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8-hour Russian drone barrage keeps Kyiv on edge as war nears 1,000 days

Dozens of Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in a nighttime attack that lasted eight hours, authorities said Thursday, as Russia kept up its relentless pounding of Ukraine after almost 1,000 days of war.

Russian forces fired lone drones and swarms of drones that entered Ukrainian airspace from various directions and at a variety of altitudes, officials said, in an apparent attempt to stretch air defense systems and unnerve city residents.

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Cuba left reeling after Category 3 hurricane ravages island and knocks out power grid

Cuba was left reeling Thursday after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island and knocked out the country's power grid.

The magnitude of the impact remained unclear through the early hours of the day, but forecasters warned that Hurricane Rafael could bring "life-threatening" storm surges, winds and flash floods to Cuba after ravaging parts of the Cayman Islands and Jamaica.

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New law allows Israel to deport relatives of attackers

Israel’s parliament passed a law early Thursday that would allow it to deport family members of Palestinian attackers, including Israel’s own citizens, to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip or other locations.

The law, which was championed by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and his far-right allies, passed with a 61-41 vote. But legal experts said that any attempt to implement it would likely lead to it being struck down by Israeli courts.

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Israel announces $5.2 billion fighter jet deal with Boeing

Israel says it has reached an agreement to purchase 25 advanced F-15 fighter jets from U.S. aerospace giant Boeing for $5.2 billion.

The Defense Ministry said the agreement, concluded Wednesday, was part of a broader aid package approved by the U.S. government earlier this year. Deliveries will begin in 2031, and there’s an option for the purchase of an additional 25 aircraft.

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Trump promises lasting peace to tumultuous Middle East but it won't be easy

Donald Trump will return to the U.S. presidency at a time of unprecedented conflict and uncertainty in the Middle East. He has vowed to fix it.

But Trump's history of strong support for Israel coupled with his insistence during the campaign that the war in Gaza should end quickly, the isolationist forces in the Republican party and his penchant for unpredictability raise a mountain of questions over how his second presidency will affect the region at this pivotal moment.

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Global leaders congratulate Trump but his victory looks set to roil the world -- again

The verdict of U.S. voters was more decisive than most pundits and analysts had predicted. Now the world waits to see whether the election of Donald Trump as president for a second time is as destabilizing many American allies fear.

Trump secured victory Wednesday after surpassing the 270 electoral college votes needed to win. In a victory speech before the official declaration, he vowed to "put our country first" and bring about a "golden age" for America.

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Iran's currency falls to all-time low as Trump clinches US presidency

Iran's currency fell on Wednesday to an all-time low as former President Donald Trump was on the verge of clinching the U.S. presidency again, signaling new challenges ahead for Tehran as it remains locked in the wars raging in the Middle East.

The rial traded at 703,000 rials to the dollar, traders in Tehran said. The rate could still change throughout the day. Iran's Central Bank could flood the market with more hard currencies as an attempt to improve the rate, as it has done in the past.

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30 killed in Israeli strike on Barja

Lebanese rescuers pulled 30 bodies out of the rubble after a late night Israeli strike on an apartment building in the town of Barja, Lebanon's Civil Defense service said Wednesday as the Mideast wars press on with no signs of abating.

It remained unclear if there were any survivors or bodies still trapped under the rubble following the Tuesday night airstrike, which came without warning. There was no statement from the Israeli military and the strike's intended target also was unknown.

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Netanyahu dismisses defense minister in surprise announcement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defense minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as Israel is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.

Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited "significant gaps" and a "crisis of trust" between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.

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North Korean troops in Russia are shelled by Ukrainian forces, official says

North Korean troops recently deployed to help Russia in its war with Ukraine have come under Ukrainian fire, a Kyiv official said Tuesday.

It is the first time a Ukrainian official has said that Pyongyang's units were struck, following a deployment that has given the war a new complexion as it approaches its 1,000-day milestone.

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