Martlet missiles can reach speeds of up to Mach 1.5. They are being produced by the Thales military-industrial group at a factory in Belfast. Thales markets this missile as a multi-purpose munition. It can be carried by helicopters, speedboats and ground platforms; these missiles can also be launched via Starstreak man-portable air defense systems, which have also been shipped to Ukraine. The Martlet missile is 1.3 m long, has a caliber of 76 mm, and weighs 13 kg. Its payload weighs 3 kg, and the missile’s range is 8 km. The exact number of missiles shipped to Ukraine was not disclosed. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 18:15 MSK

Russia - Hungary trade decreased noticeably, but still has potential - ambassador ECONOMY: HUNGARY-RUSSIA-TRADE-AMBASSADOR BUDAPEST, December 4. /TASS/. Due to sanctions and restrictions, trade turnover between Russia and Hungary fell by around 27% in the first eight months of 2023, but the possibility for development in bilateral trade remains, Russian Ambassador to Hungary Evgeny Stanislavov said in an interview with TASS. "Unfortunately, the picture is not the best this year - bilateral trade turnover in the first eight months fell by 26.8% compared to the same period last year. According to this statistic, our country is now ranked only 16th among Hungary's major trading partners," he said. He noted that such concerns were discussed during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on October 17 in Beijing as part of the Belt and Road international summit to positively affect these trends. "Because of the European Union’s unilateral restrictive measures against our country, the portfolio of promising bilateral projects naturally lost a number of developments, implying that the growth potential of bilateral trade was reduced, but it still exists. We are working with colleagues from the Russian trade mission to develop it using the means at our disposal," Stanislavov added. The ambassador added that "Russia has always been one of Hungary's key partners and one of the leaders in trade turnover." "Despite the obstacles created through no fault of ours, Hungary remains our important trade and economic partner in Europe," he said. "Given the mutual interest, I would like to believe that the current plans not only in the energy sector, but also in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare will not be shelved and will be implemented," the ambassador stated. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 18:27 MSK

Funds of retail investors at broker accounts above $98.9 bln - Bank of Russia URGENT MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Funds of retail investors at broker accounts are above nine trillion rubles ($98.9 bln), the Bank of Russia said. "Citizens keep the interest in the stock market in conditions of growing incomes and higher inflation expectations. Growth of quoted prices and dividend payouts also facilitated popularity of Russian stocks. More than 27.5 mln customers are now serviced by brokers," the regulator said. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 18:45 MSK

Russian-German cooperation undermined, including by sabotage on Nord Streams - Putin URGENT MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Russia and Germany developed beneficial cooperation for more than half a century, but it was undermined, in particular by sabotage on the Nord Stream pipelines, President Vladimir Putin said while presenting credentials to new ambassadors of foreign states. "We have been able to develop pragmatic, business-like cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany for more than half a century. It has brought benefits to both states, and, perhaps, not only to us, but to the entire European continent. Moreover, energy has always been an attractive area of bilateral cooperation. Our country had been reliably supplying Germany for decades with environmentally friendly gas fuel, oil, and other energy products, other energy raw materials "reliably, without failures, supplied at affordable, reasonable prices. And this cooperation was literally undermined, including by sabotage on the Nord Streams," the President said. ТАСС 04.12.2023, 18:57 MSK

Mittelstad-BRICS is the leading portal for special operational economic relations between Germany and the BRICS community. Specifically: We offer companies on both sides the sanction-compliant and therefore legally secure implementation of their exports and imports at competitive prices. We also enable the acquisition of high-tech companies, production facilities and commercial real estate, as well as federal property in Germany for physical and legal entities from the BRICS jurisdiction. We are looking for investors to expand our global activities. The minimum investment amount is $500,000. The total capital required is USD 5 million. Please understand that we strictly adhere to the specified KCY / CTF and AML requirements. We therefore only answer inquiries with a verifiable company address and corresponding commercial register entries. Interlocutors must also be able to identify themselves with a passport or official ID card.

Interaction between businessmen from Russia and China should be as transparent as possible, said Russian business ombudsman and co-chair of the Russia-China Committee on Friendship, Peace and Development Boris Titov. “Our task at the moment is to maximize transparency and openness in relations between small and medium-sized enterprises [Russia] and China. This applies to both Chinese and Russian businessmen in China,” Titov said. The Ombudsman highlighted the prospects of e-commerce, noting that online platforms enable doing business with complete transparency, he added.

The Russian company Web3 Tech and the international company Techabantu will engage in joint implementation and development of blockchain solutions for the public sector and companies in Africa and Asia, the press service of the Russian company told TASS. “Web3 Tech will open up new international markets. As part of this strategy, Web3 Tech and Techabantu have signed an agreement to collaborate in the development and distribution of product solutions in the markets of Asia and Africa,” the company said. New distribution channels could capture up to 5% of distributed registry technology in the government sector and large enterprises in Asia and Africa in 2024-2025, say experts at Web3 Tech. Techabantu will act as a reseller and integrator of Web3 technology, products and solutions, such as a platform for the circulation and tokenization of digital financial assets, a remote e-voting system and cross-border payments.

Liquid lung is a rare but serious complication that can occur in children who accidentally inhale fluid into the lungs. The fluid can cause inflammation and failure of lung function, which can be life-threatening. According to a 2019 study, about 1,400 children died of liquid lung in the United States between 2000 and 2015, a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 children. However, the global mortality rate is much higher, estimated at 7.6 per 100,000 children. Most deaths from liquid lung occur in low- and middle-income countries where medical care and prevention are inadequate. US authorities are now reporting a significant increase in cases. The reason: increasing antibiotic resistance, reports augenauf.blog. White lung syndrome, also known as liquid lung or wet lung, is a life-threatening disease characterized by severe pneumonia with bilateral lung lesions. The lungs appear white on X-rays or CT scans because they are filled with fluid leaking from the damaged alveoli and capillaries. This leads to a lack of oxygen in the blood and causes shortness of breath, cyanosis, sweating, palpitations and cognitive confusion. In addition to China, other countries are also affected by white lung syndrome. Several outbreaks have been reported in the United States, particularly in the states of New York, California and Florida. White lung syndrome can be caused by various causes, such as bacterial infections, seizures, aspiration pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia or chest trauma. It may also be a result of infection with the COVID-19 virus, which has led to a sharp increase in confirmed cases in China since December 2022. Older people and patients with previous illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, kidney transplant, liver transplant or autoimmune diseases are particularly at risk. White lung syndrome is diagnosed based on clinical symptoms and imaging studies of the lungs. This shows increased hilifugal stripes and possibly mild pleural effusions. Therapy consists of giving oxygen and care in an incubator. In severe cases, artificial ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be required. White lung syndrome is a serious complication that can lead to multi-organ failure and death. The prognosis depends on the severity of the disease, age and the presence of concomitant diseases. The mortality rate is between 30 and 60 percent. Also read: Antibiotic resistance is making unexpected leaps (mittelstand -brics.com) Antibiotics will soon be unaffordable due to energy costs (mittelstand-brics.com) MRSA bacteria have been infesting retirement homes since 2013 ( mittelstand-brics.com)

Morgan Stanley, Siemens Energy, Starbucks, more than 156 of the Forbes Global Top 500 companies have invested in this region of China: Shenzhen. Located in the central urban area of Shenzhen, Futian District is the administrative, cultural, financial, business and international exchange center of Shenzhen, with an area of 78.66 km2 and a population of about 2.2 million. In recent years, Shenzhen District has consistently ranked at the top of China's districts and counties. In 2022, the regional GDP exceeded RMB 550 billion. It will cover the "three major industries" Highlight science and technology, finance and fashion, on the "three major positions" of central innovation district, central business district and central dynamic district, and strive to become one of the city districts with a GDP of RMB 600 billion. Futian District focuses on the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries. It has successfully built four clusters at the RMB 50 billion level, such as digital creativity, new energy, software and information services and intelligent terminals; numerous clusters at the RMB 10 billion level, such as advanced fashion, semiconductors and integrated circuits, and biomedicine, among others. In August 2023, the State Council of China released the Shenzhen Park Development Plan of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, which is a national strategic blueprint for cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the Area of Scientific and Technological Innovation designed and the policies of 15 percent personal income tax and 15 percent corporate tax for certain companies and individuals, as well as the "very convenient entry and exit" for personnel and goods clarified. At present, the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone in Futian District has promoted more than 150 high-quality scientific research projects and gathered more than 3,000 scientific researchers to further promote scientific and technological innovation cooperation. The development potential of this region is immeasurable in the future. Innovative Shenzhen district with entrepreneurial blessing. With the best resources, the most facilitating policies and optimal opportunities, Shenzhen District will serve the large number of companies that are working hard to achieve success in Futian.