BRICS countries will meet to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Johannesburg : BRICS countries will hold an Extraordinary Joint Meeting on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Gaza six weeks after the war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

According to a statement, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will chair the virtual meeting, which will be attended by leaders of other BRICS members, namely Brazil, Russia, India and China.

China's Foreign Minister confirmed that President Xi Jinping would take part in the virtual meeting.

New BRICS members whose full membership will begin next year, including Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, have also been invited to join the meeting.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will also take part in the meeting, where the leaders of the BRICS countries will provide state statements on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Israel is launching air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7.

Gaza authorities on Monday said the death toll from Israeli attacks since October 7 had risen to 13,000.

In a statement, Gaza-based state media said the figure included 5,600 children and 3,550 women.

Casualties also included 201 medical staff, 22 civil defense rescue teams and 60 journalists.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Israel reached 1,200 according to official data.

Putin awards the President of Tajikistan with the Order of Merit

Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded his Tajik counterpart, Emomali Rahmon, the Order of Merit "Giving for the Fatherland", third class.

Putin: Relations between Russia and Tajikistan are developing rapidly

At the beginning of his talks with Emomali Rahmon, who arrived on Tuesday on a two-day official visit to Moscow, President Putin said that relations between Russia and Tajikistan are developing rapidly and are at a very high level today, recalling that Russia is a major trade and economic partner for Tajikistan.   

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the basic document between Russia and Tajikistan, which is the Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the two countries.